Merseyfest…God's Love in Action Comes to Liverpool

Geoff Sadler / Aimee Herd reporting : Aug 10, 2005
BBC News

In what is being called the "biggest Christian volunteer event of the year," Merseyfest - with over 300 churches coming together for the purpose of spreading the Gospel and doing "projects of kindness" - will descend on Liverpool August 14th through the 21st.

According to BBC News, the event will include a "massive free festival," as well as prayer tents open 24/7. Arrowhead ministry founder Geoff Sadler sees Merseyfest as potentially having a huge impact for Christ in the area.

"I'm not just saying this because it's where I'm from," remarked Sadler. "But I've never seen, in all my world travels, a place like Liverpool and Merseyside for unity, community and pride in their city. Next week will see the biggest Christian volunteer event of the year when over 300 churches plan to practice and preach the gospel city wide. Please be in prayer for this event. It has the potential to change the city forever. In the next few years, Liverpool has its 800th anniversary in 2007 and is the European capital of culture in 2008."

An excerpt from the Merseyfest website states:

"At the heart of the Christian message is the commandment of Christ to ‘love your neighbour as yourself.' Merseyfest is a means of putting this into practise, but doing it in such a way that it encourages mass participation and ownership.

"In August 2005, thousands of young adults will come to Liverpool for a week of music, festivities and mission. They will link up with thousands of local people and work on hundreds of projects of kindness across the Region. The week will culminate with a free-to-enter Festival in Croxteth Park with the best music, speakers, dance bands and numerous other acts that will entertain the whole family.

"Merseyfest is much more than just this one week in August. The whole process of preparing projects is all about creating or developing local partnerships. The projects themselves will range from environmental improvements to sports camps, crime reducing efforts to children's holiday clubs, old age help to art and drama classes. The scope is only limited by imagination."

In a newsletter, Geoff Sadler listed some ways people can be praying for Liverpool and the Merseyfest event.

• Pray that what happens next week will reach many for the kingdom, but also that Gods "presence" will invade the city.

• Pray for a welsh revival-type visitation and habitation in the city for years to come.

• Pray for a manifestation of miracles, signs and wonders and for the release of prophecy in God's people there.

• Pray for a new understanding and experience of the grace of God.

• Pray for thousands to come into the kingdom next week.