Salvation Army ROOTS Festival Inspires Thousands to Share Christ

Thousands of Britons from all walks of life spent their bank holiday weekend in Southport, England for the Salvation Army’s annual Christian festival - ROOTS 2005.

The event was co-organised by the Salvation Army and its youth ministry strategy ALOVE. Gathering under the theme "The One, the Three & the Army", some 4,500 delegates were challenged to ask what the Father, Son and Spirit have taught about creation and community, mankind and mission, relationships and reconciliation, sin and salvation, the now and the not yet.

The event began on Friday 29th April afternoon. Programmes tailored to particular age groups were held in different venues - the Big Top and Theatre for adults, Studio One for young adults, Shocking for youngsters above 12 and Kids for aged 5 to 11.

Individual opening events were held in each venue with the common theme to explore the mystery of the Trinity.

Andrew Grinnell, Programme Resources Officer of ALOVE UK, spoke to young adults at Studio One with a creative style. He said Trinity is a mystery of love, a mystery that is never ending and a mystery that requires our participation.

"It isn’t just about the event, it’s about equipping people to live out their faith in the real world," he added.

Director of ALOVE Russell Rook, Ruth Dearnley of Spring Harvest, and the famous evangelical Steve Chalke also addressed the mystery of the Trinity at the other venues on Friday night.

Saturday was a day packed with seminars and activities, which aimed at grounding the teaching of the Trinity into delegates’ everyday experiences. The delegates looked into the issue of human trafficking. Over two million people are trafficked per year and are forced into slave labour in sweatshops, on farms and for the sex trade.

At the Big Top, Steve Chalke spoke of the spiritual hunger of this world and the way to meet this hunger is to engage with community. Using Jesus’ example of washing his disciples’ feet, delegates were encouraged to humble themselves and engage with those who are in need.

A main session held on the Sunday morning at the Theatre focused on praying for human trafficking. In explaining the Sanctity of the Trinity Lt Colonel Vic Poke encouraged delegates to be the temple for the Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit is an integral part of the church, delegates were challenged to "stop apologising for the church, stop undermining the church and stop withholding support from the church, we should be treating church as something holy and not something to be ashamed of."

The occasion was filled with the Holy Spirit with many people either kneeling to pray, and washing their hands as a symbol of being cleansed to be holy, or being anointed for ministry.

The closing session of ROOTS 2005 yesterday centred around the community of the Trinity. Bill Hybels, the founding and Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, USA, delivered a message at the Big Top. The internationally renowned author and speaker had travelled to ROOTS for this single meeting. He attracted many Salvationists who seek growth in their own community.

Hybels said true leaders need to be pro-active, they need to be sensitive to God’s prompting, they need to show tenacity and not be easily defeated and they need to lead with equality. Following his inspirational talk, he invited those who wanted to meet God and accept His calling to pray with him.

A variety of parties were hosted at five separate venues to celebrate the success of ROOTS 2005 on Monday evening.