City of Gold

He painted Salford’s smokey tops
On cardboard boxes from the shops
And parts of Ancoats where I used to play

In 1978, Brian and Michael released ‘The Matchstalk Men’, a song about the remarkable artist L.S.Lowry. Lowry was, as the lyrics put it, ‘an ordinary chap’ who was eventually discovered by the Royal Academy. He achieved a fame that he’d never asked for because of his lifelike pictures.

For many, Salford in the 1920’s was a vision of hell. And today, many of Britain’s social housing estates evoke the same grim scene. But not for Lowry. Neither, too, for the creator of the wonderful montage shown below. This striking cityscape was on display at the New Wine Christian festival at the end of July. Its buildings evoked those scenes of Salford, yet were charged with life and energy.

Through the middle flowed what reminded me of the River of Life from Heaven as it’s portrayed in the book of Revelation, that nourishes the trees which are ‘for the healing of the nations’. I understand that many people had contributed to the end product, some adorning the buildings with words of encouragement from the Bible or otherwise. 

All very well to make a montage, you say. But what practical difference does it make to the underdogs of this country?

Its importance lies in what it represents. We learnt about several movements to set up informal churches combined with community hubs on social housing areas, by men and women who believe this is their calling and who have moved to live on the estates. We were introduced to Joel, a young married man in his twenties who worked with ‘Hungry Kids’ on Newcastle’s Byker Estate, running lunch clubs and sharing the gospel with families. We listened to church leaders from ‘Sunny Scunny’ (Scunthorpe), Bolton, Stockton-on-Tees, Hattersley (Greater Manchester) and Avonmouth. Their churches, in downtown urban areas, had a ministry of making disciples, holistically combined with caring for the needy.

We were inspired to hear about Sid, who had started a career as a young graphic designer. Yet he felt called to reach out to homeless people, for whom he felt heartbroken. Sid and his wife eventually bought a bus that served as a drop-in centre. After 14 years of sacrificial ministry they are well on the way to raising a target of £4.5 million to build a village for the people they serve!

It’s costly to work in a deprived area, to win people’s trust, then to respond to the emergencies that so often characterise their lives. We heard a lot about being in a place of weakness, about learning to cast our worries on God. And about ‘dying to self’, following Jesus’ example;

…and being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross! (Philippians 2 verse 8)

At New Wine we’ve become used to hearing remarkable stories of healings and miracles. These featured much less this year, although we heard example after example of people coming to faith in surprising ways. Often this followed a kind deed or a risk taken following an inspired ‘nudge’. The underlying theme was more about God’s heart for oppressed, forgotten people, and the way Christians have allowed their own hearts to be broken at what breaks God’s heart.

This illustrates what all the speakers at New Wine were saying: Our narrative only makes sense if we live our lives with heaven in mind, in the light of eternity. If we believe this world is all there is, sacrificial living makes no sense.

I said there was less emphasis on miracles. But they were there. A lady called Wendy was prayed for at New Wine 5 years ago. From being completely deaf, she has gradually recovered her full hearing. But that’s not what excites her the most; it’s how this experience has changed her. People now tell her,

“I can see Jesus in you.”

She’s living not just for this world, but in the light of eternity.