spark stories
Spring Appeal 2022
2 Timothy 1:6 “That’s why I now want to remind you that God gave you a gift when I laid my hands on you, and that you must bring it back into a blazing fire.” N.T Wright version
“Spark” is our theme for Spring Appeal 2022. It’s a word that refers to our Soul Survivor story, when members of the Yarrabah community shared with us a picture of God lighting ‘Gospel spot-fires’ around Australia and sparking a movement of youth and young adults, worshipping Jesus in Word, Spirit & Action. We want to reflect on the stories of all God has sparked already, and look ahead to what He is yet to do.
Enjoy a collection of stories from members of our community over the last 22 years, and the amazing things that God has sparked in their lives. If you’d like to share your story for us to blessed by, you can fill out the form below!
matt s
When I was told about this year’s Soul Survivor’s theme; ‘Spark’, I immediately felt God put on my heart a memory of the most impactful moment of my life that occurred at 2017’s Soul Survivor NSW Conference in Coffs Harbour.
For context, I was in Year 8 at the time and had been struggling with a lot of mental health challenges for the past year and a half. I was struggling a lot with body image and was placing a lot of my self worth in my physical appearance and the way that others viewed me. I was really small for someone my age and I was aware of this, and it wasn’t long before these thoughts became extremely unhelpful for me. I knew that I needed something to change.
In one of the main meetings at Soul Survivor, I had a beautifully raw and real moment with God. I shared with Him in full honesty what I had been going through, even though of course He already knew and was watching over me. I shared with Him that I knew my strength was failing, and how I believed that if God’s love for me was really as endless as the Bible claimed it to be, living in His love would be all the strength I could ever need.
Because of this I asked God to reveal His love for me, and I promised to never give up on leaning into His strength. Immediately, with absolutely no hesitation of ending that prayer, one of my youth pastors tapped me on the shoulder and said:
“Matt, I’m sure you already know this and I have no idea if this is even relevant, but God told me to come up to you and tell you that He loves you. I hope that means something.”
It was that moment that completely changed things for me. Not because my physical appearance suddenly changed or because people viewed me differently, but because I viewed myself differently. I saw myself through a glimpse of how God saw me; unconditionally loved and accepted. God does not look at the physical appearance, but at the heart.
And isn't it wonderful how God sees each of us through that perspective?! Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for us, we are each forgiven and loved so deeply by God.
I hold that moment so close to my heart all of the time. In that moment God sparked new life into me and I am so grateful to Him as that spark grows into a bigger flame each day. He has also sparked a passion in me for youth ministry and to share what God has done for me in my life with teenagers and young adults, a passion that I have had opportunities to grow and seek God through by becoming a youth leader and speaking at this year’s Soul Survivor NSW Conference.
Not only this, my daily life continues to be significantly impacted by this moment constantly. Even when life brings its greatest challenges, I am able to find such peace and such security in God’s love. What or who shall we fear when God is for us, when God’s love is greater? Nothing. No matter what may happen during the course of our lives, we have nothing to fear because of God’s love. Because of this I am so grateful.
God’s love is so good; it is constant, never-ending, accepting, and always near. He loves us all.
andrew + emma b
Emma
In 2007 as a 17 year old, I attended my first Soul Survivor Conference at St Ives Showground. I remember spending the first 2 days of the conference completing doubting and questioning my faith in Jesus. I had made a commitment to Jesus at a young age but as I watched the people around me at this conference, I noticed they worshipped and spoke about Jesus in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I found it uncomfortable and challenging but in that place I started yearning and hungering for an intimacy with Jesus like I saw in so many around me.
I remember attending a workshop on prophecy. This was the first time I had ever heard about the gift of prophecy. We were broken up into groups of 3 and a lady prophesied over me that she saw a dried up lake, but all of a sudden this huge gush of water came and filled the lake. She sensed I was going to encounter the Holy Spirit and be filled by Him. That night in one of the main meetings, we were praying with your youth group, and the Holy Spirit came and filled me. I wept and had such a deep repentance over what Jesus had done for me. This was one of the most defining moments of faith for me.
I remember going home and as I read the Bible the words were alive to me in a new way and I felt this new level of friendship with Jesus. I then felt the Holy Spirit ask me to volunteer and share my testimony at my school chapel. For me this was a huge step of faith as I had a big fear of public speaking. The Lord moved in an incredible way in that chapel service and this sparked for me the deep passion to live a life that was led by the Holy Spirit and take steps of faith and courage.
I became friends with the Holy Spirit at that conference in 2007 and that has never left me. It not only sparked a hunger in me to know the Holy Spirit more, but to lead people no matter how young or how old, to encounter Jesus through His Spirit, and learn to hear and recognise his voice. That encounter gave me a value for the Holy Spirit that has shaped how my husband and I do ministry today…to always be led by the Spirit and to always give space for the Holy Spirit to move.
Andrew
I could literally tell of 100 little sparks through the ministry of Soul Survivor, all beginning from the first conference I walked into (which I thought was a hippie tent for cordial-hyped up Christians) back in 2010.
Two hours later, this private school boy was down the front, crying during ministry time, responding to a call to become a pastor and give up my dream of being an actor. But unknowingly to me, it was this moment that flipped my life upside down and began the greatest adventure I could ever have imagined. From actor to barista, to Soul Survivor Conference Coordinator to Youth Pastor, I slowly learned to obey and live a spirit led life.
This leads me to my next biggest spark, as I jumped on a Soul Survivor trip to Yarrabah in North QLD with a team of five in 2014. It’s hard to put into words exactly what I experienced over that trip, but what I saw in the hearts and lives of our First Nations families set my faith and dreams on fire. I saw a freedom in the youth there that was unlike anything I’d known before, as well as a connection to Country and to our Creator that was simply supernatural. I needed to experience and learn from this more, and I felt all of Australia did too.
Alongside this experience, on the same trip, I found myself having a profound encounter and vision where I saw the Lord’s hand pick up my wife and I (plus children we didn’t yet have), and take us from NSW to QLD. For the next five years we discerned what this vision meant, sought wisdom and encouragement, collected many prayers and prophetic words, and in January 2020 we began our Northern Queensland adventure, ministering in Townsville and walking with First Nations families.
These sparks have confirmed that He truly can, and will, do more than we could ever ask or imagine by His power in us, and through us!
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Eph 3:20-21
leesa h
“I remember a Soul Survivor at St Ives, around 2007 I believe (a long time ago now), when I was experiencing some long-term significant back pain. It made my view of life narrower and less vibrant. One of the songs on the worship set list was ‘Blessed Be Your Name’. Some of the lyrics include:
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out I'll
Turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I'll say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
It really resonated with where I was at, and it was a really timely reminder that God is bigger than any difficulty I face here on Earth. And even in the challenging times, it is my choice to be able to sing praise to God.
I think that experience helped shape and deepen my understanding of worship. It’s not just the words we sing but the attitude with which we regard the world, relate to God and grab hold of Him. I haven’t always been as consistent at this as I’d like, but I’m so comforted by knowing the Spirit of God lives in me, loves me and strengthens me each day. His presence is so close and steady. He is my refuge and strength, He is always there to help us in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1).”
jonathan b
Sometime in the late 1990’s, I read on the back cover of Matt Redman’s Passion For Your Name CD that Matt Redman leads worship at the ‘Soul Survivor youth festival’. I had been impressed by the integrity in Redman’s worship lyrics, so was keen to know more about this ‘Soul Survivor’.
Fast-forward to March 2000 and a team from Soul Survivor UK was holding an evening meeting at the church I attended.
Try to keep me away!
Worship was led in a way that I found fresh, honest and inspiring.
Then, a guy named Mike Pilavachi spoke from 1 Samuel. He incorporated slightly irreverent humour in a way that made Bible passages become alive and unforgettable.
Mike reminded us that just as young Samuel remained in the temple despite its many faults, we are called to not get caught up in criticism, but to love God’s whole church, not allowing ourselves to be divided.
He also described the greatest sin of Eli the priest’s sons in 1 Samuel 2 - treating the people’s offering to the Lord with contempt - and reminded us that worship is an offering of ourselves for Jesus, not for our own indulgence.
Mike encouraged us to make space to listen to God more than we tell Him our own plans, and to seek to pass on God’s blessing to subsequent generations and thrill in their successes.
Finally, we were invited to stand and wait on the Holy Spirit, be still and listen. I had not experienced this sort of ministry before. It was un-hyped and completely life-changing, as the Spirit gently moved amongst the meeting. I left filled with a desire to see others meet with Jesus in the same intimate way.
That was the Spark I first caught at Soul Survivor.
If you would like to give toward the Spring Appeal or give monthly to the work of Soul Survivor in 2022 please see our details below.
Direct Debit // Soul Survivor NSW, BSB: 633-000, Account Number: 122736291
Cheque // Soul Survivor NSW, PO Box 474 Frenchs Forest 1640 NSW
Credit Card // visit our website www.soulsurvivornsw.org.au if you wish to support us by credit card
Alternatively, click the button below to deposit your gift
Prayer support
We are so thankful for the constant encouragement of our prayer supporters who intercede for us as we send teams on the road. Your prayers are powerful and effective, and we'd love for you to join us in praying for the ministry of Soul Survivor and what God is doing in Australia.
Thanks again for being on this journey in Christ with us!