Ian Henderson hosts with contributions from Andy Hawthorne and a look back on a fantastic year.

It’s the best half hour you’ll hear this month… Don’t you dare miss it!

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The first thing I’ve become convinced of: the Bible works in terms of raising aspirations among our young people. The best of our government, judiciary and society is built on this precious book. At our Queen’s coronation sixty years ago, she was handed a Bible and these words were said: ‘Our gracious Queen… we present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the lively Oracles of God.’ I believe that with my whole heart: the closer we stick to this book, the more our society will thrive.

I appreciate so much the MPs who work so hard on our behalf. But I was gutted to hear that the book most of our MPs took away on their holidays last year was Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion. How much better equipped would those guys be to lead our nation if they’d taken a Bible away on their holidays?

The second thing I’ve become convinced of is that Jesus works. I saw some fascinating research from the think tank Theos recently. Interestingly, God has been mentioned in our political speeches more times over the last ten years than at any time in our nation’s history. But nobody mentions Jesus. The truth is, we do ‘do God’, we just don’t ‘do Jesus’.

How bizarre is that? When Jesus is so precious, so lovely, when Jesus really can transform any life. He’s changed my life and he’s changed the life of thousands of young people we’ve worked with in Manchester and beyond.

With Paul, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ because it is power of God for the salvation of anyone who believes. And Jesus doesn’t just save you for the by-and-by; he saves you now, from living a small, self-centred life. He gives you a heart for the poor and the hurting and the broken. His energy, his Spirit within, gives you power to change society on his behalf.

You may have seen Peter Brierley’s research on the link between Sunday school over the last 200 years of our nation’s history. Two hundred years ago, Britain was going to the dogs. The inner cities were scary places, Britain was getting drunk on gin, the prisons were full. And guess what? Very few children and youth were engaged with church — three or four percent.

But on the back of great men who worked in our Houses of Parliament like Shaftesbury, Wilberforce and the Sunday School movement, through the 19th Century, more and more children started engaging with biblical values.

Guess what happened? Crime came down, communities became safer. By the start of the 20th century we were at an all time high. Over 70 per cent of our children and youth were engaged with church. The prisons were emptying, the inner cites were safer, addiction and crime were at an all-time low.

After the First World War, we took our foot off the gas. We stopped investing in children and youth. Throughout the last 100 years, fewer and fewer have heard Christian morals. What’s happened? Crime, addiction, divorce, mental illness — all up. Two hundred years on, we’ve got lots more things, but we’re back where we’re started.

I honestly believe as goes the church, so goes the nation. So if we believe this stuff — that the Bible works, that Jesus works — then let’s get to work. Let’s do something new, or support someone who’s doing something new. The gospel has lost none of its power.

WATCH Andy giving this address at the National Prayer Breakfast on YouTube

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October’s episode is now available for download. Listen on your computer, your phone or your iPod. And it’s completely free!

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What’s in the October 2011 episode?

Joining Ian Henderson in the studio is Andy Hawthorne who shares stories from the summer festivals and his personal reactions to the riots at the start of August: ‘There’s so much that needs to be done to offer young people a better way… life to the full in Christ.’

Eden is one of the answers, and Andy talks about our huge vision for 80 new Edens by the end of 2015 and the mass mobilisation of people needed to accomplish it.

There’s also the latest news from the Message Enterprise Centre, our brand new Genetik course and a look ahead to our plans for the Message’s 20th anniversary next year.

Simon Sullivan from Reflex joins us and tells some amazing stories from his work in the prisons around the North West.

He also lets us in on some of his plans for the future, including a new course called Peacemakers and a new drama production based on the Prodigal Son together with In Yer Face: ‘It’s about values… The way I see it, you’re putting values in them for when they get out.’

And Ryan and Christina from Twelve24 are in the studio, back from a busy summer with stories and highlights from Detling and other festivals.

Plus find out about their new EP, Better Words (Available now! In exchange for money!): ‘We felt that God wanted to speak better words into young people’s lives.’

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Here’s what’s on the July Podcast…

Andy Hawthorne OBE joins host Ian Henderson to talk about what’s been going on over the last month – including his honour from the Queen, the Urban Hero Awards and a preview of the Open Day on July 2.

He also shares about speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast at the Houses of Parliament and getting the chance to share unashamedly about how the Bible works and Jesus works — and how, a few days later, he was seeing young men give their lives to Christ in Thorn Cross prison: ‘What a joy to be able to speak to the good and the great about the gospel but also to take that same message into prison and see it do its wonderful work.’

Eden head honcho Matt Wilson also joins us with Dan Haigh, Eden’s London Director, to bring us up to date on new teams around the nation and especially in the nation’s capital. They also talk about why people all around the nation are moving to join Eden teams.

Finally Nick Shahlavi from our Reflex team drops in to talk about his amazing personal testimony, sharing the gospel in prisons and some of the stunning miracles he’s seeing God doing through him. Plus how excited he is about the Message Enterprise Centre.

Don’t miss this brilliant hour of good news and encouraging testimonies – get the July 2011 Flow podcast for free.

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Andy was the keynote speaker at the event which had the theme ‘Raising the aspirations of young people’.

He told breakfast delegates: ‘The Bible works – and Jesus is the answer. The message of the Bible raises the aspirations of young people – we ditch it at our peril. The best of our society is built on this precious book.’

He went on to say, ‘The more we invest in today’s young people the values that God gave us in this book the better our society will become.’

One delegate, Jon Kuhrt, was at the breakfast and wrote afterwards, ‘He spoke with a rock-solid conviction about his faith in a Jesus who shakes things up, who brings hope to the marginalised and subverts the way things are.  A Jesus who transforms lives.  It was the kind of speech that I bet someone like William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, would have made 150 years ago.’

Thanks to Inspire Magazine for the reporting and the Bible Society for use of the pictures.

Lewis Murch, pictured, had already picked up the Inspiration Award but was called back to the stage at the fourth annual Urban Hero Awards to be told his was the story that most impressed the judges. Watch his nomination video.

He was presented with his trophy and a prize of a high-end laptop and pro music software by Chris Bowles from Awards Sponsor Stagecoach Group.

The Urban Hero Awards recognise young people who have been helped by The Message Trust over the last year through our pioneering work in schools, communities and prisons. It also showcases some of the talented performers in music, drama and dance who work with The Message.

The Awards were hosted by Message Trust founder and CEO Andy Hawthorne OBE, himself recently recognised in the Queens Birthday Honours List.

Over 700 people gathered to see the young people presented with their awards, among them Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Peter Fahy; High Sheriff of Greater Manchester Christine Lee Jones; Lord and Lady Edmiston; MPs Paul Goggins and Fiona Bruce; and Councillors Afzal Khan and Sameem Ali.

Exceptional winners

The six award winners took to the stage to rapturous applause.

Drama student Georgia Houghton won the Courage Award for overcoming an abusive relationship that almost drove her to suicide. Watch her nomination video.

The Volunteer Award was presented to Anth Brown for his work with young men coaching football on the Easterside estate in Middlesbrough. Watch his nomination video.

Stacey Murray received the Achiever Award for her strength of character displayed as she rebuilt her life after five consecutive prison sentences on drugs charges. Watch her nomination video.

The Champion Award went to Nina Whittaker from Harpurhey whose work with young girls in her community has helped many find a sense of self-worth and identity. Watch her nomination video.

And Laura Neilson was honoured with a special award for Enterprise for her amazing entrepreneurial work setting up new health practices in four of Greater Manchester’s underprivileged communities. Watch her nomination video.

Wonderful generosity

Thanks to the generosity of our guests on the night The Message raised a wonderful £119,286 towards our pioneering work in schools, communities and prisons.

Some of this was earmarked for the new Message Enterprise Centre which is now over halfway towards its fundraising goal of £1m with almost £700,000 so far pledged.

Urban Heroes Supplement

This Friday, June 24, the Manchester Evening News will be running a special eight-page supplement featuring all our winners’ stories and coverage from the night in all its editions.

Make sure you get your copy!

The honour recognises Andy’s outstanding achievements and service to young people in Greater Manchester for almost twenty years.

Since leaving his clothing business to work full time in schools in 1992, Andy has built a formidable reputation as a champion for young people and a pioneer of initiatives that help the hardest-to-reach young people in schools, prisons and disadvantaged local communities.

Through its schools bands and theatre company, 17 long-term urban youth partnerships and work with young offenders, The Message Trust now reaches over 100,000 young people a year in Greater Manchester and beyond.

Thousands of young people attribute the radical changes in their lives to the work of The Message. Many former troublemakers have become staff members and key volunteers of the charity.

The Message Trust is held in high regard by other youth agencies nationwide and has received commendations from Prime Minister David Cameron and Chief Constable, Greater Manchester Police Peter Fahy as well as business leaders such as Michael Oglesby (Bruntwood) and Brian Souter (Stagecoach).

This Friday, the charity hosts its annual Urban Hero Awards, recognising six extraordinary young people who have been helped by the charity over the last year.

Among the award winners this year are former local tearaways now working hard on behalf of their community, and a youth worker-turned-entrepreneur who has set up four new medical practices on needy local estates.

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Here’s what’s on the May Podcast…

Andy’s back in the studio, sharing the latest news on the Enterprise Centre and what happened at last month’s Prayer Day.

Georgia and Turk, two young evangelists on this year’s Genetik course, talk about what they’ve got out of this year and why you should do it too – ‘Your life will be completely and utterly… CHANGED!’

Hannah from the Reflex team chats about some of the miraculous changes that have been taking place in HMP Styal through the team’s recent work and shares some vital prayer needs.

And Alex and Andy from MaLoKai are in explaining what they love doing most – talking about Jesus while screaming rock down the mic. ‘We have a passion for heavy music and we just want to use that to reach people.’

It’s one hour you won’t want to miss – download the podcast now!

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Come and see for yourselves what goes on at Message HQ and find out more about our exciting plans for the future!

At our Open Day on Saturday 2 July you can hear the latest vision from Andy Hawthorne, sing along with our bands, engage with In Yer Face Theatre Company, come on board our mobile youth club, the Eden Bus, enjoy street games with the Eden teams and break out with Reflex.

There is also an opportunity to go behind the scenes, meeting the crew that keeps The Message on the road, including our creative and technical staff who will be hosting fun activities and sharing with you what goes on day to day. Plus there will be free food, drinks and ice creams and prizes to be won along the way.

It all starts at 11am and goes on until 3pm and is a must for all friends of The Message – and it’s completely free of charge. It would be great if you’re able to tell us you’ll be coming, but you don’t need to book and can turn up on the day.

For further information, please email Jo Nicholson at: jo.nicholson@message.org.uk

Last year’s Heart for Haiti concert raised over £60,000 for urgently needed supplies and spurred dozens of people to sponsor children through Compassion. Shortly before Andy left for Haiti with wife Michelle and Ivy Manchester pastors Anthony and Zoe Delaney, the Message team donated a further £12,000 following an appeal on our Prayer Day.

The team’s trip took them to capital Port-au-Prince and nearby island LaGonave, to meet pastors and project staff working tirelessly to help the poorest of the poor rebuild their lives.

‘We set off with apprehension,’ comments Andy. ‘We knew things would still be very bad and we’d heard about the cholera epidemics. And sure enough, Port-au-Prince is still a scene of utter devastation, covered with crushed buildings. We drove past a mass grave of 100,000 people created simply to get the bodies of the street for public safety.’

But the team’s spirits were lifted when they arrived at the church of Pentecostal pastor Ivan, now operating out of a temporary structure in the heart of the capital city.

‘This pastor was full of faith. He talked about how they’d had 3,000 people added to their church in the last year. They’re seeing 50 to 70 people come to Christ every week and some spectacular healings – a real move of God.

‘He told us of how the community had been gripped by the soon coming of Christ. What a thing to say! People had been turning their back on voodoo and turning to Christ. The pastor there is believing for a church of 25,000 people in the heart of Port-au-Prince.’

The church’s ministry has also been extremely practical. They have mobilised volunteers to conduct training in cholera prevention, going from house to house in their community and speaking to thousands of people. As a result the pastor says the church hasn’t seen a single cholera death.

Child sponsorship charity Compassion has raised £25m around the world to assist the reconstruction efforts in Haiti. Part of this is rebuilding 44 earthquake-proof schools.

A great testimony to the power of child sponsorship was there right before our eyes,’ says Andy. ‘Heading up this whole team of architects, project managers and civil engineers, is a young man called Etienne. He’s a former sponsored child, from among the poorest of the poor, who’s got a masters degree and is now managing this major logistical exercise helping his own people.’

You can hear more of Andy’s stories and reflections by downloading the Message Podcast, Haiti Report.

Why not also do something wonderful today and sponsor a child in Haiti with Compassion? You can find out all you need to know on Compassion’s website.