A rallying call to encourage Christians to ‘do more, do it together, do it in word and action’ throughout 2008 has already been accepted over 630 communities across the UK, reports the Evangelical Alliance (EA) – which claims to speak on behalf of a million Christians in the UK.
HOPE08 is the name of an interdenominational campaign which aims to empower churches, groups, and individuals across the British Isles “to serve and transform their localities. They will be using a whole range of ideas – many of which are featured in the recently launched Hope08 manual”, says the EA.
HOPE08 is the dream and vision of Soul Survivor chief Mike Pilavachi, Andy Hawthorne of The Message, and Youth For Christ leader Roy Crowne and has been described by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams as “a remarkable vision”.
Their idea was to extend the successful Soul In The City concept of combined ‘word and action’ mission to as many communities as possible. HOPE08 proposes to support this on-going work by facilitating intensified, united and focused prayer for a year of activities.
These activities, it says, ” will communicate the Gospel through words and actions, creating a lasting legacy of both physical and spiritual change in the lives of communities and individuals.”
General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, the Rev Joel Edwards, is one of many Christian leaders who has voiced his enthusiastic support for this grassroots movement.
“Imagine a year in which hundreds of people come to faith,” he said, “because the Church becomes known not for a million fingers wagging but actually two million arms outstretched – caring for the poor, giving young people a purpose, and working with the police to reduce crime.”
For more details, visit the official website at www.hope08.com.