We are at last back from Spring Harvest and the first word that springs to mind is 'phew'...
For those who haven't been to spring harvest it is an unusual experience. One that can quickly immerse you in the sub-culture a la Christian man and lady. Admittedly I am a Christian Man or Lady but I will pretend from this point that it wasn't me and continue to point out the speck of dust in my friends eye.
Now Spring Harvest isn't all bad but there are a couple of things which I have questions about.
Number 1: The skyline.
The skyline is a big semi-permanent butlins structure. It is the hub of the whole site and during the Spring Harvest weeks it becomes the Christian shopping and promotional mecca. Row upon row of literature, table upon table of different kinds of bibles, and fluffy toys, and bookmarks, and prayer cards, and wristbands, and bible covers, and computer based stuff not to mention everyone with their stall telling you about this charity or that and why you should help them out. I didn't know you could get so many different kinds of bibles? Obviously there's lots of versions, and for good reason too - it's good too express the nuances of translation in a variety of ways... but the formats, there are so many. Metal bound, leather bound, paper and card bound. Bibles for your pda, for your pc, for your filofax (does anyone still have one of those?). Water proof bibles, 'bible-in-a-bag'. Pretty pink ones with holograns. Serious yet classy brown and clean ones. Ones with flowers on. Some without. The list goes on. There must have been over 200 kinds of bible available from the shop. Where do you start? Do we need so many options? Or is someone out to take advantage?
I think that a friend of mine put it very well when she mentioned that she didn't know she needed so many resources to be a Christian. I expect the apostles thought that when they visited the bookshop too... although I suppose they wouldn't have had 'New Testament and Psalms' editions - and there wouldn't have been any need for red letters just yet...
Number 2: The Hosting Chalet
Possibly the scariest place on the site and one that I didn't discover until the last night. A group of the guys from our venue decided to visit the hosting chalet at 1am after being encouraged out of the pub at closing time. Our group was large in number and with not-so-little dutch courage (not mine though incase you were wondering) we descended on the chalet where the shmoozing happens.
And that is all that happens there.
I quickly discovered that I am not good at shmoozing.
All these leaders trying to promo their charity / project / latest bible range and champion it to other top cats as they worked the room. Obviously the content of the night was not to be repeated - I don't want to face another 'lucasarts' comment on my blog - but I was fairly surprised by the blatancy of the purpose of this venue.
One story I heard about happening during the week was when one top Christian celeb (appearing at a Butlins near you soon!) chatted away for a good 10 minutes with a friend of mine thinking that my friend was in a more influential position than he actually was. When my friend informed him of his current career choices the celeb made his excuses and within 15 seconds had turned and walked. Incredible. Now I wouldn't say that's a way to care for anyone.
Not even a family member.
In closing? Well, at last Sunday came and it brought with it some relief. Home was calling. Tiredness had taken over and the team lounge was no longer an exciting place to be. So that's that for another year. As for iScape? Well the venue was brilliant. The team were legends. The delegates were lovely. The music was loud. Martin the sound guy was fantastically inappropriate and funny. God was there for us to meet. All in all pretty good. But I'm glad to be home.
10 comments:
Hmm. Not much good at the whole schmoozing/networking thing either. I always feel like a spare part in rooms like that.
And that whole thing about only talking to "worthy" people bugs me as well with Christians.
I met Rebecca St. James at this huge Christian event in the largest hotel in Nashville (or something like that). It was after the National Day of Prayer thing over here last year.
Rebecca was great. It was the overall modern day "commercialization of the temple" and sucking up that was sickening. I think it's helpful to remember these kinds of experiences when I'm in a situation where I can befriend someone who doesn't have anything to offer me personally.
Is it strange of me to say i missed it (just a little?!)
Glad you guys had a good time - i've heard some encouraging stories from others that were there...
See you in a couple of weeks i guess?!
Hi Matt. Sounds fun and frustrating. You should have worked the smoozhing room until you got a slot on UCB or as Peter Popoff's resident spring water fuelled band on the 'Gospel' channel. Looking forward to buying some sally Ann merchandise next month. Inflatable mercy seats andThe new range of timbrels (cant spell tamborine)
I can kind of see both sides of the argument.
Like it or not 'schmoozing' or to use the less loaded term, 'networking', is integral if you want to do well in any highly competitive market.
As the Christian audience in the UK is relatively small, it's important that people who want to do well at what they love learn to connect with people alreeady having success or who can work together to achieve success.
But, you're right, sometimes it isn't pretty. From my experience, anyone who didn't want to be networked (or didn't need to do some networking) would steer well clear of the hosting chalet!
Guess what....I am now a blogger...check out chellshappyworld.blogspot.com...oh and also I do actually own a filofax and believe to the very depths of my soul that they are still cool!
Phil, you may need to be a bit more specific about 'success' in the Christian world. It's not a word that sits well with me. In fact it kind of repels me. (Not from you and your friendship, from Christianity as it stands in this area!)
I think that's what the problem is. I think that very thing may be what made Matt cringe inside when he was in that room.
Gathered there were men and women who are viewed as hero's and successful and worthy of more respect because they have sold a bazillion books or have had a hit selling 'Christian' CD. It's weird.
This year at Roots, I'm gonna petition for a 'I'm a nobody but I serve' hosting tent!
Let me put it another way. I don't think my problem is necessarily with Christians being successful, or networking / schmoozing or becoming famous.
However, the moment when I have a problem is when people sidestep being friendly, or being part of a Godly example of community in order to squeeze every last drop of self-promo out of an opportunity. (Or is it just me who does that? Will someone help me get this log out my eye?)
Hey Mel, you lost me a little - not sure where the "success" thing came in (I don't think I used that word), but if you want my definition, it's: obedience and faithfulness.
Bill Cosby once said, "I don't know the formula for success, but I do know that the formula for failure is to try and please everybody." For a people pleaser personality like mine (one who wants everybody to be happy all the time and peace at all costs), the Christian music business can be a very dangerous place. It's a hard thing for me to remain true amidst the glitz and constant push and shove.
Maybe we should use the word "visible" in place of success. Paul talks about that somewhere - parts of the body requiring greater honor being less visible and vice-versa. Rambling, sorry.
I went to the spring festival at butlins last year at a time in my life when i needed guidance as to religion and who i was. I found it really insightful and its changed me.
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