“Then sings my soul, my saviour God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art.” This was the first hymn that was sung at the opening of Refuel 18, and the voices of more than 800 people glorifying God together certainly set the tone for what was to come over the course of the week.
The Evangelical Alliance Scotland team had the privilege of attending the conference, which was organised by the Filling Station Scotland to bring Christians of all ages together in unity, draw them to a closer encounter with God, and enable them to return to their communities equipped to share His kingdom with others.
It took place on the grounds of Gordon Castle in Fochabers, Moray, an enchanting village located in the stunning north-east region of Scotland, and was, of course, packed with an amazing line-up of national and international speakers, who led seminars and workshops and preached on a number of topics.
From the Meeting House, Canada, we had pastor Bruxy Cavey; from St Stephen’s Society in Hong Kong, Jackie Pullinger; from our very own Evangelical Alliance Scotland, our national director Fred Drummond; plus Andy Bannister, director at Solas; and Sandy Miller, co-founder of the Alpha Course. Needless to say, there was no milk, only solid spiritual food, as we learned about being culture changers, forgiveness, expiation versus propitiation, prayer life, and unity.
Those who attended the event, which took place between 23 and 27 July, were able to connect with many incredible Christian organisations, including Tearfund, Open Doors and Mission Aviation Fellowship, and learn about the many different issues that Christians are involved with around the world today, from combating poverty and modern slavery, to reclaiming religious freedom, and even toilet twinning.
As this was a family event, there was a children’s tent and Messy Church, where kids were able to have fun through art and craft, music and dance, all the while learning about Jesus. From the youth tent, 17 young people decided to follow Jesus, and countless more were able to engage with God throughout the week.
There was also a prayer tent, where people booked slots to come and have people pray for them, and an outdoor church that hosted wonderful worship around a bonfire. And if that wasn’t enough, we had a whole week of sunny, hot weather, which made it conference even better.
The Evangelical Alliance Scotland got stuck in too. We had a stall through which we engaged in conversations about our work in Scotland, displayed our new resources, and welcomed new members to the Evangelical Alliance. National director Fred Drummond was involved in leading the Refuel 18 platform for the duration of the week, and spoke at seminars, prayed for people and preached on the last night.
Kieran Turner, our advocacy officer, meanwhile, led a seminar on the Scottish Public Leader programme, where he discussed the work we are currently doing in equipping Christian leaders in Scotland to be a voice for good. (We are starting the third year of the programme in November and have built a strong network among previous alumni who not only support one another in the call to public leadership, but also engage with current programme participants.)
Looking back on this exciting week, there is no doubt that Refuel 18 lived up to its name. Although by the last day we all were physically tired, we were also spiritually on fire and much closer to God than we had been just six days before. As an organisation that works for unity among Christians, this week was incredibly inspiring for the Scotland arm of the Evangelical Alliance, as we discovered all the ways in which God is at work in the lives of people around our nation, who are taking action in sharing the good news of Jesus.
We also learned of the multitudes of people from all over the UK and abroad praying for our nation so that revival will come. For me, it felt as if it had already begun. Indeed, the Bible says: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” Jeremiah 29:13.
Therefore, what are you waiting for? Start planning for Refuel 19. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to grow in faith, dedicate yourself to hear from God, and learn about what He has planned for your life in his kingdom on earth. You will also have incredible fun, meet amazing people, and get to know this beautiful corner of Scotland. Come and catch the fire. Be refuelled.
