I'm sure that the blogs and social networking sites of the UK are buzzing with posts and updates following the 2008 New Word Alive event in Pwllheli, North Wales. Not wishing to miss out on the action, here is my tupence worth.

All in all, the event was really good. The morning Bible studies were excellent, as were the evening talks. The teaching was faithful, deep yet understandable, and were all steeped in helpful application. The praise was led really well, providing a helpful mix of sound Word-based songs led in a way that drew people into singing God's glory and responding to the teaching in praise.

The only thing going against the event was the natural consequences of having to set up and run a whole event for over 5000 people in less than a year. If the problems with venue capacities and organisation experienced this year were still around in 3 or 4 years times, then there would be something to worry about. But given that this was New Word Alive's first year, I'd be happy to write them off simply as teething problems.

Unfortunately, New Word Alive is still finding opposition even after its first year. Despite trying desperately to find a suitable venue, the organisers of New Word Alive have had to go with hosting the 2009 event in Prestatyn, North Wales, which is a smaller venue. The consequences of this is a two week split event - one week for students and a separate week for families. This is not at all the direction the event organisers (primarily UCCF and Keswick Ministries, among others) want to take New Word Alive. Hopefully, 2010 will see New Word Alive with a venue and a programme that it can start building a brilliant yearly event on.

As I said before, it was a great event and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking for a Christian holiday with thoroughly biblical teaching and superb seminars or peripheral activities.

Oh, the only other downer from the week was that I got a cold.

Details of New Word Alive can be found at www.newwordalive.org.