Has anyone ever gone to Spring Harvest?

[minitigs]

An Evangelical festival held at Butlins’ across the country.

Through my husband, it’s something I’ve heard a lot about over the years. He grew up in a Christian household (his mum in particular) and went to Spring Harvest many times as a child and young adult.

Now; despite being christened, going to a C of E primary, and attending Sunday school as a child. My parents are not religious. My dad in particular is very anti religion, and has made some horrible comments about my husband and his family over the years (thankfully I have minimal contact with him). Over the years, I’ve been conflicted with my belief, but always thought myself a Christian.
But, when I met my MIL, she told my husband I wasn’t a Christian. Wouldn’t let me sleep over at their house, and didn’t want us to move in together before marriage. I’ve struggled over the years with their more evangelical beliefs, whereas mine are a bit more your Protestant/CofE/traditional. Whenever I’ve gone to services of any kind at their Baptist church, I haven’t enjoyed them.

This year, we have been invited along to Spring Harvest… I would love to hear if anyone has any experience of going. The good, the bad; anything!
I’m really unsure about what I’m going to get from it. Other than it probably cementing my own beliefs.

Really interested to hear others experiences

I went as a teenager- I'm 45 now!

Me too. Loved it. Loads for families and the actual services / meetings were really well done.

We took the kids about 15 years ago, went with a big group from church. We had a thoroughly good time.

It’s not a holiday, it’s indoctrination. If you don’t enjoy their services, you won’t enjoy it!!

I also went as a teenager in the 90s but I can't imagine it's changed much. If you didn't enjoy the services at their baptist church, I imagine you would hate Spring Harvest! It's pretty much just enormous evangelical church services twice a day. Speakers who have exactly the kind of views that your MIL does, preaching about being a good Christian to hundreds of people waving their arms in the air to the cheesy worship songs. I can only imagine that your MIL has invited you with the hope that the services will result in you being converted into a "proper" Christian.

Plus you have to stay in the pretty rubbish Butlins accomodation. I can't remember ever doing anything else other than going to endless services and workshops about how to be a better Christian, other than just hanging around with my teenage mates, which was great at the time! I don't know what adult people did as I only ever mixed with other teenagers there, but I can't imagine there's much else to do there.

You've been invited because they're hoping that you will become a born again Christian like them. Are you ok with that? People who are evangelical Christians love Spring Harvest; it feels like a little cocoon full of people who all agree with your beliefs and reinforce them.

If you don't believe in the same way then it can be difficult to feel like the odd one out.

Why would you even contemplate attending a giant evangelical jamboree at the behest of people who don’t appear to have much respect for you and your beliefs, but who hope you’ll ‘covert’ to their particular brand of religion?

I went to this as a teenager. Some Christian friends at university wanted to convert me and invited me on a holiday. It was not a happy few days!

You're spot on with this.
I'm very aware of what my MIL is doing.

Me 'giving in' and going one time, is in the hope it will shut her up, once and for all. I'm sure my daughter will have a great time, and we're bringing her cousin along for company.

Thank you for your response - reading what everyone has said so far, just confirms my feeling of having a pretty uncomfortable conversation with my husband - when I've tried in the past, he's misinterpreted it as me saying I don't believe in God. Which isn't true. He gets incredibly defensive.

I also think the only way I will really shut them all up, is if I find a church/community that align more with my own beliefs.

Yep, it's exactly what they're doing.

But I won't be converting.

I'm fully aware that all this will do is solidify what I already know.

It's not going to be an enjoyable experience, I know that.

Thank you to everyone for their responses -

So is it all just services? Is there any talks?

I feel at this rate, I'm going to be spending my time at the bar!

Or walking into Minehead to see what delights they have there...

You know there will be Alpha style meetings for unbelievers, that your MIL will insist you attend?

Go and enjoy Butlins. Don't bother with the meetings. You'll hate them if you hate the Baptists services.

It sounds like the difference between your beliefs and those of your in-laws is causing problems in your marriage and that's why you're considering going? Is your husband an evangelical Christian?

So why go? It sounds like pure hell.

To say I've done it... that's literally it.

I find my MIL very overbearing with her beliefs. She can literally relate anything back to Jesus and being a Christian.

I respect everyone's belief's, but I don't have respect for anyone who pushes their own agenda on others. Which is all she's ever done.

I work in healthcare, and even had a patient who was an Evangelical. He would spend his appointments talking about his faith. I finally had enough, when he told me I wouldn't be going to heaven if I didn't believe in God.
I ended up telling him rather abruptly; that I do believe in him, so I will be going to heaven... and ending the appointment right there!

Never been - it's not my thing.

I did have a relationship with a man whose parents would not accept me because they were evangelical and I am Anglican - apparently, I wasn't Christened enough.

So, I sympathise with you. In my experience, the only thing to get your MIL to STFU is your join her church - you really should not have to do that.

I went as a teenager. Activities were fun but post services I would always have a young man or woman wanting to chat to me about my faith and when I became a Christian. My answer was always that I was Catholic and it was part of who I was growing up. They didn't like the fact I didn't have a 'story' about how I found god and I felt they dismissed my religion and proceeded to try and get me to convert. I usually wanted to run away as fast as possible at that point. For context Mum was Catholic and we were raised catholic, communion, school etc but Dad evangelical and we did go to his church on alternate weeks.

Hi, I went many years ago and had a good time.... it's great that you're going with kids as all the fairground rides and swimming pool should be available so you can volunteer to take them swimming when everyone else is doing bible study! Even when I went (20 years ago!) it wasn't just one perspective - there were different activities available e.g. running club, workshops on various themes. There were also different styles of worship on offer - one venue was guitars and drums and arm waving- another was more celtic style music and much more laidback. As a more liturgical christian one thing which I did find very odd was the way they almost ignored Good Friday - it's Good Friday - but come on let's celebrate!
I think that the evangelical world has become less arrogant and more reflective over the last few years - not least because of some of the scandals around e.g. Mike Pilavachi, Crowded house and others. I wonder if these days they might realise that there's a need for lament alongside relentless celebration... anyway I hope it's better than you expect!!

Got taken as a child/teenager. I loved the funfair… the rest, not so much. Honestly it was weird, really pushy and cult like. As an adult, I have an absolute aversion to evangelical Christianity so it’s safe to say they did a terrible job of brainwashing me. They tried though…

CoE families go to spring harvest as well as the more born again evangelical type. You can watch the main services on tv in the chalet if you want to see what you’re getting into before going to those.
there are loads of different workshops/talks etc… and lots that are more focussed on entertainment than anything else. Get a programme and choose what you go to carefully. Also take the kids swimming/to the beach/to the fair and enjoy a relaxed break.

Globlues Yep, my MIL has mentioned the Alpha course many times over the years 😬

I actually do intend on making sure my daughter and my niece (BIL daughter) make full use of the facilities at Butlins. My feeling with my niece is that even she is dubious about how much she'll enjoy it. And she's 9! But my MIL doesn't class her own son (BIL) as a Christian (yet doesn't push her agenda on him).

Oh good, I'm not going to be the only Anglican in the house!

I will definitely pick very carefully, and if that means I barely go to anything, so be it.

As you say; I've got the kids who I can entertain with the facilities.

Thank you, that's reassured me a little more!

Haha, this will be me! 😅

Fair play, MIL, you tried!

Thank you for this - nice to know there are options!

Yes for me, a lot of what they believe is just a bit 'backwards'. And yet.... I'm not the Christian. Apparently. I don't quite get the obsession of thinking about the next life, and how that's more important than what's going on right now.

I'm definitely going to be the volunteer to look after/entertain the kids.

The labelling people ‘not a Christian’ or ‘not Christian enough’ is really judgemental and horrible and doesn’t align with Christianity at all- I think I would tell my mil that if she tried that on.