The deejay playing at Southend's Club Messiah.

Russell Smith

Pitched somewhere between a Christian nightclub and an alternative worship event is Club Messiah which since March has been packing them in at Southend. The deejay is 19-year-old Russell Smith who is on a voyage of exciting discovery as he finds what God is doing on the dancefloor. As he says, 'The whole thing has grown. At the beginning it seemed a good idea. Now I can sense a call of God in it."

The genesis for the event which now attracts up to 400 to the college theatre of the South East Essex College was Russell's 18th birthday party. Russell remembers, "I decided to have a sanctified dance party. That was unheard of, even among the Christians here. Loads of people turned up, including all my non-Christian friends, though there was no alcohol. Everyone loved it. My friend Chris Jenkins - who helps me organise Club Messiah - and I realised that there was something special going on."

But nothing further happened for 10 months. Then Russ was on the phone to Chris Jenkins and told him that he thought there needed to be a Christian dance event in Southend. "Chris said, 'It's amazing you should say that. We're planning one and we want you to deejay at it!' I nearly exploded!" That event 'The Public Boys' New Year's Eve' led to the establishing in March '96 of Club Messiah. So what do people get at a Club Messiah event?

"I play mainly house and garage. I get my vinyl from the secular shops and my CDs from the Christian bookstores. It really is a club atmosphere with a fantastic 'family' vibe." Had Club Messiah been influenced by London's famed Abundant? "No, I don't really know anything about Abundant though we're hoping to go up there soon." That will be intriguing for one of Abundant's deejays (featured in CR29) is another chap called Russell Smith!

Though a club, Club Messiah also features a 4-minute talk at the end and sessions move from house and garage to Delirious?/Matt Redman style praise during the event's last half hour. "It really blows me away to see people encountering God on the dancefloor," comments Russell.

The next Club Messiah will be 'Club Messiah Halloween. "The flyers say, 'On the darkest of nights the Light will shine bright.' When I was at Soul Survivor I really felt challenged about taking the message of Jesus to the non-Christians. This is where God is leading us."