Salford will in August be shaken to its core by another groundbreaking mission. Tony Cummings went to the offices of THE MESSAGE to find out more.

Andy: We hope to see approximately 500 Salford teenagers alongside the 1000 delegates and 1000 people bussed in from outside the area. The evenings are totally evangelistic and if the Christians don't get into that they've got a big problem. They will also be catered for and fired up in the morning meetings.

Tony: A corner seems to have been turned for The Message's relationships with the authorities, the Police, etc. Is that true?

Andy: Recently we received an award from Greater Manchester Police and a plaque to put on our wall
says: "Presented to The Message in appreciation of your support in reducing crime and disorder and helping 'Make Greater Manchester Greater'. It's signed by David Wilmot - the Chief Constable. Isn't that fantastic? Now that they have seen that this kind of mission really works, they are bending over backwards to help us.

Tony: On a personal level, what is your single most indelible memory of Message 2000?

Andy: My most indelible memory is one of our Eden workers sharing on the last morning about all the fantastic things that had happened in the inner city. She spoke of Johnnie, a heroin addict, who had become a Christian and who then led his girlfriend to Jesus and now she said their little baby would be brought up in the Lord. I'm not an emotional man, but I found myself bawling my eyes out.

Tony: What's your hope and prayer as to what will be achieved through 2K1 - THE URBAN ADVENTURE?

Andy: My hope and prayer is that it will be another major stride forward for God's Kingdom in Manchester. I fully expect that hundreds will come to Christ, that once again the Church will grow and crime will come down in one of the toughest estates in Manchester.