100 years of witness

Barking Elim is celebrating 100 years of revival and community impact. Church member Silvano Griffith-Francis shares how “Revive 100” sparked faith, unity and fresh passion for Jesus

I first stepped through the doors of Barking Elim in 2012. What caught my eye immediately were the 30-plus flags adorning the sanctuary, each representing the nationality of someone in the congregation. I remember thinking, “God, this has got to be the church for me.”

I’m on a mission to visit every country in the world – 79 so far – and I love engaging with different cultures, fellowshipping with people from places I’ve either been to or dream of visiting.

While the international mix drew me in, it was BE Church’s heart for the community that compelled me to stay. From food banks and free financial advice to providing a safe place for the homeless, I’ve witnessed countless expressions of God’s love in action. That same spirit inspired our centenary celebration – a Year of Evangelism.

100 years, 100 days, one purpose

Marking 100 years since the revival that birthed our church in 1925, BE Church and the East Gateway Elim Hub embarked on a year of outreach, culminating in Revive 100 – a three-day event in Barking Abbey Park, just steps from where it all began. The invitation was simple: ‘Come and encounter Jesus’. In the lead-up, we committed to 100 days of prayer and fasting. Some 180 volunteers from across our churches came together, forming 17 teams, each trained for the mission ahead.

Delivering an event of this scale was no small task. Pastor Jones Anku, of Barking Elim, recalled one of the biggest challenges – gaining council approval. “The council had to exercise due diligence and ensure all procedures were followed. This was a first-time relationship being established,” he explained.

“By the grace of God, the team at the council worked closely with us to ensure we met all legal requirements to deliver a safe and successful event that also considered the residents around Abbey Park.”

Then came the British weather. Two weeks before Revive 100, forecasts predicted thunderstorms across all three nights. Organisers were warned that if the storms hit, the event would have to be cancelled. But when an elder was asked to pray for good weather, his reply was striking: “I will not pray for good weather! But rather that God will glorify himself through the weather. He can withhold the rain or cause it to fall. His name will be glorified in the event.”

God was in the storm

And glorified it was. Despite the rain, more than 300 people gathered under a sea of umbrellas, worshipping together across cultures, backgrounds and ages. God’s Word was declared by Pastor Michael Ovenden of East Ham and guest speakers Virginna Logan (Kings Army London Region), Daniel Chand (Walking Like Jesus Ministries) and Rev David Campbell, Elim’s Met East and West Regional Leader.

“The biggest miracle in the planning was that even when the weather team had made their predictions, God was in the storm,” Pastor Jones shared. “We saw numerous rainbows on Thursday during setup, and even on Friday as we welcomed guests. Children played while our grounds team wiped down seats after an afternoon shower. Jesus was with us, and no storm – whether in planning, execution, or participation – would stop us.”

Worship leader Enitan Watson agreed: “There was a shift in the atmosphere, even in the rain. There was a sense of overflow from the Holy Spirit as many came forward each evening with testimonies.”

Assistant Pastor Michael Overton, of East Ham, summed it up powerfully: “Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. God will always overcome.” He added, “The rain was a blessing. There were people on their knees in the mud. They were so hungry to receive from God that it didn’t matter to them.”

And it wasn’t just the adults. Adele Davidson, BE Kids Leader, reflected: “It was beautiful to see children step out of their comfort zone. There were some who danced at the front waving flags and banners, having the time of their lives. Some were kids that had never done that at church in a normal Sunday setting but here, there was so much freedom for the children.”

By the end of the weekend, 28 people had said ‘yes’ to Jesus – and perhaps more who never made it to the sign-up sheet.

Personal dreams and goals

Lead pastor Lloyd Cheshire of the East Gateway Hub reflected: “The revive100 seriously met all my personal dreams and goals for what I believed God wanted to do over the weekend.

“Despite the poor weather, it did not dampen what God did – people getting saved, healed and desperate for more of his presence. In fact, the more it rained on the final evening, the more people came forward for salvation and baptism in the Holy Spirit.

“I’ve never prayed for people in such extreme weather and seeing people fall over under the power of God into the mud – it was truly surreal and crazy but beautiful and peaceful at the same time.

“Above all that happened over the actual Revive weekend was the revival of our church which took place in the many months and weeks leading up to the event – people serving, praying, hungry for God to bring revival to East London as he had done 100 years before through the George Jeffreys Crusade!

“I believe God has begun a very special, very beautiful revival in the hearts of His people… we wait and long for more.”

In the wake of Revive 100, a new believers’ group, RNB (Revive New Believers), was launched. The first session welcomed nine people; by the second, attendance had more than doubled to 21. The group provides a safe, welcoming space for those new to faith to ask questions, explore Scripture and grow in their relationship with Jesus.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.