"Consuming Fire" was the theme of the Soul Survivor Youth Festival held at St Ives Showground which saw 500 hearts set burning to serve.

Young adults from across New South Wales came together for passionate worship, incisive teaching and significant prayer ministry in a big-top environment.

The Rev David Reay says Soul Survivor aims to wed together faithfulness to the Bible and an openness to the Spirit of God.

“It encourages wholehearted worship of God not just in the context of singing great music, but also in serving the poor and needy,” he says.

The event also included teaching and creative arts seminars, entertainment and food venues, sports events and social justice activities.

Soul Survivor is now in its fifth year in Sydney with just under 400 full time registrations, many of whom camped on site, while the main meeting averaged an audience of close to 500.

The festival’s origins are in the UK, having its roots in St. Andrews Chorleywood.

It was brought to life in Sydney through St. Stephens Belrose, but now many different churches are involved in the leadership.

While Mike Pilavachi and Tim Hughes from the UK lead a team at the annual Festival, local Christians minister throughout the year to a wide range of churches through Soul Teams.

This involves small groups of young people spending time with churches who are intent on engaging more wholeheartedly with God, each other, and the world.

“The festival wants to help young people encounter God through mind and emotion and spur them on to bless both their churches and the worlds in which they live,” Mr Reay says.

Soul Survivor NSW is led by Matt Gelding, assisted by a team drawn from Anglican and other churches.

Plans are already underway to hold the sixth festival in April again next year.

More information can be obtained through the The Soul Survivor website.