It’s the morning after the night before. I’m sitting on a sofa with fresh coffee and a blank page on my computer screen and my diary is empty today because we cleared today for driving home.

Even my drivetime show has been cancelled for today. More on why it isn’t a little later!

All of this makes me want to reflect on where I’ve been this weekend, and what I’ve seen – in as simply as possible because I want the event to speak for itself.

So let me start with a simple headline:

“130 men gave their life to Jesus or recommitted their lives to His service”

To explain The Gathering is easy – up to around 2,000 men in a field near Swindon in the south of the UK where there is camping and glamping; caravans and camper vans; a burger van and some very lovely toilets as well as a couple of ‘big top’ style tents.

And then explaining it gets more interesting and challenging because, to quote lovely chap i interviewed, “how do you begin to describe something this good?”

There’s a display of classic cars, sports cars and motorbikes (a personal favourite) and a Prayer Tent. And we have a bar with lovely, chilled, beer next to the free tea and coffee. Plus exhibitors including CVM, Compassion UK, The Christian Police Association, Armour Dillo RC Tank Battles, Home For Good, Sorted Magazine, Good News For Everyone and Pure247Radio.org (I had to plug our own stand!) and so many more.

“Worship with a pint in a field – it can’t get any better” is another comment I kept on hearing. And, seeing men being men – with a pint in one hand, discussing child sponsorship, or adoption – is a sight that brings much joy and is not something I can imagine you seeing anywhere else.

It was incredibly special!

Then it gets a little different because, outside, we also had axe throwing, wrestling, archery, sword fighting and, at the end of the festival, the field was pristine – I never once saw any rubbish anywhere on site!

Oh, and on Saturday there was snow as we celebrated Christmas with a Fancy Dress parade (Bruce Willies in Die hard came first) and a turkey meal provided for those of us on team and so we joined in the fun by playing nothing but Christmas Tunes, Live, from 8pm on Saturday evening for an hour.

Some reflections from men as they set up their tens on the Friday

The Gathering – part of the work of Christian Vision for Men – is like nothing I’ve ever seen or experienced. The above doesn’t even leave a scratch to explaining what it is. Because there are men from more walks of life than I can count. Some would describe themselves as Christians and others wouldn’t. There are young men and old men, but no one under 18 – this is a men’s event after all.

Also, my beard felt a little inadequate every so often as I soon discovered I now have beard envy to deal with!

Some comments from the men on Saturday.

And back to a few photos from the weekend.

Honestly, if you can – even if you live in the US as one of the delegates does (from Colorado) – come along. I can promise you’ll feel welcome whatever your background, or the size of your group. The guy who comes alone one years soon becomes part of a regular 30-50 strong group that meets up every year together for a decade and more.

And, perhaps, that sums up The Gathering rather well.

Yes, it is a festival, Yes, it is ‘a’ gathering. Yes, there is beer and there are cars and the legend that is Graham Kendrick and his “laser guided worship” as one chap enthusiastically described it! But, more than that, it is a time when men can gather with other men, have a laugh and a pint watching football, or learning to throw an axe or wield a sword.

Because The Gathering is one brief moment in the easily filled busyness of life where we can do business with The Boss and take a moment just to be who He made us to be – men!

The Boss [of course] is God and He desires for our attention – and we do infinitely better when we attend to Him. As 130 guys would tell you, when they felt their pull to the front to change their lives to live them to the max.

So attend to your diary, book your tickets for next year and come join with other men.

The Gathering #inafieldnearswindon was epic and we can’t wait to return for The Gathering 2025

Andy B

PS my connection to the men on site was so strong I’m gonna be doing my drivetime show today regardless of how I feel, or how tired my voice is – because I can not, not!