{"id":24482,"date":"2025-08-28T13:54:55","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T13:54:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/?p=24482"},"modified":"2025-08-28T13:54:55","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T13:54:55","slug":"voices-that-heal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/voices-that-heal\/","title":{"rendered":"Voices That Heal"},"content":{"rendered":"

25 August 2025 | West Sussex, UK [Vanesa Pizzuto]<\/p>\n

Big Church Festival (BCF) is not only the largest annual music and worship gathering<\/a> for Christians in the UK, but also a stage where established and emerging spoken word artists can shine. This year, as a crowd of 35,000 gathered on the Wiston Estate in West Sussex (22\u201325 August), the Spoken Word stage was packed. Campers and day visitors listened to Manchester rapper and wordsmith Ben Haydn, author and poet Jude Simpson, and Spoken2Life, among many others.<\/p>\n

Words That Heal: Ben Haydn\u2019s Journey of Faith<\/strong><\/p>\n

After performing a powerful poem about his faith and testimony, Ben Haydn<\/a> reflected on his journey.<\/p>\n

\"Ben<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a rocky ride. My journey of faith started when I was 18. I\u2019d been through a lot: an eating disorder, a spell in hospital where I nearly lost my life, bullying at school, and my parents\u2019 divorce. A whole bunch of pain and rejection. But when I met Christ, He took that rejection and gave me a new purpose. That\u2019s why wherever I go, I tell people there is purpose, hope, and peace, no matter where they come from.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked why he chose words \u2014 both in spoken word and rap \u2014 as his vehicle for hope, Haydn smiled. \u201cI\u2019ve always loved words, even before I was a Christian. They\u2019ve always been how I express myself most powerfully. I love writing and journaling, forming lines and poetry. I fell in love with the art and the craft of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Poetry of Everyday Life: Jude Simpson<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jude Simpson<\/a>\u2019s performance was nothing short of enchanting. With her unique blend of humour and depth, her rhymes and tongue-twisters were utterly disarming. In her poem Parent<\/em>, featured in her illustrated book Shambolic Mammal<\/em>, she captured the highs and lows of raising children. She spoke of being \u201ca suncream applier, a school shoe buyer, a \u2018when did you get that big?!\u2019<\/em> crier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Jude<\/a><\/p>\n

The audience laughed knowingly, then leaned in closer as she concluded that all of it was worth it because, occasionally, she had also been: \u201cWaved to, run to, searched for, sung to, wished for, kissed, missed, and clung to.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt took me a long time to find the right outlet for my words,\u201d Simpson admitted after the show, reflecting on her journey as a poet and performer. \u201cI didn\u2019t start spoken word until my late twenties. I left a career as a civil servant because something in me longed to be creative. I went part-time at work and saved money so I could afford the shift. When I began writing funny poems, people responded. That\u2019s when I started going to poetry society events and slowly learnt my craft.\u201d<\/p>\n

For those doubting their talent or time, Simpson offered simple advice, \u201cThink of someone you\u2019d like to say something to, maybe a compliment, or something encouraging you\u2019ve noticed about them, something they do well. That\u2019s a powerful place to start.\u201d<\/p>\n

From Atheist to Believer: Spoken2Life\u2019s Testimony<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cI gave my life to Christ at the start of 2018. My best friend led me to Jesus. I was an atheist \u2014 I thought faith was nonsense, to be honest. But when my mate became a Christian at university, I noticed a huge difference in him,\u201d recalls Spoken2Life<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Spoken2Life<\/a><\/p>\n

At first, Spoken2Life wanted nothing to do with God or the Bible. Yet his friend\u2019s persistence, and his stories of encountering God\u2019s presence, sparked curiosity. \u201cI had never heard anyone talk like that. It was so alien to me. That\u2019s what moved me from, \u2018I don\u2019t want to hear anything,\u2019 to actually asking questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

One night, after sharing his experiences, Spoken2Life\u2019s friend issued a challenge: \u201cIf you want to see it, pray. Just say, \u2018God, if you are real, show me.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI had no church background, so it felt strange to pray. But I thought, if God is real, there\u2019s nothing bigger than that. So, I prayed, and very quickly I saw that God was real. It was a crazy couple of months, in a good way. I went from staunch atheist to believer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, Spoken2Life hesitated to commit. \u201cI didn\u2019t give my life to Christ right away because I loved the rave and club lifestyle. I wasn\u2019t ready to give that up. But after a year, I realised there was nothing there left for me, just emptiness. Finally, I surrendered to Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

About a year later, Spoken2Life felt a divine nudge to start writing. \u201cI was in my final year at university, and I saw young people going to clubs and getting drunk. I thought, \u2018These people are just like me. They don\u2019t know anything about Jesus. I need to tell them my story.\u2019 That\u2019s when I began writing spoken word.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carrying the Weight of Empathy: Larissa Matson<\/strong><\/p>\n

After performing her moving poem Shoulders <\/em>\u2014 a piece exploring the importance of not numbing emotions in order to truly access empathy \u2014 British poet Larissa Matson<\/a> reflected on her journey back to the stage.<\/p>\n

\"Larissa<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been writing poetry since I was about 11 or 12,\u201d she explained. \u201cBut after a moment of severe stage fright, I stopped. I only really started again last year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked how she overcame performance anxiety, Matson pointed to the support of her community. \u201cLots of friends encouraged me. I also began sharing poetry without performing it\u00a0 \u2014 like creating videos for church. That helped build my confidence, just knowing people valued what I wrote. But in the end, I think you just have to dive in. There\u2019s no perfect way to make it easier. I\u2019d sign up for things that forced me to perform.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her poem touches on the cost, and gift, of empathy. \u201cI had a friend who suffered with a chronic illness, and at one point she said she had to give up the right to understand why it was happening to her. So often, when we\u2019re struggling, we want answers. But I thought, what if the only reason I\u2019m going through this is so I can help someone else later, to really know what it feels like?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to say those lines in the poem,\u201d she admitted. \u201cBut if it helps me share Him in a way others don\u2019t know, then it\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Power of Spoken Word<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether rapped, whispered, or woven with humour, words carried weight at BCF 2025. Poets reminded listeners that, when spoken with courage and love, words have the power to heal. They can sprout through the toughest soil, bringing new life.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father\u2019s one and only Son.\u201d<\/em> \u2014 John 1:14 (NLT)<\/p>\n

\"People<\/a>
Festival-goers sit outside the packed Spoken Word stage at Big Church Festival 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

[Photos: Vanesa Pizzuto, featured image: Larissa Matson performing at Big Church Festival 2025].<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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