I mentioned a couple of posts ago that looking into the past is a tremendous encouragement when it's hard sometimes to see clearly into the future. Looking into the past is a reminder of how God moved before and builds faith for how He will move again and indeed how He is moving - even unseen. It occured to me that it's been a while since I've sorted through my video sermon collection. I'm so glad that I spent hundreds of pounds buying videos at the Stoneleigh Bible Weeks and the Brighton Newfrontiers conferences because there is something special about seeing these key moments in the flesh! (What I would give to see Ern Baxter at the Dales Bible Weeks in the 1970's .... )
Here is a clip from the Brighton conference in 2004. I wasn't able to go to the whole week due to work commitments so Pete had to attend alone. However we were able to get down for the final day - Terry Virgo's closing session and then the evening session; "Does the Future Have a Church?". It was an incredible coincidence that I had just completed my first transcript of "Life on Wings Interviews with Dr Ern Baxter" and had sent it to both Terry and to Stanley Jebb.
There is nothing more thrilling than prophecy that is being fulfilled. That look into the past is an amazing reminder that God spoke powerfully to the Charismatic Movement in the 1970's and we are seeing it come to pass in these days. Jesus Christ said; "I WILL build My Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it!". Ern Baxter frequently used to remind us that statement of Jesus Christ's was not a defensive statement. Who has ever seen gates jump off their hinges and chase Christians down a street? No - this statement is an offensive statement. There is not one gate that can stand against the relentless advance of the Church - not even hell's gates themselves!
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