The Ministry in Scotland.
Now I thought that was the end. I thought, “Well, we’ve come over to do this”. I had another conference in Hove near Brighton and another conference up in Edinburgh in Scotland but I thought these would be kind of anticlimactic. We went down to Hove where we were expecting two or three hundred. Well we had 1300 and some tremendous ministry there.

Then we went up to Edinburgh. When we got to Edinburgh the fellow sponsoring the conference was already a little frightened because he was a denominationalist. The first two or three days were a bit edgy, but about the fourth day it began to break. The next to the last night, I had another one of those strange things happen to me. All through the message I felt God nudging me in one direction. I sensed a spiritual thrust to speak with vehemence into the spiritual condition in Scotland. It seemed to be one of those anointed “outbursts” which was responded to by the audience in the form of a congregational cry to God for a visitation of spiritual power to that nation.

The next night the church was filled and the Word of God was received with a deep awareness that something was transpiring which was larger than the confines of the building. I can hardly wait to go back next year because I’m a Scot.

Let me share a story that happened before the Dales Bible Week in Harrogate. In June we had two days in Glasgow with a young minister. Now I didn’t have any idea who he was. The trip had been arranged for us, and when Ruth and I arrived, we were driven to a Presbyterian church where I met this young minister. Now it was one of the few hot nights we had. Last year it was 106 degrees so Ruth and I took 106 degree clothing over this year and almost froze to death. Anyway it was a very warm night and when I walked in, he had his clericals on but no jacket. I was carrying my jacket and he said; “You’ll not need that”. I thought, “I don’t know if I want to go into a Presbyterian pulpit in shirt sleeves. He at least had a clerical collar! But he assured me that it would be all right. And it was. We had one tremendous meeting. The second one was even better and as he followed me off the platform he said, “We’ve never heard this before! You’ve got to come back. We’ll get a marquee. We’ll do this; we’ll do that”. Well when the time came for the Dales Bible Week at Harrogate, Ruth and I both felt this young Scottish minister and his wife should be there. I said to the coordinator of the conference; “I want that Scottish fellow to come down”. He said, “I’ll phone him”. When he phoned, he said that he couldn’t come down because he’d already taken his vacation and he had no money. We told him, “You never mind the money. If you can get permission from your elders, come on down”. Well a miracle happened in his own life to start him off. He needed £60 to come down from Glasgow to Harrogate. By the time he was ready to go, various people came to him and handed him £96 each of them saying, “We feel you ought to go down to the Dales Bible Week”. So he and his wife came down.

We he came unglued; but the beautiful thing was that his wife who had tended to be rather reserved came unglued too. Up in Glasgow I had gotten a polite handshake from her, but at the Dales when she hugged me, I couldn’t believe it was that same woman. Ruth said, “That girl is absolutely transformed”. The first Sunday night after they returned home, the leader of the conference phoned him and said, “How did you get along?”. His reply was enthusiastic as he told one of his leading elders receiving the Baptism in his car during the week he was in Harrogate and the first Sunday morning back in his church, nine had received the baptism in the Spirit. He was filled with holy enthusiasm and he was looking forward to a conference we want to plan in Glasgow next year.

I want you to pray for these people. I’ve never come away from a nation still carrying it on my heart like I’ve come away from Scotland and England. The last night we were in Edinburgh, the minister’s wife came to me and said, “It’s wonderful but I’m frightened”. And I knew what she meant. Some of us who have been trusting God outside of denominational attachments for years have forgotten what it means to suddenly realise that all you have is God. That may sound odd but if you’re well into a movement or a denomination and suddenly … well this couple had no alternative; it was very clear that they had to leave. As this minister’s wife opened up her heart, Ruth took her in her arms and really ministered love to both of them after the meeting and told them the brothers in England would be up to support them. In fact they’ve already appointed brothers to go up and minister life and strength into Scotland.
When we got back to have our final evaluation meetings with the leaders, they said that already people were phoning from all over Scotland and some from Wales saying, “We don’t know what’s going on but we want to get in on it”.

Seeing Our Responsibility.
It’s my sincere belief that God did something this summer in England and Scotland. I believe all of that was a manifestation of God’s intention to confirm His Word that Jesus Christ is Lord and He’s not going to take backchat any longer. I believe governments are going to be increasingly in trouble because God is on their case. Jesus Christ the Lord is calling them to account and I believe you’re going to see government after government in trouble. Now that puts a tremendous burden on us. If we as the redeemed community cannot put it together and offer them an alternative, it will be the greatest cosmic failure of all eternal history. But I think we’re going to put it together.

I’d just like to end by noting four things by way of evaluation. I don’t know how much this will relate to you but I know it relates to them.

1. Restoration

God is not renewing; God is restoring. I know that raises the blood pressure for some people, but I don’t believe God is going to renew a whole lot of old things. I believe He’s bringing into being a brand new thing. It’s not unrelated to the past but it’s a brand new thing. I believe that the coming restoration is based on strong foundations. I believe God is taking us back again to the matter of personal foundations and corporate foundations and building according to God. For “except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build”. (PS 127:1). I think that there is a restoration of the supernatural not only in the apostolic planting of churches in virgin territory but also of the gifts of the Spirit in the redeemed community – not primarily for the redeemed community but as the supernatural dynamic for outreach to touch the world around us.

I’m 100% for relationship and commitment and submission and shepherding, but I think that if we become so introverted that we don’t realise the intensity of our relationship is for the purpose of being able to go out shoulder to shoulder to lay hands on the world and heal them and cast their demons out, deliver them, set them free, then we’ve missed the real plan of God. So I believe that in restoration there must be a restoration of foundations and a return to the supernatural as the norm.

2. Covenant Commitment.

I believe that there has to be covenant commitment. The only places Ruth and I ran into problems on our England trip was where we had gone at the behest of the brothers who’d asked us if we’d mind going even though they were not committed people. Both places we had problems. I don’t believe that you can enter into marriage saying, “Now look I’m going to spend most of my time with you. But there may be a few times when I’d like to date someone else”. I don’t think either a man or a woman would sign that kind of covenant.

I believe we also must recognise that covenant commitment is basic to taking Zion. David would not receive men who would not enter into commitment with him in covenant. They had to be able to say to David, “Our heart is as your heart”. And they said it by the Spirit of God. It was only when David brought the nation into covenant at Hebron that he was able to go up and put the Jebusites off the heights of Zion and establish the city of God. I believe I saw in Great Britain an intensity of relationship functioning on a level that made it possible for God to do what He did.

3. Spiritual Warfare.

Through recent experiences I have a new respect for Satan. I haven’t reverted to any of the flippant frivolous references to Satan that I’m afraid I was guilty of using in the past. Satan is a very powerful created being who was once the head angel under God. By pride he fell. And in the permissive will of God, for many reasons – one of which is to make you and me dependent on God’s power to deal with all of his minions – you and I cannot laugh him off. He is a well-organised power. His kingdom is well organised. Jesus paid him a compliment when He said Satan wouldn’t cast out his own because a kingdom divided against itself will fall. Satan’s not that stupid.

I believe that we have got to recognise that you and I individually cannot handle the corporate kingdom of Satan. One a one to one basis every believer can handle a demon but when it comes to kingdom to kingdom basis, we’re only going to take on his kingdom as a kingdom ourselves. In fact I have run across a few stories in the last few months where people felt strong enough to take over powers bigger than themselves and almost got themselves killed. The Bible says, “Two are better than one”. Don’t go playing hero. I will not personally come against one of the deputies of Satan. I am not that stupid. I did it once and almost got myself killed. I think God let me learn that lesson. When we take on a principality or power we’d better have our armour on, we’d better have our heart right; we’d better have our right shoes on our feet. And that just isn’t individuals; that’s corporately because all the pronouns in the Ephesians 6 are plural pronouns.

Our problems in America and in the world are not basically human problems. They are problems that are manipulated by satanic powers and if the redeemed community will become the mature man in the earth and will start to deal with them corporate to corporate, we will emerge victorious.

Furthermore the one thing I said to the men as I left England was this, “Brothers I believe we had a tremendous meeting in Harrogate. But when Jesus met Satan in the wilderness and defeated him, Satan departed for a little season. This warfare is unceasing. I want you to go back to your responsibilities and realise that he’s going to confront you. But based on what we did at Harrogate as a responsible representation of the redeemed community in Great Britain, let us believe that his power has been broken. But let us continue warfare with his deputies and his underlings and the demons that are holding men enthralled. Let’s start to believe that we can spoil his goods. Take Bath, take Exeter, take Brighton, take every town. Don’t think in terms of getting a little bigger congregation. Think in terms of bringing God’s government into your community”.

4. Victory Orientated.

Finally we need to be victory orientated. Do you know what I mean by that? I am not interested in the fact that when we left England, all the bakes in England were going on strike. I’m not interested in the fact that there were riots in the streets. It was just like all hell broke loose. Even though that’s to be expected, I am not interested in a pessimistic orientation. I believe Jesus Christ must reign until He’s made His enemies His footstool. It’s God’s purpose to have the sceptre or rod of His authority go out of Zion.

Now you can’t spiritualise Zion in one place and naturalise it in another. If we have to come to Mount Zion and Mount Zion is the symbol of the redeemed community then the sceptre of God’s reigning power is to come from us. You’ve got to expand your vision. You’ve got to change your mind and your perspective and start to think victoriously because the destiny of nations lies with you. The responsibility for God’s plan for the world lies in our hands. We’re the people and we’re His Body. Hallelujah!

With Signs Confirming.
About the second or third night after I’d finished speaking, I sat down for just a few minutes before leaving. I felt impressed to pray and as I did, something happened that has happened to me several times lately – especially over there. I started to pray out of my spirit but not out of my head. Most of my praying is a combination, but this just came right out. I prayed like this; “God, let something supernatural happen on this campground tonight that will be a demonstration of Your glory”. I had no idea what I was asking for, but I knew it was God. I slipped over to one of the leaders and told him what I’d done. I said; “We’re not going to tell the audience because that sets up the power of suggestion. I just want you brothers to know that I’ve prayed this way”. About 2:30am that morning, beautiful choir music was heard coming from the congregation hall which seats 10, 000 people. The unique thing was – there was no one in the congregation hall at the time! Now it wasn’t one or two people who heard it. The whole camp heard it! And it wasn’t only the whole camp that heard it; the neighbourhood heard it! And they protested; “Now we don’t mind you people singing until midnight but 2:30 in the morning is a bit ridiculous”. How could we say to these people, “We weren’t there?”.

This continued. There was a nightly angelic concert. And then other supernatural events started to happen all through the grounds. We’re documenting all of this, but what I’m saying to you, I’m just saying out of memory because I don’t have all the details. There were 750 children in the children’s group with two very fine men over them – Hugh Thompson and Mike Stevens. Hugh Thompson is a man of great competence in God, and his little boy said to him after one of the meetings, “Daddy, wasn’t it wonderful seeing all those gold angels with flames flying across the room?”. Hugh said, “What angels?”. The child said, “Daddy, didn’t you see them?”. He was telling us later, “I was the man of power; I was the leader but here’s my kid seeing angels and I didn’t see any angels!”.

By the way, I didn’t see any either but it reminded me of H. A Baker and others who, when they started to experience breakthroughs on a national scale discovered that it started with little children.

I couldn’t help thinking that at the moment of Israel’s apostasy when Jesus went into the temple for the last time, the bearded rabbis were demanding that Jesus show them His ordination papers while the little children were crying, “Hosanna!”. And I thought of Great Britain where so many religious people can’t understand the glorious things God is doing and the little children are seeing angels.

A book by seven leading Anglican clergymen had just come out over there attacking the virgin birth. I thought, “For a people who apparently need God and His divine revelation so desperately, the attack seemed to indicate an insensitivity to the real needs of the people. They didn’t need attacks on the faith. While they are attacking the virgin birth, little children are seeing angels”. It’s a matter of faith. If you want to get heady and discuss the biological impossibility of the virgin birth you go right ahead. I’d rather see angels!

On the last night a little boy got lost and they were organising a group of men to go out and hunt for him. About the time they were going out the door, the little boy walked in all smiles. They said; “Where were you?”. He said, “I was lost”. “Well” they said, “How did you get here?”. The child said, “A kind ghost brought me, but he’s gone now”.

We spent three days with the leaders evaluating the meetings. The brothers whose children had seen the angels are men in the top echelon of leadership. They said that they talked to these children again and again, but they couldn’t budge them. They know what they saw. Three and four children at a time saw them. Three girls saw an angel enveloped in light – dancing. There were some thirty sightings of angels altogether.

Now I don’t want to say “I told you so” but for the last two years I’ve been saying that if we are living in the time of the end, the Bible says God is going to send forth His angels to do a whole lot of things. And I’ve been saying we’re going to start to see angels. So this is a great confirmation of my own faith and in a very real sense, a great confirmation that we’re actually living in the time of the end. And if that’s the time we’re living in, a lot of exciting things are due to happen.

Shortly before we left, we found out about a man and his little boy who had come to the camp. When they went back home to Leicester they were talking to a couple of friends – a man and a woman who were unbelievers. The couple asked how it had gone at the meetings. The father was trying to explain and share rather delicately when his little boy said, “Tell ‘em about the angels Daddy”. The father said, “They wouldn’t understand son”. But the man said, “Oh I think we would. Tell us about the angels”.

So he started to tell them about the angels. And he told them what we had done on the last night – which I’m going to tell you about in a minute. The unbelieving couple said that as they were driving into the city of Leicester that night, there had appeared over the city a flaming cross, right at the time that we as a host of people under leadership were taking authority over the Prince of Great Britain.

Another remarkable thing was when Bryn Jones, who’s not a very excitable fellow said, “Ern look at this. We have never had UFO sightings in this area. There have been sightings in other areas, but we’ve never had them here”. But there in bold type in the Bradford paper, which is adjacent to Harrogate, were reports of UFO sightings.

Now I’ve made this subject a study throughout the years, having seen at one time a phenomenon in Arizona myself. I’ve been interested in it in a purely objective way. I don’t have any opinions about it, but I’ve read enough to know that they invariably involve some mechanical reference. “They look like this … They’ve got lights flashing … They look like saucers”. There’s always a mechanical factor in it. I said, “Let me read those”. And as I read those reports all those people saw were flames of fire and gold in the sky. There wasn’t anything mechanical to report. Now I’m satisfied that they were seeing angels manifesting in that entire area. I believe that entire area was literally and I use the expression respectfully, infested with angels.

Because of the singing in the middle of the night and the complaints of the neighbours it looked a little bad for us. The Harrogate showground and Harrogate itself is the place where all the upper class people, including kings and queens, dukes and duchesses, have come through the years (and when you say “years” over there, you’re talking in terms of centuries). They came to the beauty of Harrogate. And the Queen had just been there to see the horse show – before the “King” arrived! I’ll tell you, angels sure have horses beat a long way! But we were concerned because it looked like the protests of the neighbours would militate against our getting the grounds next year and there are no grounds in northern England comparable to it.

So we were praying about it because we not only wanted the grounds for next year but we were going to propose to the board of Harrogate showground that they add 3, 000 seats to the show building which would then seat 14, 000 people.

It looked like the angels had gotten us into trouble but we trusted God. Well, a retired major from the army who lives and has influence in Harrogate wrote a letter voluntarily to the board of the Harrogate showground. He said, “I understand that some of my neighbours are upset with the singing that’s coming from the grounds at night. First let me say, that we’ve never had a better-behaved bunch of people in that show ground in my living memory. And as far as the singing in the middle of the night is concerned, I enjoy it very much. I think it’s really sweet”. That letter did the trick. We not only have the showground for next year, but they’re going to put in 3, 000 extra seats.

We saw God working in mighty ways to bring in the unconverted. One night they were taking an offering for the poor. The offerings were running to about £2, 500 a night and that’s a lot for over there. An unbeliever had come with his wife that night to the meeting. He had come half disgruntled because she wanted him to and half under conviction because God wanted him to. As they were taking the offering for the poor, the basket came down by him and he looked and saw that some man had dropped in his gold watch. He looked at the watch and said, “This is real!”. Immediately he repented and began to talk in tongues and the next morning we baptised him.

The Climax to the Conference.
This was all a time of preparation leading up to Friday night. Through the ministry of the Word, which really came out of plurality because we constantly met as leaders before the services to go over everything, I believe we covered all the ground. We covered the area; “Are you personally right with God?”. Then we dealt with it community-wise; “Are you right with your neighbour? Are you right with your family?”. We did all that because the leaders knew that what we were going to do Friday night would either be maximised or minimised by the state of the people of God. So we let it be known in the camp that everyone was to get ready for Friday night. I don’t want to be irreverent but it was almost like the Lord telling Israel how to prepare for His coming down among them. They were all moving towards Friday night.

I think if ever there was a number of people that size ready to do a job, it was that people. They’d go back from the meetings under their shepherds and they would have Bible studies and talk sand they’d pray and minister to one another. It was like having a hundred meetings going on in the context of a large conference.

When the last night came we met an hour early as leaders to talk. One of the leaders is a retired army major and as I sat there and started to outline and list what I wanted, this major smiled and said, “Ern I’ve sat in plenty of military officers strategy meetings and this isn’t any different than a group of military officers getting ready to go into battle. The only difference is I like this kind of warfare”. When we went into that meeting we knew what we were going to do. Before Ruth and I left our hotel, we got down to pray and God seemed to say to me, “As Michael and Gabriel helped Daniel so the angels this night will help you”. As I began to minister about taking the Strong Man, there was a dynamic content of God there that I really cant describe to you. I shared that we were not now just going to hand out tracts and save souls one by one (not that we were going to stop doing that) but that as the redeemed community, our responsibility was to light the world and salt the earth and exercise spiritual authority. I told them that the leaders in the redeemed community were more essential than even the aldermen who were elected by unregenerate votes; that by spiritual weaponry and authority the redeemed community under its leadership should be able to alter legislation, change the life of the city and change the course of history.

Well these people were ready to go. By the time we got through speaking, they had cleared the platform of all the musicians and on the platform were the lead brothers – the top echelon of leadership in England. They came together and we linked our arms – this great host linked arms - and I have never felt such a strong anointing as came out of that kind of plurality. I came against the Prince of Great Britain to break his power that we might spoil his goods. And the cry of triumph that went up after that was something that I’d not seen ever before. You talk about victory! There was no fear; there was just a consciousness and a confidence that the evil power over Great Britain had been broken.

As the men started to go home to their various commitments and communities, in almost every case there were people waiting, wanting to know how to get converted, how to receive the Holy Ghost, how to be delivered. They were waiting for them! There were people waiting at the dungeon doors just for somebody to pull the door open and let them out. It was like God was giving a token that the power of the Prince of Great Britain had been broken. When I left it was still going on.

A Demonstration of His Glory - Ern Baxter in the UK - 1977

There can be no denying that the 1970's were a remarkable decade when God moved in the United Kingdom in a unique way bringing the Charismatic Movement to churches across the nation. Ern Baxter was a unique man at that time for a unique purpose. He first came in 1975 and addressed the Lakes Bible Week on "The King and His Army". He then came again to the Dales Bible Week in 1976 and spoke on "Where Are We Going?" - one of the most significant series of addresses I have ever heard. But in 1977 he came and his subject was Spiritual Warfare or "Binding the Strongman". These next 3 postings are a transcript taken from the New Wine Magazine (printed in the USA) of Ern's own report to the leaders in the USA with whom he was related.

It makes for a stirring read.

A Demonstration of His Glory
By Ern Baxter – A personal report on Ern’s recent time of Ministry in the UK.

England is a country that is embattled and besieged – on the verge of economic collapse. But there is an ever-growing army of people in England who are proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is being built in the earth and that it’s going to come to pass by the miraculous power of God through them. These people are Kingdom-minded. They’re talking about the government of God coming to Great Britain. They’re not confined to little “bless-me” groups. They’re thinking big; their vision is expanded and they’re ready to help Queen Elizabeth get the country out of trouble.

Coming Together in Commitment.
Ruth and I went to Great Britain knowing we were going to do a lot of work. We didn’t go over there thinking we were going to have a lot of “hallelujah” meetings. We really had a sense of destiny in going. I think we have had it ever since we returned from there last year. During the first six weeks – from the first of June up until we came back to the Kansas City Conference for a few days – we went to the major committed bodies all over England, meeting with local leaders on a committed and interdenominational basis. In addition we had some general public meetings as well as some committed meetings. It was a kind of potpourri, but basically it was for the purpose of finding out how each of the main leaders in Great Britain was getting along in his committed area and to survey the national bodies. And I’m happy to report that we found healthy pockets of spiritual power all over England.

I knew the large conference at Harrogate, which is called the Dales Bible Week, was going to be the climax to which we were moving. I kept saying to people every place we’d go; “I’m not going to tell you what we’re going to do; I just want you to be ready”.

An interesting thing was that I found myself constantly going back to foundation truths; Was everybody’s life in order? Was the community in order? Were the leaders relating properly? These things are tremendously important. The day of the individual is over. We’re not marching as lonely adventurers anymore; we’re moving as an army. And until we get it together in all the various dimensions of our relationships – well, God’s going to do His job with those who are together, and those who aren’t are going to be left out.

One tragedy in Great Britain is that religious life is at a low ebb. The national church attendance is alarming and they’re having real financial troubles. In contrast, among those who are experiencing the mighty moving of God, the economic pressures are not an issue. I asked them last year, “What do you do about the inflation?”. They said, “Ignore it”. And they’re still ignoring it. All expenses are covered. They’re getting money. They don’t know where it’s coming from but they don’t have sticky fingers, and they’re investing it well and building the Kingdom of God.

Knowing where we were going and what we planned to do, we felt it was right that we should call all of the national leaders together near London and tell them what we felt God wanted to do – for their judgement and evaluation – because we felt that what we were going to do would affect the nation. So we called together about 120 committed men in leadership under Arthur Wallis and Bryn Jones from all over England, and we told them briefly what we planned to do. Now the English people are not like the Americans. They are pretty staid and pretty conservative. They don’t get too emotional because they’ve got the British “stiff upper lip” and the “see it through” attitude. So when they get excited, you know it’s genuine. Also you can’t “con” them. You can’t sell them a bill of goods. They’ve been around longer thank we have, and they are pretty wary of anybody coming over to try to sell them something. When I told them what I was planning to do, they didn’t just accept it as a fait accompli. They said, “We’d like to talk about it”. So I answered their questions and received what adjustment we felt was necessary.

These 120 men represent a deposit of God. In these men who came from all over England, I saw probably the finest, purely, most gifted, well-informed body of leadership that I’ve seen in corporeity anywhere in the world. Now let me qualify that by making a proper equation. I don’t think it’s fair to equate America with Great Britain in terms of size; you’d have to equate Great Britain with California or Florida or New York – one of our larger states. And if we were to get all the committed men together in America, I suppose it would be pretty much the same.

These brothers in England are men who are being stretched in an aspect of their faith. It’s my personal conviction – going back to the days in Finland after World War II – that it almost seems necessary for a people to feel an economic pinch before they can feel spiritual power and revival. I’m not saying that poverty is spirituality, but I am saying that when the judgements of God are in the earth, men learn righteousness.

There’s something about these people. They’ll tell you in their quiet way that they know their nation is “down the drain” apart from God. And then having said that, they’ll tell you they’re going to save their nation. They’re saving souls but they’re really out to save a nation. They’re taking the Great Commission seriously. They believe in discipling nations and they intend to do it for theirs. And I believe they will succeed.

We came to the Kansas City conference and then hurried back to Great Britain where we walked right into a conference in Exeter with Arthur Wallis and Bryn Jones. It was held in a large tent or “marquee” as they call it over there, with about 2, 000 people in attendance. I would say it was a highly profitable, blessing meeting. On the last night our host had to return to the conference grounds to take care of some things, and when he came back home, he reported that at 12:30 am people were still lined up about half a block waiting to get the tapes from that night’s meeting.

I was very aware during this time of the special anointing God gave me. I don’t usually get too thrilled with my own preaching. I don’t know if any of the other brothers sit around listening to themselves. I don’t. But as I heard my message being duplicated, I couldn’t help but stop and listen. I was moved as I heard myself reading the Word. I was moved as once again I lived in the special anointing that I believe God gave me for that job. I don’t have that same anointing now. We don’t live in those special anointings. I can tell you about it and as I do, I’ll probably get as thrilled about it as you, yet I can’t recapture it. I don’t need it now. I needed it then and there.

I’ve come back from Great Britain celebrating the grace of God. I guess all of us think that we have something to offer. I don’t think we’ve gotten rid of self-congratulation. We probably think we’re fairly good preachers or fairly good students or something. But when I got through that week, I came away knowing that this man was a pretty earthy vessel to handle that kind of gift. And I came away with a higher evaluation of the grace and goodness of God than I’ve ever had in my life.

I believe that there’s a key in that. If we can be to the praise and the glory of His grace, I believe He’ll release an awful lot more among us than we’ve yet experienced. I’m afraid it wouldn’t do for any of us to be too much of a miracle worker. It’s difficult for us to see miracles and signs and wonders among us as something that is fairly common place because if we did – if we saw an angel – we’d immediately go out, buy a briefcase, have some cards made and go out giving out our testimony about how we saw the angel. I don’t mean that unkindly but that kind of attitude is in opposition to the way Jesus handled His miracle ministry. The Scripture tells us, “You’re attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus; Who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant …”. (Phil 2:5-7, NIV), taking the place of absolute submission to the Father. There was nothing in Him that wanted to take any of the glory. Everything He did, He did because the Father told Him to, and thus He could say, “Learn of Me for I am meek and lowly in heart”. (Mt 11:29).

Laying the Groundwork.
From Exeter, we went up to Harrogate. That was the place we were heading for. Ruth and I knew it. We’d known it for a year and we’d been preparing for it. In coming to Harrogate we’d asked all of the leaders to camp with their people as companies and as committed bodies. One man brought his entire church of 200 members! In many instances, whole committed bodies came so that all over the ground there were committed bodies under their shepherds and their leaders. In each group there was a certain amount of autonomy; there was a certain amount of freedom. You’d find one group fasting for a day. They didn’t ask any other group if they wanted to fast; they just felt God wanted them to fast. Another group would be doing something else. But there was a kind of flow through the entire campground.

There were others of course. There were people who were just starting to get interested. There were others coming in from the charismatic dimension, but in the main, the people camping there were in some kind of relationship.

Again I found that as we moved from Monday, the first night, to Friday night, which I anticipated to be a call to commitment and action, it became very clear to me that we couldn’t go into battle if we weren’t rightly related to God. I found myself going back again to foundations. I found myself taking one entire service and saying; “Now look, if you’re going to be in condition to do what we’re going to do Friday night, your foundations have got to be strong. How’s your repentance? Your faith? Your baptism? The Holy Spirit? Are you walking in resurrection life and under the moral government of God?”. That really started to clean house!

Incidentally the praise was so intense that during the last night it reached an absolute roar. It started to do this about the third night and it picked up. The exciting thing about it, personally, I believe there are dimensions of worship we haven’t gotten into yet. And there’s something about that roar. It is like a waterfall. It’s the voice of God and it’s also the voice of God’s people according to the book of Revelation. I wasn’t surprised to learn that many people were receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit during that time of praise. They were just coming through. It was commonplace.

Also they had a swimming pool on the grounds and for two and a half days it was the most beautiful sight. It was almost like the tribe of Dan coming to get all its people straightened around. And then up came the tribe of Benjamin. They would come from the campground by their groups and they would baptize any of their people that hadn’t been baptized along with anyone that had been converted from their geographical area. We would not baptize anyone who wasn’t coming to be submitted to an authority. That is, we wouldn’t baptize an Anglican who was there just by chance. But anybody who would come under an authority, we baptized. For two and a half days the waters were being stirred. In fact the last morning after the camp was over, they were still baptizing a few latecomers.

Library Jealousy.

This link is hilarious - I've found a fellow lover of books who is currently studying at Regent College, Vancouver - under Gordon Fee ... oh how my heart bleeds.

http://cawley.typepad.com/blog/2005/08/jealousy.html#comments

50 Most Influential Churches in the United Kingdom

I wonder if anyone remembers me discussing this in previous blogs. Well I've finally completed the list and here it is below along with websites to the respective church sites. Like the USA version, I have compiled it in order of most influential (beginning at 1) through to not-so. It was an incredibly difficult thing to finish and sobering in many ways. It demonstrated above all how lacking we are in the United Kingdom compared to the USA for churches of glorious quality and New Testament style life. And above all has driven me to my knees again praying for revival - oh that this list would be difficult to compile because of which church to choose!!

As always - feel free to comment, criticise, complain. If you want to know why I put a particular church where I did, or why I didn't include your church - ask. But back up what you say - the "unexamined opinion isn't worth holding" - Dr Stanley Jebb.


1. Church of Christ the King, Brighton. - the founding church and flagship of the hugely successful New Frontiers family of churches. While membership remains modest by US standards at just over a thousand, the vast influence of this church is felt in every area. Terry Virgo - the father and apostle of the movement is based here. Some of the most popular and influential worship leaders in the UK are based here including Kate Simmonds, Stuart Townend and Phatfish. Also on the eldership team is the teacher John Hosier who has written a variety of books and Dave Fellingham.

Senior Pastor: Peter Brookes. Website: http://www.cck.org.uk/

2. All Souls, Langham Place. - home to Dr John Stott.

Rector: Hugh Palmer. Website: http://www.allsouls.org/

3. Holy Trinity, Brompton. - home to the hugely successful Alpha Course.

Vicar: Sandy Miller. Website: http://www.htb.org.uk/

4. Kensington Temple, London.

Senior Pastor: Colin Dye. Website: http://www.kt.org/

5. Kingsway International Christian Centre, London.

Senior Pastor: Matthew Ashimolowo. Website: http://www.kicc.org.uk/

6. St Helens, Bishopsgate.

Rector: William Taylor. Website: http://www.st-helens.org.uk/

7. Westminster Chapel, London.

Senior Pastor: Greg Haslam. Website: http://www.westminsterchapel.org.uk/

8. Metropolitan Tabernacle, London.

Senior Pastor: Dr Peter Masters. Website: http://www.metropolitantabernacle.org/

9. St Andrews, Chorleywood.

Vicar: Mark Stibbe. Website: http://www.st-andrews.org.uk/

10. Community Church, Southampton.

Team Leader: Billy Kennedy. Website: http://www.community-southampton.org/

11. Soul Survivor, Watford.

Senior Pastor: Mike Pilavachi. Website: http://www.soulsurvivorwatford.co.uk/

12. Metro Church International (UK), Sunderland.

Senior Pastor: Ken Gott. http://www.mci12.org.uk/

13. Eden Baptist Church, Cambridge.

Senior Pastor: Julian Hardyman. Website: http://www.eden-cambridge.org/

14. Ruach Ministries, Brixton, South London.

Senior Pastor: Bishop John Francis. Website: http://www.ruach-ministries.co.uk/

15. Pioneer People, Surrey.

Team Leader: Gerald Coates. Website: http://www.pioneer.org.uk/

16. Abundant Life Church, Bradford.

Senior Pastor: Paul Scanlon. Website: http://www.alm.org.uk/

17. New Life, Lincoln.

Senior Pastor: Stuart Bell. Website: http://www.newlifelincoln.org.uk/

18. South-West London Vineyard.

Senior Leader: John Mumford. Website: http://www.vineyard-swlondon.org.uk/

19. Hillsong, London.

Senior Pastor: Gary Clarke. Website: http://www.hillsong.co.uk/

20. Peterbourgh Community Church, Peterbourgh.

Senior Pastor: David Smith. Website: http://www.pcc-uk.org/

21. St Pauls Cathedral, London.

Dean: Dr John Moses. Website: http://www.stpauls.co.uk/

22. Renewal Christian Centre, Solihull

Senior Pastor: David Carr. Website: http://www.renewalcc.com/

22. New Community Church, Sidcup

Senior Pastor: Matt Hosier. Website: http://www.newcommunitychurch.org.uk/

23. Cornerstone Church, Nottingham.

Senior Pastor: Peter Lewis. Website: http://www.cornerstoneuk.org.uk/

24. Riverside Church, Birmingham.

Team Leader: Nick Cuthbert. Website: http://www.riverside-church.org.uk/

25. Kingdom Faith Church.

Senior Pastor: Brain Nish. Website: http://www.klc.org.uk/

26. Christian Fellowship Church, Belfast.

Senior Pastor: Paul Reid. Website: http://www.cfc-net.org/

27. Christian Centre, Nottingham.

Senior Pastor: David Shearman. Website: http://www.christian-centre.org/

28. Methodist Central Hall, London.

Superintendant Minister: Martin Turner. Website: http://www.methodist-central-hall.org.uk/

29. Heath Evangelical Church, Cardiff.

Senior Pastor: Wyn Hughes. Website: http://www.heath-church.org/

30. St Aldates, Oxford.

Rector: Charlie Cleverly. Website: http://www.staldates.org.uk/

31. Oxford Community Church, Oxford.

Senior Pastor: Steve Thomas. Website: http://www.occ.org.uk/

32. All Nations Church, Cardiff.

Senior Elder: Dr Roger Aubrey. Website: http://www.allnationschurch.org.uk/

33. St Ebbes, Oxford.

Rector: Vaughan Roberts. Website: http://www.stebbes.org.uk/

35. Basingstoke Community Church, Basingstoke.

Team Leader: Phil Norris. Website: http://europe.saltlight.org/

36. Folleys End Church, Croydon, London.

Senior Leader: David Markee. Website: http://www.follysend.org/

37. Worthing Tabernacle, Worthing.

Senior Pastor: Mark Weeden. Website: http://www.worthingtab.org.uk/

38. St Johns, Harbourne, Birmingham.

Vicar: James Grier. Website: http://www.stjohns-church.co.uk/

39. Winchester Family Church.

Senior Pastor: John Groves. Website: http://www.winfam.org/

40. Above Bar, Southampton.

Senior Pastor: John Risbridger. Website: http://www.soton.ac.uk/~wphg/

41. Christchurch Clifton, Bristol.

Vicar: Mike Cain. Website: http://www.christchurchclifton.org.uk/

42. St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol.

Senior Curate: Dr William Beaver. Website: http://www.stmaryredcliffe.co.uk/

43. Worldwide Mission Fellowship, West Norwood, London.

Senior Pastor: Dennis Greenidge. Website: http://www.wwmf.org/

44. Hockliffe Street Baptist Church, Leighton Buzzard.

Senior Pastor: Phil Hill. Website: http://www.hockliffestreetbaptistchurch.org.uk/

45. Kings Community Church, Hedge End, Southampton.

Senior Pastor: Martyn Dunsford. Website: http://www.kcc.uk.net/

46. Every Nation Church, London.

Senior Pastor: Wolfgang Eckleben. Website: http://www.everynation.co.uk

47. St Marks, Sheffield.

Vicar: Adrian Alker. Website: http://www.stmarkssheffield.co.uk/

48. South Manchester Christian Fellowship, Manchester.,

Senior Pastor: Andy Barclay-Watt. Website: http://www.smcf.org.uk/

49. Open Heaven Church, Loughborough.

Senior Leaders: Rich and Ness Wilson. Website: http://www.openheaven.org/

50. City Temple, Holborne Viaduct, London.

Senior Pastor: Dr Rod Woods. Website: http://www.city-temple.net/

No Longer Welcome?

I've just read an essay by a graduate that I found very poignant because it has almost exactly mirrored my own experience. While I suspect I may strongly disagree with the author's conclusions about "sexualities" and "orientations" the treatment at the hands of a church has been to me just as devastating. So I think it's an essay well worth including and well worth reading. The gauntlet is laid down - are church leaders really going to be bothered with those who aren't the bog standard married couple with 2.4 children?


No longer welcome?
A plea from a young gay evangelical Christian

The author is young graduate who, for a number of years, has been deeply involved in a leading evangelical Anglican church belonging to the Reform group. Having admitted to a church leader and some of his Christians friends that he is gay, he no longer feels welcome and has reluctantly decided to leave.

After the agony of Gethsemane, the pain and hurt of betrayal and denial, the injustice of his trial and the cruelty of a Roman flogging, Jesus was led up a hill to his death. His bloodied footprints pointed the way to a reality that even he had shrunk from - a place where the Son would come face-to-face with His Father's judgement on the world. His mind must have been reeling with the prospect of what was still to come - the loneliness and hopelessness of outer darkness. But in the midst of that semi-consciousness, the gospel writers record for us some of the most incredible words ever spoken, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." We cannot know, but perhaps that prayer was the last communion Jesus had with his Father before their link was severed and, for the first time in eternity, the Son's prayers became useless. It is a matchless prayer that reveals the depth of the Son's love for his Father and the Father's love for the world.

It is often wrong to draw emotive comparisons between the experience of Christians and the incomparable event of Jesus' death. That was a unique thing, unrepeatable and once for all. For the rest of the New Testament, the apostles urge Christians to believe in the Cross-Resurrection event and to stick with it as being the very heart of Christian hope. Yet it is right too for a suffering church to look to the suffering master as a model of church experience. In that context, I want to point out a very particular, a very peculiar, suffering of Christ's church. The true church is persecuting the true church. Christ's people are hurting others of Christ's people. Perhaps for that reason, I have every hope that the suffering might soon stop because it is enough that the church is already persecuted by the world. Tragically, this persecution leads to the world being a refuge from a hostile church.

I hope that those Christians who suffer like this will not have to pray Jesus' prayer any more in relation to their brothers and sisters. It is a painful thing to do. If you are reading this as a Christian, please realise that there are gay Christians in your church. Do not speculate on whether or not they may or may not exist, whether their struggles are real or perceived, psychological or childhood related. Come to terms today with the reality of gay Christians. Even in the conservative evangelical church there are gay people, whose identity is constantly undermined by a church culture that won't even trust them to exist! There is no scripture that says that.

Some thoughts on what this means:

Firstly, think about the cultural assumptions that underlie your church life. Gay people are there and while they are there, they are bombarded with seminars on marriage and relationships (in which this issue is rarely discussed), with friends who speak about relationships ad nauseam, with the wedding season and the family announcements. In the middle of all this noise, the gay person is possibly coming to terms with a very isolated and lonely life. Please try to make it easier. Surely that is the part we must all play in growing up to be the body of loving believers that Christ wants us to be. If you are going to say "celibacy for life", then you had better make absolutely certain that as a church you make that bearable - what sort of a family will you be to the gay Christian? Will you bear with his or her frustrations, emotional ups and downs, with the unpredictability of those deepest feelings? Do not talk about change. I say that primarily because the "change concept" is unscriptural. But it is also a cop-out. When you seek to impose the yoke of celibacy upon a gay Christian, you are saying something very severe and very profound. A proposal of change is so patently silly for some gay Christians that it merely adds to the hopelessness that goes with the church's injunction. Perhaps more perniciously, the emphasis on change shows the church shrinking away from the consequences of its own command. Gay Christians never took a vow of celibacy. They are not monks or nuns who chose that life. Imagine bearing such a burden yourself - imagine bearing it when you have fallen in love! - and then contemplate the heaviness, the weight of your words.

Secondly, please provide a context of explicit, absolute, total trust. Gay Christians are not used to trusting people because in our experience people rarely prove themselves trustworthy. If a gay person tells you something then you are privileged because you may well be the first person that he or she has ever spoken to. Do not be shocked by what you hear. Do not suggest 'quick-fit' solutions or be quick to speak. Instead, listen and start praying for that brother or sister whose pain and hurt has been bottled up for so long. You will do the greatest service by ministering the love of Jesus to someone who knows that love for themselves, but rarely experiences it through the church body of which they are a part. A critical part of this is to give your trusting friend the space to think through their situation. Do not make conservative evangelical assumptions. It may well be your view that the Bible is absolutely clear on this issue. But to the gay Christian it is not enough simply to turn to the obvious passages, point at them triumphantly and say, "There, you see! The meaning of the text is clear and the consequences of ignoring the text are just as plain". Maybe you are right, but will you dare to give your gay friend the space to consider and question? To reject your view, even? Will you give them the opportunity to come to terms, or not, with hard sayings that really are hard? It is too neat to say, "It would be unloving for me not to say this". Ultimately you are right, of course, if you hold to mainstream conservative evangelical convictions on this issue. But this is a friend you are speaking to, someone who cares for you and for whom you care. Give them the dignity they need and speak at the right moment, not the wrong moment. If you are wise, you will know the difference.
Thirdly, how will you deal with Christians who believe the gospel, but disagree with your view on practising homosexuality? Will you welcome them or reject them? Do you truly believe that it is impossible to believe the gospel and have a different view on this issue? I do not doubt that you will refuse the practising homosexual a position of leadership. But will you be a church that welcomes or rejects the practising homosexual Christian?

Lastly, this has become a very political issue in the wider church and I personally have little doubt that the Anglican Church will soon split. As an evangelical I would not see that as any great loss since no denomination defines the eternal church of Christ. Christ will build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. But at the moment many evangelicals have the bit between their teeth. My plea to those limbering up for this fight is simple: look over your shoulder to some of the faces on your own side. Not to the front few rows of your troops, not even back a little further to the middle ranks - I know that you are rightly suspicious of their over-enthusiasm and militaristic bullishness - somehow they don't seem to appreciate the sheer reality of underlying eternal issues. Instead look further back to the shadowy wings of your mustered forces. There you will see faces staring sorrowfully back at you, faces belonging to brothers and sisters in your midst who are pained and torn by this battle to come. As you look more closely, you will see that these brothers and sisters already have bleeding wounds that are hurting. 'Yet the fight hasn't even begun', you think to yourself. This little group is more confused and upset than ready for war. A few of your young men are coming up to urge them to get stuck into the battle, patting them encouragingly on the shoulder and offering them each a weapon, shockingly blind to their helplessness. You pause a moment longer and as your eye roams some more, you notice one figure in the background who is working his way round that pitiful group, binding up the injuries and soothing the pain. His eye is not on the front line and he seems oblivious to the shouts and enthusiasm of the rest of your army. You can't see his face but you recognise him of course, as any faithful servant would.

As you turn back to the oncoming, relentless forces of secularism and liberalism, what will you do?

Searching for Moses

Anyone who has read the August 2005 edition of 'Evangelicals Now' will have read Dr Stanley Jebb's excellent article on the training of those young men called to the ministry. Having been under his pastorship and ministry I know that he holds exactly the same view as I, that going to Bible College or seminary isn't neccesarily the best choice for training - rather that church pastors should identify those young men called and train them up themselves. Dr Jebb says;

"It is my conviction that more could be done to train men in the local church, and this has been borne out in experience. Colleges often lack the personal touch which is vital for training men effectively and the fact that the local church is the best place to learn about pastoral work".

However I have been "under" 3 pastors since Dr Jebb left the church in Dunstable; his successor, the church I attended in Birmingham and the church I have left unavoidably here in Bristol and none of the pastors have had any interest whatsoever (that I could discern) in training up young men in the ministry. Indeed I did my best to get close to them and learn and found it an almost impossible task. I don't think my experience is unique from talking to other young men and friends of mine who have left Dunstable and also experienced Dr Jebb's superb ministry. This testimony from Dr Ern Baxter echoes the cry of my heart;

"And there came to our city – I went to church of course with my parents – and there came to our city a man whom I would now call an apostle. And he came to visit the church where we were and he brought with him a very brilliant pianist who had been helping him in his church planting efforts. But this pianist was going to have to leave him for various circumstances that I won’t recall. This man heard me play the piano because my parents had invited him to our home for our evening meal. My father who was very proud of my accomplishments said, “Son sit down and play a song and sing it for us”. And I remember I sat down and played ‘Old Man River’ and accompanied myself on the piano. And this man was sitting there and he said, “I need a pianist – I need someone to travel with me and play the piano – would you be interested?”. Of course I was in a spiritual euphoria of sorts, which as I look back on it is difficult for me to recapture but everything was new and wonderful. And I said I would be interested. Now these were Depression days – days of 1928 and so on.

And this was about 1932 so on May 4th 1932 I had packed up my little bag (I didn’t have many possessions) and I got on the train and I joined this man in a Canadian city called Yorktown. I started to play the piano for the meetings and sing solos. We met in a tent at the time and I helped with the seating and so on. That was May. In the early part of July we finished up at a large conference. I was asked to be one of the pianists and I played the piano" - Life on Wings interviews - emphases mine.

It has provoked the question in my mind as to who bears the responsibility to see this Moses/Joshua relationship come to pass? I remember reading Terry Virgo's account of his meeting and forging such a special bond with David Holden and he said their letters crossed in the post!! ("No Well Worn Paths"). I tried that with another pastor I greatly respected in London and yet again he didn't feel the same.

I was at the Westminster Conference in December 2001 where Dr Jebb was speaking, and one of the sessions was actually about this issue. The discussion afterwards was fascinating to listen to, and Dr Jebb participated strongly in support of this viewpoint - the conclusion to the discussion was; "Where are the young men?". My response is; "Where are the fathers?".

The Song of 2005!!!

I am thrilled ... Kate Simmonds has just put the lyrics of THE hymn of the Brighton Leaders Conference on her website. To me it is the most glorious anthem of the Resurrection and Glorification of Jesus Christ, and follows through to the impartation of the Holy Spirit and the Comissioning of the Church - it is a masterful amazing song, undergirded with the apostolic teaching of Terry Virgo (her own testimony) and it just makes me shiver (holy goosebumps as Ern Baxter called them) remembering the anointing of the Spirit as the thousands sang it!! Here are the words:

IN HIM I HAVE BELIEVED

In Him I have believed, on this my hope now rests
That Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!
The all-surpassing joy of knowing Christ my Lord
The former things, I count them all as loss
Called out of darkness into Your goodness
We are Your children, chosen in Christ!
Now in Your family, heirs of the promise
To Your purpose on the earth I give my life

A people born of God, united by Your call
One faith, one Lord, one Father of us all
Joined with bonds of love, and planted in Your house
We worship You with hearts and lives poured out
Let us go on in the power of Your Spirit
Taking Your gospel to all the world!
Declaring Your wisdom, our great commission,
That Jesus Christ has come to save the lost!

Whatever trials may come, in faith, Lord, help us stand
For righteousness and justice in our land
What fear can hold us now?
We run toward the prize
Our lives already crucified with Christ
Through every nation, Your kingdom advances
Who can extinguish this spreading flame?
Through tribulations, we’ll stand on Your promise:
‘I will build My Church and hell will not prevail!’

And on that final day, the citizens of heaven
Called out to be the new Jerusalem
In multitudes will bow before the throne of God:
One nation called from every tribe and tongue
Great celebration! The glorious union:
The Lion of Judah and the pure, spotless Bride!
All of creation waits for this moment
All your promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ!

Kate Simmonds 2004 Thankyou Music

"At Dawn ... Look to the East".

I promised that there would be a forthcoming "50 Most Influential Churches in the UK" list. I'm upto about church 30. It's quite an interesting yet sobering task because I found that what I consider to be influential is quite different from the official USA one. My criteria were the following:

1. As close a resemblence to New Testament principles as possible.
2. A Senior Pastor with a significant ministry. (i.e - written a book(s)).
3. Church Planting - the church is seen as an "Antioch" church.
4. Church Building - place of meeting. I don't like this as a factor, but unfortunately it does have to register.
5. Size - I don't like this particularly either because I believe that we were sent to "Go and make DISCIPLES". Not converts. However it is a fact that the larger the church, the more the world takes notice.

So again, the list will be out soon!

See, What a Morning!

I've been an avid "Resurrectionist" since my SGM experience, and have been amazed that this isn't a new problem (i.e people iconizing the Cross). My historical hero Dr Ern Baxter preached a two-part series on the Resurrection - once at Life in the Spirit Conference 1991. I will be making those available soon on the blog.

The other discovery was an awesome sermon by Dr John Piper called; "Six Gifts of the Resurrection". It did my soul good to read it! Christ IS risen!!

http://www.desiringgod.org/library/sermons/91/033191.html

Conference Time Again!

Two conferences to watch out for in the next year or so. Also from Desiring God, their national conference has been planned and speakers organised. Firstly it was Jonathan Edwards, secondly it was Sex and the Supremacy of Christ and now it is going to be Suffering and the S0vereignity of God - October 2005.

http://www.desiringgod.org/news_events/dgm_national/index.html

Once again Piper never fails to delve in deeply and once again I am sure my budget won't let me go, so we will watch and wait and look forward to the outstanding CD set that I am sure will be coming. And also maybe the book? Particularly note that there will be an interview with Piper on the first night - as my hero Pete Cockrell would say; "This will scratch where I itch!".

The second conference will be in September 2006 - yes, Darlene Zschech is COMING TO LONDON!! How excited am I! http://www.hillsong.co.uk/hillsonguk/ - it is hosted by the Hillsong Church in London and will be quite an event I have no doubt. I've already signed up!

50 Most Influential Churches ... In the UK?

http://www.thechurchreport.com has just brought out a fascinating report on the 50 most influential churches in the USA. It's well worth perusing. The most heartening thing to me is that John Piper and Bethlehem Baptist Church rank 19th. The top two are of course Hybels and Warren.

But it got me wondering ... what would such a list be in the UK? Could we even construct one?

Watch this space.

Truth In An Age of Tolerance.

Well my new book "Sex and the Supremacy of Christ" arrived fresh with the DVD ... oh how I love Amazon dot com. And due to (still) working night shifts I read it tonight. There is something incredibly different between reading a book and listening to an audio CD. While I have heard the material presented at the conference it seems that a different part of my brain engages when I'm reading. Wish I was a scientist and could dissect that. Anyhow. I found myself more offended than when I heard the CD's. Why?

After mounting on eagles wings with John Piper and examining the Supremacy of Christ, the reader feels ready to combat anything. God's glory is there to enjoy. However the conference moved on to address the practical issues and the section we come to after Piper's resounding opening is "Men and Sex" ... not quite so glorious? Well the married man has C J Mahaney's chapter to look forward to, full of humour, of understanding, of truth (apart from his error on the Song of Solomon) and of encouragement. The single man on the other hand has Mark Dever ...

"The first thing to say about sex and the single man is, there should be none! If you are not married, the Bible clearly teaches that you should refrain from any sexual contact. Sex should not be experienced outside of marriage".

Ouch. Quite frankly can I opt for being a single woman with Carolyn McCulley? She's a lot nicer and although she says the same thing, she makes it sound a lot more pallatable.

But after my initial teething problems with this section, and my dislike issues with Mark Dever (who needs a bit of a makeover if the DVD is anything to go by) it did get me considering this whole issue of truth in a tolerant age. The culture in which we live doesn't like being told the truth. We dress it up in any shape, form and guise possible if it's going to hurt at all. This is the codeine age!! Surely that's why our evangelism faces such a complete challenge because the world doesn't want to be told that there is only ONE way to the Father and that way is going to cost you your life. So the question is, should I actually be grateful for Mark Dever and his bad hairdo? Up until I read this chapter, I am really glad and grateful to be a single man in the Kingdom of God! Now it seems to me that sex is presented as a bit of a special perk for those in Business Class. Single men? Sorry - you're in economy.

If I listen to my cynical self talking - that has been so well trained by postmodern professors and psychiatrists then ditch Dever. He deserves to go in the dustbin with his barnet. But actually and unfortunately the Spirit of God is also speaking at this unearthly hour!! And He has a point to make. I am indeed quite glad that John Piper has gathered together men who are not afraid to spell out the truth. Sex IS indeed reserved solely for the marriage bed. It is a precious glorifying amazing gift from God and anything outside the context that He has designed is the "suicidal alternative" to use a Piperism.

So therefore what I don't think this book explores adequately at all is exactly WHAT the single man has to do in the pre-marriage stage for those destined for marriage and in the permanent stage for those destined to be single. I don't like the Capitol Hill Baptist Church team hearty jingo that marriage should be pursued. I can appreciate that there are a class of Christian men around who should be married but aren't because they're lazy, but I think this approach is extremely insensative to those who actually truly and honestly haven't met the right person yet. Sovereign "Grace" Ministries adopted the same ridiculous approach. The irony was that the Sovereign "Grace" church I was in didn't have any single women in it. So it was a bit hard to go out, get on with it and get married. I did consider suggested to the pastor that importing of women should be necessary along with this theory but I didn't think he would see the funny side.

My alternative approach would be rather a Piper-esque God-glorifying approach to looking at what Paul has to say about singleness. Didn't he actually say it is BETTER if you don't get married???! Now to me, that sparks my interest!! Because Paul said prophecy is better than tongues so I wanted prophecy! Therefore I want to know why being single is better. All Dever has told me is that I can't have sex. What I want to explore is the role of single men in the church. What do we have to do? What can we do? Unfortuately at this stage in my life I am writing quite in the dark, because the pastor of the SGM church didn't have a clue on this issue. Sensitive he was not. All illustrations from his pulpit concerned his family. But my prayer in all seriousness is that God raises up a single Christian man like Carolyn McCulley. Who actually has far more to tell us than simply "You can't have sex like me".

Praise God for the truth-tellers!! But please use your brains as well.

Going Where Angels Fear To Tread ... !

He sees the supremacy and glory of God in everything ... even sex! I fully recommend this website for a visit:

http://www.desiringgod.org/news_events/dgm_national/2004/index.html

John Piper's last national conference was called "Sex and the Supremacy of Christ". It certainly raised a few eyebrows among the circles in which I visit! However I got hold of the CD set and the book is soon to be delievered and the material on it is EXCELLENT. Piper has chosen his speakers carefully and there is a broad range of topics, yet the depth and insight is characteristic of him. The Panel Discussions are as usual a complete feast, the first discussion being particularly worthy of hearing - C J Mahaney was present and those familiar with him in the context of a discussion (particularly one in which he is not leading) will know that he causes havoc.

The website has links to the videos of the messages - so particularly helpful for those of us in the UK.

I only take issue with one issue. C J Mahaney message was based from his recent book; "Sex, Romance and the Glory of God" and much of the teaching is derived from the Song of Solomon. For some reason known only to himself Mahaney has decided to move away from the classical Reformed view that the Song of Solomon was written primarily as a beautiful picture of Christ and His Bride, and has tried to argue (quite unsuccessfully in my opinion) that it is more a textbook for a sexual relationship between a man and a woman. While I appreciate that some things in the Christian life are often spiritualised unncessarily I don't think this includes the Word of God. Consider the following quotes:

"This is spoken in the person of the Church, or of the faithful soul inflamed with the desire of Christ, whom she loves". (from the Geneva 1599 Bible Notes)

"It treats of Christ and his Church, in their most glorious, lively, and lovely actions, to wit, his care of, and his love unto his Church, and that in its most eminent degree; and also, of her love to him". - James Durham (1622 Puritan) who incidentally C H Spurgeon described as "that master of masters".

On Song of Solomon 2:1 - "If these are the words of the Well-beloved,—and I have no doubt that they are,—then it may be suggested by some that here we have the Savior praising himself; and it is true; but in no unworthy sense, for well may he praise himself since no one else can do it as it should be done". - C H Spurgeon.

I have no issue with the truth that husband and wife may be able to draw strong and useful lessons from this glorious book in the Old Testament. Most marriage ceremonies however draw the paralell between Christ and His Bride - the Church, and husbands and wives. Yet surely the primary picture - the marriage that will last for eternity is that of Christ and His Church. That is the focus! Let us not bring Scripture down to our level by suggesting that God wrote the canon of Scripture and included as some sort of extra, a textbook solely aimed at married couples. What use then would single people or children or widows have from it? No - this is a beautiful picture, indeed the most beautiful and intimate picture of Christ's love for His people. Any other truth must flow from that.

That issue aside, I still strongly recommend the overall conference. Dr Al Mohler addressed a most pertient issue: "Homosexual Marriage - A Tragic Oxymoron". His style was sympathetic and gracious yet he stuck rigidly to biblical truth. Also Mark Dever's address is worthy of note. His special skill in church history shone through as he spoke on the Puritans. But to me the highlight was John Piper's keynote addresses. They bound the conference together and gave it context. Well worth the time (if you can spare the blushes).

What IS a Reformed Charismatic?

In the theological world, every now and then "buzz" words become very much en vogue. Some organisations and individuals are becoming very proud that if certain buzz words such as "Reformed" or "Charismatic" are entered into a Google search engine, their website comes up at the top. What kind of world are we now living in? What do these words mean? At certain points it is crucial that definition comes to bring light to the words and adjectives that we use.

In my understanding therefore, I am proud to call myself a Reformed Charismatic for the following reasons. We:

1. Honour the Word of God.

Any definition absolutely must begin here, by virtue that I have used the term "Reformed". I believe totally and utterly in the supremacy and sufficiency of Scripture as the final authority of God speaking and communicating to man. So what are the great Reformed Doctrines of the faith as found in the Word of God that I, as a Reformed Charismatic, am particularly passionate about?

God's Sovereignity.

20 years under Dr Stanley Jebb has taught me that God is supremely sovereign over all things - time, space, history, Creation. His response to wars and rumours of wars and the strife and plotting of men? He laughs. Hallelujah! That is a great comfort beyond all comforts! To know that my Father rules the cosmos!

God's Grace.

I didn't begin to learn about the grace of God truly until I was at Stoneleigh Bible Week 1999 and I heard Terry Virgo's masterful series on the Grace of God - teaching me to say "no!". Since then it has been an awesome adventure to learn more and more of the outrageous nature of God's grace to me. Grace is a hugely misused word - awfully abused in some situations. I have sung about grace in situations that were supremly legalistic, I have attended a church with grace as it's banner that know's nothing of the grace of God in it's practice with leaders who think nothing of heavy shepherding and so on ... yet this aside - true grace is the most amazing revelation of all!

The Finished Work of Christ.

C J Mahaney has brought the most amazing and cutting insight into the Death of Christ known today I think in his presentation of "The Cup" at the Brighton Leader's Conference 2005. It was breathtaking. The agony that Christ went through ... for us? Truly the hymn is correct; "That Thou, My God shouldst die for me? Tis mercy all!". However it is incorrect as Dr Ern Baxter points out to "stop" at the Cross. This is again something I have had to experience for 2 years. While they may acknowledge the Resurrection in their thinking, some are so carried away by their restoration of the teaching and application of the Cross for Christians that they forget to follow through and teach that; "If Christ be not raised, our faith is IN VAIN!". Therefore true Reformed doctrine sees the Christ triumphing over sin and death and rising from the grave and appearing to the testament of many.

But He does not stay as the gardener. He indeed ascended on high gloriously leading a host with Him - the gates of heaven were flung open and He was seated crowned with glory and honour. And the Father told Him to sit - until His enemies are made His footstool. And there we have the basis of true Restoration. That history will not wind up with Jesus Christ the loser and His church a defeated Bride. Jesus shall indeed "reign where'er the sun doth it's successive journey's run". And when He was seated and glorified His coronation oil was the outpoured Holy Spirit that came down on the Day of Pentecost and has been coming down ever since! Joel's prophecy has been fulfilled! (but by no means finished).

2. Welcome the Spirit of God.

Although we have hugely benefited from the Charismatic Movement of the 1970's and the renewal and restoring of the moving and working of the Spirit of God, I believe that Terry Virgo is crucially right to remind us of what actually makes us "charismatic". I am a generation on from the 1970's. The battles over using the gifts of the Spirit in most churches are coming to an end. The wars that rage over contemporary songs are largely over and won. Yet what MAKES us "charismatic"?

Some may adopt a "charismatic dimension". Is that acceptable? We learn from the Word of God that the Spirit will largely go as far as we allow. He will not force Himself on those who don't want Him to. But to my mind, a charismatic "dimension" suggests that such people are comfortable with a section of their lives being related to the Spirit of God and thus far and no more. They have selected what they like from life when He is present, but boundaries are laid. That is a misdemenour to me - surely Dr Lloyd-Jones is right by saying that the greatest sin of the evangelical world is to put God and His Spirit into a box.

We are a people who cherish and crave a relationship with the living, active and powerful Holy Spirit. We believe that He has indeed been poured out on all flesh and that when His Presence is manifestly active in a church - that things will begin to happen! What things? Those things are are laid down and dictated by in the Word of God! He will lift our gaze to God, He will testify that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead and seated on high, He will convict the world of sin, He will remind us of all things, He will encourage, He will bless, He will ultimately bring change!! Because He is indeed the Potter and we are the clay - therefore when we meet together we can pray with boldness, openness and confidence; "Come Holy Spirit!".

3. Shaped by Church History.

Dr Sam Storms submitted eight excellent reasons why this is vital and why I believe a true Reformed Charismatic should be shaped by the example of those who have gone before us. Pay special heed to point 4.

1. We read in Acts 1:1 that the Gospel of Luke was an account of "all that Jesus began to do and to teach." The book of Acts is the account of what Jesus continued to do and teach through his church. Although Acts concludes on a triumphant note (28:31), Jesus has not ceased to act. The history of the church and the development of its understanding of doctrine is nothing less than the final chapter of the book of Acts. Jesus is no less alive today, working through and on behalf of his people, than he was in the days of Peter and Paul. Although we do not have an inspired record of this activity, we can and should learn much from the ongoing manifestation of Jesus in his body, the church.

2. The importance of historical theology is also due to the fact that it is, in a manner of speaking, a study of the interpretation of Holy Scripture. Thus when we speak of the development of doctrine we have in mind the interpretation and re-interpretation of Scripture by individuals. The truths of the Word never change. They do, however, undergo formulation, attack, re-formulation, and so on through time. We must always distinguish between divine truth as it is in itself (the Bible), and the gradual apprehension of that truth in the course of human experience.

3. Doctrinal statements and creedal affirmations have played an essential role in the life of both individual believers and the corporate church. By them we assert what we believe and how our beliefs distinguish us from those who we regard as being in error. Yet no one ever produced a doctrinal statement or confession of faith in isolation. So much of what we bring to the Bible (be it conscious or not) has come to us from past generations.

4. Historical Theology is also the study of the manifold work of the Holy Spirit. There are two primary ways in which this is true:

· To deny the validity and value of historical theology is to deny the ongoing process of divine illumination. Canonical revelation ceased with the writing of the book of Revelation. But the Spirit continues to illumine the hearts and minds of those for whom he is Teacher. To deny the importance of studying this process is to refuse to acknowledge in the past what we so jealously claim for ourselves in the present. Who would dare suggest that the Holy Spirit ceased his teaching ministry in a.d. 95 only to have resumed it in this present age

· Related to the above is the truth relating to spiritual gifts. As Christians we should strive to profit from all the gifts graciously bestowed on the entire body of Christ. The Holy Spirit has ministered and edified the church in the past through the charismata no less than he does in the present. The fruit of these gifts is available to us through the diligent study of the lives and literature of such great saints as Augustine, Anselm, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Edwards, Spurgeon, and others. We are diligent to heed the instruction and exhortation of contemporary teachers and leaders. Why, then, do we arrogantly ignore those who have taught and led with equal insight in centuries past

5. The history of the church and its theology is the record of divine providence. The Bible loudly asserts that God is sovereign and Lord over all of history. He is actively and effectively and for his own glory directing the course of human experience such that all things will be consummated in Christ Jesus. To study historical theology is to study God at work! History is, in point of fact, the redemptive strategy of God. Consider the words of the psalmist (Ps. 77:11-13): “I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all Your work and muse on Your deeds. Your way, O God, is holy; what god is great like our God” In that light, John Piper writes:

“The aim of providence in the history of the world is the worship of the people of God. Ten thousand stories of grace and truth are meant to be remembered for the refinement of faith and the sustaining of hope and the guidance of love. . . . Those who nurture their hope in the history of grace will live their lives to the glory of God” (The Legacy of Sovereign Joy [Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2000], 18).

6. Through the careful and diligent study of historical theology we are alerted to the destructive heresies and pernicious tactics of Satan in his never-ending effort to destroy what God is building. We must acknowledge that “there have been periods in the history of the church and its theology when seeing the hand of God maintaining it in truth is a sheer act of faith. There are other periods or chapters of the story when it takes little faith to see God at work restoring truth”. The study of historical theology will protect the student from dangerous theological paths, for no doctrine of the Word has come down to us untouched.

7. Historical Theology is also the study of people. Three considerations are important here:

· First, the study of historical theology reveals to us both faith and failure from which we can learn much.

· But, secondly, we must also be careful in how we appropriate the insights of great individuals of the past. We should never challenge someone’s evangelical credentials simply because he/she fails to agree completely with an Augustine or Luther or Edwards or Wesley. We who are evangelicals must always view historical tradition as our servant, not our master. Our consciences are ultimately bound only to Scripture.

· Finally, while historical tradition is not an infallible guide to biblical orthodoxy, it helps us meet the challenge of radical individualism.

8. Historical Theology is crucial because of what it shows us concerning the emergence, development, refinement, and ultimate impact of Christian belief. Why is this crucial Because of three truths.

· First, belief matters. What people believe affects how they live. “Bad theology,” said J. I. Packer, “hurts people.” We simply must devote ourselves to understanding what people in the church have come to believe, why, and how it affected them then and how it affects us now.

· Second, some beliefs matter more than others. Some doctrines, such as that of the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and the nature of salvation are worthy of debate and precise thinking. Heresy is not always a bad word, for it identifies what is false that we might see and embrace what is true.

· But third, sometimes some beliefs matter too much. The disturbing thing about historical theology is the revelation of how Christians have done un-Christian things to each other in defense of doctrines that, in the ultimate scheme of things, don’t matter all that much.

9. The study of historical theology also “demonstrates how the interpretation of the Bible was governed, often to an uncomfortable extent, by cultural and philosophical assumptions” (McGrath, 149). In taking note of this we can avoid the danger of thinking that “evangelicals can read Scripture and reflect on it in a detached, objective, and culture-free manner” (149).

4. Guided by the Prophetic.

While much concerning the spiritual gifts has been won by our father's generation, I am still convinced that much nervousness surrounds the current New Testament Gift of Prophecy. While many so called "charismatics" would not take the high and easy road to practicing cessationism, most would fall into the "open but cautious" camp. Therefore the gift of prophecy would be permitted in church as long as it was to remind those present of Jesus' love for them. While my tongue is firmly in my proverbial cheek I am concerned when I hear a senior pastor of some years experience with responsibility for 200 to 300 people tell his congregation that he is nervous of "predictive" prophecy and doesn't think it should happen. This is a clear response to excess. A review of New Testament prophecy is clear that God can and does guide His people through the prophetic - never apart from His Word or in opposition to it! Of course not. But to the listening ear, His Spirit truly speaks.

In conjunction with this, I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that God is currently bringing His church to a place of exercising the prophetic to such a degree that 1 Corinthians will be fulfilled and unbelievers are going to walk into our gatherings, hear the prophetic in action and fall down "declaring God is truly among you". Already this year, at Brighton, an unbelieving friend of mine has prophesised to me of things God has been speaking about and of which he knew nothing!


5. Pursuing the Lost.

What is the point of all of this unless the Great Comission is fulfilled? We absolutely must have at the heart and at the end of all our theological debates and discussions, the inevitable question - how will this further the spread of the gospel? We must regain a heart for the lost!

Bradley Stoke ... Cross road to the Nations?!!??!

Its been QUITE a week!! Still very much in the glorious throes of Brighton Leader's Conference I've been spending lots of time in prayer and reflection about the area in which I am so blessed to be living. I received quite a powerful picture relating to the geographical location where we live. I realised that the M4 motorway passes right by us and that motorway cuts the nation in half. Wales to London. The M5 intersects it and goes north. Exeter to Birmingham. And I really felt God beginning to stir me. That if a volcano errupts in an area it will follow the paths of least resistance. I really believe that if God errupts in volcanic activity in Bradley Stoke then the shockwaves will flow up the nation and down and across. We could touch a nation!!

The Church!! The Hope of the World!!

I went to the Bradley Stoke New Frontiers Church today for the first time. Wowwwwww ............ God was SO powerfully active and manifest!! I actually found it an intimidating and scary experience and almost impossible to walk in the front door. All the fears and hurts from the past came flooding back. I was about to walk home in defeat but they had the back doors onto the park open so I wandered around and sat on the grass and listened into the worship. What a people!! They sang some of my favourites: "Salvation Belongs to Our God". The gifts of the Spiritt were awesomely manifest, I heard someone speak in tongues and it interpreted. Some prophetic words were spoken out and the singing in the Spirit was glorious!! But I was "got!". I thought I was safe out on the grass and an amazing young guy came out and came and sat and chatted. I shared parts of my testimony and he was so amazingly unjudgemental and accepting. I shared my passion to get involved in the local church and he dragged me (almost literally) in to meet some of the people!! Before I knew it, I was giving my phone number to a cell leader and promising to be back next Sunday!! I walked home somewhat in a daze .... God is so good!! So gracious!! And so on my case!!

A Book Review.

Not wanting to allow this blog to become flooded with the subjective, I do want to strongly recommend a book that I have recently finished. It is called "Christ's Radiant Church" by John Hosier - recently produced for the Leaders Conference in Brighton. It is available from:

http://www.resources.newfrontiers.xtn.org/product_info.php?products_id=722&osCsid=ffe464522dc9124112e3fe52870c38e9

My summary is that this book is the nearest that New Frontiers have ever got to producing their own Systematic Theology. Hosier covers the following chapters:

God’s ultimate purpose - Restoration.
God’s wisdom displayed to the world
Saved to belong
Given to Christ
Sent to serve
Overseers of the flock - Apostles Today
Lavish and undeserved- Grace
Death, burial, resurrection and celebration
Baptised by the Spirit
The overflow of our hearts
To bless the church
Passion and purpose
Treasure in heaven
Ordained by God
Building blocks
Equal but different
The expression of God’s will
Making the difference
Living in harmony
The King is on the throne

His style is easy to read and well understandable, yet the content is profound and many scholars will benefit from it. Hosier has no trouble interacting with men such as Grudem and Fee and in particular demonstrating their inconsistencies particularly with regard to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

It is my contention that New Frontiers will only be strengthened by this impressive contribution to the theological marketplace. No longer can they be sneered at as a charismatic fringe movement - history has spoken. Their combined passion for the Spirit of God and the Word of God as well as their avid commitment to mission makes them an impressive world force to be reckoned with in the Kingdom of God. And I am truly honoured and excited to be part of that!

Well recommended and suitable for most who want to be inspired and have their faith lifted.

Heaven Come Down!! - Brighton New Frontiers Leaders Conference 2005

Well what a week ... what a privilidge ... what a God!! I returned from Brighton absolutely staggered and amazed that God is just so awesome and yet I am tasting the first fruits!! Just the beginning! I can sincerely and honestly say that God has done far more than I ever could have imagined! I went with my feeble goals and aims and He has just simply blew me away with His glory, His grandeur, His awe!!

The conference was packed full as usual with seminars and main sessions. I went largely looking forward to hearing Terry Virgo again and was totally satisfied (more later!). It was fantastic to hear some new guys speak - especially Stephen Van Rhyms from Jubilee Church in South Africa (Simon Pettit's successor). He opened the conference with a mature and godly sermon on suffering. David Holden and Dave Devenish didn't fail to impress and satisfy. C J Mahaney predictably preached two sermons I have heard before on "The Cup" and "When Life Doesn't Make Sense". I have to say that the measure of anointing upon him was greatly greatly increased and it was so good to hear the pure vision of the Cross after the muddy waters of my experience in Bristol at the church.

I went to Peter Brookes in the first seminar on "Turning Church Inside Out". I have developed a deep love for this amazingly passionate guy. He has led CCK superbly one can tell and gave some amazing insights into church leadership and how it should be done. I left with some great notes, but more importantly an increased passion for God's Church. The second seminar was David Holden on "Handling Conflict". I wish I had gone to this seminar 2 and a half years ago before I joined the Sovereign "Grace" church in Bristol - it might have solved much heartache. Still ... much to put into practice in the future!! The final seminar was C J Mahaney on "Sovereign Grace". To be honest I wasn't that impressed. I've heard it before on DVD played in a home group and while his presentation of this doctrine is adequate, I think Sam Storms far outstrips him. See http://samstorms.com.

So the highlights ......

Scott (my first spiritual son!) became a Christian and received the Spirit!!! .....

I knew something was up when during a particularly passionate time of worship led by the amazing Kate Simmonds, he seemed like a ticking time bomb. He was responding extremely deeply to the songs we were singing and I knew that God's Spirit was at work. He told me on the way home that he had "taken the plunge" and had surrendered his life to God!! Hallelujah!! When we got home we all gathered to wait on God, bask in His Presence and pray and I felt led to get us to lay hands on Scott and pray that he received the baptism of the Spirit. Hungry he was ... for he was gloriously filled with the Spirit!! A prophecy came that he was to be used dramatically of God to become a teacher of His children, not just of children ... watch this space!!

Myth (my second spiritual son!) was awesomely touched by God!!! ....

Myth just came down for the Thursday. It was great for him to meet Steph my best friend and comrade-charismatic in arms and he testified that he came to the prayer meeting in the evening and heard God speaking powerfully to him telling him how welcome he was, and how passionately he was loved!! The worship that night was led by the flamboyant Evan Rodgers (of "Celebrate in the Lord" fame) and his African troope of dancers. My evangelical self cringed ... but Myth loved it!! Pure passion!! He left a bit early and we found him on the beach and were up till 3am talking of God, of His Son and of His Spirit. I felt so so close to him, and felt so honoured again to see God so powerfully at work. I have sacrificed much to keep this boy close to me particularly as I was "commanded" to cut him out of my life. I am so so passionately glad I listened to God and not some misguided men. For I felt God say again and again; "Vindicated! You are vindicated!!". I'm so excited to see these two boys become great and powerfully used in the Kingdom of God!!

The Church - the Passion of God's Son!! ...

You cannot be in a New Frontiers conference and come away unchanged in your view of church. It was just exhilarating to see their big vision of God and His church!! "I have seen the city of God and I cannot turn away!". Kate and Stuart have written some absolutely outstanding new songs that I guarantee will become a deep inheritance. Watch out for the new Live Worship CD coming out in September!! My favourite song was a hymn format that has taken the very biblical route of not stopping at the Cross (as some do) but proclaiming the glorious Resurrection and the fact that: "I will build My Church and Hell will not prevail!". It was particularly key in light of the hideous London bombings.

Terry Virgo - A Spiritual Giant ...

The biblical pattern of spiritual fathers has always been so close to my heart ever since I saw the pattern in Moses and Joshua - Elijah and Elisha. My constant prayer has been that God would provide such a figure for me, especially after I have been so fortunate to taste of what that will be like with my only true pastor Dr Stanley Jebb. To watch these men and learn off them! To see their passion for God and prayer!! So to be under Terry Virgo's fatherhood for the week was truly heaven. I had an amazing vision of the father heart of this man when after the offering the passionate Mobilise crowd came down to near the stage and danced round it to some of the great songs! For some reason Terry was the only elder on the platform with the band and the light and life radiating from him was breathtaking. You could see the love in his eyes as he watched his people dance and worship God.

Terry followed his example of last year and preached a 2-part series from Isaiah 9 and Judges on Gideon and the Battle of the Mideanites. He highlighted a pattern I have never seen before. That when the church is in peril, God raises up a prophetic voice, then anointed leadership and finally a great army!! Once again his passion for the Spirit of God shone through. We cannot and must not be charismatic in name only!! It is not enough to play around with the Spirit's gifts and want them for their own sake!! This is about God's Presence in His house!! We are to long for a "surging of the Spirit!!". The anointing with power that He brings cannot be substituted for anything!!

So ...........

It was truly the most powerful conference of my life. I came away with the usual heartache but rather than dreading returning to a church deficient in the Presence of the Spirit, I have come back so so excited to be linked to a family that is on the move!! I cannot stay angry at a group who aren't going anywhere!! We are a mobile people!! The lost are out there to be saved!! It is truly time to go!!