Streetpaper 93 - Jesus Army

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PAGE 2
BELIEBERS
Stars come
out as Christian
PAGES 4-5
FATHER
FOUND Real life story
PAGE 7
TRUE LOVE
Just the 23 of us!
DESPAIR IN THE AIR? BUT SOME YOUNG PEOPLE LIVE TO GIVE
FERAL YOOF?
NOT us!
YOUNG LOOTERS and rioters at
night, followed next morning by
an army of men and women of all
ages with brooms sweeping up
the mess. This is what we saw on
our streets in August.
Some people ask “What are young
people coming to?”
But here are some young people
brightening up people’s lives. They’re
digging that old person’s garden, cleaning
up litter from the streets, smiling at
depressed faces on the bus, befriending
the man selling the “Big Issue”, praying
for that ill woman, painting a colourful
mural on a grey underpass, running
community barbecues on depressed
council estates…
Different young people find different
motives for “making the world a better
place”. The youths on this page are all
young members of the Jesus Army and
it’s their vision of God’s love that makes
them pour their energies into making
a positive difference. They’re living for
a cause, living for others rather than
themselves.
For more on the Jesus Army, or how
you can join in, text: 0774 0774 200
LOOT See page 6 for more
HOOT Enjoying serving others

2 modern JESUS army Streetpaper No. 93
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out what we’re up to near you.
NEW JESUS CENTRE
OPEN
OPEN Sheffield Jesus Centre
CAFÉ A hub in the new Jesus Centre
TOTS One of many groups run in the Centre SMILES The kitchen workforce
BELiEBER
Photo: radio1interactive, flickr.com
JUSTIN “Jesus loves you”
stars open up
about faith
ACTOR David Oyelowo,
singer Justin Bieber and
Spurs’ John Bostock have
all been speaking out about
their faith.
Rise of the Planet of the
Apes star, David Oyelowo,
said “When I was 16, I
struck a deal with God:
‘If You’re true, if You’re
real, turn up within three
months or I’m out!’ Well,
much to my surprise at the
time, He did.”
Picking up his latest
award, teen singer star
Justin Bieber, said “You
got to keep God first. Jesus
loves every one of you!”
John Bostock told
Premier Christian Radio
that he and several West
Ham and Tottenham players
are “running after
God’s heart”.
suRVEY
www
@
f
t
jesus.org.uk
info@jesus.org.uk
facebook.com/modern.jesus.army
twitter.com/mJaNews
Jesus Fellowship, FREEPOST,
Nether Heyford,
Northampton, NN7 3BR
0845 123 5550 (local call rate)
BELFAST .................................................. 0845 123 5552
BIRMINGHAM........................................... 0845 166 8153
BRIGHTON................................................ 0845 166 8151
COVENTRY............................................... 0845 166 8154
HASTINGS................................................ 0845 123 5551
KETTERING.............................................. 0845 166 8157
LEEDS....................................................... 0845 166 8167
CROWD Volunteers and helpers at Sheffield Jesus Centre
THE JESUS Army’s new Jesus
Centre in Sheffield is now open!
A building, formerly a Methodist
Church, was purchased in 2008 and
building work finished earlier this year.
The Jesus Army in Sheffield have been
holding events there for some months
and their volunteer task force underwent
induction in September. But now
the centre is fully open.
“The months of building work and
volunteer training have borne fruit”
said Chairman, Ian Callard. “It will be
an important community amenity. The
Centre is an open door for new friends.”
He added: “Many of our neighbours
will be pleased to see the former Hanover
Methodist Church premises given a facelift
and back in service.”
The Jesus Centre includes a drop-in
for the homeless and vulnerably housed.
There is also the “Parlour Café”, with
special offers for OAPs, cheap children’s
meals and curry nights for students.
Various groups and services are planned
for the Centre: a parent and child playgroup,
knitting group and IT services, to
name but a few.
A formal opening
and commissioning
of the Jesus
Centre took place
in October.
New volunteer
Steven says: “I
can relate to
homelessness
and to people
who are where
I was. There
is a way out. I
can relate with
compassionate
understanding,
hope and faith.”
M eanwhile,
another Jesus
Centre is in
the pipeline in
Birmingham.
There are Jesus Centres in Coventry,
London, Northampton and Sheffield.
For info: jesuscentre.org.uk
Christmas is coming
FAITH Britain believes
uK 70 per cent
Christian
NEARLY 70 per cent of
British people still identify
with the Christian faith,
according to the Office for
National Statistics.
The Integrated Household
Survey found that while the
number of people saying
they were not religious rose
from 20.5 per cent last year
to 23.2 per cent in 2011, the
proportion describing themselves
as Christian was still
68.5 per cent.
An Evangelical Alliance
spokesman accepted that
not many of those who
self-identified as Christians
would be devout, but the
Christian Institute said
it was about time that
the nominal Christian
majority was reflected in
government policy and
broadcasters’ output.
MEdiCs
LEICESTER .............................................. 0845 644 9705
LIVERPOOL.............................................. 0845 166 8168
LONDON CENTRAL................................. 0845 166 8152
MANCHESTER ......................................... 0845 166 8169
MILTON KEYNES ..................................... 0845 166 8159
NORTHAMPTON ...................................... 0845 166 8161
NORWICH ................................................. 0845 166 8162
NOTTINGHAM .......................................... 0845 166 8163
OXFORD ................................................... 0845 166 8164
SHEFFIELD............................................... 0845 166 8183
SWANSEA ................................................ 0845 123 5556
WORCESTER ........................................... 0845 833 5601
JESUS Fellowship Church is an evangelical Christian Church with a charismatic
emphasis. It upholds the full historical, Christian faith, in particular it upholds the
doctrine of the Trinity and the full divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Fellowship
Church is a part of the Multiply Christian Network and a member of the Evangelical
Alliance. modern Jesus army Streetpaper No.93 © 2011, published three times a year by
Jesus Fellowship Church, Nether Heyford, Northampton NN7 3LB. Editor James Stacey.
Photographs in this newspaper are copyright Jesus Fellowship Church or royalty free
stock photos from sxc.hu unless otherwise indicated. Printed by BGP Ltd., Bicester, Oxon.
Reproduction of any part of this newspaper in any form requires written permission.
All Bible quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©
1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189, U.S.A. All rights reserved. All articles are contributed by members of the Jesus
Fellowship Church, also known as the modern Jesus army. Some members live as part
of the New Creation Christian Community. Readers wishing to contact authors may do
so by writing to the Jesus Fellowship Central Office.
A PHONE company got in
trouble recently after featuring
a cartoon image of Jesus Christ
on an advert.
The advertising watchdog received 100
complaints that it “mocked and belittled” the
Christian faith and banned the advert. The
phone company said it had aimed to create
a “light-hearted, positive and contemporary
image of Christianity”.
Sadly, Jesus is often depicted as a
ghostly figure, or as a kind of alien with
light coming out of His head. Other images
show Him dripping blood or looking stern
and judgemental, or effeminate or just
downright weird.
But people wanted to be with Jesus. He
was kind, full of life, and one for a party.
People liked to be with Him.
Do we find it difficult to think of Jesus
being a cause of great happiness?
A writer told of an experience he had
at Chicago airport. It was just before
Christmas. The flights were delayed due
to a bad storm. People were at the ticket
counter demanding a projected departure
time, children were crying, some people
were sat vacant and staring.
Then he noticed a middle-aged black
woman cradling a child in her arms and
laughing. The writer asked her “Would you
mind telling me why you’re so happy?”
“Sure,” she said. “Christmas is coming
and that baby Jesus – He makes me laugh.”
Photo: african_fi, sxc.hu
HAPPY Put a spring in your step this winter
DOC Allowed to pray
doctor, doctor,
please pray
THE MEDICAL Defence
Union and backed by the
General Medical Council
have issued new guidance
saying GPs can make an
offer to pray for patients.
The guidance quotes a GMC
official, who says an offer
of prayer “must be tactful,
so that the patient can
decline without embarrassment
– because, while some
may welcome the suggestion,
others may regard it as
inappropriate”.
The endorsement has been
welcomed by the Christian
Medical Fellowship, with has
more than 4,000 members.
It follows the high-profile
case of Dr Richard Scott,
in May, who received an
official warning from the
GMC for discussing his faith
with a patient.

Back BACK from FROM the THE Brink BRINK
modern JESUS army Streetpaper No. 93 3
“MY MatE dRaggEd
ME fRoM
dEath’s
dooR”
alex newson, 20, tells Streetpaper about the day
his mate, david, found him as good as dead.
“I WOKE up with a bit of a
headache and felt queasy.
But I should have been dead.”
Alex had taken 20 paracetamol
and 40 antihistamines in an
attempt to end his life.
Amazingly, no treatment was
needed. “I was perfectly fine.
None of the nurses could
understand it”.
Alex’s suicide attempt
was the tragic upshot of a
tough childhood. His parents
separated when he was
young. Alex’s father suffered
from schizophrenia and
struggled with alcoholism.
He died when Alex was 14.
His mother, who raised Alex
on her own, suffered from
depression.
“I was the ‘man of the house’
from a young age” explains Alex “I
had to look after her, but I went off
the rails myself around the time I
went to secondary school”.
Alex got involved with a gang in
his hometown, Leicester. A cocktail
of drink, drugs and crime threatened
to derail him completely.
But there were good influences
at work in Alex’s life, too. Alex
attended a course at a local church,
designed to explain Christian faith.
Alex admits he “just went for the
free meal”. But the things he heard
about God made sense.
A chink of light appeared in Alex’s
darkening world. But it wasn’t until
his life really hit rock bottom that
God became a living reality to Alex.
Alex’s best friend at school, David,
was a Christian.
On the night Alex took the
overdose, David couldn’t
throw off a feeling his
friend was in trouble. H e
now sees it as God speaking
to him.
“David was so concerned about
me, he knocked down my door when
there was no answer.” says Alex.
It was as well that he did: David
found Alex, who had just taken
handfuls of pills, and rushed him to
hospital.
Alex describes what happened
next. “I was laying in hospital, in a
daze. I heard a voice say ‘I love you,
and I have chosen you, and I want
you to build My kingdom’.”
When Alex regained consciousness,
he was completely well. The
medics were baffled as to why he
had not been affected more
seriously by the overdose.
But Alex had an explanation
– he had met God.
After this, Alex started
to come to a Jesus Army
house in Leicester with
David and his family. He
found real friendship and
love there.
“It was the brotherhood
that really stood out to me”
he says. “You don’t have to
wear a suit or be a certain way
to be part of a church like this”.
When Alex was 18, he moved
into the Jesus Army house for a
“training year” – a year to grow as a
Christian, and learn how to love and
serve others more effectively.
Two years on, Alex is now a stable
young man with a strong Christian
faith. “The training year was challenging”
he admits “but it was
awesome, too. It’s helped me to find
healing and I’ve grown up a lot”.
ALEX His mate David (left) pulled him back from danger of death
Looking for a
CHALLENGE?
Wanna make a
DIFFERENCE?
JOIN THE Jesus Army for
a year!
The modern Jesus army
training year is an intensive,
action-packed year, full
of challenges to help you
grow in faith. It’s particularly
suitable for school leavers
or those on a gap year.
FOR INFO:
jesus.org.uk/training or email training@jesus.org.uk

4 modern JESUS army Streetpaper No. 93
WHAT’S
ON?
modern Jesus army
COMING EVENTS
2011 • 2012
WHERE
shocking new statistics
UK JESUS
CELEBRATION
SAT 31 DECEMBER 2011
1.00pm & 6.00pm
Jesus Centre, Abington Square
NORTHAMPTON NN1 4AE
-----------------------------------
CHURCH GROWTH
CONFERENCE
SATURDAY 28 JAN 2012
FROM 11.30am
Jesus Centre, Abington Square
NORTHAMPTON NN1 4AE
-----------------------------------
reveal the effects of
absent dads on our kids
FIFTEEN PER CENT of UK babies
are born into homes with no
resident dad. Half of them have
no registered father on their birth
certificate.
Family breakdown affects many more
children, spearheaded by rising numbers
of unmarried parents. By a child’s fifth
birthday, a shocking 43 per cent of cohabiting
parents have separated. In the vast
majority of split families, children stay
with their mother.
The consequences of fatherlessness
for children can be serious. According to
statistics from UK think tank, The Centre
for Social Justice, children who grow
up without fathers are: 75 per cent more
likely to fail at school; 70 per cent more
likely to be drug addicts; 50 per cent more
likely to develop an alcohol problem; 40
per cent more likely to have serious debt
problems; and 35 per cent more likely to
be unemployed.
broken, Britain.
So, not good.
Visit the website of The Centre f or Social
Why is a father so important in a
shock stats
NO DAD?
Figures show that those
without a father are:
Percentages from centreforsocialjustice.org.uk
person’s development? Of course, mothers
are vital. Usually mum is, to use the
sociologists’ phrase, the “primary carer”
in a child’s life. Is the importance of dad
sometimes overlooked because he is the
“secondary carer”?
“Secondary” doesn’t mean “unnecessary”.
Radio presenter, Jonathan Bellamy,
commented recently: “The single most
destructive effect on how many of our
young people have been brought up is that
they have been fatherless.
“The effect of fatherlessness is not just
to be seen in violent behaviour, it is not
just revealed in the absence of respect for
the authority of our Police, it is not just
expressed through mindless vandalism;
the darkness also shouts loud in our teenage
binge culture, addictions, abortions,
STDs, eating disorders, self harm, knife
crime, suicides.”
The Jesus Army, along with others, want
to play their part in fathering a fatherless
generation, and building a better, less
Justice: centreforsocialjustice.org.uk
75%
more
likely
to fail at school
UK JESUS
CELEBRATION
SAT 18 FEBRUARY 2012
2.00pm & 6.00pm
The New Bingley Hall
1 Hockley Circus
BIRMINGHAM B18 5BE
70%
more
likely to be
addicted to drugs
50%
more
likely to develop
an alcohol problem
ALL FREE
ALL WELCOME
i
INFO: jesus.org.uk/dates
Tel: 0845 123 5550
Email: info@jesus.org.uk
Write: Jesus Fellowship,
FREEPOST, Nether Heyford,
Northampton NN7 3BR
40%
more
likely to have
serious debt problems
35%
more
likely
to be unemployed
Original photo: bjearwicke, sxc.hu
DAD G

modern JESUS army Streetpaper No. 93 5
’s s DAD?
streetpaper
DANNY DRIsCOLL
comment
Men: YOu can help father a fatherless generation
THE UK IS full of fatherless people:
broken families with broken lives.
This moulds our society and
the culture that we live in. Absent
dads. No fathers. People grow up
without role models to shape their
character.
Youth become what the culture
around them tells them to be: what
to wear, what to say. It can spiral
out of control – “join a gang; get
yourself a knife, a gun” – or destructive
– “hang yourself.” All because
the only sense of security becomes
a security pulled together with other
broken people.
Our nation is crying out for fathers, crying out
for role models, for love and acceptance. Britain is
indeed broken.
I grew up “fatherless” – I never knew my dad and
it left me broken and insecure. But as I grew up in
the Jesus Army I found that people loved me. I found
“fathers” – people who loved me, shaped my character,
and through good and bad stuck with me.
My challenge to everyone reading this – particularly
men – is this: why not be part of the answer?
Join with others, find healing, and you could father
the fatherless. Come and be part of a movement that
wants to make a difference. Care enough to “father”
a fatherless generation.
It can be hard to step out of your own hurts and
insecurities, to believe in yourself enough to give
ourselves to others. But the Jesus Army contains
women and men who are giving this all they’ve got.
Could you be one more of them?
For info on how you can get involved in helping the
Jesus Army to help others, text 0774 0774 200, or email:
info@jesus.org.uk, or phone 0845 123 5550
AP Increasing numbers of children are growing up without fathers
“I FOuND FAtHER”
Jane Darling believed in God, but struggled
to believe He really loved her. she tells
streetpaper what it was that changed that.
WHEN A bright light came and
rested on the end of her bed, Jane
says she “knew instantly that it
was God”.
“I heard an audible voice” she remembers
“saying ‘Jane, I can lead your life
better than you’. God had met me. I had
met God.”
Jane became a
Christian on that day,
in 1988.
But for
many years, Jane
struggled with the
concept of God, as
a father, loving her.
“I could
tell others that
God loved them,
but for me it
didn’t sink in”
says Jane, “When
people tried to tell
me that God loved
me, it was like
speaking to a brick
wall. It just didn’t
register. I wasn’t even
sure God liked me, let
alone loved me.”
The final straw for Jane came earlier
this year. “I just kept asking God to
show me He loved me” explains Jane
“but – nothing. I was getting angry and
disappointed.”
Jane decided it had to be sorted once
and for all.
At a Jesus Army event in Birmingham,
Jane decided to ask a married couple
she knows well to pray with her.
“I shared my fears and my friend
told me to imagine I was climbing onto
Father God’s lap. I pictured me, as I am
now, 43 years of age, climbing onto His
lap. He was much bigger than me so I
comfortably snuggled in.”
“And something – very simply, very
definitely – changed. I felt God’s pleasure
in me.”
Jane stayed where she was in that
meeting hall a long time after the prayer,
soaking in the life and love she’d just
been introduced to.
The rest of the week she kept calling
God her Daddy (“and grinning like an
idiot” confesses Jane with a smile).
“I knew I was accepted, loved”
enthuses Jane “God loves me!”
Now, almost a year later, Jane says
“Whatever happens, I know that God
loves me unconditionally,” says Jane,
“and that will never, ever change.”

6 modern JESUS army Streetpaper No. 93
STREETPAPER CHALLENGE
streetpaper@jesus.org.uk
WHAT MAKES violence and
lawlessness suddenly erupt across
a nation?
One upset church minister in Liverpool
tweeted “What we are seeing is EVIL”. Who
can disagree, when people turn feral, and
smash, loot and burn?
But what does “evil” mean?
First, social evil. As one London-based
youth worker said: “To pretend [the rioting]
has nothing whatsoever to do with the
erosion of our social fabric, the closing of
youth centres, and the sense among a mass
of people – not least the young – that they
have no real future in a country where the
poorest are being made to sacrifice most
while bankers get away with murder... that’s
pure fantasy.”
If Britain is “broken”, its brokenness has
injustice close to its source.
The Jesus Army speaks for those without
voices. We cannot just shout “thugs” and
call for tough measures. We must work for
justice and stand alongside and among the
disadvantaged.
But to leave it there risks excusing the
inexcusable. There is another level of evil at
work here: moral evil.
“I’m not really bothered” said a
Manchester rioter. “I’ll keep doing it every
day until I get caught.” “We can do what we
want” crowed a female London rioter. Gangs
smash and loot shops – for greed.
But it’s not just the gangs. Bankers gambled
with economic stability – for greed.
Politicians helped themselves to public money
– for greed. Media moguls turned a blind eye
when journalists were immoral – for greed.
We’ve got to embody something better –
and call people to join us.
Because, deeper still, under social evil,
under moral evil, there is spiritual evil. As
the Bible says “We are not fighting against
flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil
spirits” (Ephesians 6 in the New Testament).
Spiritual powers, by their very nature,
hide behind human evil – whether it’s
greed expressed in violent looting or greed
expressed in high-level corruption.
So how can the people of Jesus engage in
a spiritual “clean up” campaign?
We can pray. We can share the good news
about Jesus and see its transforming power,
changing selfish people into new people.
We can speak out for justice and against
unfairness (giving the voiceless a voice may
prevent them from finding a voice through
wielding a baseball bat).
Pray, share, love, speak. And embody
something better.
That’s what the Church of Jesus should
be about.
HELP & INFORMATION?
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(Registered Charity no. 1091912)
F*** you, I’m for me!
CCTV FOOTAGE from the
riots in London earlier this
year captured their shocking
nature vividly.
A dazed young man, profusely
bleeding from his face, is helped to
his feet by another man. Others stand
around. Are they concerned?
They are – they are concerned to
gain any valuables that they can from
this victim. They don’t want to help him;
they want to help themselves – to his
stuff. A man rips open his backpack
and empties it of its contents. An iPad is
taken out and the robber swaggers off.
It is the exact reverse of the story
Jesus told – the Good Samaritan – in
which a wounded victim is helped by
a stranger. On London’s streets it was
more like the Bad Samaritan. Forget
neighbourly care. This is selfishness run
riot (no pun intended).
“Self will run riot” is how the Alcoholics
Anonymous handbook describes the
root of alcoholism. Words that could
also be used to describe the motivation
of thousands of young men and women
out for violent fun as the riots spread
around the UK.
The Bible calls this “sin”. A dusty, oldhat,
outmoded idea? Think about it: “sin”
has ‘I’ in the middle. It is “self” running
amok.
Sin expresses itself in many forms,
not all as in-your-face and newsworthy
as riots. One thing is a common feature,
though: we sinners don’t want to
acknowledge that we are sinners.
Why should I? I am the important
one, and to hell with the rest of them.
Self is all. Self is God. Self must be
obeyed, and just let anyone try to stop
me!
But for those who want to break the
addiction to self, there’s good news. We
can be “freed from sin” says the Bible.
Jesus can break its grip on us. Time
to humble ourselves, ask for help, and
Jesus, like a Good Samaritan – the best
Samaritan – will help us start a new life.
Visit the online JESUS PEOPLE SHOP
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LOOT Shocking footage highlights selfishness
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YOUTH
WOW Youth enthusiasm
RAW was really
real and wild
YOUNG PEOPLE from
around the UK enjoyed
this year’s RAW (Real and
Wild), the Jesus Army’s
annual youth event.
One youngster who
was there enthused “God
showed He was a lot bigger
than all our expectations.
A lot of people committed
themselves more to living a
life for God and one of our
friends got baptised!”
Over 300 youths
attended RAW 2011, which
focused on “going deep”,
exploring the challenging
issues of “money, sex and
power”.
Four people were
baptised and many more
experienced God’s reality
and responded to the call
to go deeper with God.
More on RAW:
realandwild.com
ENTERPRISE
CASH make a splash
Make a profit
for the poor
YOUNG PEOPLE in
Coventry have been finding
inventive ways to raise
money for the work of the
Coventry Jesus Centre,
including its drop-in for
disadvantaged people.
Each was given £10 after
a collection at the Coventry
Jesus Centre. “The challenge
was to reinvest it to make
a profit for the poor!”
explained Jesus Army leader,
Iain Gorrie.
One enterprising young
man bought scrap metal
with his tenner, sold it to
raise money to buy materials
to build a skate ramp, which
he sold on eBay for several
hundred pounds.
All together £2,000 was
raised by around 25 people.
For more on Jesus Centres:
jesuscentre.org.uk
HEALED
PRAYER power
Healing tent
at the fun fair
A TEAM from the Jesus
Army in Northampton
recently ran a “healing
tent” during a Fair in a
local park.
It was a great success.
People who came to the
tent reported healings
including relief from
shoulder problems and
chronic stomach pain.
One woman who had
been wheelchair-bound
after a car accident took
her first few steps since
2009.
As a result of the
healing prayer, several
people expressed interest
in the Christian faith.
The team is seeking
to keep in touch with as
many of the people as they
can.
For more on healing:
jesus.org.uk/blog/tag/healing

People Xtra
modern JESUS army Streetpaper No. 93 7
Perfect
romance
OLIvIA
STEvO
Just the 23 of us
If two’s company and three’s a crowd, how do Stevo and
Olivia Scott get on, living with a load of other people?
HIGH SCHOOL sweethearts,
Stevo and
Olivia, wanted to be
together forever. But
when Olivia agreed to
marry Stevo, she knew
she wouldn’t just be
marrying him. And that
was fine by Olivia.
Sounds weird?
It’s just that Stevo
and Olivia have a love
affair with Briar Hill – a
rundown council estate
in Northampton – and
the people who live
there. So much so that,
six years into their marriage,
Stevo and Olivia
share a house in Briar
Hill with loads of other
people, and have a constant
stream of friends
and neighbours through
their door’s as well.
“We want to be among
the people” says Stevo.
“We want to be Jesus to
them.” He adds “As our
neighbours have become
our friends, they’ve found
something of Jesus, something
of God’s love.”
They’re in touch with
what the politicians
call “Broken Britain”. “I
remember being asked
by someone what marriage
was” says Olivia.
“They didn’t know. They
couldn’t understand the
concept of me being married
– being with Stevo for
the rest of my life.”
“I live like this because
I want other people to
find the security I have”
she adds. “I want other
people to have that space
to find who they are.”
Stevo describes how
lads have come into their
house, off the street, and
said “I just feel peaceful
here. I dunno what it is,
but I just feel at home.”
A few years ago, Stevo
was chatting to a couple
of Briar Hill local lads –
twin brothers – and the
conversation had wound
round to Jesus.
“If Jesus was on earth
today, where do you think
he’d live?” Stevo asked.
“I reckon in a really big
posh house” one of the
twins replied before the
other chipped in “Nah, I
think he’d live somewhere
really rough”.
“You’re right” said Stevo
to the second twin. “I
reckon Jesus would come
and live in Briar Hill.”
WATCH THE VID
To hear Stevo and Olivia talking about their
lifestyle on YouTube visit: jez.uz/stevoolivia
The house in which Stevo, Olivia and their
friends live is one of a number of homes
around the UK the residents of which form
the New Creation Christian Community –
part of the Jesus Army.
For info visit: newcreation.org.uk

8 modern JESUS army Streetpaper No. 93
‘ALL YOU NEED IS GOD!’
Colourful Jesus parade turns heads in Liverpool’s city centre
Love is a losing game?
“LOVE IS a losing
game.” So sang Amy
Winehouse, singer
and celebrity, who
lost her life earlier this
year, at age 27.
Whatever the official
explanation for her untimely
death, speculation inevitably
centred on her drink and drug
usage as a likely contributing
factor to her demise. On one
point, all commentators agree:
the loss of someone so young
and so prodigiously talented is
a waste, a crying shame.
Passion and loss. Reckless
waste and love.
It was passion that led
Christ to the cross. What a
pity it seemed, that such an
inspiring figure, whose words
carried such power, should
die in such a seemingly
senseless way.
But if the cross was the true
end of Jesus Christ, there’s
no way that His follower’s
faith could have swept across
the nations. Thousands of
others died in that era, in
blood drenched futility. No-one
remembered them.
What makes Jesus different
is what happened next. History
changed when, as the letter to
the Romans puts it “Jesus was
declared to be the Son of God
with power by His resurrection
from the dead”.
Unlike a mourned celeb,
there was no flower-strewn
grave, no token-scattered
shrine made by His grieving
fans after He died. Jesus’
followers experienced
something totally novel:
their shock and sadness
turned into amazed awe and
overwhelming joy on meeting
Jesus again.
This powerful awareness of
resurrection life that Christians
have experienced overcomes
hopeless despair.
Jesus Christ has conquered
death. Grief does not have the
last laugh. Love lives on.
If you want to experience the
life and love of Jesus, then pray
(talk to Jesus) like this: Jesus,
thank You for dying in my place,
so that I could be set free from
death. You rose again from
the dead. You have overcome
death. I ask You to fill me with
Your life and power, now, and to
teach me to follow You.
Photo: Gruenemann, flickr.com
GUTTED Fans mourn singer’s passing
SEVERAL HUNDRED Jesus Army
enthusiasts took to the streets of
Liverpool recently.
Christian hymns like
“Amazing Grace”
mixed in with
snatches of the
Beatles’ hit song
“Hey Jude”. It
made a colourful
impression
on Saturday
shoppers in
Liverpool’s busy
city centre.
Chris from
Liverpool, who
saw the march,
said “It’s nice to
see happy, smiling
people; makes a
change.”
“This isn’t a protest march” said
Laurence Cooper, 36, march organiser.
“Nobody’s marching because they’re
angry. It’s more like a carnival. We’ve
got something – Someone, in fact – to
celebrate. We want to share the life and
excitement we’ve found.”
JESUS SAID... “God sent His Son into the world
not to judge the world, but to save the world”
John 3:17, The Bible
mJa: 0845 123 5550
jesus.org.uk
Email: info@jesus.org.uk
Write: Jesus Fellowship,
FREEPOST, Nether Heyford,
Northampton NN7 3BR
Tel: 0845 123 5550
Fax: 0845 166 8178
Newspapers
support recycliNg
Recycled paper made up
77.4% of the raw
material for UK
newspapers
in 2010
On social media site, Twitter, Dylan commented
“Saw the Jesus Army today. They
said ‘Bless you’. I didn’t even sneeze.”
Jesus Army leader, James Stacey,
35, himself from Liverpool,
said “Dylan’s ‘tweet’
made me smile, but
he’s actually hit
the nail on the
head. The Jesus
Army do want to
bless people – and
they don’t have
to do anything to
deserve it. After
all, that’s what
God has done –
He’s given us love
whether or not we
deserve it.
“John Lennon
once famously said
The Beatles were ‘bigger
than Jesus’. Well
- no disrespect, John,
but we want to shout from
every roof top that Jesus is bigger
than us all. And that that’s a good
thing because His great love rescues us
and gives hope.”
For local information contact: