Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS
AWAKE O ZION!
We have overlooked Christ as the revolutionary teacher, the
controversialist, the provocative preacher, the man who disregarded
convention and protocol, the implacable opponent of
the religious establishment, the leader who associated with all
the wrong types and seemed intent on provoking rather than
placating his critics. 42
We felt we were pioneering something that God was trying to
get across — holiness, brotherly love and kingdom culture. It
was all part of what any church should be — Zion, a prophetic
people, a city on a hill.
We received sniping and suspicion, but our community
houses were open to visitors and our meetings public. Our
message was pungent but our hearts warm. True, our style of
worship was more sober and, though some groups were inspired
by frequent visits to us, we rarely ministered in other
churches. Not that we got many invitations! We determined
to follow God’s call to build a strong fellowship. Like some of
the new churches, we were pioneering within the radical tradition
and seeking to rediscover the fullness of New Testament
truth.
So we dug in our heels and reached for our prophetic guns.
Each week the chapel was packed out for the Saturday night
shoot-out as we urged Christians to full sharing and brotherhood.
Noel was convinced the charismatic renewal movement
was losing steam for lack of radicality. Restoration leaders
were in agreement and from within the renewal movement
came the cry: ‘Where now?’
Many came to us disillusioned by sloppy Christianity in the
churches and hungering for clarity and commitment. Like Vic-
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