Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS
CITY ON A HILL
through the Goodness Foods window. However, a fresh vision
for Northampton had arisen, an evangelism team was meeting
success there, and many of us now went on the streets.
My little team inadvertently evangelised a local reporter
and the teachers at my school had a great laugh as they read
about our exploits in the press. The ‘anti-Bugbrooke’ tape
that had been circulated was also local news. Northampton’s
main youth leader, the Rev Harry Whittaker, sprang to our
defence, but the local Archdeacon launched into the attack.
One local ecumenical leaders’ meeting was taken up with discussions
about ‘Bugbrooke’.
By April the work in Northampton and Rugby had received
considerable impetus, although our expectations of local revival
were disappointed. The pattern resumed and notice
sheets reappeared. We organised a nurture group for the
converts, but they were few.
Most of the fruit was within the Fellowship. Houses were
revived, children and teenagers were touched and many found
new liberty. Inevitably, the phase of repentance was difficult
for some. A few left. Others had to be encouraged not to overdo
the groans, sackcloth and ashes! But all in all, the church had
been shaken up and the dams were breaking down.
The vision now was for church growth and revival. Godconsciousness
had been restored and prayer increased. Shepherding
groups were further broken down into cell groups of
five or six and their emphasis shifted from shepherding to
outreach and serving others. All over the Midlands we visited
people in their homes and welcomed them into these
little ‘servant groups’, as we called them.
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