Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS
CITY ON A HILL
We began to take persecution more in our stride. It was
obviously going to be our lot so we might as well ‘rejoice and
be glad’, and carry on pioneering.
There had been losses. One farm brother who split off became
a vociferous opponent. Three or four junior leaders also
left us. Even John ‘Gentle’ had gone off for a breather in Switzerland,
though he later returned to us.
The battle had been fierce but God had often given us this
word from Isaiah: ‘Your builders outstrip your destroyers’ (Is
49:17, RSV). Loyalty had won through. Characters were
strengthened and roots went deeper. We were a humbler people.
Stories of rapid church growth in the third world both
shamed and inspired us. We listened to our critics more and
opened up to new input.
There were others who shared our ideals. Simple lifestyle
was a current theme in Christian circles, and community itself
was still attracting interest. In fact, David Watson was
about to write warmly in You Are My God of his own experience
of community and the common purse. 72
We had, of course, much in common with the ‘new churches’,
and amongst the more radical groups, covenant commitment
was being emphasised. In Restoration magazine David Matthew
likened the radical church to Elijah, with his separated
life, unusual appearance and prophetic unction from God. ‘Just
so, believers today are beginning to live together... in redeemed
communities, partaking of a whole new kingdom culture...’
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Perhaps we had been treated rather like Elijah. Certainly
we had been regarded as ‘troublers of Israel’ and hounded
by a few Jezebels! But we felt we had pulled through. The
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