Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THE LORD TOOK HOLD OF BUGBROOKE
ing Baptist minister, invited the evangelist Don Summers to
conduct a tent crusade to the surrounding villages. Fifty people
came forward and a handful were baptised. Monthly rallies
were started and Roger Forster led a Bible week that
winter. The evangelicals were happy at last, and as that busy
year came to an end, Noel was thanking God for their loyalty
and for the many new friends.
However, after nearly four years of intense activity only a
handful had actually joined the eighty or so members. Noel
expressed his growing concern to the deacons: ‘The crying
need is for God to do his reviving work amongst us. Some
show interest, but who is really won for Christ?’ Other crusades
followed, but the results were equally disappointing.
In the spring of 1963, the Pilgrims came for a weekend.
This young music group talked about a Jesus you could know
personally. That came as a thunderclap to Dave Lantsbery,
the headmaster’s son and an Anglican choirboy. Seventeen,
fresh-faced and athletic, Dave would have been an ‘all American
boy’ had he not been so English! Often he turned up at
the chapel youth club, played table-tennis and chatted to the
girls. As far as Dave was concerned, he was a Christian, a
churchgoer, and all right, thank you very much!
At the next meeting with the Pilgrims, Dave sat at the back
of the chapel, on the defensive, and trying to justify himself.
On Sunday evening there was a call to make a commitment
to Christ, and Dave stood up. Somebody came to counsel him,
but still he held back.
‘What about the Muslims?’ he argued on — and on.
‘The problem with you,’ said the counsellor, ‘is you won’t
admit you’re a sinner. It’s between you and God!’
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