Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS
Noel: We have a charity budget and support financially a
few evangelical organisations. We still find the main call of
God on available funds is for direct charity or direct help. We
give ‘relief of need’ gifts to members and non-members in
cash or kind. There’s also a lot of board and lodging that for
one reason or another we never get paid. On top of that, paying
off the debts of people joining us amounts to many thousands
of pounds a year. We also have a bursary fund which
pays the costs of several overseas members who are staying
with us. Altogether our outlay must be approaching £100,000
a year.
Roger: Have you given to third world charities or third world
relief over recent years?
Noel: Not directly. We are involved with a number of
churches in Africa and elsewhere in the third world, but we
feel God’s main call to the Jesus Army is to reach the poor
and marginalised of Britain.
Roger: How has the Fellowship developed over recent
years?
Noel: We now feel we’re an accepted part of the Christian
scene and can concentrate on our particular mission. God
has been refining our community houses. The call to sacrificial
living has been re-emphasised and we’re seeing a new
generation keen to take us further.
Most of our recent numerical increase has been outside
community. Learning to flow with people in their pain and
searching has been the main emphasis. We’ve been tapping
into the modern youth culture. That’s meant a culture shock
for some of us, but has borne remarkable fruit.
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