Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THE LORD TOOK HOLD OF BUGBROOKE
In May Gerald Coates came for a week. He was a dynamic
young man, one of many charismatic leaders in the UK whom
Arthur Wallis sought to draw together in a vision for restored,
biblical Christianity. Two streams were emerging in the charismatic
movement. One sought for ‘renewal’ within the denominations,
the other for a ‘restoration’ of New Testament
church life. Gerald had left his Brethren assembly to form a
house group in Cobham. Like Bugbrooke they were finding
real relationships and even greater liberty. The problems of
dealing with people of widely different views didn’t exist in
their type of house church, and Noel envied their biblical simplicity.
Gerald ministered with great freedom, weeping as he spoke
of the grace of Jesus. One of the ladies was healed of a deformed
hand and news of this rippled through the village. As
a reward, Gerald was given the task of visiting some of the
traditional chapel folk. But he didn’t get very far. The flamboyant
young fellow was hardly their idea of ‘the minister’!
Gerald taught from the book of Haggai, a prophet endeared
to the house churches.
‘“You expected much, but it turned out to be little,”’ he read,
referring to the hope of revival.
‘“Why? Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while
each of you is busy with his own house.”’ Gerald pressed for
radical commitment.
‘“Go... and build the house,”’ he read with excitement, ‘ “so
that I may take pleasure in it and be honoured, says the Lord.”’
‘An enthusiastic remnant rebuilt the temple in their day,’
Gerald explained, as he paced around. ‘So must we in ours!
We must restore the purity of the church. God is looking for
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