is the kingdom!'

is the kingdom!'

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

God come with power (Mark 9:1). It came! At Pentecost it

came! In the power of the Spirit it came! Look at Acts 2 and

4. Here is a nation born in a day! Here is the new Israel. Here

is the kingdom!'

Noel paused and leaned forward, as if to impart some se-

cret. 'We who believe in Christ, as Paul says, are now the true

"Jews" and the spiritual "circumcision" (Rom 2:29; Phil 3:3).

These are now the "Israel of God" (Gal 6:15,16). We need to

stop behaving as if we were the world's people. We are not!

We are God's people. God's Zion.

'"See, I lay a stone in Zion..." the apostle quotes — let's

turn to it in 1 Peter 2. "As you come to him, the living Stone...

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual

house to be a holy priesthood..." (1 Pet 2:6, 4-5).

'Brothers and sisters, we give ourselves to the perfecting

of this Zion. We have barely skimmed the surface. Zion is

holy. Zion is distinctive. Zion is beautiful because it is mag-

nificent with God's presence and power.

'This is the good news we are seeing. Personal salvation?

Yes! But with it the gospel of a new kingdom. Leaders like

Ern Baxter and Arthur Wallis are now proclaiming this. You

see, the church is to inherit the promises. She is to herald the

ultimate kingdom. In our brotherhood, in our distinctiveness,

in our freedom, we are prophesying a new order. Zion is a

foretaste of the new earth.'

The atmosphere was charged. We sensed something of awe

and destiny in it all. Noel was fired with a vision and we were

catching hold of the prophetic word.

He spoke of the maturity of such a Zion; her simplicity and

peace and the beauty of her strength and righteousness. Zion,

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

the city of truth, was defiant and secure, a place of joy and

creativity. Like a precious jewel she shone in all her colours

and distinctions. But only through the cross could such a

beauty be born.

In the afternoon we walked around in twos and threes. Here

in sunny Sussex was an opportunity to get to know one an-

other more deeply. 'Let us open up ourselves to one another,

without fear of being hurt or turned away,'33 was the theme

song of the fortnight. Friendships deepened as we confessed

hidden faults and fears. Hopes and aspirations were shared

and we exposed the real 'us'.

God showed us that we were like a broad river flowing along.

All looked well, but below the surface were dividing parti-

tions. The river moved on to a waterfall where it cascaded

down a cliff and was dashed on the rocks below. In the turbu-

lence, the partitions were broken up and then a swift, strong

river began to cut its course down the mountainside.

So we, as a body, were to experience a new 'brokenness'

bringing oneness. We were a remarkable mix of straights,

freaks, professionals, and village folks. God was determined

to break down any remaining barriers. Class divisions were

now a thing of the past and there were some hilarious at-

tempts to prove it! Rufus came in one morning sporting a

jacket and tie, while Victor followed in a boiler suit! Jessie

appeared in a tweed skirt. She'd lent her hippy cheesecloths

to Val the schoolteacher! Whether freak or straight, biker or

Beethoven addict, we let these things go and joined the flow!

Noel stood up in the morning meeting and there were a

few more smiles — he was wearing an orange kaftan!

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

'We are revolutionaries!' he declared. 'What then are we to

become? The answer is simple — I just don't know!'

We all laughed. Noel smiled and picked up a book.

'Let me quote from Dust Of Death by Os Guinness. He re-

fers to the fact that since the war there has been a great

radical outcry — a lot of communism, hippies, anarchists and

so on. Now this desire is a right desire although it springs

from a wrong spirit and has wrong results.

'Os Guinness says, "The day the radical falters is the day

the Christian radical must demonstrate his staying power. If

reformation does not come, then the Christian community

must assert its regained integrity in being a loyal remnant."34

'We radicals, then, amidst a basic Christian culture which

has gone phoney, should be a godly remnant, a people of God

who show his holiness and love, a people who will not sink

themselves in the dereliction of our society.

'"Such people," says Os Guinness, "may be a spearhead in

a new reformation, but let them have no illusions about what

will be involved."35

'No illusions, brethren! We shall be mocked. The church,

as well as the world, will point the finger and say "They are

extreme!" Don't be alarmed. I am sure that if Jesus came to

Britain, as he did to Palestine, he would be in some cruel

fashion rejected. He would not be acceptable. Few churches

would welcome his radical lifestyle. It is a shameful thing

that the radical, seeking, idealistic heart is so readily turned

off by our churches.

'Os Guinness continues: "We must engage in a rigorous prac-

tice of truth."36 We are doing it. It's uncomfortable, isn't it?

The overturning of all the selfish thought pushed into us from

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

birth. Truth? We are naturally false. We are naturally supe-

rior and selfish. Truth? We hate it! Knowing the truth about

ourselves can be awfully painful. Some of you are going

through it here as God's searchlight explores the very fabric

of your lives. You see, the truth of God is active in our hearts!

The rigorous practice of truth!

'Brothers and sisters, Zion is the "city of truth". Only truth

will be attractive to those who are searching for an answer.

They are looking for a people of truth and equality.

'Dare we be that? Dare we set ourselves against the cur-

rent of the world? Dare we be a holy people? Dare you join us

in what your heart so desperately longs for, but what your

flesh shrinks from? Jesus did it. He practised truth. He prac-

tised love. It brought the resurrection. But the cross came

first. The rigorous practice of truth!'

Noel's voice had faded into a whisper.

'Brethren,' he continued, lowering the book, 'if you cannot

receive this here, you'll never apply it there. This retreat is

as close to community living with all its beautiful outflow as

we are likely to see for some time. With all the pressures on

you back home to conform to the world, unless you are pre-

pared to be real now, the devil will lead you a dance.

'Now Os Guinness remarks that the early Christians faced

a twofold cultural threat. They acknowledged neither the Lord-

ship of Caesar, nor the wisdom of the Greeks: "They refused

to be classified. They were neither Romans, nor Greeks, nor

Jews, nor Gentiles, nor masters, nor slaves, nor rich, nor poor.

They were a healing community, they were one in Christ. They

were a third race."37

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

'Now, my brethren,' said Noel, putting down the book and

looking intently at us, 'this is not an easy road. But Jesus trod

it and we must follow him. We Christians must become a force

declaring something new. Remember, when Luther stood up

for truth, it was as if he got hold of a rope connected to a

great bell that rang all over Europe. Beloved, our nation is

ripe for a radical demonstration of Christianity. Only that will

save the day.

'We are to forge a holy Christian culture such as is rarely

seen. Our worldliness is against it, and our flesh will scream

in pain. Are we willing to be such a third race? Or would we

rather stay in the establishment? People's minds have been

so brainwashed today that they think the way British society

runs is somehow righteous. Do you really think it was or-

dained in heaven? What utter nonsense! Are we then going

to be trapped by the greedy urges of society? No!

'Now the Hebrews have a word shalom, which means peace,

harmony and completeness. It is such an atmosphere of ful-

filment and simplicity that we desire to create.

'Let me quote an Anglican bishop. "We need a new kind of

monastic movement," says John Taylor, "to include simplic-

ity, non-violence, and community."38

'You see we are going to refuse the world's pressure! We

are getting off the treadmill. We are regaining our creativity.

The drives of materialism are moving against human fulfil-

ment. All kinds of things are taken for granted that are dehu-

manising man. I hate it! We must say "enough is enough"! We

pursue this old way no further.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

'Consider how Jesus lived for his Father's will. How com-

pletely wholesome he was — how he rejected the treadmill of

his age. Jesus created a new society!

'Now a last word from our bishop friend before we go to

lunch.' (The gong had gone ages ago.) '"We must live by the

divine contrariness of Jesus... We need an increasing minor-

ity that will call the bluff of the trendsetters".39

'Brethren, we move into holy abnormality. We rediscover

the joy of living. You see, so many people are sick of what

they are into. Prick the surface and you will find a desperate

sense of unfulfilment. "Our need," says John Taylor, "is for

men and women who are free with the freedom of Christ,

free to come up with the answers no one has dared to give."40

'God is setting us free. Free as a people. Free to be what

we long to be. Christ's kingdom is the answer. A people

cleansed by his blood! A people of one heart! Beloved, this is

the city of light and truth. This is the new creation — this

great harmony with God, this harmony with angels and with

creation, this brotherly love, this beauty, this creativity — this

Zion!

'Let's stand,' said Noel as he raised his hands in the air,

beamed contentedly and looked heavenward. Together we

praised God. The vision of Zion had been set ablaze in our

hearts. For many of us it seemed everything we had desired.

We were coming home — to Zion.

In Bugbrooke, the chapel was changed to allow an overflow

into the side room and upper lounge. A few left us after the

challenge of Ashburnham, yet the vision of Zion was drawing

people. One of the Ashburnham groundsmen returned with

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

us starry-eyed. The Hall now had brothers living in the down-

stairs rooms and people were streaming on to the estate.

'Israel is gathering!' we sang. 'Come and make music on

Zion's height!'

We had left Ashburnham with a zeal to 'take the land'. Cyril

found some actual land, two miles from Bugbrooke — a large

farmhouse with outbuildings and acres of orchard and fields.

'Oh no!' said Noel 'Not farming, bro!' But Cyril was undaunted

and the leaders were soon enthusiastic.

Meanwhile, the Hall was our community showpiece. Dur-

ing the summer months we held Family Days, and gathered

with visitors to celebrate 'with gladness and thanksgiving,

with cymbals' (Victor), 'harps' (Alan and Kelly on the twelve-

string), 'trumpets and lyres' (or, to be more accurate, Paddy

on the bottle-top shaker). We sat in groups, drank tea, con-

sumed sandwiches and cake, stretched out on the grass, and

'fellowshipped'. They were hot, gregarious, outdoor-praising

times — idyllic or difficult according to the state of your soul.

Favourite songs carried into the village. 'Let's call our walls

salvation!', 'Zion is restored' and 'Arise! Shine! for your light

has come!' We danced. We were festive, confident — excited

at what God was bringing to pass.

After tea we would make our way to chapel, continue our

worship, and listen to the preaching of the kingdom gospel.

Isaac Watts inspired us with his songs of Zion as did Wesley's

hymns, hymns like, 'Happy the souls who first believed'.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Propriety was there unknown,

None called what he possessed his own:

Where all the common blessing share

No selfish happiness was there...

Oh what an age of golden days!

Oh what a choice peculiar race...'

We were entering into rest. Driving evangelistic fervour and

independent action were being replaced by the peaceful, at-

tractive power of Zion. As we were pleasing to God, he would

bless and increase us. The church was for the Lord. It was his

people, his temple, his bride.

11 Take That Land

John and Dave rushed out of the house as flames leapt up and

licked under the oil tank. Then they ran back for a brother

sick in bed and hurried him out into the night. The biting air

would kill him or cure him! The Fire Brigade hurtled up the

long drive and Dave greeted them with an embarrassed grin.

Within minutes a hose was rammed down the grating and the

cellar flooded. Steam, smoke and an acrid smell of burnt oil

wafted up. Meanwhile Dave explained how he had set fire to

our latest community house. Fortunately New Creation Farm

survived.

John was out early next morning. He looked up at the large

red brick farmhouse with its tall Victorian chimneys rising

into the dawn. Beyond it a line of poplars stood guard on the

orchard and broke the skyline. He blew a cloud of breath into

the air and considered the days ahead. 'Is this really happen-

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

ing to me?' he thought. It was just three years since the Jesus

People had walked up the steps of All Saints and met him and

Paddy. Now he was a leader in a Christian community. Amaz-

ing!

A train thundered down the line at the bottom of the hill.

John turned. It was a beautiful view. The sun had risen through

the mists turning the canal blood-red as it glistened in the

frosty fields below. He spotted the trees that sheltered the

Hall in Bugbrooke. Beyond lay a hazy Northampton, the dis-

tant rumblings of the M1, and the wooded hills on the hori-

zon.

John 'Gentle' was a key man. ('Gentle' was the 'virtue name'

we gave him to distinguish him from all the other Johns). He

was a guy you wanted to be with — natural, easy, and gentle

— a good support to Dave who'd now abandoned teaching for

farmwork. Steve 'Faithful' and another brother had accom-

panied John and Dave from the Hall to the newly acquired

Farm. On the sisters' side they were joined by Irene (a Nor-

wegian), Liz and Janie.

With this nucleus, plus a friendly rat called Walter, a new

era began. The Hall carried on its chaotic way as the Farm

took brotherhood deeper. There was so much enthusiasm

around. It was a mixture of fun and togetherness; of cold and

primitive living conditions; of meditation in the fields; of late

nights and discussion round the lounge fire; of hard work

and quickness to sacrifice.

Noel frequently stayed overnight. 'There are five new ar-

rivals at the farm,' he said in chapel one Sunday morning.

Everybody looked puzzled. Who could they be? They were

the first five sows! Steve had done a course on pig breeding,

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Noel was brought up on a farm, and Dave had plenty of theory.

But all this wisdom failed to get Wilbur the boar off the Tran-

sit. He wouldn't budge for an hour!

Whether charismatic community or pig farming, it was all

new to us. The locals smiled and gave us six months at the

most. But we had a will to win, and soon the brothers were

sitting up all night for the birth of the first piglets. They all

came out to greet the first batch of hens, too. Generally if one

person did something, six others did it with them!

Noel planned to move in and asked Rufus and family to join

him. 'We can't leave the lads, bro,' was the reply. They had

quite a scene going at Argyle Street and weren't interested

in breaking up.

'Well, bring them all then,' said Noel.

'Bro's!' shouted Rufus that night, banging his fist on the

table, '...we're all moving to the farm!' An uproar of shouts,

hoots, yells and hallelujahs followed as the cutlery went fly-

ing. (Argyle Street was still working on 'the beauty of restful-

ness'!)

Soon Rufus and Jess with their two kids and the seven broth-

ers turned up at the farm and, following the word of Jesus,

(John 13:14) their feet were washed as a token of brotherly

love. God joined these two 'families' together and 'the lads'

looked to John 'Gentle' to take them deeper.

Shortly after, somewhat apprehensively, Noel moved in and

filled his little room with books. Surprisingly, he didn't take

over! Noel had a great respect for Rufus' inspirations. Dave

'Elder' Lantsbery began pastoring the sisters and John led

the brothers.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Noel wound up his business partnership and transferred

the proceeds to the community. We leased a shop in North-

ampton and divided it into a jeans shop and a health food

store. Together with the farm, these formed House Of Good-

ness Ltd., our first community business. Noel acted as farm

manager, and was often seen in his battered cloth cap walk-

ing behind the tractor or overseeing the birth of piglets.

Lunch round the farm kitchen table was memorable. Steve

'Faithful' slouched between Noel and Kelly, who'd come fresh

from the building team and now expounded deep insights in

scruffy jeans. The pigman and cattleman grunted wisely whilst

John 'Gentle' pondered the state of the brothers and Steve

'Stalwart', the farm mechanic, quietly tucked into his soup.

What a heavenly bunch! Conversation ranged from potatoes

to personal hygiene — from holiness to the moods of Wilbur

the boar! Meanwhile, the weather-beaten Dave would be look-

ing after visitors in the dining-room.

During the evening grace times Noel would sit back and

enjoy the ministry of his brothers and sisters. It felt good to

be part of such a family and he sought to hear the wisdom of

God through them.

Community life required mutual submission. The lie was that

independence brought fulfilment. It didn't. Community

brought fulfilment. But, boy! Some of us struggled! Rufus went

through it! He had a big ego and was used to his own scene.

Now he was one of four leaders and learning to work with

them.

We saw submission taught in the Scriptures: 'Submit to one

another out of reverence for Christ' (Eph 5:21). As we learned

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

to move in unity as 'one new man' (Eph 2:15), we touched the

very heart of Zion.

John and Steve were drawing the brothers together. They

were all very real as they opened their hearts to each other,

and discipled one another fearlessly. Above all, they made

brotherhood enjoyable.

At New Creation Hall, Pete was producing paintings of com-

munity life and writing songs from the Scriptures — 'We know

love by this, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to

lay down our lives for the brethren' (1 John 3:16).

Wesley's hymns also expressed our heart:

Mollify our harsher will,

Each to each our tempers suit...

We valued individual character and refused the trend to-

wards unisex, which we saw as unbiblical and psychologi-

cally off-beam. Equality between the sexes wasn't the point.

Rather, it was being the personality God intended. Women

began to enjoy their femininity more and developed a strong

sense of sisterhood. Brothers found that their manly sharing

produced manliness and appreciated the friendship and real-

ity of brotherhood. 'As iron sharpens iron,' said the wise man,

'so one man sharpens another' (Prov 27:17).

There were outward changes, too. Brothers lost their flow-

ing locks and some grew beards. Sisters let their hair grow.

Biblically, it spoke of their 'covering' (1 Cor 11:3— 11). At

Harlestone Road the sisters converted their jeans into denim

skirts. One sister felt the Lord telling her to get a dress, but

couldn't afford one. Out of the blue her mother gave her £10.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

'Polly, I'm sick of seeing you in jeans,' she said. 'Go and get

yourself a dress!' Dresses were made from corduroy, denim

or even patchwork. With long hair and flowing dresses some

of the sisters managed to extend the hippy era for a few years!

Make-up vanished, too, as sisters applied the word from 1

Peter 3:3-4, 'Your beauty should not come from outward adorn-

ment... Instead, it should be... the unfading beauty of a gen-

tle and quiet spirit.' We had some very enthusiastic sisters

who saw the preciousness of all this and sought it. Others

were at first reluctant, but when they let go of their natural

assertiveness, they 'found themselves' in a new way, and en-

tered into a deeper relationship with God.

Indeed, once the trauma of rediscovering our identity was

over, a new sense of security settled over the whole commu-

nity. Men took up their leadership, and husbands brought a

godly authority to their families. The sisters were beautiful

in their loving support and made way for the men to find their

strength and potential. So much sprang from sincere love for

Jesus and an innocent conscience.

Much care was put into children's upbringing. The young

soul needed protection, training and nurture. Children should

be surrounded by holy influences, creativity, love and disci-

pline. The question was always there too: would the next gen-

eration maintain our radical vision? We held to the promise,

'Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he

will not turn from it' (Prov 22:6).

That year saw the establishing of divine order in our rela-

tionships. Far from being 'under law', this was grace bring-

ing together the beauties of Zion. Of course, there were con-

flicts and some tendency to overbalance. But we felt we were

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

unearthing precious truths and when we saw something in

God, we went for it.

We saw simplicity, too, as one of the 'treasures of the king-

dom'. Jesus lived simply and possessed little. We wanted to

follow him along this path, and agreed to spend as little as

possible. We began to cut down on our wardrobes and eat

more simply. Fashions were passed by, and we made more

use of our second-hand clothing store. We made our cars last

longer and cut each other's hair. We saw so much wastage

and fussiness around — leaving food on the plate and so on.

These were all areas for embracing discipleship.

Chinese take-aways and fizzy apple drinks breathed their

last. We cut out costly spreads like honey and peanut butter

(for a while), stopped drinking coffee and gave up sugar in

drinks (guests excepted). The chapel tuck shop substituted

nuts and raisins for sticky chocolate bars, but soon disap-

peared altogether!

Expensive and gimmicky toys gave way to creative, con-

structional things. We realised the danger of being 'lovers of

pleasure rather than lovers of God' (2 Tim 3:4), and deter-

mined that the ego-boosting competition of sport, as well as

the indulgence of worldly entertainments, were not for us.

The common purse had been a watershed and paved the

way for deeper unity in the Spirit. Many found they could go

the whole week without money. It seemed strange at first,

but was a blessed release. In little things we realised the grip

of self and in little things we proved our love for Jesus.

My parents often visited us at the Hall: 'Well, you're bound

to love one another now, if you share everything,' my dad

remarked. He was right. We were dependent on one another.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

'Do not be afraid, little flock,' Jesus had said, 'for your Father

has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your posses-

sions... Provide for yourselves... treasure in heaven' (Luke

12:32, 33).

We were doing it. All over the community Zion was putting

on her beauty and her lifestyle was characterised by modesty

and simplicity.

'They've really gone off the rails this time!' people said.

'They're even dressing differently now!'

Yes, we were becoming different! We had quietened down.

Paddy's bottle-top shaker disappeared and Rufus' African

drum was laid to rest. Percussion was replaced by gentler

music: violins, recorders and clarinets. The racy choruses

slowed down and the heavy beat was turned off. We wrote

songs and hymns that were deep and prophetic and sang more

of Wesley, Watts, and the old worthies.

Fluorescent stickers were removed from cars and clothes

and we changed the colour of the Oxford minibus from bright

orange to tasteful blue. The modern trend was too flashy for

us. Purity and sobriety weren't exactly 'hip' words in the char-

ismatic scene, and some visitors felt less at home. 'Show me

as my soul can bear the depth of inbred sin,' wasn't quite

what they were used to. Why did we talk so much about Zion

and holiness? It all smacked of legalism, they thought. Noel's

application of the Scripture, far from being entertaining, was

cutting, commanding, even humiliating. And then all this stuff

about discipling one another! Bugbrooke had definitely gone

off the rails!

Despite the objections, we continued enthusiastically to

forge a kingdom lifestyle. Some found the modesty of our life

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

beautiful — a place to open up and find godly friendships.

Others found it dull and boring: 'What! No tellies! No alco-

hol! No football! No going out for a good time! No holidays

abroad...!

'Man! What do you do? Just pray and talk to each other?'

As we passed through this almost legendary era, our sense

of identity sharpened up and Zion became less a concept and

more and more 'us'. A patriotic zeal for our church arose that

broke the chains of public opinion. Confidence replaced ti-

midity as we felt our unity and strength. The danger, though,

was the arrogance of youthful zeal. As God led us along this

radical path, it would be easy to feel that we were somehow

special.

Indeed, the move into community had precipitated a new

culture. Now that we had the farm, just being up there on a

summer evening picking gooseberries together left us with

heartfelt gratitude to God and a great love for this Zion.

By the time we were at Ashburnham again, we were deter-

mined to explore more of 'the beauties of holiness' — and the

bite of discipleship!

'The Lord has delivered me from all my fears! Amen!'

A high-pitched voice echoed over the lake, and trailed off

into an embarrassed giggle.

'And again, Yvonne!' shouted Liz from across the water. 'And

with the emphasis on all.'

The Lord has delivered me from all my fears!' she shouted.

'Right!' echoed her friend. 'Now jump up and down, praise

the Lord, and say, "I'm a super sister!"'

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

'Oh no!' thought Yvonne. 'Not this! What have I let myself

in for now?'

Just as Yvonne was poising herself Piers crashed through

the undergrowth, followed by a line of six brothers. 'Praise

the Lord for the trees and grass!' he shouted.

'Yeah! Thank you Lord for making me a new creation!' yelled

another.

'I'm a king in Christ Jesus!' croaked an academic voice.

'And bless God for that sis over there!' someone laughed

from the back. Yvonne watched the line of 'liberated' disci-

ples career off into the woods.

'They've all gone mad!' she thought to herself, and smiled.

It was a hot, dry, afternoon half way through the Ashburn-

ham retreat — though 'retreat' was hardly the word. Noel

called it a spiritual outward-bound course!

Gut-level reality at the farm had paved the way. The elders

were finding their godly authority, and throughout the fel-

lowship there was a growing accountability to one another.

But we needed many more pace-setters — visionary men and

women who could train others. Disciple by Juan-Carlos Ortiz

was bringing the same kind of vision to the churches gener-

ally.41

Three hundred of us gathered on the lawn and Noel asked

us to call out the names of the most esteemed brothers and

sisters. Some had a shock! Irene went white, and Marion tried

to make a getaway! They were quickly surrounded and pushed

out to the front! Soon fifty had been thrust forward and were

surrounded by their friends. With a bit of reshuffling each

'discipler' had an instant 'disciple band'.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

The bands majored on openness; second, came 'liberated

worship'. We lost a lot of prayer-group piety as we leapt

around, shouted and sang, danced, played guitars, and shook

tambourines and maracas. Thirdly, the disciplers taught from

their experience — but no soap boxes were allowed!

Correction was a fourth element. Most of us were keen to

have our faults pointed out, and we would assess one anoth-

er's strengths and weaknesses. This was very constructive

but revealed some self-righteousness and self-justification.

With a skilful leader, a punch-up could be avoided!

The fifth area was meditation and prayer. We would go off

alone to ponder on Scripture or pray and then regather to

share what the Lord had shown us.

Then there were 'discipline activities'. (St Francis, too, prac-

tised 'holy obedience'.) The discipler gave the band 'disci-

plines'. 'Faith confessions' were a favourite and Yvonne had

to sing hers every hour! (I'm free! I'm free!' she squeaked in

the middle of Noel's teaching.) Leaders received their own

medicine, too. Liz had to spend time with the sister she found

most difficult. It all produced rapid growth.

The last point was ministry activity. In a group of five friends

it was easier to launch out in spiritual gifts. We learned to

speak in tongues, interpret, prophesy, or sing out spontane-

ous 'psalms'. We prayed for healing, wrote songs or brought

out wisdom.

The bands were to meet once a week. Once the leaders had

lost their nervousness and delusions of grandeur, the bands

became very precious to us. Most members didn't live in com-

munity houses and disciple bands brought something of the

reality we knew at the Hall and the Farm.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Living at the Farm had made an impact on Noel. He admired

the reality of the relationships among the brothers and real-

ised his own reserve. What did being 'members one of an-

other' (Rom 12:5, RSV) really mean? Were we of one heart?

As Noel spoke on the 'beauties of Zion's maturities', he

became more pointed. The previous Ashburnham retreat had

been visionary, and now the truth had to be applied in every

area. If we were to 'love one another deeply, from the heart'

(1 Pet 1:22), we had to lose our pretensions. We needed a

deeper experience of the cross to produce a character that

was not only strong and stable, but able also to flow in broth-

erhood.

The theme song for Ashburnham '76 was Pete's: 'Now we

are the body of Christ... If one member suffers, all suffer to-

gether, if one member is honoured, all rejoice' (from 1 Cor

12:26). When the second week arrived, John 'Gentle' and Steve

'Faithful' had to go back to the Farm, and as we gathered

round their minibus we sang this song. Many broke down in

tears.

Amidst all our attempts to perfect one another, the theme

of the one heart emerged as the Lord's word to us. God gave

two sisters some wisdom which was read out in the meet-

ings. The first picture was of a maypole. The maypole was

the Lord; the dancers members of his body. Each was joined

to him by a coloured thread which spoke of an individual walk

with God. The dance began and the threads were woven to-

gether. As hearts were entwined, all got closer to the Lord.

The second picture was an aerial view of a transparent peo-

ple. Their hearts were small and their eyes lifeless. But as

they worshipped they came alive, and upon their hearts ap-

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

peared words like love, joy, loyalty. The more they sang, the

larger their hearts became. Eventually these all joined to form

one great heart with the words: 'The Fulness of God'. The

people now laughed and wept freely together. Some crept to

the outside but those of the one heart drew them in and knelt

at their feet. Some of these joined the oneness but others

fled away into the darkness.

The Spirit was working in our depths. Many who once felt

rejection and loneliness now wept it all out. It was hardly

surprising that the jazzy choruses were giving way to gentle

worship and songs that expressed the longings of the soul.

At Ashburnham, the instruments would lead into spiritual

singing. Then individuals sang or improvised on their instru-

ments. Alan's old busking partner would pour his heart out

on the electric guitar. Once he'd lived like a tramp, addicted

to cough medicine. Now he sang in the courts of the King. At

times a sense of the preciousness and depth of Zion spread

over the assembly like liquid gold. We were learning to break

open our hearts and release the fragrance of Jesus.

But what did the staff at Ashburnham make of it all? For

one young woman, meeting the Jesus Fellowship in full flight

was quite an experience:

What struck me was the difference. It wasn't just a conference.

It was more like a life force! These people just flowed out. I felt

I was coming in out of the cold and suddenly there's this mas-

sive great bonfire. And I was being slowly defrosted! I stopped

swearing and forgot to use make-up. But the biggest surprise

was when it suddenly dawned on me that I wanted to be holy.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Needless to say, I moved up to Bugbrooke as quick as I could —

on my motorbike!

During the time at Ashburnham, we realised that 'Zion' was

becoming a place of green pastures and refreshing streams.

A word of prophecy came: 'Your pastures are too plentiful.'

God wanted to send us others who were hungry for the real-

ity of community living. Indeed, we sensed that throughout

the country God was gathering his sheep together. The frus-

tration and loneliness of Christian individualism was giving

way to the strength of brotherhood.

The full import of what God was about was dawning on us.

Arthur Wallis had said: 'Find out what God is doing in your

generation and throw yourself wholly into it!' That was our

spirit. We were taking risks and moving fast to keep abreast

of what God was saying to the churches. There was an awe-

some sense of destiny and we felt we were becoming a pro-

phetic people — hence the hymns and songs, the authority of

the word and our provocative stance towards the low level of

church life we were emerging from. Our confidence took wing;

we were coming of age.

It seemed that God was preparing his church for spiritual

warfare. The nation was speeding towards moral disaster and

the powers of darkness were on the march. Charismatic ado-

lescence was okay, we had needed it, but now was the time

for charismatic manhood. 'We proclaim him,' wrote Paul, 'ad-

monishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that

we may present everyone perfect in Christ' (Col 1:28). Disci-

pling one another was to make us fit for battle. At Ashburn-

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

ham, the Spirit confirmed this to us through prophetic wis-

dom:

An ocean liner was plying through a calm sea, and there was a

relaxed, festive atmosphere on board. Then the skies darkened

as it headed into enemy waters. The word went round to pre-

pare the ship for action. The crew had been trained to play

their part in enemy encounter and the liner soon looked like a

battleship. Some of them thought this was all a bit intense and

went below deck to relax, play cards and have a good laugh.

When the battle was engaged they were taken by surprise and

in panic turned on the rest of the crew.

Everyone needed to be functioning, and ready for battle.

Amongst us, most were keen to move on in ministry and were

prepared for change. Moving into community had been a big

step in discipleship. Living together, we had to walk in the

light. All was revealed: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Jesus Homes were training leaders, and new people were

arriving all the time. Over a hundred people were sharing in

the common purse and the farm, health food and building

enterprises were growing, too. New Creation Hall was so full

we had two portakabins in the courtyard. There was a lot of

interest among students in Britain. A number of Dutch peo-

ple moved over from Holland, and one girl came all the way

from the Australian outback! Four large houses were now

established and over a hundred of our people now lived on

the Bugbrooke housing estate. Most of these, intending to

move to large community houses, were keen to leap out of

the frying pan into the fire!

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

On the last day at Ashburnham we stood and sang to the

Lord, 'for the one I love a song about his vineyard' (Is 5:1).

With eyes open, and appreciating one another, we worshipped

in tongues. Many such moments would linger — not the least

when a bashful Marion sang to us from Psalm 16: 'As we dwell

here in your presence, there is such peace and security.'

We paused and took stock. Three hundred peculiar people

being knit together in one heart — what a task! But we were

confident and felt ready for anything. On that hot, dry, sum-

mer evening we sang a new hymn:

His great power increasing we shall know,

Although days of battling lie ahead...

Little did we know the storms prepared for our Zion battle-

ship.

12 The World Strikes Back

1976-77

Trouble was brewing as the enemy launched a counterattack.

The devil is always keen to offer a substitute for what is lack-

ing in the church. When Christians are worldly, his alterna-

tive is the mysticism of the east. When they refuse the mi-

raculous, he summons the occult. Likewise discipleship and

devotion to 'the apostles' teaching' (Acts 2:42) are replaced

by the idolising of cult leaders.

The cults proliferated and the devil made use of their mim-

icry of the truth to harm and shackle the witness of the radi-

cal churches. Hare Krishna, the Children of God and the

Moonies captured the public imagination and engendered fear

and suspicion. In some minds our church got mixed in with

this rag-bag of cults and those who couldn't fault our doc-

trine were critical of our practice.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Evangelicals at Oxford were cautious of our influence

amongst the students there and the mother of one girl in-

volved with us feared that her daughter would be subject to

brainwashing, low-protein diet, sleepless nights and religious

fanaticism.

So Mum came to a chapel meeting with a tape recorder.

The worship was charismatic. That was bad enough. Then

Noel preached on repentance and whole-hearted following

of Christ. The man was obviously some kind of dictator, hold-

ing people in sway by his hypnotic personality!

She decided to bring along a GP and a psychiatrist friend,

and as her daughter was just under twenty-one, they were

able to get her provisionally confined under a section of the

Mental Health Act. But after psychiatrists could find no evi-

dence of brainwashing, the matter was dropped and she re-

turned to us. It was an isolated incident, but a pointer to the

misunderstanding and persecution that lay ahead for us.

From within rose some disunity. Brian, who had been a key

figure from the early days, struggled with our lifestyle now

his family was at the Hall. The radical lifestyle, challenging

enough for us singles, was a culture shock for the average

couple. The self-contained flats provided privacy for the nu-

clear family but some found it hard to integrate into the rather

motley 'family' at the Hall. Brian and his family began to with-

draw from the life of the house. We found this isolation diffi-

cult to accept and Ralph and others gently entreated him.

But the gulf widened and eventually the family left. It was a

great loss.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Another brother had recently joined us. We took him rather

quickly into leadership, despite his strong opinions. He en-

joyed the charismatic worship but found our radical princi-

ples hard to stomach. When we encouraged him to be an ex-

ample to the flock and open his large home to the brethren,

he refused. He soon left and, unlike Brian, became very criti-

cal of us for a time.

Loss of these leaders and confusion with the cults were two

aspects of the battle. The third was more poignant, and fol-

lowed the death of a brother.

David was a gentle young man who had recently transferred

his job as articled clerk and moved up to Victor and Sheila's

house on the estate. One Saturday in December he took his

Bible and went for one of his 'prayer walks'. It was sunny but

very cold and frosty and Dave had no coat on. When he didn't

appear after lunch, Victor sent someone looking for him but

without success. As the day drew in, he grew uneasy and or-

ganised a proper search. By seven in the evening we left off

to attend chapel but continued afterwards. Perhaps he'd gone

off somewhere on impulse, as he'd told us he was prone to

do.

A time of great anxiety followed, especially for David's par-

ents and for Victor's household. The next week, a villager

walking his dog found his body in a strip of scrubland. Next

to him was his Bible and, strangely, his neatly folded shirt,

socks and vest. Accidental death from hypothermia was the

verdict of the coroner. One symptom is the feeling of being

hot and confused and this probably explains why David re-

moved some of his clothing.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

The tragedy caused us to see afresh the preciousness of

each brother and sister. Dave was 'with the Lord', but his

death was an untimely loss. It was a particular grief for his

parents who felt we must be to blame. Local newspapers,

though, reported the coroner's comment that he could see no

reason to blame the church.

However we sensed the spiritual battle was increasing as

false rumours, accusations and opposition now mounted up.

Some of the stories were silly, ranging from Swiss bank ac-

counts for Noel to cold showers for erring members! It was

inevitable. Quakers, Methodists, the Salvation Army and the

Pentecostals had all received the same treatment. So had the

early Christians. 'In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly

life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,' wrote Paul in 2 Timo-

thy 3:12.

Some Christians, too, thought us arrogant, purposely iso-

lated in our 'Zion fortress' in the Northamptonshire country-

side.

'Bugbrooke think they're right and everybody else is wrong,'

they said. 'If you watch telly you're a spiritual moron. If you

don't live in community you hate your brothers. If you play

tennis you're in love with the world. And if you criticise them

you are a tool of the devil! — Just who do they think they

are?'

'Bugbrooke' became a worry to the world, an irritation to

the evangelicals and an embarrassment to the Baptist Union.

But we were confident of the leading of God and the radical

message he had given us to proclaim. As Arthur Wallis wrote:

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

We have overlooked Christ as the revolutionary teacher, the

controversialist, the provocative preacher, the man who disre-

garded convention and protocol, the implacable opponent of

the religious establishment, the leader who associated with all

the wrong types and seemed intent on provoking rather than

placating his critics.42

We felt we were pioneering something that God was trying to

get across — holiness, brotherly love and kingdom culture. It

was all part of what any church should be — Zion, a pro-

phetic people, a city on a hill.

We received sniping and suspicion, but our community

houses were open to visitors and our meetings public. Our

message was pungent but our hearts warm. True, our style of

worship was more sober and, though some groups were in-

spired by frequent visits to us, we rarely ministered in other

churches. Not that we got many invitations! We determined

to follow God's call to build a strong fellowship. Like some of

the new churches, we were pioneering within the radical tra-

dition and seeking to rediscover the fullness of New Testa-

ment truth.

So we dug in our heels and reached for our prophetic guns.

Each week the chapel was packed out for the Saturday night

shoot-out as we urged Christians to full sharing and brother-

hood. Noel was convinced the charismatic renewal movement

was losing steam for lack of radicality. Restoration leaders

were in agreement and from within the renewal movement

came the cry: 'Where now?'

Many came to us disillusioned by sloppy Christianity in the

churches and hungering for clarity and commitment. Like Vic-

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

tor, quite a few had felt a desire to live in community when

they were baptised in the Spirit. Jesus had practised the com-

mon purse, and after Pentecost he had given the apostles clear

directions to teach all nations 'to obey everything I have com-

manded you' (Matt 28:20).

Our heart was to accept Scripture. It was painful, but swept

away confusion. The temptation was to accept some biblical

teaching and put the rest to one side. In Disciple, Juan-Carlos

Ortiz wrote: 'If you want the gospel of the kingdom, go back

and read the verses you never underlined, because that's the

truth you lack.'43

The New Testament told us that: 'All the believers were

together and had everything in common' (Acts 2:44). Acts 2,

we found, was a bitter-sweet pill — best swallowed whole!

Around the country we heard of semi-renewed churches,

often with denominational restrictions, within which small

charismatic groups struggled without leadership. Little was

built, hearts grew sick and the fires dimmed. It was sad to

hear the tale again and again. Where were those who grap-

pled with the vision and brought it to pass? Where were those

who did not shrink from proclaiming 'the whole will of God'

(Acts 20:27)? 'The dearth of its prophets', wrote Michael

Harper, 'is one of the saddest failures of the renewal.'44

Was the problem lack of vision or failure in courage? Either

way, the climate seemed unfavourable to the root changes

that prophetic ministry demanded. Evangelists and healers

were acceptable. Prophets were not. Those with vision often

moved out into the house churches.

'Lifestyles change when they embrace the prophetic vision,'

Terry Virgo was to write. 'Many churches are beset by layers

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

of tangled undergrowth. The prophet cuts through. Some-

times his message will appear unkind... but it comes from a

heart burning with zeal for God's church.'45

Jesus called the people of his kingdom 'the salt of the earth'.

We recognised that if we were to be such kingdom salt we

must never yield up our radical discipleship — even if that

meant being salt in the wounds of a lukewarm Christianity.

We were to sharpen our prophetic edge, not lay down the

Spirit's sword.

We were fleshing out the vision. We had set up common

purses, discipling bands were in progress and people were

finding their ministries. Businesses were established and the

church and community were growing. The Farm was expand-

ing, with cattle and new land. We now bought Shalom, a farm-

house over the hill from the Farm.

Many have patronised the Jerusalem community as an 'ex-

periment', but amongst us we were seeing the outcome of

what Jesus had promised: 'No-one who has left home or broth-

ers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me

and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in

this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children

and fields — and with them persecutions) and in the age to

come, eternal life.' (Mark 10:29-30, italics mine).

We certainly had the persecutions, and we were finding

more brothers and sisters, with already well over a hundred

children!

By the spring of 1977 we had opened two more community

homes. One was in Daventry and consisted of three houses in

a row. The other was in a village just over the A5 from the

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

farm. Sheepfold Grange, as we renamed it, was beautifully

situated on a hill and overlooked a valley dotted with sheep.

Sheepfold housed about twenty. There were single broth-

ers and sisters, marrieds and single-parent families, with a

real sense of homeliness. Kids were everywhere!

The household (which included non-residents) was led by

Pete and Carol, whose liberated 'tribe' of children was re-

garded as a fairly good example of community life. 'Welcome

to the families of Zion, Lord,' wrote one sister, '...holy, happy

children, strong in character...' — though sometimes more

strong in character than holy!

Sheepfold wasn't perfect, but from this inspired little com-

munity house issued a stream of life, wisdom and hymns. Pete

had a prophetic spark and sang of the vision of a holy Zion:

Zion, the city of pure gold,

Is holy, righteous, pure in heart.

In awesome reverence we behold

No spot or stain in any part.

It was our vision of holiness that united us with the dissent-

ers, trouble-makers, and martyrs of the past. Since the de-

cline of the early church, a persecuted remnant has always

stood bravely for the practice of biblical truth. Through such

pioneers God has been gradually restoring New Testament

radicality to the wider church.

'Pioneers, shock troops, are always necessary for God's

movement in history,' says Roger Forster. 'They are to fulfil

their true calling which is ultimately to bring blessing to...

God's people. '46

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Just as the Reformers recovered biblical saving faith and

the Nonconformists, the independence of the local church,

so the Methodists restored the blessing of holiness and the

Pentecostals opened the way for the charismatic movement.

Who, then, were God's pioneers in this generation? It could

only be those who built on all this and pressed on.

But was there more to be recovered? 'Yes!' We felt. 'Com-

munity of goods!' That, if anything, was surely a lost jewel of

the evangelical church. In Acts 4 Luke records that after the

outpouring of the Spirit, 'All the believers were one in heart

and mind. No-one claimed that any of his possessions was his

own, but they shared everything they had.' (Acts 4:32). This

was no 'experiment'. Community of goods sprang from hearts

on fire with love. It was a master move of the Holy Spirit and

was followed by 'much grace' and miraculous power for heal-

ing and salvation.

There was a move towards community living following the

charismatic outpouring of the early seventies. In that decade

community came within the charismatic compass and was

featured in prominent Christian magazines. Many had heard

of the Church of the Redeemer, and by 1977, to our joy, we

were discovering that similar communities had sprung up

throughout the world.

However, in general the community revelation was now

being passed by. Some had experimented unsuccessfully with

extended households, and larger ventures had faltered. Few

were founded on radical principles and fewer still on the com-

mon purse. There was talk of alternative lifestyles, but it was

rare to find churches teaching and embracing community.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

In Britain the 'Jerusalem model' was dropped in favour of a

moderate version of 'community lifestyle'. Arthur Wallis wrote:

'The world is waiting to see God's alternative society... the

spirit of community living is being restored.'

We felt that was great! But speaking of the early churches

he qualified it: 'This is not to suggest they... had extended

households... Nor did the sharing of possessions mean that

they necessarily relinquished possession of their goods.'47

It was true that not everyone outside Jerusalem was so radi-

cal. Not only did slavery and persecution hinder community,

but the early churches had their difficulties. The fact that

Paul could write, 'everyone looks out for his own interests,

not those of Jesus Christ' (Phil 2:21) indicates a key problem

— the waning of first love.

Some have said that the church has enough problems with-

out adding community to them. But we felt immeasurable rich-

ness was lost by this stance. As others took one pace back,

we found ourselves fighting a lonely battle.

However, church history was ablaze with 'pilgrims of the

common life' and we took heart from their example. Genera-

tions after the apostles, Justin Martyr wrote: 'We who for-

merly treasured possessions now hand over all we have to a

common treasury.'48

In the deserts, communities arose that housed thousands

and were centres of power. One old saint wrote: 'We thank

God for the sweet fragrance of submission and true sharing.

We have surrounded ourselves with the wall of salvation which

is love for God and the call to community, that we might walk

on earth according to the ways of heaven.'49

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

They too got a lot of criticism. 'A time is coming when men

shall say you are mad, you are not like us!' 50 wrote another.

Many in the Catholic tradition have favoured communal liv-

ing as a good soil for spirituality. But it was persecuted pio-

neers like the Anabaptists of the sixteenth century who re-

ally stood out for truth, especially for baptism, separation,

brotherly love — and community.

The Hutterites were Anabaptists who lived simply and gath-

ered in large numbers with their families and children. They

were skilled in crafts and trades and even had their own

schools. Hutterite evangelists moved in power throughout

Central Europe and huge numbers were martyred for their

radical word. One of them wrote from prison: 'Whoever wants

to join himself to Christ must forsake created things. This is

why the Holy Spirit began community in such a glorious way

at the beginning.' Knowing that some conditions favoured

community more than others, he added, 'If anyone should

say "It only happened in Jerusalem", it doesn't follow that

this should be the case now!'51

The Hutterites found that heretical groups spoiled their

reputation. Anabaptists were the cult scare of their time.

Nonetheless, they insisted that community was the 'highest

command of love', a treasure for which a man gives, not a

tithe, but all that he has.

We came to Ashburnham 1977 inspired by the example of

these radical brethren. We, too, had an identity and a 'Zion

culture' to be grateful for. Noel outlined our position as a

radical church and dealt with the matter of private owner-

ship. Our community lifestyle was built on personal sacrifice

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

and leadership of the church could only be entrusted to those

who had renounced all. Many, desiring freedom from per-

sonal ownership, put their homes in pledge to our Jesus Fel-

lowship Community Trust. Heart purity, we felt, was easily

marred by possessions.

Much of the fellowship now expected to move into commu-

nity. Many of the estate households had clustered together to

share in common purses, practise discipleship, and foster the

community vision. Victor and Sheila had already moved to

the Hall and, whilst retaining their family identity, thrived on

the closer fellowship. It was quite something for the four chil-

dren, too: lots of others to play with, thirteen acres, and all

those big brothers and sisters! Extended families were good,

but large houses provided more opportunities for growth, min-

istry — and death to self!

We intended to increase the number of large houses and to

expand the businesses, allowing more to live and work in com-

munity. Some of us chuckled as we imagined hundreds of us

working together on a community production line, and there

were also howls of laughter when Noel outlined the possibil-

ity of a holiday school at New Creation Hall. It was difficult to

tell who looked more horrified, the poor teachers, the hard-

worked Hall sisters, or the kids themselves! It happened too,

and continued for some years. The Fellowship kids had the

Hutterites to blame for this one!

Our understanding of covenant deepened as we saw that in

biblical revelation God dealt with a 'gathered people'. The

Reformation had emphasised personal faith but was inclined

to open the floodgates to individualism and even anarchy.

God's covenant was with Christ and a people. Just as the Passo-

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

ver lamb had been slain to take a people from Egypt, so Jesus

had covenanted in his blood to take a people from the world,

and make them one heart and soul.

One old hymn became a favourite at this time: 'Twixt Jesus

and the chosen race, Subsists a bond of sovereign grace...'

'You know, bro,' said Pete Matt to Noel one morning, 'when

I see these young folk singing old hymns about the covenant

— the amazing thing is, they understand them!'

It was true. The freaks had come a long way from Jesus

shouts, long hair and hippy placards. The straights had come

even further from their British independence! We were dis-

covering the powerful realities of covenant brotherhood. To-

wards the end of the fortnight we stood up to pledge our loy-

alty to God and one another.

'Let King Jesus reign!' we shouted, echoing the cry of the

Scottish Covenanters. We admired their zeal for brotherhood,

but not for war! We determined to follow God, and stand for

the precious truths of covenant and community.

By November we had purchased a builders yard in Towcester

and created Towcester Building Supplies. Another house was

opened in nearby Pattishall and renamed Festal Grange. We

were in a confident mood. Steve 'Faithful's' dad, Lionel, cap-

tured these events in heroic metre:

What promise lies within this regal place?

This home of kings, this 'palace' of God's art,

Where each true member of this chosen race,

Will, for his brother, purify his heart.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Our life is 'now', eternal on the earth,

Although our steps much higher still will roam.

Why not then let your brother see his worth?

Don't let us wait until he's been called home.

1977 had seen conflict, but we were winning. The enemy

was on the run. Many more had caught the vision and joined

us, and opportunities for outreach were opening up. There

was even talk of planting a daughter congregation somewhere

not too distant. The new year was going to be a victorious

outflow to the regions, bringing the message of salvation and

brotherhood in Jesus.

By February 1978 we were in Leicester, holding a series of

meetings of 'worship with the New Creation Christian Com-

munity'. The trumpet of the kingdom was set to our lips — or

so we thought. But God had other plans to deepen and sweeten

our brotherhood. And oh, the cost! The third meeting at Leices-

ter saw a church stunned and broken in heart.

13 My Friend, My Brother

Steve 'Faithful' sat in chapel one Sunday evening in Febru-

ary and grinned at his mum and dad from a distance. Though

only nineteen, he was a strong man. His ruddy face and thick

auburn hair gave him a youthful glow. Steve was quite a na-

ture lover and enjoyed being out on his tractor. Blunt, honest

and unpretentious, his sober face would break out in a warm

grin that betrayed the softness of his heart. He and John 'Gen-

tle' were close and their boisterous friendship was a focus

for the farm brotherhood. Steve had won a place in Noel's

heart, too, and was unafraid to turn his cheekiness in that

direction! 'Noel gets in the flesh just like us!' he used to say

— usually after Noel had corrected him!

That February evening Noel spoke from James: 'What is

your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and

then vanishes.' Steve knew it. He was no yokel. After a day of

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

mud, sugar beet and potatoes, he would go off to meditate in

the fields or cross over the railway track to the canal. The

quotes in his diary from Faber and Fenelon were an indica-

tion of his inner life with God. He loved community and, with

a twinkle in his eye, determined, with Andrew Murray, to 'look

upon every man who vexes you as a means of grace to hum-

ble you'!

The next morning Steve was up bright and early and made

the sisters a cup of tea. There was a freshness on him and at

lunch he breezed in from the fields, flung his slippers across

the floor and grinned.

When the elders arrived at the Farm for their meeting that

night, Steve joked with some of them. Then, after spending

some time mending his wellies and chatting, he donned his

donkey jacket and went out. As evening wore on, some of the

brothers began to wonder where he was, and when he hadn't

turned up by midnight they went to see if he'd fallen asleep

in a hay loft or something. They checked the farm buildings,

and searched as well as they could in the dark. When day-

light came, his brother Maurice and a friend looked all round

the farm for him. As they walked towards the canal, there in

the dawn light they saw the remains of a body on the railway

track. The red hair was unmistakable.

An awesome silence brooded over the farm that day. Some

of the brothers were notified and came home from work. They

sat together in silence or wept. Down at Shalom farmhouse

Kelly was working with the building team when the phone

rang. 'Bro... I have some sad and glorious news for you.' It

was a subdued Noel. '"Faithful" has been killed. There are a

lot of brothers up here who need you just now.'

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Kelly walked slowly back to the tea break. Alan, Rufus and

the others were larking around but the look on Kelly's face

brought instant silence.

'Bro's,' he said, '"Faithful's" been killed.' The words hung

in the air. No! It couldn't be true. Not Steve. Then the truth

sliced into their hearts and they all burst into tears, grown

men just weeping helplessly together. By the end of that day

the whole church had heard and a hush crept over all the

homes. 'Faithful' was in heaven — it was almost unbeliev-

able. Four hundred people were in mourning.

Investigations were made. Evidently he had been struck

down around eleven at night by a goods train travelling from

London. As a railwayman explained to us, Steve couldn't have

been lying down because his body had been knocked between

the rails. We discovered that two trains passed each other

around 11.00 pm at the point where Steve was killed. Possi-

bly he was returning from a walk by the canal and as he waited

in the dark for one train to pass, he was struck by the other.

The funeral could never be forgotten. Any grief that had

been bottled up now flowed out as tribute was paid to this

lovable young man. The hearts of the Farm family were

cracked wide open. It was an amazing and awesome time to

live through. Heaven came close. Pride was shattered, and a

new love blossomed, as tough young men sobbed their hearts

out together. The brother who took over Steve's job mounted

his tractor and wept. How could he ever live up to Steve's

example of diligence?

Some of the brothers and sisters struggled with their first

experience of grief. Noel was heart-broken, but clung to grace,

stood like a rock, and led them through it. A ring of brotherly

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

love so encircled the farm family that for years no one would

move elsewhere.

Steve by his death had drawn many others into the heart of

brotherhood, and a softness and tenderness spread over the

whole church. His dad Lionel, with Marion standing strongly

at his side, picked up his pen once more in elegy:

No more shall breezes waft his auburn hair;

No more the air from field and pasture breathe;

No more the earth to furrow with his share;

No deepened ruts his tractor wheels shall leave.

His face no more we'll see within these walls,

His earthly voice no more shall praises sing,

But sweeter still is echoing through the halls

And palaces of his beloved King.

Steve had gained his crown. For us, the plough had gone in

deep for a richer harvest.

Kelly had often worked with Steve on some farm project.

They had shared easily as men do when they work hard to-

gether. A warm regard bound them in heart, but the younger

disciple had 'outrun him' and was home.

The impact upon Kelly's household was immense. Verna,

Kelly, Norma and the ten sisters found a new depth of one-

ness, as they realised afresh the preciousness of each indi-

vidual; it was an esteem, almost a reverence, for one another.

As one sister wrote in a song: 'My heart is your heart. Your

heart is mine. Our heart is one heart — Pure love! heart di-

vine!'

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

In the throes of this delicate oneness, they moved on from

their cottages at Bugbrooke, taking with them Snowy the aloof

cat, and a lovable, but senile dog called Goldy. To this refined

and tenderhearted group were added two rough breeze blocks

from the Hall — Ian 'Courageous' and myself.

In the new house at nearby Flore we gained a deeper expe-

rience of community — and discipleship! For us it was a fresh

start and we felt honoured to learn at close quarters from

Kelly. Our diaries made fascinating reading!

'So this is it,' wrote Ian, 'we are in! I got my first correction

from Kelly about driving fast on the gravel. I was freaked out

at the mealtime. It's so quiet! Often there is only one conver-

sation.'

The house was built of blocks of golden sandstone and was

overhung with purple wisteria and honeysuckle. Above the

door was a motto chiselled in Latin: Dare To Despise Riches.

From the french windows a sunny patio overlooked the lawn

and at the back the shady cobbled courtyard was home for

Kelly's ducks and geese. Down in the paddock, we dug out a

little pond for the ducks who got some 'heavy shepherding'

from Mildred the hen! On a spring morning the air was fra-

grant and many were the sun-drenched teas on the patio. It

was, to quote Isaac Watts:

A little spot enclosed by grace,

Out of the world's wide wilderness.

'People reckon this place is a pretty good do,' Ian recorded.

'It's called the House of Living Stones — but I haven't the

nerve to tell anyone at work yet!'

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

The honeymoon lasted about a week. Kelly sussed us out

and brought 'the faithful wounds of a friend'.

'Kelly's so austere,' I complained, 'and Ian has the insensi-

tivity of youth. Oh for my friends at the Hall!'

'Kelly hammered Simon (graciously),' Ian revealed. 'He told

him he's arrogant towards the sisters.'

'I feel like the bottom of my life has fallen out,' I wrote,

'and all my spirituality is a load of rubbish.'

The process of being fitted into the 'spiritual house' contin-

ued. 'I'm writing this in the bathroom,' Ian records, 'cos "you

know who" can't sleep with the light on! I react to Simon a lot

over little things. He said I need to be more of a friend to him.

I felt quite touched really.'

The 'sandpaper ministry' continued its painful work and

slowly our rough edges got worn down — a bit.

The gracious sisters, nurtured by Kelly, befriended by

Norma and mothered by Verna, seemed to love the cross,

and to be constantly turning out deep wisdom, beautiful songs,

and lovely paintings. In company they were as demure as

fragrant flowers (most of the time). But the noise and laugh-

ter that reverberated from the sisters end and down the el-

egant staircase told a different story! Those who were in-

tense, or 'in the flesh' were surrounded and sung to! They

weren't perfect but they'd got it together.

We saw the preciousness of genuine love, and our own need

for a serving heart. I started to make the tea for them all, but

holiness was a still a long way off!

'I'm failing to manifest the sweet disposition of Jesus under

trial,' I wrote.

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

'Simon said he felt like thumping Kelly!' was Ian's render-

ing! Kelly was quick on the draw and our pride got riddled

with holes.

In the summer, a pentecostal brother joined us from up

north. Kelly thought he was wonderful — he was actually hum-

ble! Wilf fell in love with the place immediately.

'When I got here,' he said, 'it was like our 'ouse. It was

where I belonged — despite the fact there were umpteen sis-

ters I was terrified of. They all seemed like Mother Teresa —

junior corps — and I felt like the little boy in short trousers!

But it was so homely and inspiring. It was all the cliches you

can imagine. It was like that to me — heaven on earth!'

'Wilf's just moved in,' wrote Ian. 'We spent the evening

gooseberry picking, which was fun. By the way, we've bought

another house. It's called Vineyard and Mike Farrant is mov-

ing there from the Hall. It's got six acres and some fallen

down outbuildings...! beat my discipler up this morning! He

lost again. I'm glad our relationship is not all wishy-washy. I

reckon, on the whole, all things considered — he's all right.'

Gradually the tensions mellowed and friendships grew.

Wilf's positive happiness was infectious. He would come home

from work with a big grin and gleaming gold-rimmed specta-

cles. 'Eh, it's good to be back in Zion!' he would exclaim in

his Chesterfield accent, as we sat against the window seat,

playing guitars and chatting. Kelly put his 'smoking guns' back

into their holsters, and filled up our 'appreciation buckets'.

Ian perked up, too: 'We went for a walk in the wind, then sat

round singing songs with the sisters. It was a good scene and

Kelly called me an amiable twit!'

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

Church week came round again and as Ashburnham Place

couldn't squeeze any more of us in, we met in Northampton

and enjoyed the time off together at home. During the school

summer holidays I worked on the Farm. It was hot, hard,

wholesome work. From the top of a strawstack you got a tre-

mendous view of the blue skies and the open countryside.

Such freedom and purity! Goodbye to the school laboratory!

Babylon had fallen — well, at least, for seven weeks! Laugh-

ter, sharing, and closeness to creation — it was a great op-

portunity for friendship, whether chatting, lying exhausted

on the stubble, or hurtling down the A5 on the tractor and

trailer!

In the evenings we sat around talking — of diggers and

breakdowns (Ian and Kelly), of sanctification and the new

earth (me and Wilf), of gaining hearts, of submitting our spir-

its one to another, and the nature of the Lamb.

I looked around and thanked God — for Kelly, troubleshooter

and peacemaker, for Verna with her never-failing supply of

compassion and cakes, for the sisters with their inspirational

unity. Despite the occasional tension, it was, without a doubt,

idyllic. When I got back to my laboratory in the autumn I

penned a hymn:

Happy the days in Zion's fields

Enclosed away from Babel's strife;

Beneath the Father's open sky

We feel the Spirit's fertile life

Unfold the beauties of our heart,

Breath holiness through every part!

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

As I considered all that God was doing, and all the self-

sacrifice, meekness, and love for Christ — the nobility of it

swept over me and I was supremely grateful for Zion;

Once we expected ne'er to see

This kingdom glory here on earth;

Or such a heaven here below

Or such a home for pilgrim faith.

Yet here we taste, and here we feel

A foretaste of Christ's final rule!

Two more brothers, Steve and Dave, moved in, and the five

of us grew to appreciate one another. Vision for holiness and

revival inspired us, and the subject of entire sanctification

even appeared at the breakfast table!

Ian was gaining spiritual perception. He wrote in his diary:

I was painting at home, and could hear the sisters working. I

was amazed at their natural holiness. To find sisters like Pat

just serving and serving with a contented heart when once she

was a self-made women — it's just amazing! I doubt if there are

many places around where there's such unity, caring and con-

cern.

As for Steve, he seems always willing to go the lowest way,

not as some high flyer desperately trying to get on. He has si-

lently followed the Lord with no real thought of self and is gain-

ing the immeasurable quality of a heart that delights in God...

When I ponder on the inward foundations of Zion, I feel a

warm delight. It seems as though in all those who are growing

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

there is, deep within the heart, an altar. And daily to this altar

is brought all self-interest, and there it is burned. Though hid-

den from the eyes of men it fills the soul with a fragrance that

the noblest virtue of Adam could never match.

He was grateful for correction too:

I find the 'kingdom heart' a precious but painful expression.

Once I sat on a stool with a smug smile and a self-congratulat-

ing heart. Then the Lord came and kicked the legs away! If it

wasn't for the reality of discipleship, I could imagine puffing up

to the throne with a box of diaries and a heart untouched by the

cross.

Brotherhood was meeting our needs. Kelly's love reached us,

and as we esteemed him, we grew like him. Often he would

come home weary from a demolition day on his digger, flop

against us as we sat by the window seat and breathe a great

sigh.

I glimpsed something of the friendship of Jesus with Peter,

James and John, or David with Jonathan. Holiness was warm,

human and brotherly. It 'fleshed out' the kingdom of God,

and branded me with a love for Zion that could never be

erased.

About this time Kelly called the house together. 'Ralph is

"getting related" to Clare,' he announced. That meant they

were considering marriage and would be spending time to-

gether. Ralph would be around Living Stones more often to

see Clare. They would be going out for walks together and

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

sitting with each other in some of the meetings. It didn't sound

too romantic.

We had kept a degree of segregation since first establish-

ing mixed community at the Farm and Sheepfold. Men shared

their feelings mostly with men, and women with women. That

encouraged depth and avoided the subtle dangers of flirta-

tion. We mixed together in company but avoided being left

alone together. Romantic inclinations stirred under the sur-

face, of course, but we were open about these with our friends

and were determined to tackle our feelings in a mature way.

Community could so easily be littered with gone-wrong rela-

tionships.

So over the years we gradually developed our community

'relating procedure'. When a brother wanted to approach a

sister, her pastor would find out if anyone else was interested

and she could choose which brother to get to know first. This

all helped to remove the pressure to flirt.

In Ralph's case, he was keen on Clare and felt marriage

was his calling. So he spoke to Kelly, who asked her for her

thoughts on the matter. She was unsure and Kelly suggested

that she and Ralph spend some time together. As it happened,

they both felt that their marriage would be of God and would

enhance their ministry within the church.

At one time Clare had considered remaining single for God.

We were becoming very positive towards the single state and

were well aware of Paul's advice: 'Are you unmarried? Do not

look for a wife' (1 Cor 7:27). We saw that the teaching of

Jesus in Matthew 19:11-12 also indicated a gifting either for

marriage or celibacy. 'Not everyone can accept this word,

but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eu-

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

nuchs because they were born that way; others were made

that way by men; and others have renounced marriage be-

cause of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this

should accept it.' Unlike the common attitude of today, the

New Testament seemed to hold celibacy in high regard. In

fact, Paul had said, in effect: 'To marry is good. Not to marry

is better' (paraphrase of 1 Cor 7:38).

Janie from the Farm was now a leader amongst the sisters.

She'd considered celibacy before but it was unheard of in the

circles she'd moved in. After joining us, she soon found a deep

fulfillment in community, took hold of the celibate gift, and

sought to live 'in undivided devotion to the Lord' (1 Cor 7:35).

Piers was another enthusiastic advocate of this path:

To me celibacy was the highest way according to Scripture, and

I didn't want second best! I reckoned I could handle it tempera-

mentally, so I laid it before God. Shortly after that I was struck

by an article in New Wine magazine about being single for the

Lord and I knew God was telling me to 'Go for it!'

Increasing numbers among us were finding the celibate gift

and making lifelong vows. Piers became a celibate leader at

Sheepfold — and a useful contrast to Pete and Carol with

their growing family! Piers wrote: 'I didn't want to get bogged

down in the cares of life. I never regretted it or hankered

after marriage. I just wanted to follow Jesus and travel as

light as possible! Time is short and there is so much to do.

Celibacy is priceless! It's pure! I love the freedom it brings.'

In prophetic wisdom we saw celibacy as a precious gem

covered over by a cloth of fears, reserves, and general disap-

AWAKE O ZION! FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

proval. As we took the cloth away, God polished the jewel and

set it once more in Zion's crown.

Celibacy of course was nothing new. Jesus was the supreme

example. Paul was also unmarried. Mystics like Augustine

and St Francis who were great builders of brotherhood, saw

chastity as an heroic virtue. The example, too, of people like

David Brainerd and Amy Carmichael urged us on to higher

things. 'If I had a thousand lives,' wrote the dying Brainerd, 'I

would gladly lay them all down for Christ.'52

We needed firebrands like these who were recklessly in love

with God. As Watchman Nee wrote of one celibate woman

who had greatly influenced him: 'Immediately you detect a

sweet savour of Christ... something has been broken and you

smell the fragrance.'53

Celibacy was no easy road but as celibates knit themselves

together into strong, deep friendships they brought a ground-

swell of vigour and inspiration to our church. They were worth

their weight in gold. Unlike many charismatic scenes, among

us it was the celibate brothers and sisters who began to set

the pace.

Our leadership included increasing numbers of men like

Piers who were 'travelling light' and ready for battle. Indeed,

throughout the church we had little intention of settling down

to a fossilised lifestyle. As the year came to an end, vision

increased for church planting and evangelism.

Zion had awoken. God had made us a people. But now the

cloud was moving on.

City on a Hill

1979-1983

14 The Cloud Moves On

The church buzzed with excitement and rumours flew from

house to house. We really were going to expand the commu-

nity outside Northamptonshire. This was new. Who would go?

And how would they cope being away from the centre of

things?

Actually, it was Sheepfold Grange that was losing some of

its key people. Pete and Carol, as well as a new young leader,

Mick 'Temperate', were bracing themselves for the unknown.

There was a great farewell at the house with an abundance of

gifts, people and tears. That night Pete Matt couldn't sleep

and Mick was up early to pray.

The winter dawn was breaking over the hills as he stepped

into the garden. Mick would miss that view across the valley.

Sheepfold had renewed him. It had been a wonderful experi-

ence, but now they were moving on.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

He reflected on the past. Ten years had passed since he'd

been baptised in the Spirit. After leading his college Chris-

tian Union, he'd thrown himself into youth work, and consid-

ered being a missionary, but the fires had dimmed until he'd

only been happy when out rock-climbing.

Mick remembered how stunned he'd been in 1975 when he

saw the change in his sister. After moving to Bugbrooke with

her husband, and then discovering the Jesus Fellowship, she

had bubbled over with enthusiasm. So Mick had visited the

chapel and found God again.

How he'd wept with remorse when he looked at his expen-

sive climbing gear. Jesus had been pushed into second place

— but no longer. Mick tried to bring the community inspira-

tion to his church in Leicester but after eighteen months of

frustration he left for Bugbrooke.

'You'll never look back now,' the Lord had whispered as he

drove down the M1. 'This is the road to maturity.'

Mick smiled as he remembered. It was true. He hadn't

looked back. As he watched the morning shadows creep over

the frost, he thought of teas on the lawn, the bleating of sheep,

learning Pete's songs, community lettuce-planting, and medi-

tations in the garden. He'd shared his inspirations, his trials,

his tears, his life. Now they were off to Warwickshire.

The previous summer we'd received prophetic direction

from Isaiah 54: 'Enlarge the place of your tent... lengthen

your cords, strengthen your stakes' (Is 54:2). We were to

spread abroad, and bear 'sons and daughters'. We'd received

wisdom about 'Mother Zion' and recognised, as Paul wrote,

that spiritual Jerusalem is our mother (Gal 4:26). In the at-

mosphere of love many came to spiritual birth amongst us.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

'More children!' we sang from Isaiah. 'All your sons gather

and come to you... [they] will yet say... "This place is too small

for us; give us more space to live in"' (Is 49:18: 20; also see

60:4, 66:8).

Our little 'Zion' was expanding. With 400 members, the

chapel was ready to burst and the bustling balcony worried

Cyril the architect. For some Saturday night meetings we now

hired halls in Northampton or Rugby, whilst every fortnight

the mid-week gathering was broken down into 'area assem-

blies' where we could stretch our wings and allow new minis-

tries to emerge.

New Creation Hall and the Bugbrooke estate, the Farm,

Shalom, Sheepfold, the Daventry houses, Festal Grange, Liv-

ing Stones and Vineyard were all filling up and in December

1978 we took over Cornhill Manor, a mile up the hill from

Bugbrooke. The old hotel, still reeking of beer and cigarettes,

provided space for sixty people, and some of the families from

the estate, including Lionel and Marion, moved in.

Local villagers wondered what was coming next and were

relieved when they heard of our plans to spread elsewhere!

Our vision was to stay in the countryside but to spread out.

We pulled up the stakes and extended the 'tent'. It was only

an extension, as we intended to remain a single church. Cen-

tral 'Jerusalem' (as we called the Northampton area) was

putting its feelers into surrounding 'Judea'. (We weren't ready

for the 'uttermost parts of the earth' yet!) And so our Zion

fortress spilled over into Warwickshire.

In January we commissioned the twenty pioneers: Mick

'Temperate', Pete, Carol and family, the newlyweds Ralph and

Clare, plus those studying in Warwick or Coventry. Eathorpe

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

was a village twenty miles north west of Bugbrooke and within

easy reach of Rugby, Coventry and Warwick. Our new home

was a converted motel standing next to The Plough pub. We

called it Harvest House!

The Harvest household travelled down to the meetings in

Northampton, while we from 'Jerusalem' went up to encour-

age the family in 'Judea' and give them lots of pictures, proph-

ecies, cakes, and so forth. I was learning to drive at the time

and swerved through the country lanes, Toad of Toad Hall

fashion, in a borrowed three-wheeler. Twenty miles seemed

a long way! For many years people had come to us but now

the church was flowing out to them.

Mick led an evangelism team to the 'Uni' disco in Coventry,

and we held large gatherings in Warwickshire. We also in-

vited folk to an informal time on our own ground at Harvest

House. Many who came were interested Christians.

Along with the new churches, we were accused of 'sheep

stealing'. It would be wrong to say we didn't want Christians

to join us. Rarely, though, did we go out to find them. They

came by word of mouth. Occasionally we visited Christian

festivals to share with the unconverted, the searching or the

backslidden. It was often a case of finding lost sheep.

The extent of backsliding amongst Christians shocked us

and we saw many wrecked, frustrated lives. It was the ac-

ceptance of worldliness that seemed to open the door to dis-

aster. One brother returned from a Christian event and sang

out his heart in chapel:

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

If you could hear what they're saying in

Christendom,

It would bring tears to your eyes;

Tears to your eyes and a weeping to your heart.

For many, community was the answer to a real longing. Gra-

ham was one student who joined Harvest House. He first vis-

ited us in 1977 as a frustrated Christian, and was bowled

over by the brotherhood at the farm. He helped on the straw-

carting and joined in the gooseberry pick. He wasn't used to

openness, but, to his surprise, it came easily. He enjoyed the

strength of fellowship and began to seek God.

Graham was mad on flying (his grandfather had been a

fighter ace), but when someone in chapel gave a word of

knowledge about aircraft, he saw that for him flying was an

idol. At that moment he let it go and was filled with the Spirit.

He went home, turned down an RAF scholarship and at eight-

een joined the farm family.

In chapel one evening, after a Family Day on the Hall lawn,

he shared some wisdom. A grassy hill towered over the val-

leys. This was Zion. A noon sun blazed down, the atmosphere

was peaceful and upon the hill were hundreds of sheep, qui-

etly munching in twos and threes.

'Brethren,' said Graham, 'when I consider these pastures,

my heart is filled with gratitude. I was a lost sheep. I loved

God but other things obscured my vision. Now I've come home.

He's making me feed on the richness of his kingdom and I'm

finding myself as never before. I believe there are many Chris-

tians who long for holy brotherhood. They're tired of strad-

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

dling two worlds. Here, in Zion, we've so much to be grateful

for, so much to offer.'

It echoed the feeling of our hearts. 'Jerusalem is our de-

light,' sang Mike 'Rockfast' Farrant in his new hymn, 'And we

who mourned in Babylon, now cry aloud for joy!'

What we had was rare. Together we had discovered rich

truths. Together we had honoured New Testament revelation

and together forged a new culture. Insularity had been inevi-

table, but now we wanted to open our hearts.

Some Christians in other churches were enthusiastic but

many were increasingly suspicious. Tensions at Warwick Uni-

versity highlighted this. Someone told the President of the

Student Union that we were like the Moonies. When Graham

tried to hire a room for a small student meeting, he got a

grilling. The Christian Union were also nervous of us and felt

we were too elitist. We seemed to insist that lifestyle was

inseparable from the gospel. Indeed we did. Lifestyle was

the issue.

As we moved around with our 'Jesus is Lord' assemblies,

some ministers were annoyed because we hadn't consulted

them first. Others renewed their criticisms of us. It seemed

that the quiet days were coming to an end.

In The Daily Star an article appeared: 'CULT CRAZY — The

Facts Behind The Mindbenders'. After mentioning the Jones-

town massacre, it lumped us with Scientologists and the Chil-

dren of God. Our mysterious sect shunned the outside world

and lived the spartan life; Noel fancied himself as a latter-

day Wesley; the men were bossy; the kids beaten; and the

women (including doctors and teachers!) were chained to the

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

kitchen sinks. It was all gross distortion. Noel replied with

statements of orthodoxy on the notice sheets and added this:

By dictionary definition every church is a cult. Jesus, his disci-

ple band, and the early Jerusalem Church, would, in modern

Britain, be greeted by the shrill cries of the anti-cultists. The

Methodists were scorned for their perfectionism and for their

joyful convicting faith. We too must carry the reproach of the

cross.

We saw the spiritual battle and rejoiced. We had entered the

arena. But the fact that fellow believers could oppose us was

an indication of the state of Christianity in Britain.

'Britain accepts religion, uses it, and self-righteously flat-

ters it,' wrote Noel. 'The rich strength of a gathered brother-

hood it patronises with smiling indifference or attacks with

false accusings. Western Christianity is an impure, material-

istic, self-centered version of New Testament faith. It is Chris-

tianity without regeneration, without separation, without the

Spirit of love, without the cross, without communal life.'

Noel's words sliced into unreality. At the same time we

yearned for the disappointed. Britain was littered with Chris-

tians who'd hoped for much but seen little. We felt we should,

like the Good Samaritan, pour in the oil of grace, share our

lives with them and bring them the vision of a restored Zion.

The keynote of our meetings was the restoration of Christian

lives, and hymns like Wesley's 'Weary of wandering from my

God' were sung with tenderness.

We knew from experience that it was only when believers

had entered into the rest and enjoyment of God's kingdom

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

that they could make it attractive to others. Those who in-

sisted only on aggressive evangelism, wrote Noel, were of-

ten restless, dissatisfied, and rarely successful: To be effec-

tive light in this nation, God's people must enter the Sabbath

rest of kingdom life, and the Jubilee that God has provided.'

At Harvest House Mick 'Temperate' was keen to reach the

unconverted.

'I want you to lead Zion's evangelism,' the 'still small voice'

said to him one morning.

'You what, Lord?' he thought. 'Me? Oh well, if it's of God it

will come together, and the brethren will confirm it.'

Mick led some informal 'new life' meetings at Harvest

House. A few Christians soon joined us, but more and more

his burden was for the lost. One day, while praying, he saw a

golden city. The gates opened wide and a band of glowing

figures descended into the valley below, where they mingled

with the wounded and brought some back to be healed. A

sister had similar wisdom of golden doves flying out of Zion

with the message of peace despite attacks by the black crows

of the world.

In August Mick took a team to the Knebworth Rock Festi-

val. They parked their converted ambulance, and soon a young

man pitched his tent nearby. He made friends with them and

marvelled at their message. Their gentle vibe of love con-

trasted with the heavy beat that throbbed into the night. He

threw his cigarettes away, stuck with them, and gave his life

to Christ.

A few days later Mick was listening to Noel at the elders'

meeting. 'Of course, there's nothing very difficult about be-

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

ing celibate,' Noel remarked at one point, 'you just receive

the grace.'

Some of us, who felt we were passing through the agonies

of Gethsemane, grinned!

'That's for you,' the Spirit whispered to Mick.

'I want you to receive this.'

Mick sat back in the armchair. 'All right, Lord, I take it now.'

On the way home he felt as if he was taking off in an aero-

plane — a great lift in his spirit. He got home at one in the

morning to find he was locked out. Mick climbed in through

one of the bedroom windows.

'Graham! he said, bubbling over, 'I've received the gift of

celibacy!'

Graham flashed an angry, bleary eye and snorted. Their

friendship had often been a bit stormy.

'Oh! Go to bed!' he shouted, and turned over.

By September the Farm had begun evangelism at the Leices-

ter University disco. Noel and others waited up into the early

hours to welcome the team home and hear reports. One

evening they had been followed round by a demoniac girl.

'You can help me! You can help me!' she had screamed.

'You should have done!' said Noel, and ticked them off for

their lack of courage.

The disco was a heavy scene. Bikers, prostitutes and drug

dealers were regulars, and only a few students set foot down

there. Mick's team joined the farm brothers and sisters in

Leicester and used a house rented by our girl students. There

a group of intercessors, welcomers and cheese-on-toast mak-

ers created a good atmosphere to bring people back to.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

One night they met a young man who'd become a Christian

in his early teens. He'd been baptised in the Spirit, but his

church rejected charismatic gifts and he was put off. His family

were into the occult and it wasn't long before he fell away

and became a heavy drinker. When he met us, he'd been in a

car accident, and though his leg had been healed by spiritu-

alists his vision and hearing were still impaired.

Frustrated and aggressive, he had come for an argument,

but he soon calmed down and they invited him back for sup-

per. Simply talking to them made him feel different. That week

he stopped drinking and the next Friday went back to the

Farm for the weekend.

As he sat on the wall, looking over the valley, memories of a

holiday with Christian friends returned. 'If only we could live

together like this,' he had thought. He felt the presence of

God again, and his leg shot with pain as the spiritualist heal-

ing vanished away. The brothers prayed for him, broke the

occult power, and he was healed in the name of Jesus. Back in

Leicester, he woke up on Monday morning to find his hearing

had improved. Within weeks he'd moved in to the Farm.

Pete 'Valiant', our Dutch medic, joined the team at the 'Uni'

disco. He flopped on the seat, wincing as the heavy metal

blasted his eardrums. The rest of the team were lost in a

haze of smoke and coloured strobes, and a heavy smell of

cigarettes, dope and patchouli oil filled the basement. It was

hard going. Pete couldn't wait to get back to our Leicester

house.

'Lord,' he prayed, 'you'll have to bring them to me.'

Pete was a straight, and most took him for the drug squad

and avoided him. When they found he was a Jesus Freak they

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

avoided him even more! Eventually a group of girls sidled

up.

'Ere!' said Vikki. 'What are you lot into, anyway? I heard

you took Oily and 'is mates down your place last week.' Vikki

looked menacing.

Pete smiled and said, 'We're just here loving folk and seek-

ing to bring them new life in Jesus.'

'You're a load of nutters!' said another, and giggled. 'You

don't think you're going to convert us lot — do ya?'

'Ang on, Luce!' said Vikki. 'Give the bloke a chance.'

Vikki was interested. She'd watched the Jesus People mov-

ing around — right out of place! She was into the occult and

fascinated with spiritual things. Perhaps they had something.

Pete spoke seriously to them but the girls got silly and he

told them off, which annoyed Vikki, though she liked the way

Pete seemed to care for them.

Pete invited them back to the house and after a rowdy jour-

ney on the minibus, Vikki found herself munching cheese on

toast and talking to a sister who had been a medium. Vikki

liked her and they prayed together. In the next room the guys

got wild and abusive, so Vikki went in and gave them a telling

off! That put her on our side.

Later that week a brother visited their squat and sat around

playing his guitar. 'Somethin' moving in my heart, Jesus, Je-

sus,' he sang. It was his latest song. They chatted and he left

a box of groceries.

Soon Vikki got evicted. As she was obviously responding to

God, they invited her down to the Hall. She had no deliver-

ance ministry or dramatic conversion. She just decided for

God and stopped smoking and swearing. It was a new life —

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

quaint, but clean. Vikki was impressed by the sisters at the

Hall as they went round singing and making marmalade in

huge pans, so she got herself a dress from down the clothing

store and joined in!

Some travelled a long way to worship with us, including a

small fellowship from East Anglia. One of these brothers had

grown very discouraged and spent most of his time in his

pottery studio which happened to be a converted bank vault.

One day he was in desperate need of £50 when a friend walked

in saying he felt the Lord telling him to give him £50 and also

to encourage him to go down to Bugbrooke.

The following Saturday night at Bugbrooke he was in chapel

listening to the words of wisdom and knowledge that God

often revealed during the worship. 'I can see a strongroom

door with a big brass handle,' declared Alasdair, one of our

doctors. 'It's either in a bank or on a ship, and I can see a

brother closing the door behind him. I feel that God is calling

you to close the door on your present life and to move in a

new direction.'

The brother concerned was very shaken, and touched by

God's care for him. It wasn't long before he and his wife knew

the call of God to join us in community. On the next visit down

he made a bee line for Alasdair. 'Hey, bro,' he grinned, 'I do

my pottery in an old rented bank vault. It's got a big brass

handle on it and it's in Ship Street!'

Soon almost all that little group moved down and joined

the church. They weren't all spoken to so dramatically, but

they were drawn by the reality of God's presence amongst

us.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

'Substitutes for God's presence are many,' wrote Noel,

'jazzed-up choruses, shallow praise, liturgy, an easy gospel,

drama, beautiful music, youth clubs etc. Our real need is for

the glory of the Lord to fill the house.'

The Fellowship was attractive to those who sought a radi-

cal path, but as we entered the eighties they were increas-

ingly hard to find.

15 Into the Eighties

As the church in Britain entered the eighties, many felt that

the renewal movement had lost steam. The charismatic ship

launched in the sixties was running aground in shallow wa-

ters. Enthusiasm had waned and pioneers had become set-

tlers. 'Have all dug in?' asked Arthur Wallis in The Radical

Christian54. The renewal began to reflect on itself and look

for direction. Clearly the church needed to rise up and go on

the offensive.

'There is a scent of spiritual warfare in the air,' wrote Denis

Clark in Renewal. 'Only now is the concept of God's people

being an army taking on proper significance. Psalm 110 could

become the vital focus for the eighties:

'"The Lord will extend your mighty sceptre from Zion; Your

troops will be willing on your day of battle."' 55

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

But denominations seemed weighed down with the armour

of Saul. Vigour and vision lay with the radical churches, and

they began to get the flak we had experienced. The house

church movement grew stronger and the Dales Weeks be-

came a force to be reckoned with. 'Gird up your armour, ye

sons of Zion!' the thousands sang enthusiastically. The Spirit

had come to prepare an army for God. The nation was in an

alarming decline and unless the churches rose up to confront

the prophets of Baal, Britain was on course for disaster.

Encouraging voices declared that revival was on its way.

Many converts had slipped through the net in the early sev-

enties, but God had been restoring the churches — mending

the nets for a larger catch. The fruits of past revivals had

often been lost for lack of radicalism. Thousands were con-

verted but little was built.

Wesley had made no such mistake. 'Souls awakened under

Wesley's ministry, he joined in class, and thus preserved the

fruit of his labours,' wrote his friend George Whitefield. 'This

I neglected to do, and my people are a rope of sand.' Both

were great evangelists but Wesley was also a builder.

We, too, heard the call of God to build in the eighties, but

success would depend on the church being a holy, alternative

society. We agreed with Ern Baxter, a popular speaker at the

Dales Weeks: 'When I see Babylon falling, I am looking for

Jerusalem to emerge...! expect us to return to the simplicity

referred to in Acts 2. There we find loyalty, integrity, cov-

enant relationships, community'56.

Like the Methodists we imitated the 'love feasts' of the early

Christians (Acts 2:46; 1 Cor 11:20). Once a week we sat around

our 'Agape' meal for a few hours, eating, worshipping, and

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

sharing the bread and wine. 'One heart and soul' was the

theme. There would be reconciliations and sometimes we

washed one another's feet. Finding unity could be painful,

but covenant brotherhood was the only ground of hope for

revival. Covenant was the foundation, and for us, loyalty meant

we intended lifelong commitment.

In America, the charismatic leader Don Basham defined

Covenant Community as: 'A community of redeemed people,

bound together in covenant love, submitting to compassion-

ate authority, and manifesting peace, holiness, and family fi-

delity... A community where loving correction and instruc-

tion produces maturity; where dedication to excellence pro-

duces the finest results in arts, crafts, trades, and commerce...

where all life is inspired and directed by the Spirit of Jesus

Christ and is lived to his glory as a witness and testimony to

the world.'57

It was an excellent definition, and Noel reproduced it on

our notice sheet. Cautious of prosperity teaching he added:

'And the "prosperity and abundance" are to be shared in holy

equality as God sends the needy to find his just society.'

We entered the decade in a confident mood. A kingdom feast

was spread and the prodigals could come home. Backed by

intercession, we emerged to fight on the world's ground, and

went into the streets, pubs, discos, and clubs. Meetings were

booked in Rugby, Coventry and Leicester. Now to Live His

Triumph! was the motto, as we exalted Jesus as Lord, pro-

claimed his kingdom, and called disciples.

In Warwickshire the work was none too dramatic but was

growing. We bought a country house near Rugby, a few miles

from Harvest House, and Mick's sister and family left the

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

Bugbrooke housing estate for Stockton House, with its trees

and lawns. They were joined by Dave 'Resolute', one of sev-

eral Oxford graduates whose abilities were coming in useful.

As we became well-known, people wanted to know where

we stood theologically. Were we orthodox? Did we have pet

doctrines? Also, how did our church work? And what were

members committing themselves to? Noel worked with Dave

on a Statement of Faith and Practice. He also joined Ian 'In-

sight', the solicitor, and Mike 'Rockfast', our treasurer, in

mapping out a new Church Constitution and a Trust Deed

that dealt with the administration of New Creation Christian

Community.

Our basic theology had already been summarised on the

church notice sheets:

This church upholds orthodox Christian truth, being reformed,

evangelical and charismatic; practising believer's baptism and

the New Testament reality of Christ's Church.

We believe in God, Father, Son and Spirit; in the full divinity,

atoning death, and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ;

and in the Bible as God's word, fully inspired by the Holy Spirit.

We were card-carrying, Bible-waving, charismatic evangeli-

cals — despite the nasty rumours! The full Statement, which

ran to forty articles, was checked by theologians from Oxford

University and London Bible College.

The public reading in chapel was moving and some aspects

were a little controversial:

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

We believe that God's purpose is to gain a people... God made

covenant with Abraham, and the promise finds fulfilment

through the New Covenant, in which both Jews and Gentiles

are of the true Israel, the church of the living God...

We believe that God's covenant people are called to be sepa-

rated to him from the spirit of the world. They are to bear pro-

phetic witness to the Kingdom of God as a visible expression of

the Lordship of Christ. They are thus the City or Zion of God,

His temple and dwelling place...

We affirm the call of Jesus to renounce all other things to be

His disciple... not that this requires rejection of the nuclear fam-

ily or any strict exclusivism. The regenerate, as may be possi-

ble, shall voluntarily have all things in common, but we do not

make this a condition of membership...

We affirm that male and female are equal in status, but we

hold the scriptural distinction... that men differ from women in

role, appearance and dress. We regard the keeping of special

days and seasons as unwarranted by scripture...

We also hold that believers are to bear their cross as Christ's

disciples. The world must persecute us...

Three days later a headline appeared in the Oxford Journal:

'MP URGED TO PROBE RELIGIOUS SECT. An Oxford couple

have accused a religious sect of splitting their family.'58

Their son, who had maintained regular contact with his fam-

ily, was in fact a twenty-eight year old teacher with a PhD!

Within weeks the Baptist Times had grieved many of its read-

ers by reproducing this headline on its front page.

Lewis Misselbrook from the Baptist Union headquarters was

a friend of ours and replied, 'Bugbrooke is a member of our

fellowship of churches. I hope our Union will never become a

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

dull uniformity where great experiments of this kind are

feared...'59

Lewis visited us and prepared an article which later ap-

peared in the Baptist Times:

When I arrived, Noel was out in the fields working. He came in,

mud all over his gum-boots, and gave me the shy, welcoming

smile I remembered so well... He is still the same quiet, deep

man, but one held by a vision that by the Spirit the church is to

be a visible and powerful expression of the kingdom of God...

Most of the criticism of the community has been unfair and

uninformed, and some has been malicious. Bugbrooke is not

perfect. Noel Stanton is not always right. But it is a bold ven-

ture of faith...

First, it is a genuine effort to express the Gospel in prac-

tice...

Second, it is a lay movement... every member plays his part...

Third, it reveals the kingdom of God as a true alternative and

revolutionary society.

Fourth, for the Jesus Fellowship, mission and community are

inseparable...

Fifth, it is a dynamic and ongoing movement...

At last week's Baptist Union assembly it was said that God is

doing a new thing... If we are not too afraid of change to lift up

our eyes to see, we may well be considerably enriched, whether

we follow the Bugbrooke pattern or not.60

Dave 'Resolute', who was becoming our PR man, went round

visiting Christian leaders like Arthur Wallis, Roger Forster

and Gerald Coates. One day Dave and I sat down in Gerald's

home at Cobham. His openness impressed me and I smiled at

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

the NOT UNDER LAW plaque above the tray of assorted

wines!

'You're pioneers,' Gerald told us, 'and pioneers exist for

the sake of others.' In his eyes we were a bit legalistic, but

had a lot to offer — if only we could communicate.

We certainly wanted to. For us 1980 was a year of expan-

sion, public relations and bridge-building. Bank Holidays were

billed as Community Open Days, when friends, relatives, and

interested Christians came around.

Lewis Misselbrook spoke at one special meeting at Corn-

hill for local church leaders. We also advertised a conference

in magazines like Renewal. We called it A City To Dwell In

and invited Christians to stay for a weekend in August and

sample community. Worship and teaching went on in a mar-

quee on Cornhill's lawn and indoors we held 'share groups'.

Six panels answered questions on areas such as administra-

tion and business, marriage and celibacy, evangelism and

church building, and household life.

Dave's team dealt with theology and included Trevor Saxby,

who was finishing his doctorate and writing Pilgrims Of A

Common Life61, a history of Christian community. They all

wore glasses and looked studious, apart from Andy, a sau-

sage packer with a degree from London Bible College!

When I arrived with Jim, a guest at the Hall, the questions

had already begun: 'So you practise rebaptism then?'

We turned our heads and noted a provocative looking chap

at the back. Dave grinned. 'Over to you, Trevor.'

'Thanks!' said Trevor. 'No we don't. Most Christians who

come to us have been baptised as believers and are happy

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

about their baptism. But we do get a few who feel that in the

light of the New Testament theirs wasn't a valid experience.'

'What about lifelong commitment, then? Is it biblical?'

'Well, we shall always be members of Christ and his body,'

said Dave.

'And it's a big worldwide Body!' was the reply.

'This guy's interesting,' whispered Jim.

'But it's only real at a local level... isn't it?' Dave grinned.

'Yes?'

'Yes!'

Our heads swivelled to follow the ping-pong.

'In the early church, they were a covenant people. There

was one local body, and you were either in or out!'

'Fair enough!' he smiled.

There was a brief silence.

'I bet he's got one about community,' I said.

'Do you think community is for everyone?' he asked.

'Trevor!' said Dave.

'Umm,' said Trevor. 'Well, let me see... the Hutterites called

it the "highest command of love". If you follow the biblical

teaching to "renounce all that you have", "love your brother

as yourself", and "come out from amongst them", where does

that get you?'

'Not under one roof!' exclaimed our friendly critic. Every-

body laughed.

'Not necessarily,' agreed Trevor, taking off his glasses, 'but

the common purse does strike at the root of selfishness.'

'Ouch!' whispered Jim.

'Let's get out of here while the going's good,' I said.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

We walked into the crammed Octagon. Jim chuckled at the

posh decor we had inherited. (I assured him that even with

our 'mansions', we were poorer than the average English-

man.) Pete Matt, our family spokesman and holiday-school

headmaster, was holding forth and soon the questions turned

to discipline. Carol smiled sweetly as one of the children

tugged at her hair.

'Yes, we do train our kids quite carefully,' she said. 'Pete

and I find that our children need the security of being under

our authority. They need a lot of love and care and we try to

spend as much time with them as we can. Of course, love

means that we sometimes have to discipline them.'

'Yes, said Pete: 'Proverbs 29:15 says, "A child left to him-

self disgraces his mother." I think society is quite blind in

this area, and we see the fruit of it on the streets.'

'What about toys?' asked another.

'Ugh!' said Pete, 'Consumerism gone mad!' We like simple

creative things like Lego and Meccano... and word games.'

'And pots and pans!' added Carol.

'So why don't you have your own school?' asked one per-

son perched precariously on the window seat.

'Too expensive and too much hassle!' said matter-of-fact

Pete with a twinkle in his eyes. 'Apart from which they need

to handle the world. We're not a desert island, you know!'

'Look!' whispered Jim, 'I've got some questions for the ad-

min group.'

'Hang on,' I said, 'they all change soon.'

Afterwards, we moved next door to one of the old bars where

Ian 'Insight' answered Jim's questions about joining.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

'People join us because they like our vision,' explained Ian,

'and we receive them with baptism, if needed, and "the right

hand of fellowship". Not everyone enters community and we

have many non-residential members. Families often first move

into the Bugbrooke estate and later join a large community

house.'

'So how do the community finances work?' asked Jim.

'Over to you, Mike,' Ian nodded.

'Right,' said Mike. 'New friends, as we call them, pay board

and lodging, if they stay around, but members share income

through a common purse account. Any surplus goes into the

Community Trust, which also receives capital from members

over twenty-one who have completed a probationary period

of at least six months.'

'And where does it all go?' Jim smiled.

'Not on holidays in the Bahamas!' Ian chuckled.

'Seriously, chaps,' said Mike, 'none of it is money in the

bank! It's all tied up in our property and capital goods, like

cars and furniture. The accounts are open to members, au-

dited by outside accountants and presented at the annual

church business meeting.'

'What if people want to leave?'

'Well, the Trustees are empowered to return their capital.

If they'd had nothing to contribute, the Trust normally makes

a payment to cover immediate expenses.'

As we walked back to the Hall, Jim mentioned a few criti-

cisms he'd heard.

'Some people say the Fellowship is legalistic,' said Jim.

'All holiness depends on the baptism of the Holy Spirit,' I

explained. 'That's how it all started, when the life of God was

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

poured into thirsty hearts. Then the Spirit led us along the

way of the cross and that meant deliberate choices. What

does it say in Titus 2? "For the grace of God that brings salva-

tion has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to un-

godliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,

upright lives..."'

I was getting inspired. 'Well, grace did teach us! And purify

us! And bring us together as a people for God! Grace gave us

a heart to practise Christ's teachings and we began to cleanse

ourselves from the spirit of the world. Our whole lifestyle

was shaken up! Leaders began to lead. Brothers and sisters

discipled one another. Men and women found their true iden-

tity. All the time grace was telling us to lay down our lives for

the brethren and giving us the vision of a holy Zion...'

'Yes, yes, I see that,' he said. 'I'm not supporting worldli-

ness. But isn't it easy to become a people of rules?'

'Well, of course it is! And that's the fate of so many moves

of God — the wine is gradually lost till only the wineskin re-

mains. So we've got to keep thirsting after God, seeking a

deeper purity and a greater love. But a holy people are a

different people — and the world rejects them. That's the

issue, Jim, not legalism!'

Our attempts at bridge-building made some headway, and

within the next two years we had received visits from a number

of Christian leaders. One surprise visitor was Ern Baxter. From

the top of a strawstack I watched him walk, tall and frail, up

the Farm drive. 'We are the world's last hope,' he had said at

the Kansas City Shepherds' Conference. 'We must bring the

sheep into a community of power and compassion that will

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

attract the world to an alternate society and a counter-cul-

ture and a way of life that they are looking for.'62

Gilbert Kirby paid us a visit, too. He was then General Sec-

retary of the Evangelical Alliance. Michael Harper also came

and asked Stanley Jebb, the minister of New Covenant Church

in Dunstable, to write an article on us for Renewal.

Stanley Jebb attributed our comparative success to strength

of leadership and careful shepherding, to the application of

the Scriptures, to holiness and to covenant loyalty. The criti-

cism, he reckoned, stemmed mainly from gossip and igno-

rance of the real facts. 'The church is orthodox in doctrine.

Being different is not the same as being heretical...' he wrote.

He saw the danger of the Jesus Fellowship becoming isola-

tionist. But he said there was also the 'danger' of 'having our

way of life challenged, our horizons widened, and our under-

standing of Scripture tested, if much contact is made with

the Bugbrooke Fellowship. Some are not willing for this, so

they stay away.'63

By the autumn we were evangelising in Milton Keynes and

had bought Promise House in Coventry, and Faith House in

Leicester. The Fellowship was on the move and becoming in-

creasingly public. Dave 'Resolute' was now editing our maga-

zine, Newness, which explained our biblical basis and con-

veyed our radical vision to others.

Arthur Wallis and Gerald Coates were amongst those who

called in. Our bridge-building efforts had broken the ice, but

where larger, more visionary men saw in us a venture of faith,

many still treated us with caution, or even contempt.

Dave wrote in Evangelism Today:

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

Once our charismatic worship was misunderstood. Now it is

our lifestyle and our emphasis on holiness. Many find this unu-

sual, even controversial. But we rejoice in what God has done

in forming a 'people for his own possession'. Our vision is to be

a 'city on a hill'.64

City On A Hill was an ITV documentary on us and was a fair

representation of where we stood. 'Of course some will mis-

understand and oppose us,' said Noel at the end, 'but we be-

lieve our testimony will win through!'

As the year came to a close I was needed back at the Hall.

I left Living Stones with tears: Kelly, the hero, and Norma;

the brothers who were my friends; the graceful sisters; the

irreplaceable Verna; Goldy, the very senile dog; Snowy, the

more approachable cat; the ducks, the geese, the memories.

I wrote a farewell hymn:

How rich these years in which we spend

Our lives in mutual love entwined;

Such gracious times are rarely found,

But here, on Holy Zion's ground.

Zion was precious indeed. But her peace was coming to an

end, and a valley of humiliation lay ahead.

16 A Crown of Thorns

Despite our attempts at bridge-building, we encountered

growing opposition from some quarters. When the Christian

magazine, Buzz, visited the community in the autumn of 1980

they found us 'hospitable, welcoming, and helpful', but came

away with 'a distinct unease'. 'Over-modest women seemed

to hover in the background. They wear long dresses, no

makeup, no jewellery, nothing that can possibly be seen as

allowing a woman to make the best of herself.'65

Buzz disliked our caution about over-familiarity between

men and women, and criticized Noel's authority. 'The result

of his teaching', they complained, 'is that the whole commu-

nity acts as one.'

Unity was bad enough, but we also took the biblical com-

mand, 'Love not the world' too seriously. 'So there is no TV,

radio or pop music. Nor are there the basic social pleasures

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

that make up a full and balanced life — outings to the cinema

and so on.'

We were on different wavelengths. Buzz mourned the loss

of worldly influences and called us isolationist. Noel, on the

other hand, felt it was 'important to maintain our holy iden-

tity'.66

Buzz concluded: The Fellowship has a commitment to their

understanding of community being an essential part of New

Testament Christianity. And this divides them from their fel-

low Christians.'67

Buzz set the tone amongst Christians. At the Greenbelt Fes-

tival our presence was unwelcome and we were regarded as

independent, legalistic — even dangerous! Already the Green-

belt organisers had given a general warning against 'sheep-

stealers', and one leader, engaged in anti-cult work, distrib-

uted a leaflet. Our name appeared in it!

Another document had been circulating for a couple of years

from an anti-cult body called FAIR — Family, Action, Informa-

tion, Rescue. This 'unfair' document passed between angry

parents and critics, and became standard press material. It

was inspiring, even entertaining — and libellous!

Their ethos is modelled on the Anabaptists, who believed the

only valid baptism was of adults who experienced new birth.

Turning from the broader base of established Christianity in

the world, they followed a narrower, purist creed, taking Scrip-

ture as their authority... The Hutterites maintained a high stand-

ard of morality, [and] practised community of goods... The Bug-

brooke Fellowship aims to emulate them. Their... fellowship is

real and warm. Their adherence to traditional Christian values

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

of selflessness and self-discipline is essentially beyond criti-

cism.68

That was inspiring. Their portrait of charismatic worship,

though, we found hilarious.

Members go into a trance-like state, sobbing, muttering, and

swaying with arms outstretched. Stanton preaches for two or

three hours. The rest of the time is given to violent rhythmic

singing, prayer, and individual rambling outpourings. This cre-

ates a state of emotional climax and abandon. Combined with

late hours, poor food, and lack of normal emotional outlets, the

members are continually swung between deprivation and ec-

stasy.69

It was a strange caricature! Noel (unbeknown to himself!)

had been to the States, the hot-bed of cults. The plebs suf-

fered from a lack of veg and a surfeit of spuds. Members

were pasty-faced and overweight. Children were subdued (ho!

ho!) and undersized. We shared all our clothes and had little

idea where our money went. All in all we had a 'fanatical

desire to reach perfection at the cost of our normal equilib-

rium' — in other words, we were religious nutters!

There were deplorable references to the deaths, several

years before, of Dave and Steve. Parts of the document were

savage.

Individuals bent on our downfall were delighted with such

material. One local woman was particularly virulent and a

local pentecostal minister was obsessively anti-Bugbrooke.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

Together with a few disgruntled ex-members and irate par-

ents, a web of opposition was spun.

In April the News Of The World produced some priceless

journalism: 'How Hardline Noel Beats Out The Devil!'70 The

photo of 'sect hysteria' featured one of our leading couples

with quaint smiles, and on the point of nodding off! The elders

were Noel's 'spy network', a gang of Gestapo heavies bent on

'cracking' the flock! Force-feeding carrots was one method.

Sharing dirty socks was another. With an iron fist Noel ruled

a fanatical colony of brainwashed zombies! In worse taste

was the false account of Steve's death, and his family was

made to grieve yet again.

Our enemies egged on the press, using the FAIR document

as fuel. In reality, however, evangelicals on the FAIR commit-

tee had been duped. No one had visited or asked for informa-

tion. So we spoke to the co-chairman, a college chaplain. He

listened to us and when he saw how unbalanced and inaccu-

rate the criticisms were, he apologised, regretted the cult

link, and promised to withdraw the document. But the dam-

age had been done.

By June the pentecostal minister had gathered those who

were opposed to us and held a meeting where they spoke

against the Fellowship. The only way to get people out of

Bugbrooke, one said, was to send in a helicopter! It was all

very silly and unhelpful. They made a tape of the meeting

which was circulated widely. The smear campaign put us all

in a defiant mood and I wrote a hymn:

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

Brethren we stand and here defy

The world and all its darkest power!

Pure love and brotherhood now wins

This evil day, our finest hour!

Noel added some verses.

Though false religion speaks against

And carnal Christians run to oppose,

These brethren stand, in Jesu's name

In faith and love, and bless their foes.

However, even the apostle Paul didn't find blessing easy.

'Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm,'

wrote Paul to Timothy. 'The Lord will repay him for what he

has done' (2 Tim 4:14). But persecution was a must and we

needed to rejoice in it. Indeed, of the early church it was said,

'people everywhere are talking against this sect' (Acts 28:22).

The hornets were stirred. We had defied the worldly spirit,

and as the devil wouldn't take it lying down, we entered a

new phase of spiritual warfare. Noel was a particular target

of attack and felt the criticism keenly. It was all the more

painful because of the genuine attempts we were now mak-

ing to open our hearts to Christian brethren. Many seemed

ready to kick us down, but few to stand with us.

'Zion "rules in the midst of her enemies",' wrote Noel, re-

ferring to Psalm 110:2. 'They attack us with bitterness and

slander, and refuse to forgive. They reject open-hearted com-

munication. We go to them once, twice, more; but they reject

our brotherly appeals. But we must rejoice and stand firm,

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

knowing that in suffering we shall find meek and softened

hearts. "No weapon that is fashioned against you shall pros-

per"' (Is 54:17, RSV).

In the midst of such trial we sensed God's purposes. At the

July church week in Northampton we received a word of

prophecy: 'I have raised up this people in this nation at this

time, to bear witness to my holy name. Rejoice in the opposi-

tion of Satan! Conquer with the blood of the Lamb, binding

him in my name and living in the righteousness of my Spirit!

Rejoice in your heritage. Hold fast what you have that no

man take your crown!'

The moral emptiness so evident in the nation was creating

a hunger for the gospel. Before the Evangelical Awakening in

the eighteenth century, it was poverty and desperation that

ploughed and prepared the country for revival. Now the time

of the poor and needy had come again, and God was raising

up his people 'for such a time as this' to reap the harvest.

Noel read out a letter from Mick 'Temperate' in which he

expressed his weeping heart for the unreached thousands of

Birmingham. Compassion grew amongst us, and our focus

began to shift towards the inner cities. These needy, 'forgot-

ten people' would respond to the love and equality that we

offered.

Amidst the opposition, God reminded us of the winning

power of brotherhood. We were proud of what God had done,

and were grateful for such clarity, devotion, and unity. In-

deed with 600 in residence and 70 leaders, we had estab-

lished what was probably the largest Christian community in

Europe. Our businesses were expanding and there was an

advance in evangelism.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

But we felt the strain and were being worn down by perse-

cution and discouragement. It was a year for courage. We

needed to endure through the 'darkest hour'. 'It's easy at the

start,' we sang, 'with hearts aflame with zeal... It's now the

second watch and the night is dark and cold...'

The evil day was a time to stand together, and the word

came through clear — 'Hold on to what you have!' (Rev 3:11).

As evil powers put a cloud upon us the temptation was to

compromise or desert. But the vast majority clung to cov-

enant loyalty. We were determined to retain our depth in God,

and let 'no one take our crown'. But somehow the crown was

tarnished. Something of the glory was passing away.

In September, prophetic wisdom was given that sounded

the alarm. A group was seen standing in a circle facing out-

wards ready to go and welcome in the lost. But at the very

centre was a dark cloud where the enemy had gained a foot-

hold.

Could it be true? Had 'the flesh' gained ground amongst

us? Had we become lukewarm? Our growth rate was slow

and our evangelism disappointing. Was this a sign of our de-

cay, that our arteries were hardening, that spiritual death

was creeping over the church?

We faced up to the possibility of God's judging hand upon

us. All was not well. The converts we did gain, like Vikki,

often split off. We were making little impact on the educated

and professionals, and few Christians joined us. At home, our

teenagers were difficult and some quite rebellious. Holiday

school was a strain and had to be abandoned. Our standards

were slipping, people were uninspired and enthusiasm for

self-denial had abated.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

Noel urged us to take the 'central ground' or we would be

defeated. The drift had to stop. We refused the downward

trend, and took measures to deepen our spirituality. We held

short 'brotherhood times' before going to work. The Agape

meal was set apart for members only, and there we reaffirmed

our covenant, bared our hearts, and discussed weekly Bible

readings round the tables. More prayer was urged upon us

and shepherding groups were split down for closer reality.

The drive was on! Some felt secure within a stronger frame-

work, but, of itself, it couldn't get to the root of the problem.

In our zeal for outward holiness we had cooled on inward

experience. 'Lord can it be a church should die through loss

of first fraternal love?' asked one brother in his hymn. The

answer was, 'Yes!' Form without power was useless.

Now that I was back at the Hall, I realised that the deeps of

brotherly love were not over-common. Away from Kelly's wing,

I discovered Zion's problems. She had plenty of spots and

warts. The Farm bristled with young men 'being themselves',

while the Hall, with its families and older characters, seemed

a little reserved and institutional. Either way, a spiritual dull-

ness had settled over many parts of the church.

'Do we really want the presence of God?' I wrote in my

journal. 'Would it be too troublesome? We've got it nicely

wrapped up. We are a well-ordered community. Rushing wind

and tongues of fire? The awesomeness of God? Oh no! We're

content to know him in a relaxed way; you know — the "still,

small voice". And so the Bugbrooke revival becomes the Bug-

brooke "denomination" and dies in the midst of prosperity.'

We were making outward changes — but where was the

power of God? The joy and spontaneity? The miracles? The

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

surprises of the Holy Spirit? 'Things have become routine,'

wrote Mike 'Rockfast' in his diary. 'We have almost succeeded

in eliminating the unpredictable and taming the Holy Spirit.'

We put on a brave face. People learned the ropes and were

loyal. But there was unreality. Also some of the originals like

Paddy, French Mary, and Alan had found the going tough.

Paddy and his family had left the church, Mary had split off

for a long while, and Alan and his family, though still loyal

members of the church, had moved out of community.

The church had moved deeper since the early days but some-

how we had 'matured' out of praise, and the innocence of

first love was tarnished with self-righteousness. We needed a

touch of the divine, the supernatural.

Mike 'Rockfast' expressed his feelings as he wrote short

stories about the 'little people of Kingdomland'. The children

at Vineyard loved them, but they carried a serious message.

The tale of 'The Great Dam' was prophetic as the sudden turn

of events amongst us was to prove.

To start with it was just an idea.

'Why don't we build a dam across Eternallife River? Then we

can make it go wherever we want it to!' They got to work with

plans and diagrams. At one time you would have seen bands of

merry little people singing and dancing in the morning sunlight

as they drank from the river and gathered fruit from the hedge-

rows. But now they were far too busy.

Soon the dam was finished and they were proud of their work.

Even visitors from Sinfulgloom came to admire it. The little peo-

ple settled down to cultivate their own plots, and were glad

they didn't have to dance to the river any more. So they all got

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

fat! What's more, they built houses to keep themselves warm.

(Once they just huddled together.)

But some got sick, and arguments broke out about who owned

what. Then the water became stagnant and a film grew over

their eyes. The leaders were very worried and as they discussed

it together, there was a knock at the door. The Ruler of

Kingdomland stood before them. How had they managed to for-

get him? A silence fell as they gazed into his face. He was an-

gry, but there were tears in his eyes.

'What have you done to my beautiful land?' he asked quietly.

They bowed their heads in shame.

'My little people, I fear that the blindness of Sinfulgloom has

come upon you.' His words made them sad, and before long

they were all crying. As they wept, their eyes became clear

again. 'Now see what I will do! Gather everyone together on

the highest hills!'

The tears flowed into the night as the little people came to-

gether and looked on the land they had spoiled. Then suddenly

the night sky was torn by great flashes of lightning. The rains

came down, and the channels swelled, until with an almighty

crash the dam burst open and the swirling torrent swept every-

thing away before it.

As the morning sun crept over the land they saw it was beau-

tiful and fresh as once before.

17 Dambusters!

Entries in my journal for 1982.

Sat. 18 Jan. Things have changed. When God works, pro-

grammes go out of the window. There are long times of prayer

and we sing 'Bend me lower'. Weeping and confession of sin

have replaced teaching, and Noel just reads from the Scrip-

tures. We want the Spirit to move. Expectancy is in the air

and we hear the rumblings of spiritual upheaval.

Sun. 19 Jan. Wilf saw a river as in Ezekiel. He went in ankle

deep, then knee-deep, then further in. Some stayed on the

edge, fearful of abandoning themselves, but God is swelling

the river. The morning meeting was spontaneous. A brother

stood and asked his shopmates to gather with him and pray.

Many houses and groups gathered together to seek God. Tears

were shed as we confessed faults and embraced one another.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

Thank God for all this. We want his presence. But if he is to

'rend the heavens and come down' he must first bring con-

viction. The Hebrides Awakening began when a man confessed

his sins. In the American revivals Finney thrust in the sword

before pointing to the Lamb of God.

'Too many souls,' wrote Frank Bartleman, 'are dragged from

the womb of conviction by force. They have to be incubated

ever after.'71 This is why we lack power. Repentance is shal-

low and we are plagued by the self-life. It needs burning out.

Tues. 21 Jan. All around Britain we hear of grace but who

speaks of the fear of God? Entertainment replaces awe. Peace!

Peace! they say, and the wound is healed lightly. We want the

mountain tops but refuse Gethsemane. 'Don't sing!' Evan

Roberts would cry. 'It's too terrible to sing!' How easily it

thrust away God's presence.

Wed. 22 Jan. How have these recent changes come about?

Partly from frustration. We have sought to be the 'friends of

sinners'. Many are drawn into evangelism, whether in the

front line, in prayer, or as deacons and caterers. Whole after-

noons are spent in 'saturation evangelism' when the church

is out in force. We bring folk back but few come through. So

much travel and energy! The reaping is hard and the church

is weary. Our great need is for God.

'Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!' (Is

64:1). That was the burden of Noel's ministry as we entered

the new year. Our hearts leapt as we considered the revivals

of the past. Maybe it could happen here. But it had to begin

with us. 'Bend the church and save the people' was the motto

of the Welsh Revival.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

A child went home from our meeting and wrote a song:

The mountains of pride, the mountains of sin,

Shall all flow down at the presence of him

Who comes with fire!

That was our expectation. Revival was the talk of the day.

Routine was over and we were moving on.

There were many new faces at the first leaders' gathering

of the year as over a hundred of us met at Cornhill. The min-

istry was on awakening. Revivals, we noted, were shortlived;

they ran their course and died. Often it was from lack of com-

mitment, but that wasn't our problem. Over-familiarity with

God was our crime.

'This is the one I esteem,' we read, 'he who is humble and

contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word' (Is 66:2). Our

hearts were searched that evening and there were tears. At

midnight we stepped out silently into the cold night, much

subdued.

The following Friday the evangelists stayed in and prayed

for a mission we were planning to hold the next day in Rugby.

There was more weeping and a strong expectancy that God

would move among us. In Rugby the ministry was very ur-

gent and the word cut home, exposing our indifference, self-

interest and lack of oneness. During the bread and wine many

knelt together and wept.

Judgement had begun at the house of God. Programmes

were suspended and for two months no notice sheets ap-

peared. The elders' meeting was cancelled and we held a

church meeting instead. Noel spoke of revival. Real desire

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

was the key: prayer must prevail, and obedience to the Spirit

was vital. In past revivals God used women and children to

melt the hearts of sinners, meetings ran themselves and the

ministers simply prayed. In Wales the miners would hurry

from the coal faces to chapel where there were cries for mercy,

songs of deliverance, testimony, tears, hearts poured out in

praise and great love.

We needed that. Our large meetings, which were now mainly

in Northampton, had lost something of their spontaneity. Now

we found that prayers, confessions and simple testimonies

carried power. There was a renewed emphasis on the blood

of Jesus. We were inspired afresh to proclaim the sinner's

gospel, to concentrate on Calvary and trust that a heart for

community would arise from deep repentance. Along with

our twelve verse hymns on the ways of God and of Zion, we

now sang two-line songs on the name and blood of Jesus.

As one meeting drew to a close we sang of the departed

saints: 'Come let us join our friends above.' It was very mov-

ing but seemed strangely out of the flow. Two days later a

brother was killed on his motorbike. It had been his last hymn

on earth.

As eternity drew close again, we started revival meetings

in Northampton. 'Can you determine when you die?' asked

Noel. 'Then let us live for God now rather than for this pass-

ing world.' Friends had already died through accident or

drugs. We felt we had failed them. The stakes were high, and

the young evangelists longed to snatch people out of the fire.

These Northampton meetings ran four nights a week in a

small dusty hall above the Co-op. They were serious but not

glorious. A local pub lost two regulars and a brick was thrown

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 meet-

ing 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 dis-

cussions about 'Bugbrooke'.

By April the work in Northampton and Rugby had received

considerable impetus, although our expectations of local re-

vival 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. God-

consciousness had been restored and prayer increased. Shep-

herding 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 vis-

ited people in their homes and welcomed them into these

little 'servant groups', as we called them.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

Birmingham, Rugby and Milton Keynes were opening up

for us. There were now many cell group leaders, and some

brothers also began to lead Sunday gospel meetings in War-

wickshire, Leicester and Birmingham. There was more scope

for ministry and many of us felt we were getting our teeth

into something.

By August we had bought Dayspring in Northampton and

Plough Hall Farm in Warwickshire with 120 acres of pasture.

Fruit-picking, potato-harvesting, gooseberry-grading, and

straw-carting now occupied much of our spare time. We en-

joyed it and whistled 'Happy the days in Zion's fields'.

As the year progressed, we were increasingly active in farm

work, business and drives towards church growth and evan-

gelism. Lethargy was knocked on the head, and rusty disci-

ple bands were galvanised into action. The good old days of

community lounging were over and the church lumbered into

widespread evangelism. We sang a Moravian hymn.

The love of Christ their hearts constrain,

And strengthens now their busy hands.

They spend their blood and sweat and pains

To cultivate Emmanuel's lands.

Some of us looked aghast. It was all toil, strife, labour, in-

dustry, prayer and burning zeal! 'If you're not Evan Roberts,

you're backslidden!' grumbled one farm brother. As Noel

blasted passivity, Zion's dreamers groaned. We were not out

of the woods yet. Throughout the church, those who had sat

through the repentance time untouched or even cynical, con-

tinued deaf to this new call to action.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

At the Farm, the 'brotherhood' was at times more natural

than spiritual. Cattle-men reacted against the thought of 'more

pressure' and some wondered whether it was all worth it.

But Noel upheld the vision and refused to lessen our stand-

ards of diligence and holiness.

When Kelly lunched at the Farm, he was at times sandwiched

between an overburdened pastor and a discouraged brother-

hood. Noel needed support, especially in the face of all the

criticism from outside. 'No man can take the strain alone and

remain inspired,' thought Kelly and urged Noel to lean more

on other senior brothers. In July a group of seven were rec-

ognised as a 'Covering Authority'.

The spiritual battle was fierce all round, and not just at the

Farm. It was the price of moving against the tide. Sniping

came from within our own ranks and some of our outside

supporters tended to draw back in the face of the constant

criticism we received. How long could we go on pioneering?

Many were burdened in prayer. Val would often cry out to

God and at times all she could get out was, 'Oh God, save our

church!' and then just tears and speaking in tongues.

'The powers of darkness were doing their utmost to de-

stroy us,' she later wrote. 'Our witness was vital and I prayed

for our leaders to be men of strength and unity. I was bur-

dened for the state of the nation, and for Zion that she might

stand. The future for us and for our children was at stake.'

Mobilising a community of 600 was no mean task and many

had settled down. Noel continued to exhort and motivate us

fearlessly. At times he roared on the platform and purred at

home. At others he purred on the platform and roared at home!

Paul's directions were to 'encourage and rebuke with all au-

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

thority' (Tit 2:15) and to 'help the weak and be patient with

everyone' (1 Thess 5:14). The balance between prophetic min-

istry and the shepherd's heart can be difficult to find!

Whilst some of our leaders were too fond of the rule book

and needed bigger hearts, others were all for joy and liberty

but needed the balance of holy discipline.

A few felt that Noel's strong ministry was alienating those

it sought to reach. Some reacted angrily to his renewed call

to 'blood, sweat and tears', and spoke of the need for 'grace'.

Noel caught the critical darts, sharpened them, and flung them

back in the form of two new hymns:

I speak of grace to suit my state

Of natural soul desire.

'It's all of grace', I restful cry,

'Relaxing' in self's mire!

'Holy by faith' my nature says,

'I need not will at all!..'

The lawless trend needed purging, and after twelve verses

of pungent irony, anyone who was into being 'laid back' felt

pretty uncomfortable!

Reflecting on this time, Val wrote: 'Often I felt tearfully

grateful for Noel, because no matter how imperfect he may

have been, he was so devoted. Sometimes it seemed there

might be a split between the staunch-discipline, and the grace-

allow-people-freedom-to-move leaders. When it came to it, I

knew God would always honour loyalty and covenant.'

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

At the elders' meeting Noel dealt with the critics, and ap-

plied the Scripture: Those [elders] who sin are to be rebuked

publicly, so that the others may take warning' (1 Tim 5:20). It

did the trick. The advocates of 'cheap grace' saw the dan-

gers, were humbled, and opened up to conviction.

Noel's ministry now became more visionary. One morning

he spoke on identification with Christ in suffering and read

accounts of some of the martyrs. 'We will bear reproach,' he

said. 'We will never turn back. We will fight and endure hard-

ness. We will win through, whatever the cost!'

I looked at him. He could be stern and perfectionist, but he

was an inspiring leader. Not one public meeting had he missed

for years. Through sickness and loneliness, through opposi-

tion and disloyalty, he had endured. He stood rocklike, vi-

sionary and devoted, knowing well that the tide in Britain

could only be turned by sacrifice and guts.

At school, I'd been showing videos on the Second World

War:

'We shall not fail, nor falter. We shall not weaken or tire...

Give us the tools and we will finish the job!' That was Churchill.

We too were fighting a battle. It was hymn-worthy. We were a

people 'adorned with grace and crowned with thorns':

Despised below, yet loved above,

Companions of those men of love

Who for the truth of Christ laid down

Their lives, and gained the martyr's crown.

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 be-

came a vociferous opponent. Three or four junior leaders also

left us. Even John 'Gentle' had gone off for a breather in Swit-

zerland, 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 peo-

ple. 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 it-

self was still attracting interest. In fact, David Watson was

about to write warmly in You Are My God of his own experi-

ence 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 Mat-

thew 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 re-

deemed communities, partaking of a whole new kingdom cul-

ture...'73

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

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

church had been ploughed up, and now the storms and trials

of the early eighties were bearing fruit. God was calling us

onward.

18 Visions

The more I see Christians learning to share their lives, their

possessions, and their homes, the more I am convinced that we

are coming home to Zion.

Dave Tomlinson, 198274

By the spring of 1983 we had turned a corner. Links with

other church communities grew and visitors, ranging from

charismatic Catholics to modern Hutterites, came from as

far afield as France, Spain and Norway. With all the foreign

visitors around, the Farm lunch began to look like the United

Nations!

It was a sunny morning in May when Pete the Dutch medic

and I took some visitors from Holland on a whistle—stop tour

around the community.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

A tractor hurtled towards us and screeched to a halt. Pete

'Valiant' edged our minibus past it up the drive at New Crea-

tion Farm and waved at Steve 'Stalwart', who was straight-

ening out the railings from a previous encounter! A few sheep

turned their heads as Pete changed gear. Passing the goose-

berry bushes and apple trees on the right, he parked outside

the farm shop.

'Right! Everybody out!' said Pete.

'Hello there!' A lean beekeeper sauntered by and lifted the

net from off his face. It was Dave Lants. 'Welcome to the farm.

You will have to excuse the smell of pigs!'

As we chatted, an older man stepped out of the farmhouse,

dressed in a tatty sports jacket and cap. He beamed benignly

and slapped me on the shoulders, 'Bless you, "Overcomer"!

All right?' But before I could answer he had gone.

'Who's that?' enquired Henk, 'The farm manager?'

'Yes,' I said, 'he's also our senior pastor!'

'Really?' said Henk, as we walked into the pig shed.

'Yes,' I shouted above the squeal of piglets, 'I don't know

how he does it all.'

"Ow do!' the pig-man nodded, sipping tea from a tin mug.

'Ian "Honest"!' I said. Tell us a bit about these pigs.' Ian stood

chatting to us all for a while, and Anneke, a town girl, was

fascinated.

'Hey chaps!' said Pete, 'let's keep moving! There's lots to

see'.

'Mind the puddle, bro!' he said, as we walked past the muck-

heap towards the chicken huts. After visiting the egg-grad-

ing shed and the honey room, we walked through the orchard

and then piled back into the minibus.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

Soon we jumped out at New Creation Hall. 'This is the first

big house the Lord gave us,' I said proudly as we stepped

inside. JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! The poster in the hallway

told you this was no ordinary mansion. The Hall was looking

quite respectable now, and Kelly's trenches were a nostalgic

memory. On the walls there were paintings and embroideries

quoting hymns or Scriptures. We admired one of the pictures,

which showed a group of brothers relaxing together.

'Do you get much time to do that?' asked Henk.

'A bit,' said Pete. 'We all work, either in the community or

outside, but the evening meal is important for fellowship. The

evenings vary: Monday is generally free, unless you're some

kind of leader. Tuesday is our covenant Agape meal. On

Wednesdays the servant groups zoom all over the Midlands

meeting people, and on Thursdays we relax. Some people go

evangelising on Friday night, often very late.

'What about weekends?' asked Henk.

'Busy! Most of us usually work around the house on Satur-

day morning or sometimes at the farm. The afternoon is nor-

mally relaxed and we often take visitors round the commu-

nity. In the evening we either have full church meetings or

house groups. On Sunday we have the main meeting of wor-

ship in which we share the bread and wine and Noel gives

some teaching. After that we invite everybody back to the

community houses for a late lunch and an afternoon of fel-

lowship. The evening is for gospel meetings in various parts

of the Midlands.'

'A full life!' said Henk, walking into the Quiet Room.

'Your house is with the books filled up,' said Anneke.

(Her English wasn't up to Henk's.)

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

'Afraid so!' I said. 'The library has thousands of them —

mostly Christian paperbacks — and we also have a reference

section next door on church history, theology, community...'

'The Hall is quite a centre,' said Pete, 'what with the li-

brary, the clothing store, the pre-school, the laundrette, and

the FDC.

'The FDC?' Anneke looked puzzled.

'We'll show you,' he said, leading them into the courtyard.

In front of the converted stable block a man with snow in his

hair struggled by with some boxes of frozen meat.

'Hi, Steve!'

'Bless you! Bit cold for May, isn't it?' (He'd just come out of

the freezer van!)

'Steve was training to be a vicar,' I explained, 'but joined us

instead. He now runs the FDC — the Food Distribution Cen-

tre.'

'More like Stephen the deacon, eh?' said Henk.

'That's right!' said Steve. 'Except the stuff we distribute is

from manufacturers and wholesalers!'

'How does it work?' asked Henk.

'Well, each house sends us an order for food, clothing and

household needs, along with a cheque for the previous week.

We try to keep things simple, and supply what's needed... as

long as the orders get in on time!'

Steve disappeared into the store room.

'He's busy! Upstairs is the pre-school,' I pointed. 'It's for

three to five year olds. Notice the cardboard tractor in the

window?'

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

'Right, chaps!' said Pete. We clambered aboard and headed

for the A5. There's Honeycomb Grange ahead!' he said, as

we sped past the cattleyard at Shalom Farmhouse.

'Sheepfold, Vineyard, and Praise Court are up on the left —

Cornhill and Festal are back up the A5 — and Highway House

and Living Stones are coming up!

'How much houses are you now having?' Anneke asked.

'Well, there are two more in Northampton, one in Daventry,

four in Warwickshire, and one in Leicester...'

'That's ours!' I said, as a yellow tipper went past. 'The driver

used to be a guitar-teacher!'

'There's Weedon shop on the left,' said Pete. The visitors

just caught sight of a GOODNESS FOODS sign. 'They sell

health foods and our bread and farm produce.'

At Daventry we turned into the garage. Outside was a plumb-

er's van with SKAINO SERVICES on the side.

Anneke frowned. 'Skaino is a funny name.'

'It's from the Greek for tentmaking,' I said. 'It was Paul's

trade which met his needs but left him free for ministry.'

'Once our businesses are established, we intend to release

people regularly for evangelism,' added Pete.

We walked in and stepped over a pair of oily legs.

'Pete "Upright"!'

'Umm?'

'Bless you! He'll soon get that on the road,' I said.

'Hopefully, bro!' answered a muffled voice. We just had time

to watch Alan's old busker-friend respraying a car, then Pete

urged us on.

'Time for Goodness Foods, chaps!'

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

The lightning tour continued as we stepped into the ware-

house.

'Here comes Mike "Rockfast"! He runs just about every-

thing in this community!' I joked.

'Not quite, bro!' answered Mike in his quiet, unruffled way.

'Actually, I'm the treasurer of the Community Trust and

general manager of House of Goodness Group.'

'It all seems very organised,' said Henk.

'Thanks. It needs to — it's all the Lord's money.'

'But how have the businesses grown so big?'

'Well, Goodness Foods started in 1976 when we opened a

shop in Northampton. Then we expanded slowly to include

shops in Daventry, Towcester and Weedon. In 1980 we took

over a village bakery. All this was our cottage industry phase

really.'

'It's more than that now!'

'Yes. We began wholesaling from this warehouse in 1981.

When we started delivering all round the country it really

took off. We've also opened shops in the larger local towns —

Leamington, Bletchley, Rugby, and Leicester.'

'And what of Skaino and the builders' merchants?'

The phone rang. 'Excuse me a moment...'

'Yes, earlier this year Skaino Services moved into Unit 14

just down the road. The building side began at New Creation

Hall back in 1974, and the garage started in the old stable

block there. We launched the road haulage with an old lorry

that came with the farm.

'TBS began in a builders' yard at Towcester mainly to sup-

ply our own team, but it was popular with the locals and has

now become quite profitable. They've opened another branch

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

in the warehouse next to ours. We've now appointed execu-

tives to manage Goodness Foods, Skaino and TBS more effi-

ciently.'

'Do you pay them differently?' asked Henk.

'Oh no,' said Mike, 'We pay the same level of wage to every-

one.'

'Then where goes this wage'? Anneke chipped in.

Mike smiled.

'Well, we put it into our house's common purse.'

'And how many work for the community?' said Henk.

'About 150 are in kingdom businesses now.'

'Kingdom businesses?'

'Well, it's all part of kingdom life. It was inevitable that the

vision of being a 'kingdom people' would affect our everyday

work-life. Businesses support our ministries and provide an

atmosphere of discipleship.'

'Yes, it's all one, isn't it?' I chipped in. 'Praying or cooking;

evangelising or mucking out the pigs! We're God's people.

That's what counts — living for him and displaying his right-

eousness and love. People may not see the invisible God, but

maybe they'll see his city on a hill.'

'That's right, chaps!' said Pete, slapping Henk on the back.

'Apart from which — it's time for lunch!'

As the summer of 1983 approached, everyone was looking

outwards. The central ground had been strengthened and

many desired to reach out and plant elsewhere. Church

growth was vital and we were inspired by Yonggi Cho's

500,000-strong church in Korea. His input of faith, vision and

prayer targets came at the right time.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

We had heard of other communities hitting bad patches and

then losing direction. But as we pressed through, a sense of

destiny returned with force. God had shaken us and given us

a new vision. Britain was our parish, and our dream was now

for revival and church growth.

The push was on for 200 servant groups — a hundred per-

cent increase! We visualised them, prayed for them and be-

lieved for them. We even sang about them! 'Two hundred serv-

ant groups we claim for needy souls in Jesu's name!'

We preached the good news. At one time our message had

centred on holiness and 'kingdom lifestyle'. Now, after the

trials of recent years, God had pointed us back to the basics

— the blood of the Lamb and the love of God. Many found a

renewed compassion for the sinful and broken-hearted. 'Feel

the flow of Jesu's blood,' we sang tenderly, as all around us

we saw a desperate need for the healing touch of God.

God gave us a tremendous inspiration to penetrate the in-

ner cities. Our evangelists in Birmingham were on fire and

became examples to the rest of us. They reached glue sniffers,

pimps and prostitutes. They often prayed with people on the

streets. They were the heroes!

By May we had established Anchorage, a large house in

Handsworth, Birmingham. Some moved up to form the new

house and Kelly led a church-planting team there for a week

to boost the work. God had given us a strong vision for a

multiracial church. The team befriended some of the blacks

and Asians and soon a converted Sikh girl had joined them.

We were pioneering in other towns too. My own servant

group went to Banbury. There we were welcomed by a Chris-

tian family, and some of the neighbours were interested. Soon

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

our cell group divided, other groups joined us there, and we

had a number of non-resident members.

We began Friday night evangelism on the streets of Ban-

bury, and made friends with some bikers. The sister of one of

the bikers found God and was delivered from demons. The

bikers were impressed.

I visited them on Saturdays and was introduced to a world

of heavy metal, patchouli oil, Newcastle Brown and do-it-your-

self tattooing. One wiry lad looked me in the eyes. 'I've just

put someone in hospital,' he said, as Iron Maiden throbbed in

my eardrums. I felt a long way from home and wondered

whether evangelism was really my scene.

I began to write songs for our servant group. The atmos-

phere of worship and friendship attracted folk and they sensed

the presence of God as we prayed with them and sang and

spoke of Jesus. We also taught from the Bible, enthused about

community, chatted, and passed round the tea and biscuits.

Most groups had targets: Mary to be saved this month;

Wayne to be healed; Sally to get a job next week, or Oily to

come off booze. Servant groups believed for disciples to join

them and households began Covenant Classes for new con-

verts to cover basic teaching and practice.

Our press files for 1983 were all but empty, as we kept a

low profile. Noel stopped leading us all on large campaigns

in the Midlands. Outreach was personal and grass roots, and

we encouraged people who were interested to visit our homes

and come to our various Saturday house-meetings. These

smaller meetings encouraged expression, and many more of

us were actively involved in ministry.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

As for Sunday meetings, there was some flexibility as to

where we went. A sister from the Hall might travel to the

meeting in Leicester because she supported the evangelism

there. Many carried particular vision: a 'heart for Birming-

ham' or 'faith for the skinheads.' With a breakdown of a hun-

dred servant groups, twenty-eight households and four Sun-

day night meetings, there was scope.

However, the concept of the church 'household' as a dis-

tinct unit sharpened up. The church 'household' was a com-

munity house family, plus its non-resident members and

friends. This increased the sense of belonging and households

began to function like little churches. They were expected to

grow, divide, and plant elsewhere. At the Farm and Cornhill

the larger family sometimes functioned as two households

with their own separate meetings, whilst at the Hall, one

household focused on evangelism in Banbury, the other in

Kettering.

Many were going out in evangelism teams and sang on the

streets, whether at Birmingham New Street Station, North-

ampton town centre, or Banbury market square. Some were

bolder and disappeared into pubs and clubs, whilst others

interceded on the spot or stayed home to welcome people

back.

Sisters were good front-line evangelists with a heart for

sinners — at times a weeping heart. Lesley, who was one such

evangelist in Leicester, was a keen celibate. 'Celibacy!' she

said, 'I love it! Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom". I made a

pact with God and expected him to meet my needs. Celibacy

is like getting into a new car. The sun is shining, God is with

you, and you can explore. I gained many hearts because I

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

spent time with people. One girl went through cold turkey —

all night. I was exhausted, but she came through.'

Lisa, one of the young sisters at Living Stones, had grown

up in Bugbrooke. 'Celibacy is natural and normal,' she wrote.

'Jesus oozed warm humanity. He was so tender, secure and

so very liberated that he attracted the common folk. That's

my vision.'

More sisters joined the growing number of celibates at this

time. We were increasingly aware now of the brothers and

sisters who had chosen celibacy and sought to encourage them

at special celibate gatherings.

As we became more outgoing sisters began to modify their

appearance. They still had long hair and no make-up, but their

clothes began to look a bit more fashionable. The meek and

quiet spirit was still their vision (in the main) but sisters be-

came increasingly dynamic.

With the fresh thrust in 'friendship evangelism', servant

groups were breaking new ground. One group met in a cara-

van in Coventry. A gypsy had turned up at Promise House

thinking it was the doctor's and was pleasantly surprised to

hear the sound of Christians singing! Dai invited them to the

site and some of the gypsies were converted. Florrie was a

real Romany — headscarf, rings and all — and she soon joined

us. Tarzan was another gypsy friend.

'How's Tarzan doing?' someone asked.

'A bit up and down!' replied Piers.

There was also a renewed emphasis on intercession. Like

the Moravians of old, and Yonggi Cho's church in Korea, we

organised a 'prayer watch', aiming for a continuous chain of

prayer. (Some gaps in the night were hard to fill!) Many spent

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS CITY ON A HILL

an hour a week interceding for the church and its work. Each

household had a co-ordinator and requests were fed into the

chain at any time. A friend might be seriously ill, a new con-

vert struggling, or an evangelist in a tight spot. Someone,

somewhere, would lift the need to God.

The whole Fellowship was mobilised, now, as never before

and God was taking us into a new phase of our calling. Our

servant group overseer in Birmingham became very inter-

ested in William Booth and the Salvation Army. His lamp

burned into the night as he explored, read and enthused.

Books flew from second-hand shops to Anchorage, and some-

times down to New Creation Farm. Noel read again of Booth

and his Army. They knew the power of God! They were perse-

cuted! They loved holiness! They reached the masses!

When we prepared a guide for servant group leaders the

General was quoted: 'Give me godly, go-ahead dare-devils,

and anybody can have the preachers!' We sympathised with

the vision and spirit of the early Salvation Army, and their all-

out offensive to rescue the sinful. This was our dream. We,

too, needed to be a strong, organised and fearless army of

the Lord.

As evangelism team leaders met to discuss strategy, bring

reports and inspire one another, town plans and maps of Brit-

ain began to appear on our walls. It looked as though the city

on a hill was becoming an army on the move.

On the March

1984-1988

19 Jesus 84

'Hey! You guys some bunch of dudes, or sommat?'

We carried on singing, and watched the trouble brewing. A black

lad was being hassled, so we walked over and surrounded them.

Did we start fighting? No! Singing! Singing about Jesus.

'Hey! C'mon, leave off, man! This nice guy owes me some notes,

yeah, and he's gonna be all right see! He's just gonna hand me

the notes.' The guy was skint.

We talked to them about Jesus. They weren't interested. Chris-

tianity was 'no go.' It didn't work. They were black in a white

world. They were resentful and frustrated. Ten thousand words

about Jesus wouldn't have made a scrap of difference. They

were £15 short. Nothing had been given them but hurts. There

was no way they'd forgive this man his debt.

'We'll pay it for him!' We offered them the money.

'Hey, you guys really are a bunch of nutcases. Look, this guy

owes and this guy is gonna pay, right!'

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS ON THE MARCH

'We want to pay it for him. No strings attached.

'Just like Jesus paid our debt,' someone added. They took the

money. They knew we were different. Our words didn't get

through. Our actions did.75

It was spring 1984. This story was printed in Jesus People

Lifenews. We were in Milton Keynes, visiting pubs and sing-

ing in the shopping centre. The hassler, Nathan, was a black

street kid and he came to the Lord. He backslid in detention

centre, but the Farm prayed for him, wrote to him, visited

him, and he came through. They won his heart.

Who were the Jesus People? The Bugbrooke freaks, of

course! Over a decade had passed since we had first been

given the name — and it had stuck. Early believers were

'Christians!' Wesley's folk were called 'Methodists!' (and got

pelted with rocks and rotten eggs!). We were Jesus People. It

was a good name, and we were proud to have it. Lifenews

was our new evangelistic paper and contained many of our

people's stories.

Our outreach was continuing along the lines of friendship-

evangelism and church building. We looked for those with an

eagerness for discipleship and began to expect the super-

natural to follow kingdom proclamation. But we were now

entering a new phase as the 'Jesus People' went high profile

with stickers, banners, tracts, hand-outs, newspapers, dis-

creet metal badges and not-so-discreet plastic ones.

'This is where I came in!' some of us thought.

'Jesus phones' were set aside in some houses for those seek-

ing help or information. Gold labels adorned our free litera-

ture with the slogan JESUS 84 — God Loves To Save Us! There

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS ON THE MARCH

were Jesus People colours too: blue (for heaven), gold (for

God's glory), and white (for purity), with a red cross. We also

bought a coach, turned some of the seats round, added drop-

leaf tables, built in a kitchen, and hung curtains. 'Crusader'

was painted in blue, white and gold, and on the side, in yel-

low letters, was JESUS 84. Soon we added a smaller bus.

Crusader 2 gleamed, but the respray was deceptive — the

suspension had died years ago!

This was a campaign with maps and battle plans. Central

England was divided into nine areas from Stoke to Oxford.

Each had two evangelism leaders, and from spring on ('when

kings go out to war') we concentrated on a different area

each month, praying for it and joining evangelism forces there.

We targeted for two hundred new members. Many contacted

in 1983 now wanted baptism, and there were more converts

in 1984. Two hundred committed prayer-watchers helped to

fight the battle and they sent in reports to the weekly prayer-

letter:

- Prayed for Gill to get a council flat. She did.

- Expecting the Lord to change my boss!

- Prayed for Hannah's meningitis. 100% healing in two

weeks

- Since the prayer watch, my insomnia has been healed.

- Finding a new walk with God through this praying.

As Jesus 84 took off, we hit the press. The Northampton

Mercury and Herald featured our Lifenews paper. HOME-

SPUN MIRACLES! was their caption, and a photo showed

our headlines: GOD LOVES US ALL — HEROIN ADDICT

FINDS CURE IN JESUS.

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS ON THE MARCH

'God healed me of addiction,' wrote Jamie. 'Mind you, life

hasn't been a bed of roses since!'

RACISM IS ABOLISHED! was another caption, under which

Nathan and a white brother grinned contentedly at the gen-

eral public.

'Miracles, healing, supernatural experiences, and speak-

ing in tongues — its all part of daily life for the Jesus People

of Bugbrooke,' proclaimed the Mercury76.

People had been healed physically but also emotionally from

the pains of broken marriages, loneliness and rejection. 'Je-

sus comes with good news for the poor,' we sang, and other

songs began to pour out identifying with people's heartbreak

and their need for God's love. Guitars appeared in public again

and some of us led songs from the platform. Even Noel wrote

lyrics. When twenty songs appeared on the notice sheet it

was fun guessing who wrote which!

We launched into praise. Tambourines and banjos were ef-

fective for street singing and violins, trumpets, and record-

ers were also heard (in moderation).

'Shout! O shout! O shout for joy!' we sang. (And was that

Rufus back on the bongos?)

'Yes, we'll celebrate Jesus, we'll shout and cheer and sing!'

(What! The Jesus Fellowship cheering and shouting?) We loos-

ened up after years of deep, serious community, helped on by

songs from Mission Praise.

Other radical churches evangelised in earnest around this

time. Andrew Walker remarked, 'This first organised assault

by the "restored kingdom" upon the secular world was be-

gun only when leaders felt that the kingdom base was now

secured.'77

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