Fire-in-our-hearts (continued)

Fire-in-our-hearts (continued)

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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 secret. '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 magnificent 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,

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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 another 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 partitions. The river moved on to a waterfall where it cascaded down a cliff and was dashed on the rocks below. In the turbulence, 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 attempts 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!

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

The overturning of all the selfish thought pushed into us from

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birth. Truth? We are naturally false. We are naturally superior 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 current 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 practised 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 prepared 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 Lordship 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

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'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 ordained 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 fulfilment 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 simplicity, 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 fulfilment. All kinds of things are taken for granted that are dehumanising man. I hate it! We must say "enough is enough"! We pursue this old way no further.

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'Consider how Jesus lived for his Father's will. How completely 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 minority 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

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us starry-eyed. The Hall now had brothers living in the downstairs 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. During 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 twelvestring), 'trumpets and lyres' (or, to be more accurate, Paddy on the bottle-top shaker). We sat in groups, drank tea, consumed 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'.

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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, attractive 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-

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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. Amazing!

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 distant rumblings of the M1, and the wooded hills on the horizon.

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 accompanied John and Dave from the Hall to the newly acquired

Farm. On the sisters' side they were joined by Irene (a Norwegian), 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 arrivals 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,

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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 Transit. 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 flying. (Argyle Street was still working on 'the beauty of restfulness'!)

Soon Rufus and Jess with their two kids and the seven brothers 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.

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Noel wound up his business partnership and transferred the proceeds to the community. We leased a shop in Northampton and divided it into a jeans shop and a health food store. Together with the farm, these formed House Of Goodness Ltd., our first community business. Noel acted as farm manager, and was often seen in his battered cloth cap walking 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 looking 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

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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 community 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 towards unisex, which we saw as unbiblical and psychologically 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 reality 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 flowing 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.

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'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 adornment... Instead, it should be... the unfading beauty of a gentle 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 entered 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 community. 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 discipline. The question was always there too: would the next generation 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 relationships. Far from being 'under law', this was grace bringing together the beauties of Zion. Of course, there were conflicts and some tendency to overbalance. But we felt we were

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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 kingdom'. 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 disappeared altogether!

Expensive and gimmicky toys gave way to creative, constructional things. We realised the danger of being 'lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God' (2 Tim 3:4), and determined 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.

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'Do not be afraid, little flock,' Jesus had said, 'for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions... Provide for yourselves... treasure in heaven' (Luke

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 charismatic 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

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

Others found it dull and boring: 'What! No tellies! No alcohol! 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 timidity 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 determined 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!"'

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'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' disciples 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 Ashburnham 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 fellowship 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 generally.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'.

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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 another'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, practised 'holy obedience'.) The discipler gave the band 'disciplines'. '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 spontaneous '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 community houses and disciple bands brought something of the reality we knew at the Hall and the Farm.

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Living at the Farm had made an impact on Noel. He admired the reality of the relationships among the brothers and realised his own reserve. What did being 'members one of another' (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 brotherhood.

The theme song for Ashburnham '76 was Pete's: 'Now we are the body of Christ... If one member suffers, all suffer together, 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 meetings. 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 together. As hearts were entwined, all got closer to the Lord.

The second picture was an aerial view of a transparent people. Their hearts were small and their eyes lifeless. But as they worshipped they came alive, and upon their hearts ap-

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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 instruments. 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 massive 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.

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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 reality of community living. Indeed, we sensed that throughout the country God was gathering his sheep together. The frustration 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 awesome sense of destiny and we felt we were becoming a prophetic 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 adolescence was okay, we had needed it, but now was the time for charismatic manhood. 'We proclaim him,' wrote Paul, 'admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ' (Col 1:28). Discipling one another was to make us fit for battle. At Ashburn-

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ham, the Spirit confirmed this to us through prophetic wisdom: 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 prepare 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 people 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!

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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, summer 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 battleship.

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 lacking in the church. When Christians are worldly, his alternative is the mysticism of the east. When they refuse the miraculous, 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 mimicry of the truth to harm and shackle the witness of the radical 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 doctrine were critical of our practice.

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Evangelicals at Oxford were cautious of our influence amongst the students there and the mother of one girl involved 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, holding 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 evidence of brainwashing, the matter was dropped and she returned 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 nuclear family but some found it hard to integrate into the rather motley 'family' at the Hall. Brian and his family began to withdraw from the life of the house. We found this isolation difficult to accept and Ralph and others gently entreated him.

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

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Another brother had recently joined us. We took him rather quickly into leadership, despite his strong opinions. He enjoyed the charismatic worship but found our radical principles hard to stomach. When we encouraged him to be an example to the flock and open his large home to the brethren, he refused. He soon left and, unlike Brian, became very critical 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 followed 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 organised 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 parents 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 removed some of his clothing.

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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 accounts 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 Timothy 3:12.

Some Christians, too, thought us arrogant, purposely isolated in our 'Zion fortress' in the Northamptonshire countryside.

'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:

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We have overlooked Christ as the revolutionary teacher, the controversialist, the provocative preacher, the man who disregarded 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 prophetic 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 inspired 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 tradition and seeking to rediscover the fullness of New Testament 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 brotherhood. 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-

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tor, quite a few had felt a desire to live in community when they were baptised in the Spirit. Jesus had practised the common purse, and after Pentecost he had given the apostles clear directions to teach all nations 'to obey everything I have commanded 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 grappled 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

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of tangled undergrowth. The prophet cuts through. Sometimes 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 expanding, with cattle and new land. We now bought Shalom, a farmhouse over the hill from the Farm.

Many have patronised the Jerusalem community as an 'experiment', but amongst us we were seeing the outcome of what Jesus had promised: 'No-one who has left home or brothers 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

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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 brothers 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 regarded 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 community 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 dissenters, trouble-makers, and martyrs of the past. Since the decline 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

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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. 'Community 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 healing 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 common purse. There was talk of alternative lifestyles, but it was rare to find churches teaching and embracing community.

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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 radical. 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 without adding community to them. But we felt immeasurable richness 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. Generations after the apostles, Justin Martyr wrote: 'We who formerly 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

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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 living as a good soil for spirituality. But it was persecuted pioneers like the Anabaptists of the sixteenth century who really stood out for truth, especially for baptism, separation, brotherly love — and community.

The Hutterites were Anabaptists who lived simply and gathered 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 ownership. Our community lifestyle was built on personal sacrifice

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and leadership of the church could only be entrusted to those who had renounced all. Many, desiring freedom from personal ownership, put their homes in pledge to our Jesus Fellowship Community Trust. Heart purity, we felt, was easily marred by possessions.

Much of the fellowship now expected to move into community. 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 children, 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, ministry — 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 community. 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 possibility of a holiday school at New Creation Hall. It was difficult to tell who looked more horrified, the poor teachers, the hardworked 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-

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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 discovering the powerful realities of covenant brotherhood. Towards the end of the fortnight we stood up to pledge our loyalty 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, captured 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.

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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 Community'. 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 Leicester saw a church stunned and broken in heart.

13 My Friend, My Brother

Steve 'Faithful' sat in chapel one Sunday evening in February 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 nature 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 'Gentle' 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

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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 indication 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 humble 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 daylight 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.'

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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 unbelievable. 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. Possibly 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

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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 together. 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 oneness, as they realised afresh the preciousness of each individual; 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 divine!'

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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 experience 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 conversation.'

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 fragrant 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!'

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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 insensitivity 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' continued. '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 laughter that reverberated from the sisters end and down the elegant staircase told a different story! Those who were intense, 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.

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'Simon said he felt like thumping Kelly!' was Ian's rendering! 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 humble! 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 sisters 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 moving 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 spectacles. '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!'

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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 tremendous 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! Laughter, sharing, and closeness to creation — it was a great opportunity 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 spirits 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 selfsacrifice, 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 concern.

As for Steve, he seems always willing to go the lowest way, not as some high flyer desperately trying to get on. He has silently followed the Lord with no real thought of self and is gaining 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

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there is, deep within the heart, an altar. And daily to this altar is brought all self-interest, and there it is burned. Though hidden 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-congratulating 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 together. Ralph would be around Living Stones more often to see Clare. They would be going out for walks together and

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

We had kept a degree of segregation since first establishing 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 flirtation. We mixed together in company but avoided being left alone together. Romantic inclinations stirred under the surface, 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 relationships.

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-

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nuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because 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 temperamentally, 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-

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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 groundswell 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 community 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 experience, but now they were moving on.

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He reflected on the past. Ten years had passed since he'd been baptised in the Spirit. After leading his college Christian Union, he'd thrown himself into youth work, and considered 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 expensive climbing gear. Jesus had been pushed into second place

— but no longer. Mick tried to bring the community inspiration 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 meditations 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 atmosphere of love many came to spiritual birth amongst us.

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'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

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 assemblies' where we could stretch our wings and allow new ministries to emerge.

New Creation Hall and the Bugbrooke estate, the Farm, Shalom, Sheepfold, the Daventry houses, Festal Grange, Living 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. Central '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 encourage the family in 'Judea' and give them lots of pictures, prophecies, 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 invited 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 acceptance of worldliness that seemed to open the door to disaster. 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. Graham was one student who joined Harvest House. He first visited us in 1977 as a frustrated Christian, and was bowled over by the brotherhood at the farm. He helped on the strawcarting 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 eighteen 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 valleys. This was Zion. A noon sun blazed down, the atmosphere was peaceful and upon the hill were hundreds of sheep, quietly 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 Christians who long for holy brotherhood. They're tired of strad-

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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 delight,' 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 inevitable, but now we wanted to open our hearts.

Some Christians in other churches were enthusiastic but many were increasingly suspicious. Tensions at Warwick University 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 Jonestown massacre, it lumped us with Scientologists and the Children of God. Our mysterious sect shunned the outside world and lived the spartan life; Noel fancied himself as a latterday 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 disciple 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 flatters it,' wrote Noel. 'The rich strength of a gathered brotherhood it patronises with smiling indifference or attacks with false accusings. Western Christianity is an impure, materialistic, self-centered version of New Testament faith. It is Christianity 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 Christians 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

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that they could make it attractive to others. Those who insisted only on aggressive evangelism, wrote Noel, were often restless, dissatisfied, and rarely successful: To be effective 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 Festival. 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 contrasted 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-

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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 aeroplane — 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 Leicester 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 makers 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 spiritualists 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 supper. 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 healing 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

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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 seeking 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 moving 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 journey 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, Jesus,' 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 deliverance ministry or dramatic conversion. She just decided for God and stopped smoking and swearing. It was a new life —

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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.

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'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 radical path, but as we entered the eighties they were increasingly 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 waters. Enthusiasm had waned and pioneers had become settlers. '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

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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 became 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 seventies, 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 converted 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, covenant 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

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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 compassionate authority, and manifesting peace, holiness, and family fidelity... A community where loving correction and instruction produces maturity; where dedication to excellence produces 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, proclaimed 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

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Bugbrooke housing estate for Stockton House, with its trees and lawns. They were joined by Dave 'Resolute', one of several 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 'Insight', 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 evangelicals — 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:

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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 separated to him from the spirit of the world. They are to bear prophetic 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 family or any strict exclusivism. The regenerate, as may be possible, 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 family, was in fact a twenty-eight year old teacher with a PhD!

Within weeks the Baptist Times had grieved many of its readers 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

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dull uniformity where great experiments of this kind are feared...'59

Lewis visited us and prepared an article which later appeared 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 venture of faith...

First, it is a genuine effort to express the Gospel in practice...

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

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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 expansion, 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 Cornhill 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 marquee on Cornhill's lawn and indoors we held 'share groups'.

Six panels answered questions on areas such as administration 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 sausage 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

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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.

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. Everybody 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.

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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 Englishman.) 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 himself 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 person 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 admin 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.

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'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, audited 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 criticisms 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

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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 salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness 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 identity. 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 worldliness. 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 remains. 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

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attract the world to an alternate society and a counter-culture and a way of life that they are looking for.'62

Gilbert Kirby paid us a visit, too. He was then General Secretary 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 criticism, he reckoned, stemmed mainly from gossip and ignorance 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 isolationist. But he said there was also the 'danger' of 'having our way of life challenged, our horizons widened, and our understanding 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 increasingly public. Dave 'Resolute' was now editing our magazine, Newness, which explained our biblical basis and conveyed 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:

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Once our charismatic worship was misunderstood. Now it is our lifestyle and our emphasis on holiness. Many find this unusual, 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 misunderstand and oppose us,' said Noel at the end, 'but we believe 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 community acts as one.'

Unity was bad enough, but we also took the biblical command, 'Love not the world' too seriously. 'So there is no TV, radio or pop music. Nor are there the basic social pleasures

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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 identity'.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 fellow Christians.'67

Buzz set the tone amongst Christians. At the Greenbelt Festival our presence was unwelcome and we were regarded as independent, legalistic — even dangerous! Already the Greenbelt organisers had given a general warning against 'sheepstealers', and one leader, engaged in anti-cult work, distributed 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, Information, 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 Scripture as their authority... The Hutterites maintained a high standard of morality, [and] practised community of goods... The Bugbrooke Fellowship aims to emulate them. Their... fellowship is real and warm. Their adherence to traditional Christian values

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of selflessness and self-discipline is essentially beyond criticism.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 creates 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 ecstasy.69

It was a strange caricature! Noel (unbeknown to himself!) had been to the States, the hot-bed of cults. The plebs suffered 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 equilibrium' — 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.

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Together with a few disgruntled ex-members and irate parents, 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 committee had been duped. No one had visited or asked for information. So we spoke to the co-chairman, a college chaplain. He listened to us and when he saw how unbalanced and inaccurate the criticisms were, he apologised, regretted the cult link, and promised to withdraw the document. But the damage 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:

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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 making 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, referring to Psalm 110:2. 'They attack us with bitterness and slander, and refuse to forgive. They reject open-hearted communication. We go to them once, twice, more; but they reject our brotherly appeals. But we must rejoice and stand firm,

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knowing that in suffering we shall find meek and softened hearts. "No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper"' (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 opposition 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, 'forgotten 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. Indeed with 600 in residence and 70 leaders, we had established what was probably the largest Christian community in Europe. Our businesses were expanding and there was an advance in evangelism.

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But we felt the strain and were being worn down by persecution 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 covenant 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 outwards ready to go and welcome in the lost. But at the very centre was a dark cloud where the enemy had gained a foothold.

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 decay, 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.

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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 framework, 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 dullness 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 Bugbrooke "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

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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 somehow 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 hedgerows. 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 people 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

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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 forget him? A silence fell as they gazed into his face. He was angry, 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 together 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 everything away before it.

As the morning sun crept over the land they saw it was beautiful and fresh as once before.

17 Dambusters!

Entries in my journal for 1982.

Sat. 18 Jan. Things have changed. When God works, programmes 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 Scriptures. 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.

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Thank God for all this. We want his presence. But if he is to 'rend the heavens and come down' he must first bring conviction. 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 shallow 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 afternoons 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.

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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 ministry was on awakening. Revivals, we noted, were shortlived; they ran their course and died. Often it was from lack of commitment, 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 urgent and the word cut home, exposing our indifference, selfinterest 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 appeared. The elders' meeting was cancelled and we held a church meeting instead. Noel spoke of revival. Real desire

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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 moving 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 passing 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

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through the Goodness Foods window. However, a fresh vision for Northampton had arisen, an evangelism team was meeting 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 discussions about 'Bugbrooke'.

By April the work in Northampton and Rugby had received considerable impetus, although our expectations of local revival 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. Godconsciousness had been restored and prayer increased. Shepherding 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 visited people in their homes and welcomed them into these little 'servant groups', as we called them.

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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 Warwickshire, 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 enjoyed 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 evangelism. Lethargy was knocked on the head, and rusty disciple 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, industry, 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, continued deaf to this new call to action.

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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 standards of diligence and holiness.

When Kelly lunched at the Farm, he was at times sandwiched between an overburdened pastor and a discouraged brotherhood. 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 recognised 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 destroy us,' she later wrote. 'Our witness was vital and I prayed for our leaders to be men of strength and unity. I was burdened 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-

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thority' (Tit 2:15) and to 'help the weak and be patient with everyone' (1 Thess 5:14). The balance between prophetic ministry 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 graceallow-people-freedom-to-move leaders. When it came to it, I knew God would always honour loyalty and covenant.'

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At the elders' meeting Noel dealt with the critics, and applied 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 dangers, 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 hardness. 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 opposition and disloyalty, he had endured. He stood rocklike, visionary 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.

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We began to take persecution more in our stride. It was obviously going to be our lot so we might as well 'rejoice and be glad', and carry on pioneering.

There had been losses. One farm brother who split off became a vociferous opponent. Three or four junior leaders also left us. Even John 'Gentle' had gone off for a breather in Switzerland, though he later returned to us.

The battle had been fierce but God had often given us this word from Isaiah: 'Your builders outstrip your destroyers' (Is 49:17, RSV). Loyalty had won through. Characters were strengthened and roots went deeper. We were a humbler people. Stories of rapid church growth in the third world both shamed and inspired us. We listened to our critics more and opened up to new input.

There were others who shared our ideals. Simple lifestyle was a current theme in Christian circles, and community itself was still attracting interest. In fact, David Watson was about to write warmly in You Are My God of his own experience of community and the common purse.72

We had, of course, much in common with the 'new churches', and amongst the more radical groups, covenant commitment was being emphasised. In Restoration magazine David Matthew likened the radical church to Elijah, with his separated life, unusual appearance and prophetic unction from God. 'Just so, believers today are beginning to live together... in redeemed communities, partaking of a whole new kingdom culture...'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

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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.

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A tractor hurtled towards us and screeched to a halt. Pete 'Valiant' edged our minibus past it up the drive at New Creation Farm and waved at Steve 'Stalwart', who was straightening out the railings from a previous encounter! A few sheep turned their heads as Pete changed gear. Passing the gooseberry 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 muckheap towards the chicken huts. After visiting the egg-grading shed and the honey room, we walked through the orchard and then piled back into the minibus.

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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 Saturday morning or sometimes at the farm. The afternoon is normally relaxed and we often take visitors round the community. In the evening we either have full church meetings or house groups. On Sunday we have the main meeting of worship 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 fellowship. 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.)

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'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 library, 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 Centre.'

'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 plumber'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"!'

'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!'

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The lightning tour continued as we stepped into the warehouse.

'Here comes Mike "Rockfast"! He runs just about everything 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 supply 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 executives to manage Goodness Foods, Skaino and TBS more efficiently.'

'Do you pay them differently?' asked Henk.

'Oh no,' said Mike, 'We pay the same level of wage to everyone.'

'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 righteousness 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 percent increase! We visualised them, prayed for them and believed for them. We even sang about them! 'Two hundred servant 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 inner 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 Christian 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 Banbury, 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-yourself 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 atmosphere 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 converts 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.

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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 Birmingham' or 'faith for the skinheads.' With a breakdown of a hundred servant groups, twenty-eight households and four Sunday night meetings, there was scope.

However, the concept of the church 'household' as a distinct unit sharpened up. The church 'household' was a community 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, Northampton 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

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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 became increasingly dynamic.

With the fresh thrust in 'friendship evangelism', servant groups were breaking new ground. One group met in a caravan 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

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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 convert 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 interested 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 sometimes down to New Creation Farm. Noel read again of Booth and his Army. They knew the power of God! They were persecuted! 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 allout 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 Britain 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. Christianity 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 singing 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 friendshipevangelism and church building. We looked for those with an eagerness for discipleship and began to expect the supernatural 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, discreet 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 seeking help or information. Gold labels adorned our free literature 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 dropleaf tables, built in a kitchen, and hung curtains. 'Crusader' was painted in blue, white and gold, and on the side, in yellow 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 prayerletter: - 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 general public.

'Miracles, healing, supernatural experiences, and speaking 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. 'Jesus 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 effective for street singing and violins, trumpets, and recorders 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 loosened 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 begun only when leaders felt that the kingdom base was now secured.'77

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