Jesus Life 73 - The Jesus Army

esusLife#73 

INSIDE: 

MULTI 

RACIAL 

CHURCH 

Multiply 

International 

Leaders 

Conference 

Jesus on 

Trafalgar 

Square 

three/2006 

FREE 

United in Jesus 

A UK JESUS PEOPLE MAGAZINE from the Multiply Network and Jesus A UK Fellowship/modern JESUS PEOPLE MAGAZINE JESUS army from (mJa) the Multiply Network and Jesus Fellowship/modern JESUS army (mJa)

12-13 

CHANGED LIFE 

14-16 

TALKING TO: Matthew Guest 

5-7 THE PROPHETIC WORD 

Cross Culture 

29 RADICAL BITES 

A Jesus Army challenge 

THE JESUS FELLOWSHIP CHURCH, which is also known 

as the Jesus Army and includes the New Creation Christian 

Community, upholds the historic Christian faith, being 

reformed, evangelical and charismatic. 

It practises believer’s baptism and the New Testament 

reality of Christ’s Church; believing in Almighty God: Father, 

Son and Holy Spirit; in the full divinity, atoning death and 

bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ; in the Bible as 

God’s word, fully inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

This Church desires to witness to the Lordship 

of Jesus Christ over and in His Church; and, by holy 

character, righteous society and evangelical testimony to 

declare that Jesus Christ, Son of God, the only Saviour, 

is the way, the truth and the life, and through Him alone 

can we find and enter the kingdom of God. 

This church proclaims free grace, justification by faith 

in Christ and the sealing and sanctifying baptism in the 

Holy Spirit. 

3-4 Church Alive 

8 Life on the Outside 

9-11 mJa Tribes: London 

17-21 Multiply Network 

22-23 Spiritual Search 

24 Electronic Postbag 

25 Jesus on Trafalgar Square 

26-27 Jesus Centres 

30-31 Rant & Rave 

© 2006 Jesus Fellowship Church, Nether Heyford, 

Northampton NN7 3LB, UK. Editor James Stacey. 

Reproduction in any form requires written permission. 

The Jesus Fellowship does not necessarily agree with all 

the views expressed in articles and interviews printed in 

this magazine. Photographs in this magazine are copyright 

Jesus Fellowship Church unless otherwise noted. The 

Jesus Fellowship is part of Multiply Christian Network. 

Both the Jesus Fellowship and Multiply Christian Network 

are members of the Evangelical Alliance UK.

Comments from Noel Stanton and 

members of the Apostolic Team, 

Jesus Fellowship UK/mJa 

ALIVE 

church ALIVE 

united in Jesus 

JESUS breaks racial barriers. We 

must show in the local church 

fellowship that Jesus unites us 

and that people from all nations 

and races are “all one in Christ 

Jesus”. The new commandment 

of Jesus is that we love one another 

and so convince the world 

that we are His disciples. 

Jesus Fellowship is a multiracial 

church and we are thrilled 

that many non-white African, 

Asian and Caribbean people have 

joined us. Then there are those 

from the nations added to the European 

Union in recent years. We 

have great people from Slovakia, 

Poland and Latvia as well as from 

other member-nations of the EU. 

Our hearts must be open with 

love for people of all nations. 

Some of them arrive in the UK 

in very real need. We must invite 

them to sit with us at the table of 

Jesus brotherhood. The colour of 

our skins or the accent of our lips 

Noel Stanton 

is not important. It is the heart 

that matters. 

Multi-racial does not mean 

multi-cultural. The New Testament 

is clear in saying that we 

are of the new creation and our 

old selves and old cultures “pass 

away”. The Holy Spirit removes 

the cultural and social divisions. 

“Christ is all and in all”. There 

is “one new man”. We are all 

joined together in the kingdom 

of God culture. 

It is a great joy to bring the 

radical blessing of a charismatic, 

covenant community church like 

Jesus Fellowship to people from 

a variety of ethnic backgrounds 

and see them moving among 

us with confidence, knowing 

they are fully accepted. Many 

of them have been rejected 

over the years, and we see them 

getting healed and taking their 

place. Some of them will become 

important leaders. 

Mick Haines 

cross centred 

AS A CHURCH we’ve deliberately made 

it part of our culture to wear crosses as 

we identify with Jesus. However, we must 

understand that it’s the application of the 

Cross to our lives that counts. There’s little 

point in wearing a cross if the cross is not 

central to your life. 

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the 

ground and dies, it remains alone; but if 

it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12: 

24). This is the call of Jesus and the secret 

of fruitfulness. But many have surrounded 

themselves with a protective layer – they 

don’t want to die to their self-life. But there 

must be a dying before there is true life. 

Romans 6:5 starts with a very important 

if: “If we have been united with Him in His 

death, we will certainly also be united with 

Him in his resurrection”. The if is important: 

have you been united with His death? 

If not, you will not find the reality of resurrection 

life. 

Many have found fresh anointing from 

the Holy Spirit – but if underneath there 

is just lots of untouched self-life, the Holy 

Spirit will not be comfortable. He brings us 

to the Cross where we die. It is only then 

that we will have resurrection life. 

We’re called to have a martyr spirit for the 

sake of the cause of Jesus. Are you willing to 

die for the Church? 

Don’t be someone who just comes to the 

Church and enjoys the sacrifices that others 

have made. Let go of self-life and put the 

cause first. 

In the back of my Bible I have written 

“Mick Haines is dead” – can you say that 

about your name? It’s the way to truly live 

– in resurrection with Jesus. 

Give up to go up. To win, first lose.

Ian Callard 

I’VE BEEN struggling 

with intimacy. 

I can just about 

cope with being 

exposed, if there’s 

no get-out. Like 

when I made my 

foot bleed removing 

some dead skin. 

The evidence trailed 

from the bathroom 

to the bedroom. 

Then it started again 

my intimacy hang-up 

at the newsagent’s, 

and I dreaded the assistant’s 

alarm at my 

soggy sandal. 

No, it’s the whole 

volunteering for 

exposure thing that 

unnerves me. Why 

mention it? Because 

in a few months 

time, I, together with 

two other families 

and a bunch of singles, 

will move into 

a new community 

house. And we don’t 

know each other yet. 

Covenant relationships 

are scary. Sarah 

was skewered by 

the Lord when she 

laughed at the prospect 

of pregnancy. 

Jacob was wrestled 

to submission, and 

forced to admit his 

“wangler” identity, 

before God could 

affirm him. Moses 

extracted the most 

private of names 

from God, Yahweh. 

Then promptly 

back-tracked 

when the personal 

implications of the 

revelation became 

apparent. 

Once in our covenant 

community 

house, where will we 

hide when the stakes 

are raised, and full 

honest self-disclosure 

is the price we 

can’t avoid? 

Obviously there 

are good sides to 

close relationships. 

My Motorists’ Guide 

says friendship (and 

fruit and veg) offers 

the best prevention 

for road rage. Research 

predicts our 

chances of having a 

coronary are much 

reduced by belonging 

to a small fellowship 

group. The New 

Testament calls me 

to walk in the light. 

And yet fears find 

no easy peace. Will 

I be laughed at, 

misunderstood or 

disapproved of? Or 

abandoned, having 

shared my need? Or 

repeatedly reminded 

of what I long to turn 

from? Will I still have 

a valued place, or be 

rejected? 

Who underestimates 

the pain of 

building relationships? 

I’m battling with 

my intimacy, my 

“into-me-see”, hangup. 

I hope you’re 

fighting yours. 

gifts for healing 

FOR SOME months we’ve been 

emphasising healing for spirit, 

soul and body, found in Jesus. 

Healing is four dimensional: 

healing for the spirit through 

regeneration; healing for the soul 

(inner healing); healing for the 

body; and deliverance healing to 

remove evil spirits. 

There will ever be a mystery in 

healing – some are healed and 

some are not – and we must accept 

the importance of medical 

advice, diagnosis and treatment. 

All of us, unless Jesus returns first, 

will eventually die (death is the 

“last enemy” to be destroyed). 

But let’s be true to God’s 

revealed truth. Jesus has taken 

our sicknesses. He is the healer 

and He is with us, gifting us to 

remove the demonic, to bring 

recovery to the sick. We need to 

be brave and confident in the 

use of these gifts. 

If you are sick, diseased or 

in pain as you read this, call on 

Jesus to heal you 

and make it quite 

clear to demons 

that you resist their 

attempts to keep 

you unwell. 

Noel Stanton 

FINAL MIX 

IT’S BEEN a busy and 

blessed four months. 

The last four months 

of 2006 will be just as 

eventful (see National 

Events p.28). And the 

London Jesus Centre is 

due to open in Spring. 

Thank you, our readers 

and friends, who support 

us with your love, 

prayers and gifts. JL 

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THE PROPHETIC 

WORD 

CROSS 

Our churches must 

be multi-racial in 

order to express 

true kingdom of God 

culture, argues Jesus 

Fellowship apostolic 

leader, Steve Calam. 

WE ARE in our oaken cathedral – the open air 

at Hyde Park. As we dance and sing “come 

and see Jesus brotherhood”, people are 

drawn to us there. There’s an Iranian couple; some of 

our Iranians get talking to them. Some South Africans 

come to have a look; there are Columbians, Italians, 

Brazilians... all attracted to what we’re doing, joining in, 

receiving prayer. It’s very, very exciting. 

In such moments I see the future of the Church: people 

of different nations and races joined in a demonstration 

of Jesus that draws people from every race and culture. 

Sixteen years ago, I moved from rural Warwickshire to 

Continued overleaf 

s 

s

CROSS 

CULTURE 

s 

s 

Continued from overleaf 

London to lead the church here. Back then the church 

in Warwickshire was fairly mono-racial, but I knew 

that the church in London must be made up of many 

nationalities, because that reflects what London is. And 

more than that: it reflects what I believe church is. So I 

spoke into it, people caught the vision and it began to 

happen. People began to turn up who were not white 

English. 

Now we have about 40 nations represented and I 

couldn’t imagine being in a church that isn’t made up 

of different nations. 

DEATH AND RESURRECTION 

It all starts with meeting at the Cross. Look at Galatians 

3, from verse 26: “You are all sons of God through faith 

in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into 

Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” 

Wherever we’re from, our foundation is faith in Jesus 

Christ. If we “clothe ourselves with Christ” that will involve 

getting rid of our old cultural “clothing” – whether 

English or African or Polish – or whatever. “There is neither 

Jew nor Greek... for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” 

Baptism means we’ve died to old things. 

But it doesn’t end there: there is resurrection. “We 

were all baptised by one Spirit into one Body— whether 

Jews or Greeks, slave or free— and we were all given the 

one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). We’re literally 

“plunged” into the Body. Paul goes on to write about 

every member having a contribution; I believe we can 

extend this to every cultural distinction having a contribution 

and enriching the Body. After baptism, your 

old cultural identity is no longer dominant, no longer 

defines you – yet you bring who you are, including your 

race and culture, into the Body and enrich it. 

“Drinking of the one Spirit”, worshipping Christ and 

sharing in His life and power, maintains this oneness. If 

we stop “drinking” we inevitably begin focusing on the 

old distinctions again and trying to administer unity. 

“We’ll have this kind of group”; “we’ll wear these kinds 

of clothes”. It becomes a contrived thing rather than a 

spiritual thing – and it doesn’t work. 

Racial mix: relaxing brotherhood in Hyde Park, London 

PROPHETIC LEADERSHIP 

This is one reason why it is so vital that the Church is 

prophetically led. Prophetic leadership will cut across 

everybody’s preferences. We no longer do “our kind of 

church,” singing “our kind of songs”. Prophetic leadership, 

by its very nature, doesn’t pander to personal 

preferences: we’re all uncomfortable together! 

Of course, this means that it is vital that such leadership 

is open to challenge, journeying with honesty, integrity 

and a willingness to learn. Otherwise the dominant 

culture may merely be that of the “prophetic” leadership. 

I’ve learned many lessons over the years. I remember 

years ago in Warwickshire, we had a young West Indian 

woman in the church. She came up to me in a skimpy 

dress: bright red and consisting of a few inches of material. 

“What do you think?” she asked me. I was horrified. 

(This was totally outside our dress code.) I said, “It’s awful.” 

Hurt was written all over her face. I now realise she saw 

me as a father figure and how important it was for her to 

be affirmed. I should have said, “You 

look really beautiful” (and explained a 

little later on that it may not be a particularly 

helpful outfit...) 

“You’ve got to take it off – at once”, I 

said. So she did. Right there and then. 

Leaving her... less modest still. 

I was being completely insensitive to 

where she was coming from. 

NITTY-GRITTY 

Of course, the nitty-gritty of working 

out multi-racial church involves many 

such encounters. We could be glib and 

just say, “Be filled with the Spirit”. This 

is the starting point, but it has to be followed with a lot of 

love and learning about each other. 

“Do to others as you would have them do to you” is the 

key. It is not so much a matter of rights and wrongs as 

living out love. 

There’ll be some unexpected culture clashes. It’s easy 

It can be easy 

to slip into 

tokenism - 

putting chilli 

sauce on the 

table with 

the Yorkshire 

pudding and 

saying “We’re 

going African 

tonight”! 

Cake in community 

to be in “sensitive mode” with someone from far away 

– the latest Inuit to turn up or whatever – but there can be 

huge communication problems with those we consider 

culturally “closer” to ourselves. I’ve had some incredible 

rows with one brother who comes from across a narrow 

strip of sea in Holland. Language falls apart sometimes 

– because we haven’t been sensitive and listened for 

what the other was really saying. 

It’s important that this is genuine and that it flows 

out of our love for each other. It can be easy to slip into 

tokenism (putting chilli sauce on the table with the Yorkshire 

pudding and saying “We’re going African tonight”!) 

Our music style changed dramatically the moment an 

African brother arrived: yet we were enriched by his contribution, 

not making token gestures to try and make him 

“feel at home”. 

POVERTY OF SPIRIT 

Our multi-ethnic increase in London may have more 

to do with economics than culture. Most white Brits in 

London are taken up with the UK’s dominant religion 

– materialism. Eastern Europeans, Africans and others 

who come to the UK poor (and poor in spirit) tend to be 

the ones who respond. Being a multi-racial church flows 

out of being a church of the poor. We need to reach such 

people with the gospel before they are converted to British 

consumerism. 

We should learn from the sad story of white Christian 

relationships with black Afro-Caribbean churches in the 

UK. Initially, such black churches were largely rejected by 

the white mainstream. Now many are growing far faster 

than white churches, yet they’re usually mono-ethnic. An 

opportunity for a demonstration of oneness in Christ was 

squandered. 

Now churches are starting to form relationships across 

the racial divide – with the Multiply Network this is 

happening. This is excellent, but still not so powerful a 

demonstration as single churches containing a thoroughgoing 

racial mix. 

Then there is the miracle of Christian community. It’s 

one thing to do church; it’s another thing to live with one 

another. One of our African brothers was asked by fellow 

Africans, “How do you live with white people?” 

Yet he does. We live in community together. Our 

shared life is full of joy and fun, even regarding cultural 

issues: we don’t tiptoe around them, we enjoy the differences 

and have a laugh about the crazy things we all do 

and say. (I think I’m being so spiritual, but I’m just being 

so English sometimes. That’s when it’s healing to be 

laughed at.) 

Churches must demonstrate to the nations that Christians 

have broken down the barriers. This is part of our 

being a light to the nations – and healing to the nations. 

JL

life 

life 

ON THE INSIDE 

OUTSIDE 

“ 

How do you keep clean 

when you’re out? 

Joe Morriss writes about Open Doors, 

a group for ex-prisoners. 

Open Doors 

PRISON IS a hard place. I spent 

18 months of a three-year 

sentence inside for a robbery 

which I pulled off to get money 

for drugs. I had been injecting 

amphetamines over several 

years and was suffering from a 

psychotic illness. 

During my time inside, I 

kicked the drugs and even 

gave up smoking. I had made a 

change and become a Christian. 

Although I was on a drug-free 

wing and had support from 

a key-worker, I faced a lot of 

opposition from other inmates 

who were using. The general 

feeling was ‘if you’re not with 

us, then you’re against us’. I was 

subjected to a lot of threats and 

verbal abuse. I was crying out 

for love and I wanted to find 

fulfilment. But you had to have 

a front. 

Open Doors is a chance to 

connect with the real person 

behind the ex-convict front. 

The group started in 2003. At 

first two or three of us met in 

a different house every other 

week. I wanted to develop a 

group that could go to prisons 

and evangelise. We applied to 

local chapels in prisons but 

were seen as a security risk 

because of our criminal records. 

We could go with visiting orders 

but that was it. At this time morale 

in the group was very low. 

Now there are four of us 

meeting every other Friday 

night at the Northampton Jesus 

Centre. It is a time of relaxed 

sharing and we encourage one 

another. We often have focus 

sessions - the last one was on 

women of faith who were imprisoned 

for believing in Jesus. 

We had two new guys come, 

which was great! 

Our current focus is to act as 

a bridge for people who have 

come out of prison and got 

involved in the church. Open 

Doors is a good arena to thrash 

out issues, for example, those 

who struggle with authority and 

therefore church leadership and 

so on. One of the regulars has 

said that Open Doors has kept 

him strong as a Christian. 

Andy came to the group after 

“Open Doors 

is a chance 

to connect 

with the 

real person 

behind the 

ex-convict 

front” 

” 

• For information on the Jesus 

Fellowship’s Prison Release 

Programme, write to: Phil Ferris, 

Jesus Fellowship Central Offices, 

Nether Heyford, Northants 

NN7 3LB tel: 01327 344533 

or e-mail: info@jesus.org.uk 

moving into Christian community 

on the Prisoner Release 

Scheme straight from a nineyear 

prison sentence for arson. 

He has been through various 

struggles since, but he came to 

us and shared his heart. He’s 

learnt to be honest with himself 

and is doing well. 

In 2005 I won a Community 

Champions Award for Open 

Doors. The Northampton Community 

Foundation, a government-funded 

charity, awarded 

several local charitable groups. 

I got a certificate, £1,000 for 

the group and I was in the 

Northampton Chronicle and 

Echo. I won in the category of 

innovation: there was no group 

in Northamptonshire that was 

doing what we did. 

We accept anyone who wants 

to sort themselves out. A few 

people have come who were 

met through evangelism as well 

as a newly baptised chap. We 

even had a Christian policewoman 

come! 

We want people to become 

stable and have changed lives. 

And our vision is still to go into 

prisons; pray for that! 

JL 

Joe Morriss is a leader from 

Jesus Fellowship Northampton

TRIBES 

FOCUS ON: London 

Faith-flavoured church 

embarks on new adventures 

The modern 

Jesus army 

in London 

is a vibrant 

and varied 

multiracial 

church. Jesus 

Life editor, 

James 

Stacey, talked 

to some of its 

leaders. 

ASKED what he would say 

was an important part of the 

London mJa character, one 

member laughed, “Food!” He 

followed it with a more serious 

point: “The food we eat does 

reflect who we are. It’s very 

multi-national. It’s not deliberate; 

it’s people being who they 

are, doing what they do. Stick 

a Korean in a kitchen with 

some fish and flour and peas 

and they’ll make something 

Korean!” 

There are more than 40 

nationalities represented in 

London’s mJa congregation. 

The result is a colourful, lively, 

imaginative church. Each new 

national ingredient has added 

to the flavour with its branches 

in Croydon, Acton and Westminster. 

Last year, the congregation 

embarked upon a significant 

new adventure of faith: the mJa 

bought a big former convent 

near Oxford Circus in Central 

London, planning to use the 

building as both a Christian 

community house and a Jesus 

Centre. A year on, the “Battlecentre” 

house family are used 

to their unusual dwelling and 

the plans for the Jesus Centre 

are nearly at launching point. 

One leader commented: “The 

countdown clock has seriously 

started”. The Jesus Centre, 

which will include a drop-in, 

tea room, and skills suite, is due 

to open next spring. 

Residential Christian community 

has long been central 

to the Jesus Fellowship’s vision. 

The first Jesus Centre pilot 

scheme began in Northampton 

in 2001. But the combination 

of Jesus Centre and Christian 

community in a single venue is 

a new kind of venture. 

Rob Bentley, London Jesus 

Centre Project Manager, is enthusiastic: 

“The shared life will 

be obvious,” he says. “Christian 

community will be on display 

like never before.” 

s 

s

THE FIRE IS 

SPREADING 

Chris Dekker, from 

the Netherlands, now 

a leader at ‘Spreading 

Flame’ mJa in Acton, 

West London, reports: 

Chris Dekker 

“SPREADING FLAME”, the Jesus Fellowship 

community house in Acton was 

established a fairly long time ago, but we 

experienced a restart when our other house 

“Battlecentre” moved from down the road 

to Central London. It took time to find 

our feet and work out the new pattern of 

relationships. 

Our evangelism is proving very fruitful; 

in particular, we’ve met many young men. 

They in turn have been finding Jesus and 

the family of God, along with restoration, 

forgiveness, love, friendship – and a cause 

to live for. It’s been like dominoes as one 

after another is baptised, joining the brotherhood. 

Some of them are Eastern Europeans: 

a good opportunity for some of us to use 

our Russian or Polish. Learning to communicate 

in different languages is loads 

of fun and immigrants really value being 

welcomed and made to feel at home. 

Last year we met and baptised a lot of 

young Koreans. Although most of them 

have gone back to Korea now, we are still 

in touch and they are sending friends to us 

for training in Christian discipleship. 

We have a good team from many cultures 

and backgrounds; a real ‘new creation’ 

family! 

Spreading Flame brotherhood 

Australian, 

Tim Skene, 

made his home 

in London 

with the Jesus 

Fellowship. 

He now leads 

‘Broken Bread’, 

the mJa church 

in Croydon, 

South London. 

He reports 

for Jesus Life 

on the goings 

on in South 

London. 

The buzz that 

animates 

London’s mJa, 

is faith writes 

apostolic 

leader, Steve 

Calam. 

We want more. We’re 

seeing ‘our kind of Steve Calam 

thing’ happening, 

which is good, but we want more. It’s a 

matter of growing our faith; not being 

complacent, not accepting where we 

are lightly but challenging ourselves: are 

we seeing the results of faith, the fruit of 

faith? 

There was a Chinese Christian who 

visited the churches in America and was 

reported to have said, ‘You can do church 

without God’. 

I don’t want that to be us. So we’re attacking 

our unbelief, dealing with it. Hearing 

from God and taking hold of what He 

has said. Once you’ve received that living 

word from God, you’ve really got something 

to go on. That’s when faith kicks in. 

And that’s where we’ve got to be. 

HEALING IN THE 

BROTHERHOOD 

Tim Skene 

MJA CROYDON is a small gathering of 

people from different cultures, races 

and ages. We’re discovering what it 

is to work together. Our mission is to 

gather together more people from this 

very multiracial area to establish a 

group of people who demonstrate the 

love of God’s kingdom – right here in 

the heart of Croydon. 

Statistically, Croydon has more 

young people than any other London 

Borough. Many of them come from 

broken backgrounds and don’t have 

‘the word is faith’ 

Faith in action: prayer for healing 

fathers; we want them to get to know 

the heavenly Father and experience 

His love through us. 

One of our more recently baptised 

Nigerian brothers said, “Fellowship in 

the brotherhood has given me healing 

that I have not found anywhere else 

before.” 

We’ve been working in Croydon 

now for nearly three years and appreciated 

the support of the larger mJa 

tribe we were birthed from, in West 

and Central London.

DID YOU KNOW?.. 

• Just under 10% of the total population 

of the UK were born overseas. 

• Between 2001 and 2004, almost 

two thirds of the increase in population 

in England and the UK was due to net 

immigration. 

• There have been 25 member states 

in the European Union since May 

2004. Slovakia is one of the ten newest 

member states. These new states have a 

combined population of over 70 million 

people. 

• Mortality and unemployment rates are 

higher in the new member states then in 

established EU member states. 

• In Slovakia, more than 9 out of every 

1,000 babies born will die before they 

are 1 year old. 

Source: National Statistics 

different faces 

different races 

one church 

God is doing 

something remarkable 

in the Pitsmoor area 

of Sheffield. Scores of 

Slovakian Romanies 

have been finding 

faith in Jesus. Many 

have joined Jesus 

Fellowship Sheffield. 

One of them, Cyril 

Dunka, tells his story. 

s Above left: Cyril has found vision; 

Above right: Romany Christians in 

Sheffield 

IT IS July 2005 and Cyril has just fallen down 

some stairs in his home in Zehra in Slovakia 

and broken his ribs during a fit. 

“I was ill with secondary epilepsy and I 

lived in fear of what might happen to me” 

remembers Cyril. “My wife got the idea of me 

going to visit England. I was afraid and said 

to her ‘If I go England I will die.’ She tells me, 

‘Cyril, I feel that it will be good there for you 

and that you will be made well and that you 

will get work.’ I listened to her and left for 

England.” 

He arrived on the 25th August with only 

enough money for three weeks’ food. He 

stayed with some fellow-Romanies, Janu and 

Lida, and was immensely grateful to them 

– but he still wasn’t sure what to make of 

their talk of Jesus and a Jesus Army leader, 

Andrzej, who had helped them so much. 

“I wasn’t sure whether to believe them or 

not,” admits Cyril. Yet his curiosity was stirred 

and he couldn’t escape the feeling that there 

was something in what his friends were telling 

him. “I kept feeling something continually 

drawing me to the Welcome Centre in the 

church building in Sheffield where I knew the 

Jesus Army met. For two days I walked around 

the building but it was locked. On the third 

day it was open at about 7:45 pm. I went in 

and saw an English Vicar. ‘Are you Andrzej?’ I 

asked him. ‘No’, he said, ‘Andrzej will arrive in 

ten minutes.’ I waited.” 

He met Andrzej and stayed for the Jesus 

Army meeting though he found it very 

strange and different to his experience of 

Catholic church back in Slovakia. 

“I thought I was at a disco!” is how he puts 

it. Yet Cyril was going to experience God’s 

power in a way that was far more real than he 

had expected in his wildest dreams. 

“Towards the end of the meeting Andrzej 

asked who wanted to receive prayer for 

healing. I immediately believed and answered 

‘I do.’ He asked me what was wrong 

with me and I said that I have a headache. I 

didn’t say that I was suffering with epilepsy 

and broken ribs.” 

Andrzej prayed for Cyril, putting his hands 

on his head and asking Jesus to heal him by 

the power of His Spirit. 

Cyril describes the result of that prayer: “I 

no longer had the headache – or the rib pain! 

I stopped taking my tablets. A week later I’d 

had no fits. Before this, despite medication, 

I was having two fits every week for many 

years. I have not had any fits now since 

Andrzej prayed for me. I was immediately 

healed; Jesus healed me.” 

Naturally, Cyril was very excited about going 

to the next meeting. He got to know more 

people and grew much closer to Andrzej. 

On the 1st October 2005 he was baptised. 

He describes the experience with simple 

eloquence. “At my baptism I spoke in new 

tongues. The Holy Spirit rested on me. I 

prayed to God, I sang out my praise to Him –I 

was happy. Before leaving for England I had 

said that I would die here and I did die – to 

my old sinful life, in baptism!” 

What is happening now in Cyril’s life? As 

he puts it: “Very much... 

“I now appreciate and know Jesus Christ 

more than before. He has truly changed me 

and indeed he has changed my whole life. I 

have a lot of joy. Jesus says ‘Do not accumulate 

treasures on earth where thieves break 

in and can steal but rather store up treasure 

in heaven where rust and moth cannot 

destroy.’ This real treasure I am storing up 

in my heart is Jesus and His love which I 

can share with others. I want to serve Jesus. 

I have given Him my life. He loves me and I 

love Him.” 

Cyril recently travelled to Slovakia together 

with Andzej, Janu and Jesus Fellowship 

apostolic leader, Ian Callard, to visit the 

growing work of God among the Romany 

population there. 

“It was like living the New Testament,” recalls 

Ian, “with healings and people receiving 

the Spirit with joy. There are some very poor 

families – seven people in a one-roomed timber 

house, living on £100 per month. There 

are very few jobs. Our Romanies in Sheffield 

had sent a collection to buy groceries. 

“At Cyril’s village, Zehra, we led several 

members of his family to the Lord. Then, in 

other homes, we saw more people finding 

faith, being healed and receiving the Spirit. 

There are possibly 20 people ready for baptism, 

and we’ve committed them to the care 

of four brothers with trustworthy hearts and 

a desire to serve.” 

A new church, “Church of the Red Cross,” 

has been started in Zehra. Cyril enthuses, 

“This is not a joy just for us but for the holy 

angels in heaven and for Jesus Himself!” 

Back in Sheffield, the Spirit’s movement 

among the Romanies continues to gather 

momentum. About 80 Slovakian Romanies 

have been baptised over the last year. Jesus 

Fellowship Sheffield is now about 50/50 

British/Romany (with the balance just tipped 

in favour of the Romany contingent). 

The congregation is rising to the challenge 

of embracing one another across the divides 

of language and culture. Cyril explains the 

key to this: “Don’t you know that brotherhood 

is more than friendship; that it is God’s 

spiritual family – that we are God’s family? 

“Our church is growing by the power of Jesus. 

We love Jesus but He loves us more than 

we love Him; He gave us His life, He poured 

out His blood for us. 

“I want us all – Romanies and English 

brothers and sisters – to be together and 

worship together because there is strength 

in unity. That is what the Lord Himself wants 

and where the Holy Spirit leads us.” JL 

“Don’t you 

know that 

brotherhood 

is more than 

friendship; 

that it is God’s 

spiritual family 

– that we are 

God’s family?”

Talking to: Matthew Guest 

Huw Lewis 

Matthew Guest (second from right) with three visitors to the ‘Caring Hands’ day centre 

Matthew Guest is the 

senior pastor of Kings 

Church, Medway. Early life 

in a family considered ‘at 

risk’, followed by a wild 

teenage period gave him 

the ability to empathise 

with the disadvantaged 

people in Medway. 

He has pioneered the 

‘Caring Hands’ project, 

community living and 

many other initiatives 

that have made Kings a 

thriving multiracial church. 

He is married to Mara 

and they have three 

children. 

In this interview he talks 

to Huw Lewis, a member 

of the Apostolic Team of 

the Jesus Fellowship. 

HUW: How did you first find 

Jesus? 

MATTHEW: I grew up in what 

I would call a semi-Christian 

home in Gravesend (Kent). It 

was my mum’s second marriage, 

and there were eight 

children and a lodger. There 

were eleven of us living in the 

house and a few dogs and cats 

as well! My dad was in and out 

of prison and we were on the 

Social Services ‘at risk’ register. 

That sounds a very difficult 

start! 

Yes. Very sadly, my mum had 

gone through a rape ordeal and 

I was the result of the rape. My 

real father committed suicide 

after he had written a full confession 

- he had raped his own 

two children as well. As a result, 

my mum was in a very poor 

state – mentally, emotionally 

and physically. She then met 

my step-father. 

Our social worker was a 

I’d been 

expelled 

from school 

twice and 

couldn’t 

read or 

write. My 

wife taught 

me to read 

later by 

reading the 

Bible 

member of a Baptist church 

and she invited my mother and 

father to go to church. At first 

mum said no, but when she 

found it was opposite the local 

police station, she changed her 

mind. She hated the police and 

wanted to feel good walking out 

of a church saying ‘I’m a good 

person; I’ve been in a church!’ 

On one occasion, the visiting 

minister was a man called 

Trevor Dearing. My mum was 

profoundly deaf and didn’t 

hear a thing the whole way 

through, but when there was 

a call for prayer many people 

went forward and a number 

were falling over in the Spirit. 

My mum said to my dad, ‘He’s 

pushing them over.’ My dad 

said, ‘No, he’s got a little zapper 

in his hand’. Eventually, for a 

£5 bet, mum went forward to 

find out! When she was prayed 

for she went over in the Spirit. 

On returning to her seat, my 

dad was jeering and laughing. 

But she said, ‘No Dave, there’s 

something in this.’ 

What happened then? 

At the end of the service, the 

last song they’d sung was ‘You 

ask me how I know He lives, 

He lives within my heart’. As 

Trevor sung those words, he 

looked at my mother and she 

could lip read him. The only 

thing she actually understood 

from the whole meeting was 

the line ‘You ask me how I 

know He lives’, and she said at 

that minute she received the 

gospel. Mum suddenly realised 

that Jesus was actually alive 

and He loved her. 

So they both became Christians 

- but it took a while. Dad 

was on the run from the police 

and in a lot of trouble. We had 

many challenges. In my teens, I 

rebelled against Christian things 

for about four years. But when I 

was 18 I just found a fear of God 

- a reverent fear that I’d shut 

this awesome, wonderful God 

out of my life. So I made the 

decision to go to church again 

and it took me six months to get 

there. But eventually I came to 

the Kings Church at the beginning 

of 1991 and made an adult 

comitment. 

How did you get on with the 

church? 

I’d fallen in love with Jesus, 

which was the most important 

thing. He was my hero. I found 

it difficult because I’d been 

expelled from school twice and 

couldn’t read or write. My wife 

taught me to read later by reading 

the Bible. 

A lot of the young people 

here at that time were going off 

to university and came from 

pretty good homes. And there 

was me with tattoos, five earrings, 

still smoking, but loving 

the Lord radically! I wanted 

people to know Him, 

and I wanted to see His 

Church be freed from 

the world’s negative 

image. When I was 

at school you could 

spot a Christian at 200 

yards – they were very 

straight-laced, probably 

mummy’s boys. 

I struggled with that 

image as I wanted the 

world to see a radical 

church that was on fire 

and attracted people to 

a radical Jesus. 

How did your connection with 

the Jesus Fellowship happen? 

The connection happened 

through a Jesus Fellowship 

leader, Len Kroon, who had 

been part of Kings Church. A 

group of us came to a Jesus Fellowship 

Winning Weekend, and 

I suddenly realised that there 

were other radical Christians 

around! I loved everything I saw 

–intimacy, covenant relationships, 

dying to the self life and 

paying any price. But also, the 

flesh life got uncovered and it 

was painful. 

As time went on I got married 

It’s a living 

testimony 

- a miracle 

- to walk in 

a church 

and it’s half 

black, half 

white and a 

total mix 

A Kings Church baptism 

KINGS CHURCH 

MEDWAY 

• About 300 members 

• Part of the Multiply Network 

for 12 years 

• Half the membership is from 

ethnic minorities 

• Opened ‘Caring Hands’, a day 

centre for the disadvantaged, 

in 2001 

• Recently developed a 

computer recycling initiative, 

‘3R’, which aims to provide 

training for long term 

unemployed people 

to Mara. Not long after we got 

married I felt that I needed 

to gain experience in various 

areas. My parents had already 

joined the Jesus Fellowship. 

We were regularly travelling up 

and down most weekends, so 

eventually we got committed. 

After 18 months I had become 

unsettled and I spoke to 

our leader. He talked to Jesus 

Fellowship senior pastor, Noel 

Stanton, who supported our 

return to Kings Church. We just 

knew that it was God. 

What did you do when you 

returned? 

This was about 1995. We came 

back and we were just attending. 

Then Barry, one of the 

founders and an elder of the 

church said to me one day, 

‘Matthew, why don’t you get 

committed?’ And without 

meaning to be arrogant or 

self-righteous in any way, 

I just said to him, ‘Well I 

just look at what’s here 

and I don’t know if that’s 

what I want to commit to, 

because I just believe Jesus 

is more than what I’m 

seeing’. 

Myself and Mara 

were in the car one day, 

listening to a Jesus Fellowship 

worship tape. I 

said to Mara, ‘I’ve got to 

make a decision whether 

I’m going to serve God with 

all my life.’ The song on the 

cassette was ‘Just poured out 

wine, just broken bread’. That 

sealed it for us. Mara did night 

work so we could earn enough 

money to live off, and I became 

available to the church 24/7. I 

started here in ministry, sweeping 

the church drive, tidying 

up the boiler room, putting up 

shelves. 

How did your ministry develop? 

I served in practical ways to the 

very best of my ability. When 

I was working here one day a 

homeless guy came up off the 


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streets who was hungry and 

tired and asked for something 

to eat. So I made him a cheese 

sandwich in the kitchen and he 

then began to share with me 

about the homeless in Medway, 

the drug abuse, the prostitution, 

the sheer deprivation. I 

prayed for him and he came 

back to see me 18 months later, 

telling me two weeks after I 

prayed for him he got involved 

with some people doing a walk 

for Jesus, and gave his life to 

the Lord and had been a committed 

Christian ever since. 

As he shared all this with me 

I thought that we just could 

not be a church in the midst of 

this and do nothing. We had a 

responsibility - not a choice. 

I saw the leaders and I shared 

my heart, pouring out what I 

thought we should do, and they 

were supportive. 

I marched off to the hostel 

and volunteered to help with 

cooking and cleaning. I did that 

for about six weeks and then 

one of the guys accepted me, 

and it went from there. I was 

simply their friend – I didn’t 

have the answers, I had no 

experience, but the one thing I 

knew they needed was friendship. 

More of the guys started 

coming up to the church and 

we’d give them a meal and it 

began to grow from that. 

I soon gained a reputation as 

a street pastor. I also began to 

get to know the prostitutes and 

then the pimps. The biggest 

thing that would hold the girls 

back would be the pimps, so I 

had to befriend the pimps as 

well. God gave us a heart for 

them and an ability to relate to 

them. We began to know more 

and more need so we converted 

part of the church to meet that 

need until in 2001 we bought 

the building across the road 

which became ‘Caring Hands 

in the Community’. 

How did you end up as the 

senior pastor here? 

I had been a leader here since I 

started Caring Hands. Mara was 

running Little Eagles Nursery, 

and we were heading up the 

covering of all the cell groups in 

the church. We had also started 

King’s Community. Then we 

went to South Africa and while 

we were away some problems 

emerged in the leadership back 

home. 

When we came back from 

South Africa, we were kicked 

out of the church we loved and 

made homeless. It was an utter 

mess. At first I just wanted to 

run away. 

Everything in me said, ‘No 

way! I don’t want to take the 

risk of staying around.’ But I 

had this awareness of Jesus, 

the man with scars. There was 

nothing more to debate. 

I put myself under the 

authority of Alan Smith, an 

experienced local pastor. He 

simply reaffirmed my calling 

as a pastor and asked us to 

not make any quick decisions. 

Eventually, we were invited 

back to the church after the 

previous leaders had left. Then 

Barry and Alan and several 

other ministers in the area felt 

that I should take on the role of 

senior pastor. It was put to the 

congregation and they agreed 

overwhelmingly. 

I just shared my heart, 

honestly, with the congregation 

and said, ‘Look, I don’t 

know the way forward, I don’t 

know what’s going to happen 

but I know that God is faithful’. 

There was an emotional explosion 

with everybody looking for 

the answers and the reasons 

why all these things happened 

and who was to blame. At the 

end of the day we said, as Jesus 

said, ‘Father, forgive them for 

they know not what they do’. 

The key has been equipping 

We’ve got 

to be the 

prodigalfriendly 

church, 

making it 

easy for 

people to 

come back 

when they 

screw up 

the team of saints for the work 

of the ministry. I told them ‘We 

are a family, we are a body and 

we’re doing this together. It’s 

not my sole vision; it’s our vision 

for the church. It’s your responsibility 

as well as mine and 

we’ve got to do this together’. 

What do you feel went wrong 

with your last leader? 

Basically, pride and a lack of 

accountability. There was an 

absence of covenant relationship 

where you could get alongside 

and just say, ‘I’ve screwed 

up’. There was also a lack of 

support, and people that he 

could turn to for help. 

You lost quite a lot of people 

during this time? 

Yes, before that we were a 

couple of hundred strong and 

we went down to 30 adults and 

15 kids. We just had to trust in 

God’s faithfulness, rebuild and 

move on. 

You’ve had some cultural challenges 

to work through as well. 

Half of our congregation is 

black, the other half is white. 

We don’t have Nigerian services 

or Malawian services - we 

preach one culture and that’s 

‘kingdom of God’ culture. It’s 

not English culture either! With 

all the current political unrest 

and suspicion of different 

cultures because of terrorist attacks, 

it’s a living testimony – a 

miracle – to walk in a church 

and it’s half black, half white 

and a total mix. There are more 

people in our leadership that 

are black than white. Half of 

our trustees are black. 

Nevertheless, the Bible says 

you pick men and women full 

of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, 

not colour, creed or social 

background. It’s impossible for 

the church of Jesus Christ to be 

politically correct. Jesus was not 

politically correct. He turned 

upside down the political and 

social culture of His day. 

You had to hold onto God. 

It’s been very important to 

have the father heart of God. 

We’ve had to be the prodigalfriendly 

church, making it easy 

for people to come back when 

they screw up and make mistakes. 

We love them, encourage 

them, put the ring on the 

finger, re-establish them, but 

we then teach them. In tough 

times with lots of suspicion and 

lots of mistrust, we just had to 

apply God’s grace. 

JL 

Part Two of this interview 

will feature in the next 

Jesus Life.

free to serve 

The heart of the vision is to serve 

Set 

Servant leadership was 

the theme of the 2006 

Multiply International 

Leaders Conference 

held in Northampton, 

UK, in June. Emma 

Merry reports 

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A WHITE MAN (English) kneels 

before a black man (Zambian), 

and tenderly washes his feet 

before drying them, gently, with 

a towel as the words of Brother 

let me be your servant resound 

around the Jesus Centre auditorium. 

This foot washing demonstration 

expresses the heart of 

the Multiply Network’s vision: 

to serve leaders and churches, 

and to refresh them for the next 

stage on their journey. 

For the 55-plus overseas 

delegates, there was much to 

be refreshed by in visiting the 

Jesus Fellowship. Many came 

for more than just the conference, 

some for two weeks or 

more, staying in various of the 

Church’s community houses. 

Days were full: touring the 

chapel, community businesses 

and Northampton Jesus Centre; 

listening to, and questioning, 

leaders old and new(er) on 

various distinctives of the Jesus 

Fellowship. 

Goodness Foods’ walk-in 

freezer cabinet (at 26 degrees 

below freezing it’s so cold your 

nostril hair freezes) proved a 

challenge for many, and the 

bathroom display at Towcester 

Building Supplies was a 

particular hit with the Ivory 

Coast contingent. Little-known 

concepts, such as the “Kingdom 

Servants Declaration” 

which all employees in the 

businesses adhere to, provoked 

lively responses. 

Saturday’s conference, held 

at Northampton Jesus Centre, 

explored servant leadership 

– apostolic, pastoral, prophetic, 

evangelistic – plus how to train 

a new generation of servants 

(and keep the old ones radical). 

Servant leadership? When 

Samuel Brengle applied to join 

the Salvation Army, he thought 

he’d be given a prominent 

place. General Booth sent him 

to the dingy cellars to clean the 

boots of 300 men. “If you’re not 


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able to do this, you’re no use to 

me,” he said. Brengle did it. 

Multiply director Huw Lewis 

had started the week by saying, 

“One ox can pull eight tonnes. 

Two can pull 32 tonnes. And 

four oxen can pull 128 tonnes”, 

emphasizing the importance of 

teamwork and togetherness. So 

it was good to strengthen the 

LIFTED INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION 

STEPHEN MWAKABINGA, ZAMBIA 

TWENTY-FIVE years ago, 

Stephen Mwakabinga popped 

out to the local grocery shop. But 

this time was to be different. He 

met two evangelists on the way. 

After talking with them, right 

then and there in the dusty 

street, Stephen knelt down and 

gave his life to Jesus. 

Later the same year he heard 

about the Jesus Army – but 

Multiply 2006 was his first taste 

of the real thing. 

“It was an eye-opener,” he 

says of his time here. “Multiply 

lifts you into your vision - and 

gives you another dimension. 

You begin to see that your vision 

can happen because you’ve 

mixed with people of faith. 

Everything they speak, it can be 

done. Everything is big, it can be 

done. It’s full of faith and that’s 

the thing.” 

Stephen is head pastor of 

All Nations Harvest Church in 

Kitwe – both the main church 

and its branches. A number of 

different ministries are run – for 

men, for youth, for women and 

for children. Stephen also works 

with other pastors in the city and 

around Zambia, is church planting 

in Tanzania and goes on 

regular preaching engagements 

to the Congo. 

He describes what the Jesus 

Army has been doing as “awe- 

bonds with brethren in Sierra 

Leone and the Ivory Coast, and 

to create new ones with the 

Philippines, Zambia and India, 

among others. As the days 

passed, the clamour for your 

“contact” so as to be able to 

keep in touch increased. 

On the last day, the old ballroom 

at Cornhill Manor, one of 

some: I’ve dreamt to see such 

things happen in our country: 

ministering to the poor, the drug 

addicts, and among the people 

that need hope in their lives in 

a very practical way. What we 

learn here can be very helpful 

back home.” 

Stephen was also blessed with 

the fellowship, and the openness 

of the hearts of the people: “It’s 

like you are anti-UK tradition 

– you don’t live in this culture! 

You have your own!” 

He explains: “I’ve seen bigger 

things, where people started from 

nothing, and it gives me a lot of 

faith that these things can happen 

if we stay faithful and we stay 

connected with people of faith.” 

A man of passion, Stephen 

wants more fire and found it 

here. “The catching of the passion 

to do what God is calling a 

person to do and never to die out 

in the fervour of the call: that was 

very, very strong. I want to make 

sure that I am part of this fire! But 

the other thing I want is to see the 

fire that I’m catching over here 

beginning to flame up in Zambia. 

I want my people to see that what 

you believe in should never be 

hidden – bring it out, let everybody 

know it in the city square 

and everywhere, inside and 

outside – and I want that radical 

spirit to get into our nation.” 

the Jesus Fellowship’s community 

houses, witnessed a dance like 

none it had ever seen. Dancers 

from Bhutan to Belgium, Hungary 

to Liberia, and many more, 

formed a lengthy conga line 

which snaked its way through 

the maze of chairs before obeying 

the call to change direction 

and to weave another way. 

The stiffness of the previous 

Tuesday afternoon when the 

group had had to be exhorted 

to look at one another when 

singing “Let us open up ourselves 

to one another” had 

faded. Now we were a people 

joined together, a rainbow 

stream determined to bring 

change across the world. 

Zambians together: Stephen (right) with Audrey from the Jesus Fellowship 

(left) and Mary 

A PARADIGM SHIFT 

DANIEL AND HEPHZI GRIMMER, 

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 

Daniel Grimmer 

AT THE FIRST Multiply International 

Leaders Conference in 

2002 one of the delegates was 

Alexius Pereira from Abu Dhabi 

Evangelical Church in the United 

Arab Emirates. This time, the 

senior pastor Daniel Grimmer, 

and his wife Hephzi attended. 

The church began in 1982 as 

a Bible study group for a few 

Catholics from Goa. Two years 

later they left the Roman Catholic 

Church to form the Indian 

Christian Fellowship. When a 

Sri Lankan joined, the name was 

changed to Abu Dhabi Evangelical 

Church. 

Since then, through one-toone, 

counselling and literaturebased 

outreach, the church 

has grown into a multi-ethnic, 

multi-national congregation. 

(The worship team consists of 

three Nepalis, an Ethiopian, 

a Brazilian, a Kenyan and two 

Indians!) Hundreds have joined 

– many have gone to other nations 

like Canada, New Zealand, 

Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Italy and 

Australia, where they continue 

to witness. “We see ourselves as 

a discipling, mentoring, training 

and equipping, sending church 

- a church with a heart for the 

world, especially for the poor 

and needy,” explains Daniel. 

They also want to be a worshipping 

family demonstrating 

the love, care and the power 

of God. For them, sharing is 

normal: “Asians and Africans live 

in communities where everyone 

knows everyone, including what 

is being cooked for lunch as the 

spicy fragrance wafts through 

the cluster of homes around! 

“Since we married we took 

various people in and walked 

with them anywhere between 

two months and five years. Our 

home, dining table and hearts 

are opened to anyone who 

“You begin to see that 

your vision can happen... 

Everything they speak, it can 

be done. Everything is big, it 

can be done. It’s full of faith 

and that’s the thing.” 

comes along. No one needs to 

be invited. If they come during 

the meal time, you don’t ask if 

they ate, you simply include an 

extra plate!” 

Even so, the Jesus Fellowship 

model of community surprised 

Daniel: “The community concept, 

especially pooling salaries 

into the common fund, is 

something I’m seeing for the first 

time – after the Book of Acts! The 

simple lifestyle, the humility and 

the presence of the Holy Spirit is 

striking. The eagerness you have 

to know about others and spend 

time with them is unique in the 

Western culture. While more and 

more people around the world 

are becoming time-money oriented, 

you continue to encourage 

an event-people oriented 

thrust. 

“Overall, your acceptance of 

anyone irrespective of colour, 

creed or lifestyle with the love of 

God truly has opened my eyes 

and caused a paradigm shift in 

my mind and heart.” 

Hephzi adds: “Your love is 

amazing and treats everyone 

alike. You cannot make out who 

is the leader and who is the new 

community member.” 

It was Daniel who told his 

younger brother Joy Stevenson 

(see over) about Multiply 2006 

and also forwarded the Multiply 

email newsletter to Satish Chettri 

(see page 21) in Delhi. Multiply is 

multiplying! 

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www.multiply.org.uk

CHALLENGED 

TO CHANGE 

JOY STEVENSON, 

INDIA 

JOY STEVENSON is a pastor with 

New Life Fellowship, a fast-growing 

house church in Mumbai, 

West India. He stayed in the Jesus 

Fellowship’s “Jewel” house in Daventry, 

Northamptonshire, during 

the conference. 

“Living in community during 

my visit has shown me the reality 

of things I have only experienced 

before in words,” he says. “It has 

really spoken to me that as believers 

we should carry a spirit of self-sacrifice 

and share our possessions. 

One scripture that really challenges 

me is Galatians 6:10: ‘As long as we 

have, therefore, opportunity, let us 

do good unto all men, especially 

unto them who are of the household 

of faith.’ In India, we do much 

social work but I believe that we 

often neglect the household of faith. 

“If community can happen in 

England, it can happen anywhere 

by the power of the Holy Spirit! 

Change is always very difficult 

but love can conquer anything. I 

believe when I get back home that 

I will be able to take this love with 

me and work towards inspiring 

others to join me in taking up the 

challenge to put what I have seen 

into practice in India.” 

s 

s 

Joined across the nations: Joy (centre) with his African brothers, Duncan and Stephen. 

“...I will be able to take this love with 

me and work towards inspiring others 

to join me in taking up the challenge to 

put what I have seen into practice...” 

AS SPARKS OF FIRE 

SATISH CHETTRI, INDIA 

Satish Chettri 

“WHEN I FIRST got an email 

about Multiply, my impression 

was very positive but very careful,” 

says Satish Chettri. “But it 

came from a good source. Why 

not be a part of the blessing?” 

Satish was born in a staunch 

Hindu family. In 1986 at the age 

of 16, he received Christ as his 

Saviour in a youth camp. The 

following year he co-founded 

the first Delhi Nepali Christian 

Fellowship. For almost 14 years 

he worked for the Bible Institute 

in Delhi and broadcast a 

popular programme, ‘Songs of 

Life’. A research project on the 

needs of the Nepali people then 

challenged him so much that in 

2001 he resigned and founded 

Grace Ministries, with a vision 

to reach out primarily to other 

Nepali people – but other nations 

too. 

Poverty is one of the biggest 

barriers he and his 32 co-workers 

face. 

“The practical need is always 

there,” explains Satish. “Nepali 

people in India are always 

poor. We have little solution 

for economic problems, but we 

have much solution for spiritual 

problems. 

“For example, I go to market 

and I see a man dying from 

hunger. I can give him all the 

bible verses I want; what he 

needs is bread and soup. We 

have to take immediate action. 

And yet, if I don’t share gospel, 

he could – as a healthy man 

– go to hell. We have to make 

him understand who Jesus is: 

this is the very vital heart of our 

ministry.” 

Satish was amazed by his 

stay in two of the Fellowship’s 

community houses. “I’d heard 

about ashrams. But I’d never 

seen this kind of community: 

people from different backgrounds 

and nations, all being 

a witness for Christ, sharing 

food, sharing a common purse. 

“Even in churches there are 

so many barriers and discriminations. 

Here your love for 

one another is so selfless. It is 

not possible only with human 

efforts. You are so saturated in 

the love of Jesus. 

“It is still unbelievable to 

me how it can work. I thought 

such things were only for the 

apostolic era!” 

Another surprising concept 

for Satish was celibacy, a 

lifelong vow to remain single. 

“This is the first time I’ve 

come to an organisation where 

people are encouraged to pray 

about this matter,” he says. 

“The way it is practised here I 

have never heard!” 

Satish, an avid networker, is 

looking forward to sharing the 

Multiply vision with others: “I 

am very much impressed by the 

conference. As leaders we need 

boost and encouragement. I 

believe many will go from here 

as sparks of fire to many parts 

of the world.” 

JL 

WHAT IS MULTIPLY? 

Multiply Christian Network is an 

apostolic stream which works 

through an informal network of 

churches and groups in the UK 

and around the world, initiated by 

the Jesus Army (Jesus Fellowship 

Church). It is a member of the 

Evangelical Alliance UK. 

Multiply seeks to operate 

internationally through key 

apostolic men who are 

responsible in their own countries 

for the growth and development 

of the network, communicating 

the vision and organising local 

conferences. 

WHO’S IT FOR? 

Multiply is open to fellowships 

large and small, from all cultures 

and races, as long as they accept 

a basic evangelical statement of 

faith. 

WHAT DOES IT 

OFFER? 

Relationships between leaders 

are central to the vision and 

are fostered through regular 

Multiply conferences, celebration 

gatherings and fellowship. 

Multiply partners have 

access to the Jesus Fellowship’s 

leadership and evangelism 

training plus a variety of 

resources, including free 

literature. 

MORE 

INFORMATION: 

Contact Multiply Director Huw 

Lewis Tel: +44 1327 344533 

Email: huw.lewis@jesus.org.uk 

or write to: Jesus Fellowship/ 

Multiply Central Offices, 

Nether Heyford, Northampton, 

UK NN7 3LB

which is me? 

Jessica Thomas, 24, often used 

to feel like two people. “Shy 

serious Jessie” hid in her room, 

reading books and writing her 

diary. “Jess the rebel” went out 

on the town, breaking all the 

rules. It took a tragedy to set her 

on the path to discovering who 

she really was. 

FOR THE first fourteen years of her life, 

Jessica and her sister, Sophie, were 

brought up by their dad near Shepherd’s 

Bush, West London. Three of Jessica’s 

half-sisters and her half-brother lived with 

her mother in a different area of London. 

“Dad gave up his job as a fitter to become a 

single parent,” says Jessica. “Dad’s flat was 

small but he did a good job of looking after 

us: he moved out of his bedroom and slept 

on the sofa for years so we could have our 

own bedroom. 

“Secretly, dad was my hero. I should have 

been grateful for his care - but at the time 

I wasn’t. I loved him and was proud of the 

respect friends and neighbours had for him 

- there weren’t many single dads around at 

that time. But I felt angry because I never 

knew why I didn’t live with mum. 

“Dad was determined his daughters 

should be brought up properly. We weren’t 

allowed junk food. Instead, Dad sent us to 

school with mostly homemade lunches, 

including lemon juice in a re-used bottle. 

Embarrassing!” 

Jessica began to feel trapped - especially as 

her dad seemed even more strict with her 

than he was with Sophie. He insisted Jessica 

should go to a Catholic girls’ school run by 

nuns in Ladbroke Grove, while Sophie was 

allowed to go to a mixed school in Holland 

Park where they didn’t have to wear uniform. 

The two sisters already had problems 

getting on with each other - now the wedge 

was driven deeper until they were hardly 

speaking to each other. 

“My friends’ families all seemed so close 

and happy - why couldn’t we have a normal 

family life like them? At school I was getting 

bullied for being skinny and quiet. By the 

time I was twelve I often felt I belonged 

nowhere and that life was pointless. This led 

me to keep a diary. Now I could be myself 

and let out on paper all that was inside.” 

By the time Jessica was fourteen, even her 

diaries weren’t enough and one evening, 

near the end of 1996, she walked out of 

her dad’s flat. Two years of living with her 

mother and then an aunt followed. “Shy, 

serious Jessie” disappeared and in her place 

appeared “Jess the rebel”, who bunked 

off school with a friend to smoke draw or 

explore London by Tube. 

“I liked fun and spontaneous adventure: 

I was tired of being good. Living with mum 

didn’t last long - eventually we had a big 

argument over something silly and I lost it. 

Mum called the police to say I was sixteen 

and uncontrollable - she was kicking me 

Mum called the 

police to say I 

was sixteen and 

uncontrollable - 

she was kicking 

me out. 

out. A succession of Centre Point hostels 

followed.” 

Things went from bad to worse for Jessica 

and she started going out with a man who 

turned out to be violent. She managed to get 

away from him, but a few weeks later she 

discovered she was pregnant. 

“That calmed me down a bit!” 

Jessica felt she had something to live for 

at last. But eight weeks before the baby was 

due she went into premature labour and her 

dreams came crashing down. 

“I don’t remember much about what 

happened except for massive pain and the 

nurses giving me a spinal injection and 

telling me they were sorry but they couldn’t 

hear the baby’s heartbeat any more. On 27 

November 1999, Mya Shanay was stillborn. 

I felt her kicking only the day before but 

during labour she died inside me. I felt so 

empty.” 

Jessica was still only 17. One of her sisters, 

Elisha, came to support her and the hospital 

arranged a little funeral for Mya. Then Jessica 

went back to Camden and tried to carry 

on as normal. 

“Such a lot had happened to me in that 

year - but I had to be strong, didn’t I? For a 

long time I didn’t cry. I was determined not 

to. Instead I wrote a song to God and sung 

it to Him: 

Why did You take my baby? Was there a 

reason - You’ve got to tell me! 

“The following May, on my 18th birthday, I 

went clubbing with friends in King’s Cross. 

I’d loved that sort of thing before but now it 

seemed pointless. Mya’s death had matured 

me. I felt a longing to get away completely 

from everything that had been my past life 

and start all over again.” 

Seven months later, in January 2001, Jessica 

had an unexpected phone-call from a 

long-lost friend who was living with some 

Christians near Northampton. Would Jessica 

like to come down for a visit? 

Jessica’s childhood memories of ‘church’ 

were a blurry mixture: hymns learnt by rote; 

big hats; manic Pentecostal praying and 

people falling all over the place. 

“‘Church’ had terrified me as a child but 

I decided to accept the invitation and my 

friend took me to my first Jesus Fellowship 

meeting. I remember feeling excited 

and happy and saying to myself ‘Wow 

- I’m home!’ I saw something and I went 

after it! It was only a gathering of ordinary 

people going to church but something was 

different. I became fascinated by Jesus and 

couldn’t get enough of the Bible - I’d never 

known the Bible was like this - it became my 

manual for life. Jesus became my best friend 

instead of my diary - Someone who knew all 

about me, but never rejected me. Fourteen 

months after my baby’s death, in January 

2001, just before my 19th birthday, I joined 

the church and moved in with a single mum 

and her family. 

“In the church I’ve found the place where I 

can stop hiding and be totally myself. I still 

love to sit quiet and listen but I also love to 

go out and befriend the homeless and the 

teenagers that hang around - just like I used 

to - and tell them about Jesus.” 

Now “serious Jessie” and “Jess the rebel” 

both have their place in Jessica’s new life. JL

RWANDAN COMMUNITY 

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, 

We are a Rwandan Christian community called The 

New Humanity Mission. Since 1997, we have been 

living in Christian community, with all in common in true 

brotherhood. 

As all other Christians in our region were against us, 

we used to think that we were the only community with 

that vision in the whole world. Because of that constant 

opposition from our brothers, we were becoming weary in 

our determination, until God helped us and we found out 

about you. We then visited your website and read some 

of your brochures and books, notably “Kingdom Seekers”, 

“We Believe” and “Fire in our Hearts”. 

After reading about your testimony, we were very happy 

and thanked God for His mercy and kindness to you. We 

were particularly encouraged to realise that there are 

other brothers and sisters who have succeeded in that 

vision, even through persecutions and problems. 

As our elder brothers and sisters in that vision, we 

would like to know more about you to learn from your 

experience especially in community life. 

May heavenly blessings rain upon you. Your brothers 

and sisters in Jesus, 


electronic 

postbag 

If you’d like to send your prayer requests, or let 

us know what God has been doing in your life or 

you’d like to find out more about Him 

email: info@jesus.org.uk 

write: Jesus Fellowship, Nether Heyford, 

Northampton NN7 3LB 

New Humanity Mission 

RWANDA 

PHILIPPINES 

MISSION 

Hi, I am a missionary in the 

Philippine Islands. We have 

a large group that lives and 

travels together, preaching the 

gospel. 

I was interested to come 

across your site... I believe 

our people would like to know 

more about you. 

Jeff Pessina 

Director, Philippine Frontline 

Ministries, PHILIPPINES 

SALLY ARMY SOLDIER 

I am a Salvation Army soldier 

in California, passionate 

about serving Christ and a bit 

nervous about the institution 

that the Salvation Army has 

become (although praying for 

her revival and associating 

myself with those who are 

like-minded). 

I just stumbled on a PDF 

copy of Fire in our Hearts 

(see www.jesus.org.uk/vault/ 

library_jabooks_index.shtml) 

and like what I’ve read so far. 

I noticed that the Jesus Army 

traces its roots back to the 

Salvation Army. 

Ed Lamaster 

USA 

NEW CHRISTIAN 

Hi, I’m a new Christian (two 

months in the faith) and I 

want to know how I can know 

Jesus more. The advice you 

gave about reading the gospels 

and praying each day was 

helpful and I shall continue to 

do that, but if there’s anything 

more you could suggest I do 

to know Jesus more and love 

him more, then please let me 

know! I know that I need him, 

really need him, in my life. 

Thank you and God bless 

you all, 

Julie Dube 

UK 

NO LONGER 

MORMON 

I used to be a Mormon 

missionary and we lived over 

the road from the Jesus Army 

meetings. 

Now I am part of a 

movement in Scotland, not a 

Mormon anymore, and within 

an evangelical charismatic 

movement. We don’t have 

the Jesus Army here, but you 

made a lasting impression. 

You guys are great! When are 

you coming up here?! 

Chris 

SCOTLAND 

ATHEIST RESPECT 

I think you Christians are 

good and decent people. As 

an atheist I have the greatest 

respect for you. I would like 

us to become friends. I think 

conceit and arrogance are the 

biggest barriers between us. 

We should try to understand 

each other as human beings 

and in that understanding 

rediscover the true 

brotherhood of man. 

Neil McBain 

UK 

NEW YORK RADICAL 

I’m very much interested 

in visiting one of your 

communities. I’m a radical 

Christian and a lover of Jesus. 

I’m from New York City, USA. 

I love to see other Christians 

bringing the true gospel to the 

world. I would love to be part 

of what you are doing in the 

UK, so please give me any 

information about the Jesus 

Army and how I can visit one 

of your communities. That 

would be a blessing to me. 

Michael 

USA 

www.jesus.org.uk

JESUS 

IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE 

ê 

8 July 2006 saw the Jesus Fellowship 

taking to the streets in London, singing 

and dancing their way from Marble Arch 

to a colourful Jesus demo at Trafalgar 

Square. Mary Davies recorded her 

impressions of the day for Jesus Life. 

SUN IS shinin’, weather is sweet... it’s gonna be a good 

day! Start the day off by reading Ephesians chapter 

six in the minibus on the way to London... good to get 

psyched up for the big day, ‘putting on the armour of 

God’. 

Assembling for the march, excitement is rising. Sound 

of the drum beat. We are a crazy array of colour. What 

are we waiting for? Let’s go! 

We dance, shout and sing our way to Trafalgar 

Square, spreading the love of Jesus to the people of 

London... what an impact! The streets are alive with the 

Spirit of God like a fire bursting through the town. 

Treading on each others’ toes, clobbered by each others’ 

flags, we rage onto Trafalgar like a tribe with a war 

cry and get stuck in; spread out! (Ah, our pastor’s got his 

summer hat on...) 

Members of the public mix in with us; all around people 

gossip the gospel amongst all the commotion. People 

hear the message and get a taste of life. I love this 

church’s boldness, its life. Unashamed and unafraid. 

The afternoon wears on... My legs are aching from so 

much dancing. 

Little Sarah grabs me by the hand and I’m off to try 

and catch a T-shirt being thrown from the stage! (Children 

are the perfect excuse to act like an idiot...) 

Three hours later, it’s over! Crowds disperse. We’re 

off to have tea in some park somewhere... time to chill. 

Until next time... 

Mary Davies Treading 

on each others’ 

toes, clobbered 

by each others’ 

flags, we rage 

onto Trafalgar 

like a tribe with 

a war cry. 

Wild at ‘the National’: Jesus Army dance in London’s centre 

PASSING BY... 

Simone an Italian on holiday 

in the UK for two weeks, stood 

looking on, clearly touched by 

the atmosphere and what was 

happening on stage. But he 

couldn’t understand how “Jesus” 

and “Army” went together until 

it was explained to him that the 

fight was not against people but 

against dark spiritual forces. 

He ended up having prayer to 

receive the Holy Spirit. 

Thomas from France had never 

seen anything like it and was 

clearly captivated by what he 

saw. He too requested prayer 

to receive the Holy Spirit and 

an assurance of forgiveness of 

sins. “This sort of event would 

be very welcome in France!” he 

said. 

JL

Jesus Centres 

WHAT ARE 

JESUS CENTRES? 

Jesus Centres are places 

where the love of Jesus is 

expressed daily in worship, 

care and friendship for every 

type of person. We offer 

a hand of friendship and 

a listening ear as well as 

functioning as a ‘gateway’ to 

other services and agencies. 

WHO RUNS THEM? 

Jesus Centres are run by the 

Jesus Army Charitable Trust 

(JACT), and are the initiative 

of the Jesus Fellowship 

Church (modern JESUS army). 

WHERE ARE THEY? 

Coventry and Northampton. 

London Jesus Centre will open 

spring 2007. We expect that 

eventually Jesus Centres will 

be found in many major towns 

and cities around the UK. 

MORE INFORMATION: 

www.jesuscentre.org.uk 

ESOL CLASSES: 

Thursdays (during term-time) 

10.15am - 12.15am and 

2.00pm to 4.00pm at the 

Northampton Jesus Centre, 

Abington Square, Northampton. 

WEI LOON was 16 when he 

came to England with his father 

from Malaysia four years ago. He 

couldn’t speak a word of English, 

and had a problem fitting in to 

the school system as he didn’t 

have sufficient qualifications 

for sixth-form college. A friend 

arranged for him to go to ESOL 

classes at the Northampton Jesus 

Centre, and he went for a year 

and a half, also learning IT. 

Now he is living in a Jesus 

Fellowship community house, 

working in a building firm and 

speaks fluent English. 

He enjoys his new life-style, 

especially living at “River 

Farmhouse”: “The people there 

are well close together. We have 

visitors, but it’s like a family.” 

JANA came to England from 

the Czech Republic in January 

this year because of her 

husband’s job. She has been attending 

a class since February. 

She has appreciated the 

opportunity to speak English: 

“You can learn something from 

a text book, but when you don’t 

speak you don’t learn.” 

HEWAIDA first read about free 

English classes in an advert 

in the local library, and came 

straight in to enrol. She had 

arrived from Egypt in April, and 

was planning to buy grammar 

books to learn to speak to her 

English brother-in law. 

She has regularly attended 

two classes a week since May, 

and was so pleased with her 

progress that she brought in her 

sister Safaa when she arrived in 

the country in June, describing 

the classes as ‘a big family’. 

“I was so lonely without my 

sister before, but when I came 

to the class I felt I was with 

friends,” Hewaida says. 

She also feels she has gained 

confidence in speaking – “Now 

I don’t have to think before I 

speak” - and has learned about 

places in the UK. 

Safaa noticed the improvement 

in her sister’s English: 

“Her writing is better as well. 

She’s more confident. It’s different 

writing from left to right, 

but her handwriting is much 

better.” 

She has also enjoyed the 

‘friendly and helpful’ atmosphere 

of the Jesus Centre, and 

meeting people from all over 

the world. She comments: “It’s 

nice to walk through Northampton 

and meet people you 

know.” 

Jana has also been to a 

college, but prefers a more 

informal atmosphere: “Here 

I can find a more personal 

approach. At college I asked 

for more preparation for the 

exam and they asked me what 

I wanted to know. Here the 

teacher is always prepared.” 

Safaa joined the class herself 

at the end of term, and is keen 

to improve her pronunciation. 

Hewaida has also been to a 

multi-cultural evening at the Jesus 

Centre and hopes to return 

some time to teach Egyptian 

dancing. 

Hewaida and Safaa have both 

experienced difficulty in getting 

a job, and hope that more fluency 

in English will help them. 

They feel disadvantaged by their 

nationality. Safaa says: “When I 

started to look for a job – I had 

three years’ experience of working 

in hotels – they rang me and 

said I was not qualified enough. 

I wanted to have a right to ask 

why.” 

Hewaida adds that sometimes 

“I go for a job and they tell 

me ‘no’. I remember the class 

and I feel better.” 

DELIA has worked as a volunteer 

classroom assistant for a year 

and a half. She has to be “aware 

and alert to notice when the 

students need help”. Sometimes 

she sits with someone who has 

additional needs. 

Her aim is “to make friends, to 

make the students’ lives easier 

and to create a culture of acceptance.” 

A Much-needed 

Welcome 

Sue Withers teaches English for 

Speakers of Other Languages at 

Northampton Jesus Centre; her 

intention is to do the same in 

the London Jesus Centre when it 

opens in Spring 2007. 

‘You made it feel like home when I 

had first arrived and felt so lonely’ 

A recent student in Northampton Jesus Centre ESOL class 

Delia understands what it is 

like to be new to the country, because 

when she first arrived from 

Romania in 2001 she worked as a 

volunteer for a clothing company 

and felt “paranoid and weird” 

because she couldn’t understand 

English humour. She was thrown 

out of her accommodation, but 

found “home” in the church. 

For her the work involves “a 

real concern for people, in and 

out of lessons”, but it is also good 

fun. She enjoys seeing them 

come in “all sleepy but go out 

lively”; being more determined 

to learn. 

Delia is looking into the training 

needed to become a teacher 

herself, having been teachertrained 

in Romania but without 

work experience. 

“CAN YOU IMAGINE yourself 

arriving, sometimes through 

difficulty, in a bewildering foreign 

environment where you 

can’t speak the language? 

“Can you imagine yourself 

grappling with incomprehensible 

forms, unable to 

understand the signs in a 

supermarket, baffled by the 

GP receptionist or dumb in the 

face of hostility? 

“In my career as an ESOL 

(English for Speakers of Other 

Languages) teacher my students 

have told me stories like 

these. 

“In the Jesus Centre our aim 

is to teach immediate survival 

English to those at the lowest 

level of speaking and listening, 

but also improve the literacy, 

pronunciation and grammar 

of more advanced students. 

“Classes can be a shock to 

those who expect to come 

and quietly listen. The aim 

is to have 30% teacher talk 

and 70% student participation. 

There is group work, role 

play, hands-on activities and 

communication games. It’s an 

opportunity to hear about different 

cultures, to allow people 

to open up about things they 

need to express and to discuss 

our values. 

“I believe that God loves justice 

and cares for the foreigner. 

For me, the ESOL class is more 

than teaching English or even 

imparting an understanding 

of English culture. It is an 

opportunity to give a muchneeded 

welcome, offer a sense 

of family and share a taste of 

the Kingdom of God.” 

JL 


www.jesuscentre.org.uk 

Jesus Life Three/2006 Page 27

t 

t 

s 

SATURDAY 

14 Oct 

SATURDAY 

11 Nov 

SATURDAY 

25 Nov 

SATURDAY 

30 Dec 

SATURDAY 

27 Jan 2007 

national 

events 

Jesus Fellowship UK / modern Jesus army 

MEN 

ALIVE FOR GOD 

From 11.00am Jesus Centre, 

Abington Square, NORTHAMPTON 

MULTIPLY 

LEADERS 

CONFERENCE 

From 10.30am Cornhill Manor, 

Pattishall, NORTHAMPTON 

UK 

PRAISE DAY 

2.00pm & 6.15pm Ponds Forge 

Sports Centre, Sheaf Street, SHEFFIELD 

JESUS 

CELEBRATION 

2.00pm & 6.00pm Jesus Centre, 


CHURCH 

GROWTH 

CONFERENCE 

From 11.00am Jesus Centre, 


ALL FREE / ALL WELCOME / NO PREJUDICE 

Info: Jesus Fellowship, FREEPOST, Nether Heyford, Northampton NN7 3BR 

t: 0845 123 5550 e: info@jesus.org.uk www.jesus.org.uk 

a very special invitation 

n e w f r i e n d s 

i n t r o d u c t o r y c o u r s e - t h e c h r i s t i a n f a i t h t o d a y 

attractive scene 

friendly vibes 

lively music 

food and drink 

27 SEPTEMBER - 

8 NOVEMBER 2006 

BELFAST 

call 0845 123 5552 for details 

BIRMINGHAM 


BOURNEMOUTH 


COVENTRY 

Jesus Centre, Lamb Street 


IPSWICH 


KETTERING 


LEEDS Building Blocks Centre, 

Maud Avenue, Beeston 


LEICESTER 


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SPECIAL CELEBRATION HOLY SPIRIT SUNDAY 

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Community Centre, 

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RADICAL 

BITES #02 

God’s kingdom 

is good news for 

the outsider and 

the have-not. 

CHECK OUT the opening chapters 

of Luke. They all begin with 

big-wigs (King Herod, Caesar 

this, Caesar that, governor the 

other, High Priests, tetrarchs...) 

but then immediately wheel 

round to focus on “nobodies” 

on the edge of things – two 

childless pensioners, an obscure 

village woman, a freak in the 

desert, a bunch of illiterate 

shepherds. 

The point? This is their 

story, not the story of the big 

cheeses. The human map is 

being re-drawn, the world is 

“being turned upside down”. 

The world’s way of measuring a 

person’s worth – wealth, power, 

status – is being over-turned. 

The early chapters of Luke 

aren’t about pop stars. It’s an 

unmarried pregnant teenager 

who sings, “He has brought 

down rulers from their thrones 

but has lifted up the humble. He 

has filled the hungry with good 

things but the rich He has sent 

empty away.” (Luke 1:52-53) 

Then Zechariah, an obscure 

priest joins in: “The rising sun 

will come to us from heaven 

to shine on those living in 

darkness and in the shadow of 

death.” (Luke 1:78-79) 

And John the wilderness 

weirdo sings verse three: “Pre- 

pare the way for the Lord, make 

straight paths for him. Every 

valley shall be filled in, every 

mountain made low!” (Luke 3: 

4-5) 

At first glance this may 

seem to be about free lunches, 

holidays for refugees and, er, 

landscape gardening? 

Actually, it’s about the justice 

which has arrived with the 

king – in effect, the privileged 

high-ups (mountains) will be 

humbled and the down-ontheir-luck 

(valleys) lifted. The 

hungry fed; the dispossessed 

given a sunny home. Heaven’s 

reign arriving. 

So the king of the poor puts 

it like this. “The Spirit of the 

Lord is upon me, because he 

has anointed me to preach good 

news to the poor… to release 

the oppressed, to proclaim the 

year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 

4:18-19) 

Favour for whom? Draw your 

own conclusions. 

JL 

‘Isn’t it clear by now that God operates 

quite differently? He chose the world’s 

down-and-outs as the kingdom’s first 

citizens, with full rights and privileges.’ 

(James 2:5,The Message)

marie lutter 

pete jones 

MULTIPLY CHURCHES AND GROUPS MEET ALL OVER THE UK 

RING UP AND FIND OUT WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR AREA! 

BIRMINGHAM Jesus Fellowship Church......................... 0845 166 8153 

BLACKBURN Hyndburn Christian Fellowship................ (01254) 876980 

BLACKBURN Rishton Christian Fellowship................... (01254) 887790 

BRIDGEND The Bridge Community Church................... (01656) 655635 

BRIGHTON & HOVE Jesus Fellowship Church................ 0845 166 8151 

CHATHAM House Of Prayer For All Nations.................. (01634) 669933 

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COVENTRY Jesus Fellowship Church.............................. 0845 166 8154 

CROYDON Jesus Fellowship Church............................... 0845 226 1972 

DEAL Christchurch.......................................................... (01304) 366512 

HIGH WYCOMBE Church of Shalom............................... (01494) 449408 

IPSWICH Jesus Fellowship Church................................. 0845 166 8156 

KETTERING Jesus Fellowship Church............................. 0845 166 8157 

LEEDS Jesus Fellowship Church..................................... 0845 166 8167 

LEICESTER Jesus Fellowship Church ............................. 0845 644 9705 

LIVERPOOL Jesus Fellowship Church ............................ 0845 166 8168 

LONDON N Glad Tidings Evangelical Church............... (020) 8245 9002 

LONDON S Bible Life Family Ministries ....................... (020) 8689 2244 

LONDON SE Understanding Ministries ....................... (020) 8855 3087 

LONDON SE Ephratah Int’l Gospel Praise Centre....... (020) 8469 0047 

LONDON SE Flaming Evangelical Ministries .............. (020) 8694 2083 

LONDON SE Hope of Glory Int’l Ministries .................. (020) 8694 6738 

LONDON SE Mission Together for Christ..................... (020) 7401 2687 

LONDON Jesus Fellowship Church................................. 0845 166 8152 

MANCHESTER Jesus Fellowship Church........................ 0845 166 8169 

MILTON KEYNES Jesus Fellowship Church .................... 0845 166 8159 

NORTHAMPTON Jesus Fellowship Church .................... 0845 166 8161 

NORWICH Jesus Fellowship Church............................... 0845 166 8162 

NOTTINGHAM Jesus Fellowship Church......................... 0845 166 8163 

OXFORD Jesus Fellowship Church.................................. 0845 166 8164 

RAMSEY HOLLOW (Cambs) Christians United.............. (01487) 815528 

SHEFFIELD Jesus Fellowship Church............................. 0845 166 8183 

STOKE-ON-TRENT Jesus Fellowship Church................... 0845 123 5334 

JESUS FELLOWSHIP GROUPS ALSO MEET REGULARLY IN: 

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NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE ................................................0845 166 8187 

PRESTON .........................................................................0845 123 5554 

SWANSEA ........................................................................0845 123 5556 

WALSALL...........................................................................0845 123 5563 

WOLVERHAMPTON...........................................................0845 123 5564 

RAAAAGHAH FEEL 

“CHEATS”, “scroungers”, 

“criminals” – media words for 

asylum seekers. Most asylum 

seekers arrive with nothing, 

fleeing persecution, war, and 

threat of death; seeking a safe 

refuge. Often traumatised, they 

are dependent on interpreters, 

solicitors, and an inadequate 

“support” system. 

Imagine: you’re in a strange 

culture; you don’t speak the 

language; you have ten days to 

prepare and submit your case 

in that language, knowing the 

system is loaded against you. 

Happy with that? 

The asylum system often 

regards people as just numbers. 

Above 90 per cent of asylum 

seekers receive a “no” from the 

Home Office. Support and accommodation 

is cut; they end 

up destitute. Many depend on 

friends themselves below the 

poverty line. They face pressures 

of deportation. 

Stress, grinding poverty, uncertainty: 

all produce high levels 

of sickness and mental health 

problems for asylum seekers. 

Many become depressed and 

turn to drugs or even suicide. 

Many asylum seekers have 

high levels of professional skills. 

They want to work, but are not 

allowed to while their case is 

being determined: “supported” 

(ha!) at 30 per cent below the 

accepted minimum living 

standard; accommodated in 

poor housing in “hard to let” inner 

city areas. If they do receive 

permission to stay in this country 

as refugees, they face great 

difficulties in finding houses 

or jobs and are discriminated 

against on every hand. 

Christians are commanded to 

love the stranger and welcome 

the poor, showing them the love 

of Christ: “Inasmuch as you did 

it to them you did it to me.” 

Let’s speak out for those who 

have no voices and break down 

the unjust barriers in our society. 


BETTER? 


Jesus Life hears 

from mJa members 

about what makes 

them bubble with 

excitement... or boil 

with rage. 

THE BIBLE shows us that our 

awesome and eternal God is 

passionately involved in getting 

us into what is really happening 

here on planet Earth - His story. 

What a privilege to be able 

to read this. It hasn’t always 

been that way. For centuries, 

the Bible was only available to 

an educated few. Everyday folk 

could only hear some of it (if 

they were lucky) on a Sunday in 

church – and then only if they 

spoke Latin! Yep, that’s right, 

for nearly a thousand years you 

had to speak a dying language in 

order to understand the life-giving 

words of the living God. 

So I raise a shout of respect 

and gratitude those who 

ensured that we have access 

to God’s Word today, men so 

consumed with passion for 

the gospel that they decided to 

stand up and shout it out from 

the rooftops for everyone to 

hear. 

John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, 

William Tyndale and others 

stepped out of history and 

into God’s story, joining ranks 

with the very men they would 

have us read about. They were 

pursued, imprisoned, exiled 

and martyred for acting on 

their conviction that all people 

should have access to God’s 

Word in their own tongue – be 

that German, English or Swahili. 

After all didn’t God himself 

reveal this to us at Pentecost? 

Having received this book at 

such cost, should I not also read 

and live in the hope of its invitation 

to us: to meet God and 

then step out into the adventure 

of His story too? 

JL 

Jesus Life Three/2006 Page 31

A MULTIPLY 

OUT NOW! 

from Multiply Publications 

‘...read the thrilling story of One Heart and Soul, and you be the judge as to 

whether Jesus’ teaching and example is a possibility in the 21st century. 

If it is, it will be essential for bringing healing to a broken and sick world.’ 

- Roger Forster, Leader, Ichthus Christian Fellowship UK, from his Preface. 

One Heart and Soul 

Christian Community for the 21st Century 

by Trevor Saxby 

One Heart and Soul 

Christian Community for the 21st Century 

‘Let’s talk’ booklet 

for those wanting 

to experience 

living Christianity 

One Heart 

and Soul 

Trevor Saxby 

Lucy 

Daniel 

and 

Jemma 

Stuart 

David 

and 

Belinda 

Ian 

Steve 

and 

Val 

‘ 

Janie 

They were not to live like the nations around them, 

but were to pioneer a new lifestyle, 

such as befitted a people set apart by God. 

Available from Jesus People Shop, Nether Heyford, Northampton NN7 3LB 

email: info@jesus.org.uk www.jesuspeople.biz tel: 0845 123 5550 fax: 0845 166 8178

Jesus Life 73 - The Jesus Army

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