Church of the poor - Jesus Army

ALIVE
ALIVE
church ALIVE
Comments from Noel Stanton and
members of the Apostolic Team,
Jesus Fellowship UK/mJa
Noel Stanton
www.jesus.org.uk
Church
of the
Poor
UK SOCIETY is riddled with injustice, poverty
and heartbreak. Marginalised, deprived
and criminalised people are everywhere.
Old people have to survive on a pittance
of a state pension. Some are treated badly
in hospitals. Others are abused in old
people’s homes.
It is reported that some 130,000 children
were “homeless” at Christmas. There are
many broken families with rejected children.
The incapacitated can be badly cared for.
Single parents and their children suffer from
too low an income, sometimes with insufficient
food, clothing and heating.
Runaways, ex-prisoners, immigrants face
rejection and deprivation. Those addicted to
drugs, alcohol or gambling are often in great
need.
Depression is commonplace. Deaths
through overdoses are frequent.
Some people are born into poverty and
As a voluntary act a group of young people from
the Jesus Fellowship in Northampton painted
murals on a subway in a deprived community.
One was comic strip style, showing a character
reforming from a life of crime to a family man with
a sense of responsibility (see cover picture). The
other was a memorial to three young people from
the area who had died recently.
never escape. Others, through bad decisions
or because they are seduced by offers
of credit cards, get into big debt. Those with
addictive hang-ups find themselves trapped
and needing to beg and steal to keep up their
habit.
To all of these and many others Jesus says
“Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom
of God”. He tells His followers to invite
the poor to their feast, rather than the rich
who can pay them back. And He says that the
rich and proud will find it almost impossible
to obtain salvation.
It’s not just “church for the poor” but
“church of the poor”. All of us must be
ready to share and bring the justice of God’s
kingdom into the church. The modern Jesus
army is committed to reaching the poor of
every kind, showing love to rejected peoplegroups,
inviting everyone into the blessings
God has provided for us through Jesus Christ.
Jesus
Centres
Vision
JESUS FELLOWSHIP has a vision
for Jesus Centres in cities
and large towns throughout
the UK. These are for Christian
worship, evangelism and care.
We see them as “Jesus revolution”
Centres. They open daily
to cater for the needy and bring
them to Jesus. Such Centres
are a venue for local Jesus Fellowship
worship and in some
cases provide accommodation
for members of New Creation
Christian Community.
Coventry and Northampton
are open and functioning well.
London (West End) is due to
open shortly. The very central location
is well placed to meet the
needs of people in our capital.
Sheffield and Birmingham
are next in line and we
are looking for people and
funds to open Jesus Centres
elsewhere. Join us in faith to
achieve this vision.
Continued overleaf
Jesus Life One/2008 Page 3