Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTSAWAKE O ZION!The bands majored on openness; second, came ‘liberatedworship’. We lost a lot of prayer-group piety as we leaptaround, shouted and sang, danced, played guitars, and shooktambourines and maracas. Thirdly, the disciplers taught fromtheir experience — but no soap boxes were allowed!Correction was a fourth element. Most of us were keen tohave our faults pointed out, and we would assess one another’sstrengths and weaknesses. This was very constructivebut revealed some self-righteousness and self-justification.With a skilful leader, a punch-up could be avoided!The fifth area was meditation and prayer. We would go offalone to ponder on Scripture or pray and then regather toshare what the Lord had shown us.Then there were ‘discipline activities’. (St Francis, too, practised‘holy obedience’.) The discipler gave the band ‘disciplines’.‘Faith confessions’ were a favourite and Yvonne hadto sing hers every hour! (I’m free! I’m free!’ she squeaked inthe middle of Noel’s teaching.) Leaders received their ownmedicine, too. Liz had to spend time with the sister she foundmost difficult. It all produced rapid growth.The last point was ministry activity. In a group of five friendsit was easier to launch out in spiritual gifts. We learned tospeak in tongues, interpret, prophesy, or sing out spontaneous‘psalms’. We prayed for healing, wrote songs or broughtout wisdom.The bands were to meet once a week. Once the leaders hadlost their nervousness and delusions of grandeur, the bandsbecame very precious to us. Most members didn’t live in communityhouses and disciple bands brought something of thereality we knew at the Hall and the Farm.147