Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTSAWAKE O ZION!In Britain the ‘Jerusalem model’ was dropped in favour of amoderate version of ‘community lifestyle’. Arthur Wallis wrote:‘The world is waiting to see God’s alternative society... thespirit of community living is being restored.’We felt that was great! But speaking of the early churcheshe qualified it: ‘This is not to suggest they... had extendedhouseholds... Nor did the sharing of possessions mean thatthey necessarily relinquished possession of their goods.’ 47It was true that not everyone outside Jerusalem was so radical.Not only did slavery and persecution hinder community,but the early churches had their difficulties. The fact thatPaul could write, ‘everyone looks out for his own interests,not those of Jesus Christ’ (Phil 2:21) indicates a key problem— the waning of first love.Some have said that the church has enough problems withoutadding community to them. But we felt immeasurable richnesswas lost by this stance. As others took one pace back,we found ourselves fighting a lonely battle.However, church history was ablaze with ‘pilgrims of thecommon life’ and we took heart from their example. Generationsafter the apostles, Justin Martyr wrote: ‘We who formerlytreasured possessions now hand over all we have to acommon treasury.’ 48In the deserts, communities arose that housed thousandsand were centres of power. One old saint wrote: ‘We thankGod for the sweet fragrance of submission and true sharing.We have surrounded ourselves with the wall of salvation whichis love for God and the call to community, that we might walkon earth according to the ways of heaven.’ 49162