Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTSCITY ON A HILLthority’ (Tit 2:15) and to ‘help the weak and be patient witheveryone’ (1 Thess 5:14). The balance between prophetic ministryand the shepherd’s heart can be difficult to find!Whilst some of our leaders were too fond of the rule bookand needed bigger hearts, others were all for joy and libertybut needed the balance of holy discipline.A few felt that Noel’s strong ministry was alienating thoseit sought to reach. Some reacted angrily to his renewed callto ‘blood, sweat and tears’, and spoke of the need for ‘grace’.Noel caught the critical darts, sharpened them, and flung themback in the form of two new hymns:I speak of grace to suit my stateOf natural soul desire.‘It’s all of grace’, I restful cry,‘Relaxing’ in self’s mire!‘Holy by faith’ my nature says,‘I need not will at all!..’The lawless trend needed purging, and after twelve versesof pungent irony, anyone who was into being ‘laid back’ feltpretty uncomfortable!Reflecting on this time, Val wrote: ‘Often I felt tearfullygrateful for Noel, because no matter how imperfect he mayhave been, he was so devoted. Sometimes it seemed theremight be a split between the staunch-discipline, and the graceallow-people-freedom-to-moveleaders. When it came to it, Iknew God would always honour loyalty and covenant.’224