Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTSCOMMUNICATE!So ran a colourful centre-page spread in the Daily Mirror.As 1991 broke upon us, national papers focused on the startlingresults of a UK church census that had just been releasedin the book ‘Christian’ England. 109As the Mirror informed us, ‘Figures show that the evangelicalmovement is booming — fuelled by the more extremecharismatics.’ The report continued:Half a million people have stopped going to church in the past10 years, yet each Sunday 130 Christian soldiers swell the ranksof a new church army. While the pews are continuing to empty,a huge religious revival is underway. 110The Daily Mirror reported that ‘house-churches have gatheredmore than 120,000 followers in an explosion of commitment.’It concluded: ‘Though more traditional forms of religionare in decline, the new churches — noisy, informal passionatego from strength to strength.’ 111The Independent On Sunday was also hot on the trail ofthese Christian enthusiasts and sent a journalist out to investigate.She arrived at our second Wembley Praise-Day:At the sound of the very first note, hundreds leapt to their feetwith hope in their eyes and hunger in their hearts. There followed12 hours of exhausting bouts of singing, excited preachingby a succession of speakers from around the world, and acircus of ‘signs and wonders’ as faith healers, exorcists, tonguetalkers and prophets performed... And, on cue, hundreds pouredforward to be saved. 112329