Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THE LORD TOOK HOLD OF BUGBROOKEof discovery as the delighted pastor stepped back, and allowedthe Spirit to move. They didn’t know what would happennext. One lad jumped up, took his glasses off, and peeredout of the window. ‘Hey! I can see the Baker’s Arms sign reallyclearly now!’ he shouted. Another youngster would laughuncontrollably and then burst out crying. He couldn’t helphimself — it was like holding back the Niagara! But many inthe group needed to struggle to express their feelings freelyin worship and in the process they learned to open up andpray with one another.Gradually they became aware of books and tapes goinground which described how the Spirit was renewing churchesall over the world. Thousands in Britain were speaking intongues as on the day of Pentecost. Michael Harper, an Anglicancurate, had organised the Fountain Trust to foster thisgrowing renewal movement and one of the team, David Mills,visited Bugbrooke to encourage them.‘Free, I’m free! Praise the Lord, I’m free!’ they sang in theirSaturday evening meetings. At first they felt self-consciousas they raised their arms in the air and clapped their hands.But the barriers were coming down — a little. For traditionalBaptists it was pretty good!In the Sunday evening meetings the old hymn books werereplaced by shiny, red pentecostal song books that spoke ofblood, fire and the blessing. But clapping on Sundays wasstill regarded as rather offensive (and undignified) and themorning services were sacrosanct in the eyes of the moretraditional members. So the new-found freedom was generallykept for Saturdays and after-meetings. At times it waslike restraining a herd of well-mannered buffalo!37