Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THE LORD TOOK HOLD OF BUGBROOKEbright red shirt, glowing face and long hair! They liked thenew version and the group became Saturday night regulars.Following the music festival, eight people were baptised.Johnny, a local fighter, wept his way to the Lord. The villagewas stirred and he was asked to speak at Dave’s school. Someof the youngsters responded, and more came along to seewhat was going on down at the chapel.In September, the American evangelist, Arthur Blessitt, hittown, leaving a trail of Jesus stickers and enthusiasm. Then ahuge bonfire lit the skies over Northampton — the NationwideFestival of Light had begun. In London the shouts of‘Praise the Lord!’, the One Way signals, the music, the stickersand the joy all indicated the spiritual groundswell abroad.At Bugbrooke that swell was rising fast. Some who hadstarted coming to the chapel meetings were thinking of movinginto the village, but not all could afford to. Noel suggesteda Sharing Fund to meet particular needs and the formationof a housing association to provide homes at a low cost. This,he explained, put into practice the communal spirit of theNew Testament. He admired the example of the early Christiansand, to the amazement of some, started to lend out hisAudi.Christmas was approaching and many were uneasy aboutthe worldliness and hypocrisy it involved. The festival, whichwas of pagan origin, and never recognised in the early church,brought so many temptations to drunkenness and greed.Sadly, Johnny, the local fighter, had already gone back to someof his old ways.Nonetheless, a carol service went ahead and Noel hoped toreach the hearts of some of the traditional folk. Testimonies59