Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THE LORD TOOK HOLD OF BUGBROOKEHomes were opened up and sometimes Kelly and Normawould be up all night nursing someone through ‘cold turkey’and the traumas of withdrawal. Often there was heartbreakas, around the summer months, many came — only to vanishagain. There were few to care for them, and a lot of thosewho received help and prayer went back to their old scene —some, to an early grave.Verna, Dave, Kelly, and the rest, considered it an honour toserve these drop-out friends. How much they needed the loveof God! Verna would weep with joy to see them come throughto Jesus. It was the answer to so many prayers over the years.‘Let’s have a feast and celebrate,’ the father of the ProdigalSon had said. ‘For this son of mine was dead and is aliveagain’ (Luke 15:24). The fellowship was greatly enriched bythese new young believers who brimmed over with gratitudeand enthusiasm. But there was still the ‘elder brother’ tendencyto reject them. Self-righteous Christianity has so frequentlyturned away those whom Christ loves. Those whoidentify with them are likewise scorned. At Bugbrooke, beingpentecostal was bad enough, but now they had turned into abunch of offbeat hippies! In the eyes of some village folk, andof some of the other churches, Bugbrooke Chapel had alreadygone too far.Rufus bumped into a transformed Paddy in town, now intoJesus and looking really healthy. Paddy was off heroin andhad a regular job. Rufus was impressed; both were miracles!‘This Jesus trip must be good — for a junkie — but, so shallow!’he thought, and continued on his way, chanting.69