Streetpaper 80

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SPEcIAL FEATURE

P7: ASbO NAN

P2: 100,000 cUPPAS

Above and right: People enjoy the Holy Spirit’s presence in Jesus Army events

freespirit

LET’S UNLOCK our spiritual lives. Let’s allow our spirits free expression. Todaymanypeoplearehavinganexperi-ence described in the Bible. Jesus called it“baptismintheSpirit”:beingdrenched,satu-ratedwithGod’sSpirit, theHolySpirit. Thisbringsemotionalandspiritual release. Itcanbeverypowerful. Somedescribeitaslikewavesofelectricitygoing through them. Some feel wobbly as iftheyweredrunk. Othersspeakofa feelingofbeingpower-fullylovedorlike“floatingonair”.Somearesoaffectedtheyfalltotheground. Others sob out their emotional pain andthen laughuproariously as theyarehit byafeeling of overwhelming joy. Many are re-leasedto“speak in tongues”, inanunknownlanguageofpraisetoGod. Jesusspokeofthis(continuedonpage4)

HAVE YOUR SAY TEXT US NOW07969 679 [email protected] www.jesus.org.uk


“WHEN WE first opened the doors of ‘The Bridge,’ our drop-in, just one homeless man came in that day. The next day ten came. Since then we have had more than 70,000 visits by 3,300 different people” says Jesus Centre manager, Piers Young. “More than 60 per cent had no home of their own. We have given away more than 100,000 free cups of tea and coffee.” Coventry Jesus Centre is open seven days a week. It opened in April 2002 and includes The Bridge, a drop-in for the homeless and disadvantaged, a cafe (“The Upper Well”) with three computers for internet access, a medical room for a nurse’s weekly surgery, and the “Gateway Hall” – a large venue available for hire. The Jesus Centre is also home to the local Jesus Army which meets there on Sundays.

Housing help Eighteen months ago, the charitable trust that runs Cov-entry Jesus Centre started a “bond scheme” to help peo-ple into rented accommodation. Over 80 people have been housed so far. Most have stayed settled with ongoing sup-port. The Jesus Centre also runs various training courses – mon-ey management to healthy cookery – and various groups like “Mums and Tots”, “Over 50s”, arts and performance groups and “Explorers” for first-time spiritual seekers. One of The Bridge’s visitors said: “The place helps pick you up. The food is very good and when you feel really low there is someone there to talk to. It feels like you’re not alone.” www.jesuscentre.org.uk

100,000 Free CuppasCoventry Jesus Centre celebrated itsfifth “birthday” on April 30 this year

Open door: Piers Young (centre) Coventry Jesus Centre manager

March

Against Guns

AFTER FIVE people were shot in south-east London, local church and community leaders organised a torch-light prayer march against gun crime which was sup-ported by more than 2,000 demonstrators. “Drugs and guns are a men-ace to society,” said Pastor Nims Obunge of ‘Peace Alli-ance’. “We all need to work together with criminal agen-cies to help vulnerable young people and keep guns off the street”. After meeting PM Tony Blair, Pastor Obunge agreed with other community lead-ers that what was needed was not more gun laws but an “exit strategy” to encour-age teenagers to give up their guns.

Source: BBC

The Cost Of Faith

THE BODIES of three Christian men – two Turk-ish converts and a Ger-man – have been found at a Bible publishing house in Malatya, south-east Turkey. The murderers had tied the Christians’ feet and cut their throats. Two other Christians were found injured – one with severe head injuries, af-ter jumping from a third-floor balcony to escape. Four men have been arrest-ed. The killers are believed to belong to a militant group who want the mainly Kurdish area to become an Islamic state. The murders follow the re-cent shootings of a Catholic priest and of the editor of an Armenian Christian newspa-per. Sources: The Guardian and

The Daily Telegraph

Love Thy Neighbour?AS NEW house-building mushrooms, good relations with neighbours nose-dive according to the findings of a survey by the Office for Na-tional Statistics. Since 1972, our UK popula-tion has grown by eight per cent, while households with only one person living in them have risen by 30 per cent – from three to seven million. And last year local authorities logged nearly six million complaints from home-owners cheesed-off because their neighbours were so noisy. Six out of ten local authori-ties attributed this alarming trend to “selfish attitudes” and “a higher expectation of quiet”.

Source: National Statistics

THE GOSPEL of Mark is part of the Bible and tells the story of the Life of Christ. Packed into 60 pages you can find how one man bridged the gap between man and God. Read

about angry Jesus driving out money changers. Read about compassionate Jesus heal-

ing people. Test for yourself the claims of Jesus. The Bible in its entirety has now been translated into 414 languages, and parts are now available in over 2,000 languages. If listed in the bestsellers, it would regularly top the list in all its versions.

For your FREE copy of Mark’s Gospel contact us (see address below). Or text on 07969 679 501 or phone on 0845 123 5550 to reserve your copy.

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ALL GOOD armies have an HQ, and we are no exception. We will answer your queries, provide you with free literature or a Mark’s Gospel, even pray with you over the telephone if you are in special need.

You can call us: our National Helpline is 0845 123 5550 (local call rate), and generally there are real people to talk to, not machines.

Email us at [email protected] Want to have a look at what the mJa is all about? Check us out from anywhere in the world on our website: www.jesus.org.uk

But in these days of hi-tech, we still have an address and lots of people write in.Jesus Fellowship, FREEPOST, Nether Heyford, Northampton, NN7 3BR

Across the UK you are welcome to call one of our local churches if they are near you. There are Jesus Army congregations and groups around the UK. They are not all the same size, they meet in differ-ent sorts of premises, but they are all made up of people who love Jesus and are ready to help you on in your faith too.

Belfast ........................................................... 0845 123 5552

Birmingham ................................................... 0845 166 8153

Bournemouth ................................................ 0845 123 5558

Brighton ......................................................... 0845 166 8151

Bristol ........................................................... 0845 123 5339

Coventry ........................................................ 0845 166 8154

Croydon ......................................................... 0845 226 1972

Chester/ North Wales.................................... 0845 123 5561

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Huntingdon ................................................... 0845 166 2697

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London Central ............................................. 0845 166 8152

London West ................................................. 0845 833 1319

London South ............................................... 0845 226 1972

Manchester .................................................... 0845 166 8169

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Newcastle-upon-Tyne ................................... 0845 166 8187

Northampton ................................................. 0845 166 8161

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Preston .......................................................... 0845 123 5554

Sheffield ........................................................ 0845 166 8183

Stoke-on-Trent .............................................. 0845 123 5334

Swansea ........................................................ 0845 123 5556

Wolverhampton ............................................. 0845 123 5563

GET IN TOUCH

JESUS Fellowship Church is an evangelical Christian Church with a charismatic emphasis. It upholds the full historical, Christian faith, in particular it upholds the doctrine of the Trinity and the full divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Fellowship Church is a part of the Multiply Christian Network and a member of the Evangelical Alliance. To receive Jesus Fellowship literature regularly, free, send the response form on page 6 to Jesus Fellowship Central Offices, FREEPOST, Nether Heyford, Northampton NN7 3BR. Tel. 0845 123 5550. modern Jesus army Streetpaper No.80 © 2007, published three times a year by Jesus Fellowship Church, Nether Heyford, Northampton NN7 3LB. Editor James Stacey. All photographs supplied and copyright by Jesus Army Photo Library or Public Domain unless stated otherwise. Printed by BGP Ltd., Bicester, Oxon. Reproduction of any part of this newspaper in any form requires written permission. All Bible quotations are from the Contemporary English Version © 2000 Harper Collins unless otherwise indicated. All articles are contributed by members of the Jesus Fellowship Church, also known as the Jesus Army and Jesus People. Many members live as part of the New Creation Christian Community. Readers wishing to contact authors may do so by writing to the Jesus Fellowship Central Office.

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Special Feature >>Slave Trade HellIMAGINE. You’re in the hold of a ship. Lying in a space six foot long and one foot four inches wide. You are chained and manacled. Six hundred others are packed in alongside you. It is suffocatingly hot. The stink of perspiration, human waste, and death is overwhelming, as are the shrieks of your fellow “passengers”. Here you will lie continuously for two to four months, on the infamous “Middle Passage” from Africa to America. If you die, you’ll be thrown over-board. And if you live, you’ll be captive until death. It was to end this slave trade that William Wilberforce, 18th century Brit-ish statesman, reformer and Christian, campaigned vigorously throughout his life. 2007 marks the 200th anniversary of the trade’s abolition in the British Empire. But has it really ended? (See page 3)

Un-chained: 2007 is the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the

slave trade in the British Empire


AS A SMALL boy, Tseten wanted to be a soldier like his dad. Now he has enlisted – but in the Jesus Army!

yOU’rE IN THE Army NOwFor Nepalese Tseten Sherpa,26, a walk across London changed the directionof his life. . . for good

He went to Tra-falgar Square, sat down and started thinking to himself. “What Barry said about Jesus was so meaningful. He told me, ‘when you are alone, go to your room and ask Jesus into your heart and He will come to you.’ ” So Tseten went home and did just that. And Jesus came in.

The following Saturday was Tseten’s first sight of ‘Church’, at the Jesus Army Festival on Tra-falgar Square: “The people were so joyful. I could feel Jesus.” Within three weeks Tseten was baptised as a Christian. Drink and drugs are gone – as his friends can see: “I say my life has changed because of Jesus. They be-lieve me because they can see the change in me.”

In the Army now “I find it really blessed to wear the Jesus Army badge,” says Tseten. “It’s an honour and privilege. I just salute Jesus and wait for His commands.” One command he already has is to let people know about Jesus:

“Jesus is the life. He loves you. He can change your life, if you want. You don’t have to do anything. Just believe in Him. “Barry said I could accept Jesus alone in my room and I did. You can too!” Tseten: takes his orders from Jesus now

In July 2005 Tseten’s time in London was coming to an end. It hadn’t worked out, so he was off to Hong Kong. “Work wasn’t any fun. I wasn’t enjoying going to clubs any more. I was really fed up,” he says. Tseten grew up in a boarding school in Kathmandu as his dad, a soldier in the British Army, was often abroad. On leaving college, he moved in with his parents as there was no work in Nepal after the 2001 palace mas-sacre.

Dope habit Tseten felt lost: “I was going in the wrong direction. I was having fun but it was empty. I was into dope – that really messed my head. I had to ask my parents for money. Every day was the same.” Tseten came to London – but within two years the same things happened. “Dope was a habit,” he says. “Every night, I used to smoke it. Before, it was a bit of fun; now I had to buy it just to chill out. I was losing control.” Even lack of money didn’t stop him; he just got hooked on alcohol which he could get free at his job in a West End restau-rant. “I was really frustrated. What was I going to do in my life?” So, when Tseten met a Chris-tian on the streets of London, he created a powerful impression.

Christian “I thought Jesus was just a prophet for western people,” recalls Tseten. “But Barry explained that He was a Middle-East person – and that Jesus is for everybody.” Tseten stood and listened for half an hour. When he heard Barry say, “Jesus died for you,” he started crying.

On the other foot: new life for Tseten

EVERY YEAR the Jesus Army celebrates Jesus in London by a “street party” style march from London’s Marble Arch to Trafalgar Square. On the Square there is a festive rally including song, drama, dance and testimony to the life-changing power of Jesus. This year the Jesus Army will be at

Trafalgar Square Saturday 23 June 2007 Come and join in! All are welcome

Special Feature >>

FACT: the slave trade is not over. According to amaz-ingchange.com, there are 27 million modern-day slaves across the world. That’s 27 million men, women and children trapped in bonded labour, forced labour, child labour, early and forced mar-riage, slavery by descent and trafficking. Half are chil-dren, and of these, there

are 300,000 child soldiers involved in over 30 areas of conflict worldwide, some younger than ten years old. The chain continues. How can you break this chain? Like William Wilber-force did, start with yourself, and the things that bind you up inside – sin. Then, like Wilberforce, you’ll be free to really help others.

27 million slaves today

Slavery still exists in many forms


ThaT’s The
FREE SPIRIT (continued...experience of the Holy Spirit as “drinking of living water” or being “clothed with power from on high”. It’s an experience for all who believe in Him. It’s the way to freedom, a release from all kinds of “hang-ups”. It brings healing from rejection and mental pain, an escape from drug addictions, with freedom to be your new, holy self. To receive this experience and to get a “free spirit” you’ll need to pray to Jesus Christ or get Christians who have had the experience to pray for you and with you. If you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, pray like this: Lord Jesus, I believe in You and open my life to You as my Saviour from sin. Now I come to You as some-one who is thirsty to receive the Holy Spirit and be filled with love, joy and power. You
from page 1)said that God our Father would be “ready to give the Holy Spir-it to anyone who asks” (Luke 11:13). So here I am asking for the Holy Spirit. I also ask for the “gift of tongues” to be the sign that I have received the Holy Spirit just as You said. I want the Holy Spirit to join me to God’s people, the Church, where I shall find love and unity. I now receive the Holy Spirit and speak aloud in new un-known sounds, knowing as I do that the Holy Spirit will make these sounds into a spir-itual language of love. Now close your eyes and be-gin to let the Spirit fill you and begin to “speak in tongues”. Now get in touch with some local Christians who can help you on the next step (or phone the Jesus Army on 0845 123 5550).

is on the loose today!The holy spirit: he’s God – and his power

EVER WONDERED how God manages to answer all those prayers at once? How does He manage to stop His heavenly switch-

IwillsendtheSpirittoyou”(John16:7). Jesus did wonderfulthings when He walkedthe earth – healed, taught,loved – yet He could onlybe in one place at a time.But the Holy Spirit can be

experience, here and now,cause the Holy Spirit coand fills them with lovepeaceandpower. JesuscalledtheHolySit “the Helper”. He comtohelppeopleto find fain Jesus. He helps them

board from becoming jammed? The fact is thatGodcanbeanywhereHewantstobeand hear anyone He wants

sparkliintoxica

tohear–allatonce.That’sbecause God is Spirit: anever-present, all-knowing,loving,powerfulSpirit. In the Bible, the Spiritof God is called the “HolySpirit”.Holymeansperfect-ly pure, untainted, good.“Holy”isGod’spersonality. JesuspromisedthatafterHe returned to heaven HewouldsendtheHolySpirit:“The Holy Spirit cannotcome to help you until Ileave. But after I am gone,

anywhere and everywhere.And He is! He’s on themove today and millionsof people are experiencingHis life-changing touch. Christians believe that God

ng, exhilarting life o

is a “trinity”: three persons– the Father, the Son (Jesus)and the Holy Spirit – but justoneGod.

God experience They believe this because itiswhatJesustaught,butalsobecause it is what they haveexperienced.TheFather lovesandforgivesthem.Theyknowit because His Son became aman, Jesus, and died to paythedeathpenaltyfortheirsins.Anditallbecomestheiractual

be-mesand

pir-es

ith to

liveanewlife.Hehealsandrestores them – inside andout. He fills them with thesparkling, exhilarating, in-toxicatinglifeofGod. WhentheHolySpiritfilled

ating, f God

thefirstChristians,twothou-sandyearsago,theyweresofullofbubblingjoythatsomeonlookersthoughttheyweredrunk! They spoke in newlanguages, supernaturally–the“giftoftongues”.Theywerefilledwithloveforeachotherand“sharedeverythingtheyhad”. Sucheruptionsofholylifehave happened millions oftimessincetoChristiansinevery corner of the planet.That’stheSpirit!

Like a house on fire: Daryl and Luke at Promise House, the Christian community house they both live in
Info: Jesus Fellowship, FREEPOST, Nether Heyford, Northampton NN7 3BR t: 0845 123 5550
e: [email protected] www.jesus.org.uk

ALL FREE / ALL WELCOME / NO PREJUDICE

WHAT’S ON?

Jesus Army events around the UK

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WINNING FESTIVAL WEEKENDGiant Marquee, Cornhill Manor, Pattishall, NORTHAMPTON

UK JESUS CELEBRATIONNorth - City Varieties Music Hall, Swan Street, LEEDS. LS1 6LW & South - Falmer High School, Lewes Road, BRIGHTON, BN1 9PW

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SpiritThaT’s The Spirit

Like wildfire: people are experiencing the Holy Spirit’s power today

Brothers In Arms

LUKE HAD never seen guns before. Now ma-chine-guns were being piled up in the 11-year-old’s bedroom. Governmentsoldiershadtakenoverallbutoneroomofthefamilydwelling. Life had been peaceful for Luke and his family beforetheywerecaughtup incivilwar.His fatherwasa fisher-man and Luke enjoyed living by the sea in northern SriLanka. But closeness to the sea became a huge problem forthefamily:theirhomewasatanimportantstrategicloca-tion.Itbecamethesiteofafiercetugofwarbetweengov-

War zone refugee, sri Lankan Luke Ranga, 25, and south african clubber Daryl Coy, 23, had very different beginnings. But now the holy spirit has made them into brothers

ernmentnavyforcesandthe“LiberationTigersofTamilEelam”(LTTE)–knownaroundtheworldasthe“TamilTigers”. Lukeandhisfamilywereforcedtoliveinoneroomwhilesoldiersusedtherestofthebuildingasabase.Itwasater-rifyingtime.Tohelphimsleep,Luke’smothertaughthimto pray “Jesus, have mercy on me” – which he did everynight. LukefledforsafetytotheUKin1999. InEnglandhewasnolongerafraidforhislife.But9,000kilometres away from home, he got mixed up with thewrongpeople. Demoralized and often drunk, Luke knew that his lifewasonthewrongtrack. “Jesus,havemercyonme”heprayed,afteranotheralco-hol-drenchednight. Meeting the Jesus Army, Luke found himself amongfriendswhotalkedwithhimandprayedforhim. Soonafter,LukehadhisfirstexperienceofGod’sSpirit,whichcametohiminthemiddleofthenight.Hiswholebodyshookaswhatfeltlikeastrongelectriccurrentranthroughhim.

Daryl 15-year-oldDaryl’sChristianfaithwasrunningintotrouble.Darylhadgotdrunkerthanhe’deverbeenbefore–andafterthatdivedheadlongintotheclubscene. Buthestillwokeupeverydaythinking“WhatamIdoing?” Insearchoffulfilment,DarylcameovertotheUK,butstillcouldn’tfindsatisfaction. “Hello my friend! Do you know what thismeans?” Daryl turned to the stranger on the buswhohadspokentohim–andwhowaspoint-ingtoapassageintheBiblehewashold-ing: “I will restore to you the years thatthelocusthaseaten.” Darylwasamazed:“Yes!Idoknowwhat it means! God will restore tometheyears that Ihavemessedup

–backtowhatHeoriginallyhadplannedforme!” Darylneversawthatmanagain,butsoonafterthathewenttoaJesusArmymeeting.SomeonespokeoutwhattheysensedGodsaying:“It’sgoingtobeyourwayorGod’swayofbrotherhoodlife.”DaryldecidedthereandthentoacceptJesus.

Happy Nowheknowsthathe’sbeenrestoredbyGod:“Ihaveexperienced God’s Spirit burning the old stuff away,cleansing me of what I got into when I was away fromHim.” Lukeadds:“IcouldhavebeenaTamilTiger,butGodwantedmetofightinHisarmyoflovewithmybrothers– likeDarylandothers–aroundme.I'msohappyaboutthat.”(Luke’s name has been changed)

LUKE AND DARYL now live in the same Christian com-munity house as brothers. About a quarter of the mem-bers of the Jesus Army live together like this in about sixty Christian community houses around the UK. They aim to be like the first Chris-tian Church written about in the book of Acts in the Bible. After the Holy Spirit filled them they “shared every-thing they had” (Acts 2:44). For info on this commu-nity lifestyle check out www.newcreation.org.uk or email [email protected]

holy spirit community


Special Feature >>

Good deed for the day

ety was set up to help enforce a new law to prevent cruelty to cattle, sheep and horses. But it had a much broader mission – “to alter the moral feelings of the country”. His other good works includ-ed prison reform, fair care for

prisoners of war, improving hos-pitals and the lot of the poor, and reforms around the world. “Faith without works is dead,” says the Bible – but it also says that works without faith are “dead” too. You can’t chalk up credit with God through trying

hard – none of us are up to such an awesome standard of goodness. But when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, God gives us His Spirit – who changes us and helps us live different lives – lives that please Him.

Puppy dog eyes: did you know anti-slavery champion, Wilberforce, founded the RSPCA?

WILBERFORCE had two great aims: the abolition of the slave trade and the “ref-ormation of manners”. On 16 June 1824, he was one of the founders of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). The Soci-

Healed from Hep C A JESUS ARMY member in Northampton has been healed from Hepatitis C. Dennis Mulholland, 44, was diagnosed with the virus in 2001 and was due to start a lengthy treatment plan with bad side effects. He and his friends in the Jesus Army prayed. “I’m a born-again Chris-tian” Dennis told the nurse. “My friends are praying. Can you do one more check be-fore starting the treatment?” The nurse insisted that the virus would still be there and only the treatment would change that. But the check took place. Following this, the hospital wrote to him saying that after a recent test they could find no trace of the disease.

Lovin’ Manchester THE YOUTH of the Jesus Army – about 150 eager teens and twenties – flash mobbed Manchester re-cently. A colourful carnival of prayer paraded through the city’s Canal Street district on a lively Friday night. There was soft-hearted evangelism as hundreds of packets of “I Love You” “Love Heart” sweets were given out to crowds of clubbers. The message that Jesus and Christians love all peo-ple went down very well.

IF SOMETHING is free, it must be useless and old, right? Not in the case of GRACE – God’s free gift of undeserved kindness to us. There’s a song about this amazing “freebie”. It’s been per-formed by artists from Ray Charles to Bono. It’s been played on bagpipes and the saxophone. It’s been sung all over the world, and an instrumental version remains the best-selling instrumental single of all time in Britain. It is, of course, Amaz-ing Grace. Its writer, John Newton, was a reformed slave-trader: “Only God’s amazing grace could and would take a rude, profane, slave-trading sailor and transform him into a child of God.” He wrote Amazing Grace after becoming a Christian in 1748 and abandoning the slave trade. The Bible says: “All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory” (Romans 3:23). But this is not a reason to despair. The Bible goes straight on to say: “But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, He freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins” (Romans 3:24). 250 years after Amazing Grace was written grace is still freely available to anyone who is willing to admit their true state before God. Jesus is the way back to God if we trust in Him. So ditch your pride, cry out to Him. Then you’ll be able to sing sincerely: “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.”

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Ann: from kickboxer to Christian

pins for their hair.” Something you wore could show where you stood. What do your clothes say about you? In the Jesus Army today lots of us wear bright red crosses. They show that we are una-shamed to be Christians; they also symbolise the blood of Jesus which He shed on the Cross to save us.

BACK IN the 1700s, Josiah Wedgwood was very con-cerned with reforming Brit-ish Society, and put his craft and his conscience to work in creating the anti-slavery medallion (above), “Am I not a man and a brother?” It caught on: “Ladies wore them in bracelets, and others had them fitted up in an ornamental manner as

Some also wear a blue wristband for “New Creation Christian Community”. It says we dare to be different. We want to create equality, live jus-tice, be free to be the men and women God created us to be. Ditch your iPods, your “con-sumer gods”, and come and see. (Check out www.newcre-ation.org.uk for more about Christian community.)

Special Feature >>

Heart on your sleeve

Medallions and wristbands: getting the message across

ASBO Nan Finds Freedom

PEOPLE EXTRA

Not many grandmas are given a five year ASBO and banned from every pub in town. But Ann Brown, 55, just isn’t “many grandmas”
“HE WAS DRUNK. He knocked me to the floor and started stomping on my head and chest.” Itwas2005andAnnandher partner were having ablazing rowwhichhad justturnedviolent. “By the time he finishedI was virtually unrecogni-sable, coughing up bloodfrom a punctured lung,with broken ribs and fin-gers, burst ear-drums andoneeyesqueezedoutofitssocket. “My upbringing couldn’thavebeen further fromtheworldofdrugsandviolencethat my life became,” Annexplains. “Nan and Mumbelonged to the SalvationArmy.” By 1970, Ann, now mar-ried with three children,hadstarted livingadoublelife.Neighboursknewheras“abitofahippybutagoodmumwhotookherchildrentohorseshowsandwalkedmileswithherdogs”. Butbynightshebecameadifferentperson. “Gradually the partiesI went to got wilder andmoreviolent.IhadabrownbeltinjudoandkarateandinmyfortiesItookupkick-boxing. I enjoyed excite-
ment and prided myself Icouldhandleanything.” In1976,Annstruckupafriendship with Cyril andPhyllisfromtheJesusArmy.SheremembersCyrilsaying“Ann, one day you’ll reachapointwhenyou’ll cryouttoGod–becauseHewantsyou and He’s not going togiveuponyou!” “I loved and respectedthem,” says Ann “but Iwasn’t ready, then, to giveuptheonlylifeIknew.” The next years of Ann’slife sound likeapaperbackthriller blurb. Home grownpot. Arrested for posses-sion. Holloway prison. Ar-restedforviolence.Bannedfromthecounty.Eightyearsontherun. Thenoneeveningin2005– thirty years after Cyril’swords–hisprophecycametrue when Ann’s partnerviolentlyattackedher. “I’d probably have suf-focated in my own bloodbut fortunately he was sodrunk that he passed out.I was able to drag myselfoutof thehouse.Aneigh-bour dialled 999. My part-nerwasarrestedandlatersenttoprison.Iwastakentointensivecare. “It was a horrible expe-rience.ButGodusedittobringmetomysenses.As

soonasIgotoutofhospi-tal,friendsfromtheJesusArmycameandprayedforme.ThatnightIhadsuchan amazing experience ofGod’slovethatIshookallover!IknewJesusdiedforme and He’d forgiven allmymanysins.Soonafter,I got baptised and joinedtheChurch.” Ann’s dramatic conver-sionbecamethetalkofthetown. “Ihavetobehonestandsay that bits of my life-style are taking a while tochange. Iwas inapubre-cently talking to peopleabout Jesus when some-body picked a fight. I gotright in the middle of it. Iendedupinhandcuffs.Thepoliceknewaboutmytem-per and my kickboxing soIgotcuffsonmyanklesaswell. “Imustbeoneofthefewgrandmotherstobegivena five-year ASBO andbanned from every pubintown. “ButGodischang-ingme. Ireallyama new person. Thebest thing is thatthe new life thatGod’sgivenmeisamilliontimesmoreexcitingthatmyoldone!”

modern JESUS army Streetpaper No. 80 Page 8

Turn The worldupside

down
The Jesus Army is a Church
that demonstrates God’s

love for the disadvantaged

THE JESUS ARMY is a “Church of the poor”. Those at the “bottom of the pile” are wel-comed and find their place. Those with the “ad-vantages” of wealth, talent or education humble themselves. Money and possessions are shared. Talents and skills are given to serving others. Theusualsystemofthings isturnedon itshead,up-ended. It’salwaysmeanttobelikethiswithChristians.Jesussaidalotofthingsaboutit,like:“InGod'skingdom,theoneswhoarenowleastimportantwillbethemostimpor-tant,andthosewhoarenowmostimportantwillbeleastimportant”(Luke13:29-30). God’skingdomisbottomup–“headoverheelsinlove,”youcouldsay. TheJesusArmyhastakenthisseriously.Somemem-bersof theChurcheven livetogether inChristiancom-munityhousessothattheycansharemorefully. AndtheJesusArmyhasopenedJesusCentresinCov-entryandNorthampton,withathirdduetoopeninCen-tral London this year. Jesus Centres are places “wheretheloveofJesusisexpresseddailyinworship,friendshipandhelpforeverytypeofperson”.Visitwww.jesuscentre.org.uk to find out what’s happening near you and howyoucanhelp. Jesus is a revolutionary. He turns the world upsidedown. Forget the rich and famous having it all – Jesusupsetsallthatandtakestherejected,theoutcasts,thepoor and saves them, gives them significance and pur-pose–forever.

Flipped: David break-dances at the Jesus Army’s “Jesus Day” at Trafalgar Square

Because you’re worth it.

IN 1740, a slave was seen as worth about £60. How much is your life worth? God thinks any human life – including yours – was worth His only Son’s death. That’s how much He loves you. “God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die.” (John 3:16) “Redeemed.” The word means “paying the ransom price for a slave”. All of us are born slaves to selfishness. The price to “buy” us back to God was the blood of Jesus. God gave, Jesus paid. Now, if we trust in Him, we can be redeemed, come to know God, experience His power and be made new. Pray (talk to Him) like this: Jesus, I admit I’m powerless to change myself. I need You to come into my life, to pour in Your love, Your forgiveness and Your amazing grace. Please save and heal me. I freely choose to follow You for the rest of my life. If you prayed like this, get in touch with some local Chris-tians who can help you on the next step (or phone the Jesus Army on 0845 123 5550).

Money money money: What price life?

>> Special Feature

JESUS SAID: “God will bless you people who

are poor. His kingdom belongs

to you!.. But you rich people are

in for trouble. You have already

had an easy life!” Luke 6:20, 24, The Bible

mJa UK: 0845 123 5550 (local call rate)

www.jesus.org.uk e-mail: [email protected]

For further help/info: Jesus Fellowship, FREEPOST,

Nether Heyford, Northampton NN7 3BR

tel: 0845 166 8171 fax: 0845 166 8178

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