Friendly Fire

Something is stirring in our worship times at the moment. Yesterday's meeting was another landmark encounter with the Lord as we let Him take control of the meeting and once again, this intimacy in worship led us to a deeper place. Bringing a prophetic edge through worship is something that has been on our hearts in the Worship Team for a while. During one section of yesterday's meeting, I really felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to begin singing prophetically, moving away from singing a "standard song". It is a great blessing to play and minister with sensitive, competent musicians and in moments like that, being able to go 'off road' and know that your music team will follow you all the way, allows us the freedom to do just that. More about worship in bcc in another blog entry this week.

I was thinking the other day that anyone who really means business with God will always make enemies. Interestingly, those enemies are rarely from the world who, as you would expect, care little for the things of God or His people, no, these are people inside the Church; they are believers themselves. I love what God is doing here in BCC and it seems to me that this work is a new wineskin for His purposes in His Church today. However, it does not surprise me that this will attract opposition. Vociferous, poisonous and sustained opposition.

George Whitfield lived in the 1700s. He was used by God in a truly extraordinary way, preaching fiery sermons calling crowds of thousands to be 'born again', in huge open air meetings with no public address system other than his voice and a prevailing wind. Today he is hailed as a true apostle of faith and one of the greatest preachers and evangelists of all times. Not so at the time of his ministry. Whitefield had to endure some truly terrible criticisms, verbal assaults and slanderous accusations all from people professing to be Christians; it was spiritual 'friendly fire'.

"One clergyman attacked him by a scurrilous pamphlet...and others from the
pulpit. Gillies says, "Pulpits rang with invectives against him, and the parish
priests threatened some of their parishioners with prosecutions, for letting him
expound and pray in their houses."" (Taken from The Life and Times of George
Whitefield by Robert Philip at p.78)

What was Whitefield's response? Prayer and praise. He did not resort to lawsuits, defending himself or polarising the Christian community around himself. He simply got on with what God called him to do and let the fruit speak for itself. Let's do the same!