Israel: It's more nuanced than you might think

The tragedy in the Middle East right now brings out interesting political views within the Christian community. This blog (a little longer than my usual ones, sorry) tries to bring some balance to the debate, and to the prayers.

Much of what is being published on Chrisitan social media seems to assume a rather black and white picture – Israel good, Palestine bad. But as in all conflict, there’s good and bad on both sides.

So when Christians pray for Israel, it needs to be with compassion and with awareness. Awareness for example that the current Prime Minister is subject to investigations relating to bribery and fraud.

He has tried to maintain power, hence avoiding charges, by embracing some extreme right wing political groups within his government. This has led to more extreme positions on the rights of Palestinians and an extension to the policy of forced removal of Palestinians from their land.

The continuing Israeli efforts to displace Palestinian residents of the occupied Palestine territories and to settle Israeli citizens in their place has brought their ‘policy’ to the attention of the United Nations. The UN statement in April 2023 says that what Israel is doing is in ‘blatant violation of international law.’ This, together with continuing blockades of the Gaza Strip has resulted in an armed Palestinian response. That is to be deplored, but it would be healthy as Christians to see there are significant political reasons for the uprising, not least the deprivation of citizens in Gaza.

Water is in short supply, electricity is intermittent, goods are effectively rationed due to Israeli controls. All this has been reported in the press, not least by Christian organisations. Some praying for Israel comes from a dodgy end-times theology. If we accept the Dispensational teaching (popular in America in the 1970s) that there is some kind of secret rapture and that God is focussed on the current geographic Israel as His people, then prayers become rather skewed. Everything looks to Israel.

 If you think I’m on my own in this view, I refer you to scholars with much greater understanding than me – See Tom Wright, ‘Surprised by Hope’, Simon Ponsonby ‘And the Lamb Wins’, and Ian Rossol’s ‘Win the World or Escape the Earth?’, to name but three of many. I’d like to suggest that a rather more balanced end-time view would see the Church as the new Israel.

Hence the Church can legitimately appropriate Old Testament prophecies such as Isaiah’s ‘Enlarge the place of your tent’ to the Church and not to geographic Israel. God still has plans for his original people. Paul makes that clear in Romans. But his people today are the Church, not those in geographic Israel. And that brings us back to prayer. We need to pray for Israel. And for Palestine.

Don’t forget Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Myanmar…. Pray for peace. Pray for those Christians on the front lines sharing the gospel. Pray for an end-time harvest. Pray for a bride of Christ on that final day, made up of every tribe and every tongue, every nation and every people. God’s plans include current Israel, but are so much bigger, so incredibly glorious. Keep praying.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (25) - HEALING IN THE HOUSE

Jesus hasn’t stopped healing.

That’s something we have been going after at Chroma Church in this revival.

A few weeks back, a man came forward who had been recovering from a heart attack. As he stood at the front, he decided to no longer accept his long-term heart condition and to believe God’s word. He decided to declare healing over himself. This he did every day from then on, and especially as he went to his hospital appointment.

The results were miraculous. He has fully recovered. The scans were clear. The checks were negative for any heart disease. He has been able to come off all medication.

Another man came forward a few weeks earlier, to ask for prayer for healing in the first of our Sunday meetings. He was from a Muslim background and had been brought along by his daughter. He had cancer.

The next day he contacted the office, to say that the ‘cancer had passed through his body’. We encouraged him to go back to the hospital to get it checked out. He did. He’s cancer free!

We’ve seen physical pain go in a moment. Sometimes when people come forward for healing prayer. Sometimes during the worship, and when they check out the pain it is no longer there. Backs have been healed. Significant leg pain has gone in an instant. Arms that couldn’t be raised, can now fully worship God without pain.

One man was unable to lift his arms above waist level due to a condition in his shoulders. He now stands pain free and arms lifted.

A lady with a hip condition, healed instantly. Tendonitis gone in a moment. Knee pain disappearing. Others go home and find the muscular pains they had dissipate over the next few days. Other have had to keep pressing in, coming forward for healing each Sunday. And then. Suddenly. The pain is gone.

Ears have been opened. Glasses have been discarded as Jesus heals eyes. Lumps disappearing as we pray. Migraines have gone. Depression has lifted.

As we fix our eyes on Jesus, as we worship God, the Spirit who heals the sick falls upon us.

Jesus hasn’t stopped healing.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (24) - WAVES OF LIQUID LOVE

We’d been away for a couple of weeks. But walking in to the 9.30 service on Sunday told us that God was continuing to work in just the same way.

When we arrived at Chroma Church five years ago, the first service was maybe a bit sleepy. No longer! The presence of God is tangible. From the first chord in worship, it’s hard not to kneel, just to acknowledge the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit.

The title for this post is ‘waves of liquid love’. It’s a well-known phrase from church history. When Charles Finney was baptised in the Holy Spirit at the start of his remarkable revival ministry, back in October 1821, he described it in this way:

‘Without ever having the thought in my mind that there was any such thing for me, without any memory of ever hearing the thing mentioned by any person in the world, the Holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to go through me, body and soul. I could feel the impression, like a wave of electricity, going through and through me. Indeed, it seemed to come in waves of liquid love, for I could not express it in any other way.’

Leicester is an exciting place to be. At the start of a new educational year, I’m expectant for much more. There are so many prophecies over our city, from people around the world who have never even been to Leicester, but felt in the Spirit that God was about something special.

We live in the good of those prophecies. Pretty much every meeting – the three services on Sunday, Student Church, Kids and Youth, Revival Nights and more – are soaked in the Holy Spirit. God’s presence is tangible. Waves of liquid love.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (23) - ALWAYS HOME

One of the delights of revival is the unity it creates. Not only between churches but within the congregation, across all ages and backgrounds.

We’ve just celebrated the end of another Leadership Year and Encounter Year at Chroma, for the students involved. Listening to their thoughts on the year was inspiring. Here we have a group of young people who are already turning the world upside down for Christ.

I loved the joy, the enthusiasm – the dancing! One student was planning to ‘upscale David’ with her dancing!

It’s so good that most will be staying in Leicester, and that for any that are moving on, as Pastor Steve said, ‘here will always be home.’

That’s true for the students, but it applies to all of us. What God is doing here is so precious, it will remain with us wherever we are in the world. And wherever we are, if you ask us about revival in Leicester, there will always be a smile. 

And maybe a dance….

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (22) - UNITY

One of the hallmarks of revival is an increased unity.

It was such a privilege to see this for real at Tuesday’s Revival Prayer.

We asked for prayer as a church. Immediately two ladies came up to pray – one from Colombia, one from Argentina. And then two church leaders from other churches came to pray – one from Anthem Church Leicester, one from OneChurch Leicester.

Churches and nations in unity.

When the Holy Spirit moves, unity is the result. As we work together, unity is the result. As we worship together, unity is the result.

Grateful for all God is doing.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (21) - THE FIRE AND THE RESTING PLACE

Numbers aren't everything. But they are a reflection of God's blessing. Over our recent Presence and Promise weekend, we had around 800 guests attending. That pushed up to well over 1000 on the Sunday.

It was a glorious time. Beautifully led by Steve and Juliet Barber, together with Paul and Sue Manwaring. Worship from Joel and the Chroma Worship family that took us to heavenly places. Ben Fitzgerald spoke boldly on evangelism and tenderly opened his own heart - such an encouragement for every one of us on this journey of life.

For me, the key talks came from Hayley Braun. Her preaching style is most unusual. It's as if she's talking to God and letting us in on the conversation.

At the first service on Sunday, we witnessed a strong prophetic word from Hayley for Chroma as a church, for Leicester as a city, and beyond to the nation and to Europe. This is the gist of it:

Hayley encouraged us that there was already a fire burning in this place, burning brightly. We were fanning the flames of revival. At Chroma Church, we have been given a gift - that of a resting place. This gift has not happened by accident, it happens because of intention. Steve and Juliet have paid a price. The presence of God doesn't come by happenstance, it comes when people choose to partner and to pay a very high price. It costs reputation. It costs relationship when people don't understand. It costs relational pain. But the price is worth paying.

Revival has come but we are still only ankle deep. There is a mighty river coming from the throne of God that will be unstoppable. Already the floodgates of salvation have opened, but there is about to be an outpouring of revival.

There will need to be sons and daughters to grab hold of the baton, to run in this race that is marked by generations running together.

What God is doing is not just a mantle for Leicester but a mantle for Europe - for the church, the region, the nation and for Europe.

That we are a resting place is clear. Many are coming and finding the refreshment offered by the Holy Spirit.

That a high price has been paid is clear too. We honour Steve and Juliet and are grateful to travel with them on this revival journey.

And that there is more to come is such an encouragement. For all at Chroma, in Leicester, in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. May we each choose to pay the price to see Europe changed.

The King and the King

On Saturday we saw a rare event - the coronation of a British king. Full of pomp and circumstance, we do ceremony so well.

At the heart of the ceremony is a commitment to God. A commitment of service to a people and to God Himself. Having said that, some of the words were a bit over the top - we can’t really declare Charles III should live forever. Nor can we claim him to be the ‘Lord’s Anointed’!

There is a vulnerability to some of the ceremony, not least the disrobing from royal robes to a plain shirt in order to receive (behind a screen) the anointing of oil – what is termed the Act of Consecration.

And so we have a king.

But we already have one.

His name is Jesus.

This is what the Archbishop of Canterbury said in his coronation address:

‘His throne was a cross, His crown was made of thorns, His regalia were the wounds that pierced His body.’

One day Charles III reign will end. But Jesus’ reign which began at the moment he broke the chains of death and rose from the dead, will be a reign that never ends.

We are invited to reign with him. Commoners, poor people of no consequence, we are invited to ask Jesus to forgive us and to change our lives. In doing so, He comes to live in us and through us. Him in us, us in Him, reigning with Him.  

If you choose to reign with Jesus, here’s a prayer you can pray:

Lord Jesus

I know you are alive and are still changing lives today. Please change mine.

Forgive me Lord for my life lived without you.

I invite you in right now as my Lord and Saviour. Please come and change me.

Amen.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (20) - CLIMBING MOUNTAINS

Just a week back, I had the privilege of speaking at Chroma Church in their two morning services. I spoke on Caleb, a real hero of mine. The man that cried out ‘give me this mountain’ and at the age of 85 took that mountain. You can find the talk here, at the one hour and seven-minute mark:

I love Caleb. In fact his story is the story behind the name for this blog. It was nearly 20 years ago that I spoke on ‘Mountain Climbing for Beginners’ at KingsGate Church Peterborough; it’s Caleb’s story.

We are seeing many mountains being taken in Leicester right now, in this time of revival. I speak of some in the talk. Over 100 new Christian believers in the last two to three months, meaning a necessary revamp to our New Life and Next Steps courses- but what a great problem to have!

I mention the fact that others visiting are seeing what God is doing and reflecting on it being revival. We had a leader of a church movement visit. He had been particularly involved in the Toronto Blessing revival in the early 1990s. His comment was it was the same as Toronto, except more mature. We’ll take that!

A lady has joined us who was part of the revival in Pensacola in the mid-1990s. Her comment? ‘This is the first time I have witnessed something that feels the same as the Pensacola revival.’ We’ll take that too! Just this morning I saw that lady at our first service with gold dust all over her hands – a reflection of the Holy Spirit at work in the meeting.

We had some friends, Barry and Chris, visit recently. They had read the blog and travelled up from the south of England to join with the revival. They were keen to hear prophetically from God -and they both did. Barry had been a teacher, now retired. He had felt for a while that God was telling him to pick up his pen again in the context of writing and teaching. The thing is, he had a specific fountain pen that he used when he was at school and he has continued to use this to this day, rather than working on a laptop. So imagine his surprise and delight when Rachel, one of our ministry team, came up to him and said ‘I see you holding an old fashioned fountain pen. God is calling you to write again.’ Wow.

Chris’s comment as they arrived back home after spending a few days at Chroma was, ‘it is strange to be back, and yet not back- we both feel as though we have been to a different place….difficult to explain, a different planet sounds too extreme, but catches a bit of the “otherness” we feel.’

The revival continues. Join us if you can, at our Presence and Promise Conference.

 

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (19) - THE ROLLING HOLY SPIRIT

As a writer, I’d hope to come up with a better description than ‘rolling’, but I think it’s the best I can do…. We have a ‘rolling’ Holy Spirit!

Let me explain what I mean….

 

I’ve noticed it a few times now, but it was most obvious at our Revival Prayer meeting on Tuesday night. The presence of the Holy Spirit was such that the majority of us were on the floor, weighed down by the Spirit’s presence. But I got up and sat down for a while – which meant I was able to observe what then happened.

Starting at the far side of the auditorium, the Holy Spirit started to roll over the people. On the far side, many began to groan in the Spirit, others cried out, some shook, or rolled on the floor. And as I watched, I saw the Holy Spirit move over the congregation. From the far side to the middle. From the middle to the near side. Each time, the effect of the Spirit was for those feeling God’s presence to cry out, groan, laugh or shake.

And then I observed the same thing happen in reverse. The Holy Spirit began to move over the room from the near side to the far side with a repeat of the effects.

Something similar is recorded in the Charles Finney meetings of the mid-1800s. And earlier still in the Methodist Circuit Revivals in ‘Wild West’ America. Here’s a quote from an onlooker at the 1801 Cane Ridge Revival:

At one time I saw at least 500 swept down in a moment, as if a battery of a thousand guns had been opened upon them, and there immediately followed shrieks and shouts that rent the very heavens.

I love that we are experiencing revival. Many healings. Many salvations – 80 or so in the last two months in our meetings alone.

A dear friend who was part of the Pensacola revival in the mid-1990s commented that what she is witnessing at Leicester is the first time she has seen a Holy Spirit move in a similar way to Pensacola in the 25+ years she has been in the UK.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (18) - JOY IN THE HOUSE

I love that this revival is being reflected in joy. Last night at the leaders meeting, we witnessed laughter breaking out around the room as 60 or so leaders met together. Holy Spirit laughter is fun!

And we have a lot to laugh about. A lot the Holy Spirit is doing in these days.

We have seen the congregation grow by around 150 in the last two months, taking our numbers well beyond 800 on a Sunday. We have seen 22 people come to the front of the meetings in these last two weeks to give their lives to Christ. At the first service on Sunday, we had the privilege of praying for a number of leaders who had heard what was happening and were visiting us.

We saw on Sunday night, 14 people being baptised. One had nearly died from knife wounds, but Jesus got hold of him, brought him through and brought him to faith. Another took drugs at a night club, causing a heart attack. He saw Jesus come to him and hold him. And now he’s full of the Holy Spirit rather than drugs.

A girl celebrating her 21^st birthday told of how God had taken her and her baby from wrong relationships, tarot cards and fortune telling to coming to Christ a week ago. And one week later she’s baptised in water. A young 8-year-old girl told of her own faith journey: ‘and now I know that baptism is my next step.’

Stories of lives changed. There is much to celebrate, to laugh about and to enjoy. There’s joy in the house.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (17) - DAYS OF HEAVEN

I’m not usually lost for words, but it’s hard to describe these last few days. Friday saw the start of the two-day Leaders Gathering, with around 350 people from churches up and down the country as well as from many nations including India, South Africa, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and more. (This was the same event as last year that started us on the revival road). This was followed by a wild Sunday in all three services. And then the Revival Prayer night on Tuesday.

The worship has been exceptional. Such a presence of the Holy Spirit. An awareness of the Father’s love. What can you do in such a time but worship?

The practical sessions brought a Holy Spirit anointing as people moved out in the gifts of the Spirit with many experiencing a new found freedom in prophecy and words of knowledge.

Sunday night’s service was particularly precious for its heartfelt worship and six people coming forward to give their lives to Christ.

Again, there have been angels in the building. Often  they are dancing. On Tuesday night’s Revival Prayer meeting, they seemed to be standing to attention. It was as if we had broken into a holy place, with increased awe and reverence.

What days to be living in. Days of heaven. And lost for words.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (16) - REVIVAL UPON REVIVAL

A year ago, revival came to Leicester. It was during the Chroma Church Leaders Gathering at the beginning of the year. The presence of the Holy Spirit was so thick, it was hard to stand. People had to be lifted out of the meeting, unable to walk. Others felt the presence of the Holy Spirit even as they parked their car in the car park. None remained unaffected.

Through the year that has followed, the Holy Spirit has continued to move. We’ve seen oil on hands as a common experience, some of our ladies having oil dripping off them. There have been angels seen regularly – some guarding doors, others entering into worship with wild dancing. Children have seen angels in their bedrooms, guarding them. In the children’s meetings, the sound of heaven has been heard.

We’ve seen 115 people walk to the front of the Sunday meetings over the year to give their lives to Christ. On top of that there have been hundreds on the street and in the youth and children’s meetings. 51 have been baptised. As Rachel says in our New Year message (from about the 1 hour 20 minute mark here) salvation isn’t a prayer, it’s a person. Jesus has been good to us in our times together. 115 times.

People of other faiths have started turning up to meetings, hearing that there’s healing to be had. Whole families are coming to Christ through healing encounters. Sikhs and Hindu’s have come to faith this year, some having dreams of Jesus that brought them to the church.

We’ve seen people give their lives to Christ where addictions have instantly lifted off them and they have remained free. We’ve seen new believers devouring the Bible, reading through the whole book in a short time.

The most dramatic healing was of a young lady with a heart condition. The doctors were unsure she would live, and certainly would not be able to work. She and her parents joined in the meetings online and the day we prayed for heart conditions, she was healed. Today she is active and has her first job.

There have been many other healings from the young to the old, sometimes happening in the worship without any prayer or particular emphasis.

Worship has been a key to the revival this year. ChromaWorship have been sensitive to the Holy Spirit and have consistently led us into God’s presence. Their heart for the Lord has been recognised too and they are beginning to lead in large international gatherings around the world.

The start of the revival in January a year ago caused us to start a weekly Revival Prayer meeting on Tuesday nights. These have been especially precious, with an overwhelming sense of God’s presence causing fear and reverence one week, outrageous praise on another. The weekly meetings have gathered others from other churches, including significant leaders of church networks. One of these leaders who had been particularly involved in the Toronto Outpouring in the 1990s commented that the revival was ‘like Toronto but more mature’. We’ll take that!

As 2022 was a year of revival, so for 2023. Revival upon revival. Every age group, every background, every nation represented. Revival has come to Leicester.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (15) - PRAYER CHAIRS

We did a strange thing the other week.

At one of our Revival Prayer meetings, we each lifted a chair above our heads and prayed for it.

We then extended the number of chairs set out on a Sunday by a considerable amount, believing that the prayed-for chairs would be occupied.

God answered. We have seen genuine increases at each of our meetings- some by a considerable amount. Many more chairs out in the auditorium – and many more people there.

And more importantly, a continuing number of new believers stepping into their destiny as they ask Jesus Christ to come into their lives.

Revival in Leicester continues.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (13 ) - REPENTANCE AND SALVATION

Two major out-workings of revival in past centuries have been repentance and salvation. There are many others including the work of the Holy Spirit in a physical way and in exuberant worship, for example. And we have been seeing plenty of that.  But repentance and salvation are pretty key to all revivals.

We are observing a new outworking of both of these at Chroma.

Repentance was very much front and centre at our revival prayer meeting a week or so back. People were called forward should they want to repent of anything, praying with someone, and seeing it dealt with. The queue went to the back of the room. My guess is these may have been small issues, but in revival, small issues are big issues where it stops you knowing a closeness to Christ.

And salvation. I guess we have seen close to 100 people saved within the church this year, and many more than that on the streets working with Mission24 and other groups.

Revival continues.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (11) - SUPERNATURAL PREACHING

I had heard it happen to others. But it had never happened to me. Until that night, that is.

I had just returned from a leaders’ meeting at Chroma Church. It’s important to note that leaders’ meetings at Chroma are a little different- around 100 of us gathered and for most of the time, it was a time of celebration as we listened to the amazing stories happening in and around us.

At the end of the evening, we all went through a ‘fire tunnel’. This is a kind of prayer tunnel with each of us walking between two lines of people as they pray prayers of blessing and invite the Holy Spirit to move upon us. And He did – move, that is.

By the time I got to the end of that praying tunnel, I was drunk in the Spirit. This is not something to be feared but something entirely Biblical (Acts 2: 15).

I drove home drunk (unlike alcohol, it’s considerably less dangerous!) and I went to bed drunk.

It was then that it happened. I dreamed I was preaching at Chroma. Nothing particularly strange there - I was due to preach in two Sunday’s time. But the strange thing is that as I awoke, I could remember every word of the preach, including the Bible verses I had used.

For me – for most of us – when I dream, it’s forgotten the moment I awake. But not this time.

My planned preach was ditched and two Sunday’s later, I spoke the words I had first received in that dream while still drunk in the Spirit.

It was on revival. Of course it was. We are still in revival at Chroma, and so grateful for all the Holy Spirit is doing with lives changed, new people finding a faith in Christ, and many being healed physically.

And the talk? It can be found here, starting at the 1 hour and 9 minute mark. Enjoy- and do visit us if you are not part of Chroma Church!

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (10) - THE EVANGELISTS STORY

There’s a great song doing the rounds at the moment. One of the lines declares ‘hell has lost another one.’

Well, this week, hell lost another 343. That’s the conservative estimate as to how many people in Leicester prayed a prayer asking Jesus to come into their lives. That’s the result of seven churches working together with evangelistic teams from Mission24.

Leicester is in early revival and the number of lives changed points to that. Although Mission24 always sees good numbers of people responding to Christ in their UK missions, the figures in Leicester are higher.

Leicester has a history of church break-up and division. As a result, the number of church-goers linked to life giving churches is around 3%. A figure of maybe 5% would be more usual for other towns and cities. So there’s some catching up to do as God brings a unity to the churches and the Holy Spirit touches lives on the streets and in church meetings.

How come Mission24 were there at all? Again, this is God moving in revival.

Jon Conrathe, the founder of Mission24, tells what happened to him:

It was back in May 2020. I had just put my head down to go to sleep one night when the room suddenly filled with the Presence of God and The Holy Spirit fell on me in an intense way…I found myself doubled over, groaning, praying in tongues, weeping and crying out to God for Leicester.

It was quite out of the blue, not pre
-meditated at all. God spoke of a demonstration of his greatness, of his power over the works of darkness, of the idols and gods of the nations falling. God said there will be unity, that He would reveal His glory. God spoke of Leicester becoming a sending city, from where teams will go around the UK and overseas bringing salvation and healing.

I said the Lord ‘Leicester?! Why Leicester? I don’t even like the place!’ Well, today I love Leicester …. The Holy Spirit has changed my heart! At the point God met me I had no knowledge of any prophetic words over Leicester. I had never heard anything from anyone about any promises from God for the city - it was all brand new to me.

There is more to come. As a faith response, Mission24 have embarked on a five-year plan of serving the churches, the city and the county.

A revival harvest is on the way.

*** Our good friend Leroy died this last week of a seizure. He was only in his early twenties. A central figure at Chroma Church, it’s a shock and he will be greatly missed. But, to change that song slightly, we can declare heaven has gained another one.***

Provocateur. Prophet. Pioneer. 5 lessons from the life of Gerald Coates

My thanks to Premier Christianity Magazine for the invitation to write this article. Below is the shorter version - you can find the full article here.

Provocateur. Prophet. Pioneer. Gerald Coates has gone home.

It’s hard to be neutral when it comes to Gerald. Unafraid and unapologetic, there is no doubt he could cause one listener to become apoplectic over his apparent criticisms, whilst another would be on their feet applauding.

As Gerald’s biographer I learned to appreciate a man who gave everything to the cause of Christ, uncompromising and generous hearted in equal measure.

What can we learn from his life? Here are five lessons from the life of Gerald Coates.

 

1.       IT’S ALL ABOUT KINGDOM

Gerald was spoilt for anything else. As a young man, leading what was one of the first of the modern-day house churches, he met with many fellow travellers. Their influence on his theology was considerable. There was a bride for a bridegroom. The Church was not to cower in the corner, waiting for some kind of secret rapture. They were called to be a radical people, influencing every area of society. To be God’s people, speaking and prophesying into a broken world.

It was this clear understanding of reaching every area of society that caused him unashamedly to pursue friendships with the rich and famous. He was criticised for this, but lives were changed because of his persistence. That same ‘never say no’ attitude brought him to worldwide influence, particularly with the March for Jesus.

He was extremely prophetic both as regarded national events and individual lives. He had an expectation that God would speak.

For Gerald, it was all about the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God had come with Christ’s death and resurrection. The Church was called to be Christ’s body, filled with the Holy Spirit and uncompromising in their message of salvation.

 

2.       AVOID RELIGION

If the Church was to be the Church, it had to clean up its act. There is a difference between Christianity and religion and Gerald was hot on this. Spotting religious pretence at a hundred paces, he dealt with it ruthlessly.

Noel Richards, his worship leader and travelling companion for many years, recalls a meeting in New Zealand. The Saturday night had been glorious. The Holy Spirit moved, lives were changed. But come Sunday morning and things got very religious. Smart dress, whispered greetings and a Lord’s Table ornate in its arrangement.

Part way through his preach, continuing as if nothing untoward was happening, Gerald threw off the white sheet from the bread and wine, and began to eat the bread as he spoke. People were offended of course. But that was the point. Traditionalists hated it. A whole new generation of young Christians loved it.

 

3.       IT’S ONLY NOISE

How did Gerald deal with the inevitable criticism? He pretty much ignored it! In all my interviews for the book, I never came across a single time when he expresses a dislike for someone. A dislike for their religious practices, sure, but Gerald’s spirit was always pure as regarded the person themselves.

Remembering that criticism is only noise is a great way to deal with it. A great way to keep the main thing the main thing. To avoid hurt and bitterness. To maintain a clean heart.

There is a bit of a downside though – and maybe another learning here. Gerald was largely unaware as to how upset others were with his seeming criticism of their traditions and practices. But this certainly affected others around him. Friends and fellow leaders were left to deal with denominational executives accusing them of error or exaggeration.

 

4.       TELL THE STORIES

Gerald was a storyteller. Never a theologian, though widely read, it’s important to record that his seemingly off-the-cuff preaches were laboured over, well prepared and prayed through. There is no doubt though, that he is at his best telling stories and applying them to the Word. Often hilarious and many times at his own expense, he captured the listener. Too late for the hearer, they would inevitably realise that the story spoke to their own lives, their own attitudes, their own sins.

Later in life, Gerald would forget in conversation, the stories he had previously told. And if you dared to interrupt, he’d start again!

 

5.       LOVE WELL

Gerald leaves behind the love of his life, Anona, along with three sons and their families. He loved well. In an age when leaders fall, Gerald stayed faithful.

He loved his friends well too. The door was always open. The bottle of red wine was always available. Until his final illness, he would always reply to emails, always answer the phone: ‘Gerald here.’

Not everything Gerald did should be copied. That canary yellow suit. Really?

But we would do well to remember it is God’s Kingdom, and as His children we have the authority to bring change to the world we live in. Gerald did just that.

Gerald Coates, Pioneer, 1944 - 2022

‘Good evening ladies and gentlemen.’

Well, that was different.

Gerald Coates was the guest speaker at this particular Bible week. A provocateur, a prophet, a pioneer, even his opening line causes a reaction.

Not a ‘brothers and sisters’ in sight!

And that was Gerald of course. A strong dislike for anything religious, he was not afraid to provoke a response. Eating the bread from an overly ornate Lord’s table whilst preaching comes to mind.

Born in Cobham, Gerald finds a faith in Christ at a Christian boys camp at the age of 12. As the youngest display manager in the country, working for a department store, he meets and later marries the love of his life, Anona.

Receiving the right boot of fellowship form their local church, the young Gerald and Anona find themselves leading a church in their front room, populated by the youth group they have been leading. One of the first – if not the first house church in the country – Gerald and Anona are at the start of an extraordinary journey.

They are encouraged by others on that same journey, most notably John and Christine Noble who eventually join them in Cobham as the church grows. (Christine also stepped over the finish line the same weekend that Gerald died).

A church becomes a movement. The Pioneer group of churches is born. Hundreds – thousands – leave their denominational churches to join. Along with other pioneers, this new church movement changes the face of evangelical Christianity through the 1970s and 1980s.

The main stage of Christianity across the nations becomes one Gerald stands on. Most noteably, the March for Jesus - hundreds of thousands around the world marching through the streets of towns and cities in a worldwide declaration of faith.

Gerald pioneered a movement, and along the way became a mentor to many who in later years would find their own national ministries. Men such as Stuart Bell, Pete Grieg, Billy Kennedy and Steve Clifford come to mind. He also had close friendships with many notable Christians in society such as Cliff Richard and Queen Anne of Romania.

His sharp prophetic voice was heard on many occasions, accurately identifying what God was doing and was about to do. His prophetic words spoken personally over individuals were equally life changing. In later life, he would see a photo of someone and immediately have a word for them, always accurate, often life changing, including on one occasion reaching out to a young man on Facebook with a word that halted a suicide attempt.

In the last year or so of his life, Gerald withdrew to his family and close friends as he and Anona struggled with health issues. A husband, father to three boys, a pastor, friend and mentor. A provocateur, a prophet, a pioneer. We can be grateful that a 12-year-old boy on a boy’s camp responded to a call to follow Jesus Christ.

Gerald’s final word in the Endpiece to my biography of him talks of listening to the music of heaven. As Gerald says ‘keep listening and keep dancing.’

Today he’s part of the music and the dance.

Destroying Fear - A Call To The Church

It was the newscaster Martyn Lewis who suggested our news diet was too grim and too filled with fear. That was back in 1993.  Nothing has changed. In fact if anything, it’s much worse.

More recently, Martyn Lewis said this:

“How ironic… that a profession so committed to fairness and accuracy in the stories it [covers], does not fully extend those qualities to the news agenda - the choice of television news stories.

Good stories are there ….. But too frequently they are given low priority. News editors across the world stress the need for young reporters to hunt for conflict and criticism. If they don't find it, fewer of their stories are used. So another generation of journalists is infected with old standards and judgements.” (USA speech, 2011)

Our headlines are fear related. Pretty much each day and every day. The television news starts with the latest riots, the government failures, the lack of food, the lack of transport, the lack of petrol, the lack of toys for Christmas…. You can fill in the blanks I’m sure. Much of this is fear-mongering. The promotion of stories to provoke fear… to provoke an audience.

Many have fallen prey to fear as a result. I heard a business woman recently charging the Church to live without fear, because there was a wave of fear affected people in need of prayer, coming their way as a result of Covid.

The Bible tells us that ‘God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.’ (2 Timothy 1:7).

There it is. That’s how we live as Christians. We appreciate the need for care. We keep to the rules. But we don’t live in fear.

No more so than with our response to Covid. It’s serious but there need be no fear. There is a significant difference between a measured and careful response to the virus when compared to one borne of fear that leaves the Church paralysed just at the point when it is needed most.

It’s time for the Church to be opening its doors wide, welcoming all, praying for those affected by Covid and seeking God and His purposes, which are way beyond the fears propagated in the press. It’s time for Christians to be back worshipping together. Online services can only take you so far. There is a need to meet, to pray, to encourage in a way that is forever limited on a TV screen.

I’m not sure the BBC or the Daily Mail are about to move away from their fearmongering. But the Church can. Let’s step into all that God has planned for us. We are the body of Christ, we are a voice for the lost, a healing hand for the hurting. And a declaration of faith in the future for those chained in fear.

The Decline and Fall of the BBC

I love the BBC. It’s all I was allowed to watch as a child- ITV had adverts and that was frowned upon in our house!

But the BBC today is a shadow of its former glory. Partly this is to do with competition but partly it’s to do with an extreme liberal agenda.

I need to qualify my blog at this point…. Those that know me will know that I am generally left wing, regularly vote Labour and have never voted Tory.

There. That’s got that out of the way. Important to say though as I may be judged to be a right wing Trump supporter in what I’m about to say.

The Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer commissioned a survey carried out by pollsters Savanta ComRes. This identified that 49% of the younger generation are praying regularly.

The BBC reported on this and then interviewed Muslims and Hindus. Despite the fact that in covering a representative slice of the population, the report mainly interviewed those leaning towards a Christian faith or no-faith.

But no mention of Christianity from the BBC. None at all. [The link to the article is here- the on camera report was worse still!] No interviews with church goers. Just Muslims and Hindus. The Muslim population in the UK is around 6%. The Hindu population is around 2%. So, BBC, where are the other 92%? Why did you ignore them?

The answer is not hard to find. The BBC is no longer the unbiased bastion of broadcasting it once was. Did they invent ‘Woke’? Probably.

I love some of their left wing slant. I love their inclusiveness. But to deliberately exclude Christianity on a poll that was commissioned by Christians and shows that church going and prayer (in person and online) is growing is appalling.

I laughed at their super inclusive Doctor Who stories at first. Until it became so invasive, the plots no longer mattered.

But this is far more serious. This does matter. A good news story about Christians has been buried. And the BBC appears to have done it deliberately.

Maybe that licence fee I have defended for so long should no longer be defended. Shame on you BBC.