The fallout from British betrayal of the Mandate

The San Remo Conference of April 1920

The Paris Peace Conference of 1919

Scriptural truth is being sacrificed in the cause of unity

Are you able to join us for a special Brexit prayer conference?

The battle for Britain’s future has never been fiercer. These are historic days; there is a great need for the remnant of Bible-believing Christians in the nation to gather together to seek the Lord and intercede for the nation. Like Timothy, it is imperative that we ‘keep our heads’ and respond to what’s going on with faith (see 2 Timothy 3-4).

Join Dr Clifford and Mrs Monica Hill and members of the Issachar Ministries and Prophecy Today teams for a special prayer conference ahead of the next proposed date for Britain’s exit from the EU.

Venue: The Hayes, Swanwick, Derbyshire

Dates: Sunday 20 – Tuesday 22 October 2019

Cost (including all meals): £185pp (single room), £170pp (shared room). Day delegate cost for three days (i.e. full board but no accommodation) £100.

For more information and to book, contact the Issachar Ministries office on 01767 223270 during normal office hours.

Swanwick conference unites intercessors for Britain’s future

Earlier this week, over 100 watchmen and watchwomen from all around Britain gathered at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire, united by a fervent concern for the state of the nation and a desire to be strengthened in understanding, intercession and action.

The two-day conference of discussion, prayer, worship and seeking the Lord was not intended to be an overly structured event dependent on front-led sessions with leaders and experts, but was planned in such a way as to emphasise Body ministry and the unique contribution of each member of the ‘ekklesia’ of God.

Plenary sessions with corporate worship were led by Dr Clifford and Mrs Monica Hill and supported by the Issachar Ministries and Prophecy Today UK teams. Prophetic songs were brought and each morning the shofar was blown. But the richness and depth of the gathering was really established in smaller groups, where time was spent praying together and sharing wisdom and insight.

Surprise Speakers

Surprise additional speakers were Andrea Williams of Christian Concern and Syd Doyle of Nations Light Ministries. Andrea updated those present on the state of the nation, forthcoming legislation and current issues facing Christians in the workplace. Apparently, the Christian Legal Centre are dealing with four or five new enquiries each week from Christians regarding workplace issues.

Andrea Williams speaking at The Hayes, Tuesday 19 March 2019. Photo: Prophecy Today UKShe also agreed with Clifford and Monica Hill that Christians are “living in Babylon” and that believers will need to begin to form their own businesses and schools to provide employment and education, which will provide safe environments for them and their children. Chiming with this assessment, the Hills’ Living in Babylon book and workbook were recommended particularly as a resource for prayer and study groups.

Syd Doyle encouraged conference with exciting stories of outreach to Muslims and others in various places. He was also moved and encouraged to hear Clifford’s word about the “jewel in the crown” role of the DUP in the Brexit negotiations, full details of which are in our Editorial this week and have been sent in a letter to the Prime Minister.

Perhaps most importantly, time was set aside to seek the Lord in quietness, after which prophetic words and pictures that had been received were shared with the whole group. It was during this session that Clifford received the word about the spiritual significance of the DUP.

Though the programme was a full one, time was made for fellowship over coffee and meals, allowing those present to establish and strengthen their own personal connections. Clifford and Monica took the opportunity to reminisce with stories about their 50 years of ministry, some of which appear in The Reshaping of Britain. One story that didn’t make it into Clifford’s latest book was his and Monica’s first meeting, over 60 years ago – on a tennis court at The Hayes Conference Centre!

A Way-marker

As the time progressed, the sense of the Lord’s presence and leading seemed to become more palpable. Those who came expecting quick-fix answers to the national situation will have been disappointed, as the long-term, complex nature of our spiritual battle was brought into view and the responsibility of each individual to seek the Lord for their own understanding and response was emphasised. This was not a gathering to hype up expectations of revival (which will not come without repentance in any case, as Clifford pointed out) – but collectively to face up to reality and “strengthen feeble arms and weak knees” for the task ahead (Isa 35:5; Heb 12:12), putting all things in the context of the nature and purposes of God.

As such, it was not an end-point or a culmination, but a starting-point for some and a way-marker for others. Some found Dr Hill’s session on Jeremiah 30-31 especially significant, as a way into developing our understanding of how Brexit and God’s plans for Britain might fit into his overarching covenant plans for Israel and his purposes for the whole world.

Others were inspired particularly by Andrea Williams speaking about the socio-cultural and political battles being fought in the nation – the worldly face of our underlying spiritual conflict. Still others were galvanised by Syd Doyle reminding us of our collective responsibility to make disciples, including amongst Muslims – “the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35).

We trust that the Holy Spirit will have reached and ministered to each delegate in a unique and special way. Each person was encouraged to think about how they could develop their own witness and ministry in their area, in unity with other believers. It is hoped that in the future, Issachar Ministries will be able to play a part in connecting up believers locally.

Revisiting the Welsh Revival during a conference at the Bible College of Wales (Part II).

As I continue my report on our visit to the Bible College of Wales and the nearby birthplace of the Welsh Revival, it seemed apt that my wife and I, along with my son’s family, should visit the famous Alnwick Garden in Northumberland the following week.

For the stunning spectacle of its cascading fountains beautifully reflected the purity and power of God’s presence we had experienced on the Gower Peninsula.

It was also at Alnwick that I came across the following inscription carved into stone: “Only dead fish swim with the stream.”

The likes of Rees Howells, the college founder who played a significant role in the revival, made a huge difference to the world because they swam against the tide, as the Bible urges us to do – specifically, “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world…” (see Romans 12:1-2).

The cascading fountains of Alnwick Garden in Northumberland, reflecting the purity and power of God’s presence we experienced on the Gower Peninsula the previous week. See Photo Credits.One of his big challenges as he sought God’s leading on personal intercession was when the Lord told him to go hatless in order to reflect a permanent attitude of prayer. This, in 1909, went very much against the grain; in fact, it was unheard of for men to go about without a head covering. And he confessed to having had a tremendous struggle with obeying this particular call.

Fashion enslaves people into ‘keeping up appearances’ rather than pleasing God with acts of faith and devotion. But in this and other ways, Rees learnt to become ‘dead to the world’ and all its influences and expectations; he no longer cared that some would no doubt have considered his strange behaviour as somewhat fanatical (standing up for sexual morality and the sanctity of life is now generally considered unacceptable).

Hatikvah Films, who have already produced a string of inspiring documentaries on Israel’s place in God’s purposes as well as other Christian endeavours, are planning to make a movie called Surrender on the Rees Howells story, according to staff member Stephen Briggs, who also addressed the conference.

The likes of Rees Howells made a huge difference to the world because they swam against the tide, as the Bible urges us to do.

Investments for the Future

Among other participants was former student David Dare, now 80, from Lyme Regis in Dorset, who spoke of life-changing times under the ministry of Samuel Howells, son of Rees. David and his wife Rosemary now host intercessory prayer meetings four times a week.

Further testimonies shared included that of Tara, a seven-times married young woman whose story is told in Gangster’s Girl, soon due out from Penguin Books.

Dr Harry Schmidt, a Bible college principal from Chicago, told the remarkable story of how his wife had led him to the altar twice – initially at the age of 12 when she took him to the front of the rather cramped church to give his life to Jesus. Because there was not much room, he knelt at the corner of the piano stool where he wept buckets as he wiped his tears on the dress of the pianist, who was later to become his mother-in-law!

After falling into disrepair and closing in 2009, the Swansea college site was reclaimed from developers, refurbished and then re-opened in 2015 thanks to a £5 million cash injection from Singapore pastor Yang Tuck Yoong in honour of British missionaries and the revival legacy.

The standard of singing was already high, as you would expect in Wales, but took off into heavenly realms when opera star Huw Priday took the microphone and treated us to glorious renditions of classic numbers including I’ll Walk with God.

Huw believes we are in for a period of great darkness ahead, and that we will need to stand firm in the faith to be ready to care for the many broken people who will flock to the Saviour. Having left a glittering career to commit himself full-time to Gospel ministry, he has an inspiring vision to help reach this generation through classical music.

Bucket-Loads of Blessings

The conference was not short on humour, being graced with the presence of gospel singer Bryn Yemm, a terrific entertainer who had us in fits of laughter even though not actually performing. An award-winning artist who has travelled the world, he has a special love for Israel, having led cruise ship tours from Haifa when he boldly witnessed to Jews about their Messiah.

Linda and I stayed at Nicholaston House, a beautiful Christian retreat some ten miles down the Gower Peninsula, and we had a magical view of the beach at Oxwich Bay. It was a vision of the Gower Peninsula, an area of outstanding natural beauty, that had originally acted as confirmation that I should accept the invitation to attend this conference.

We are in for a period of great darkness ahead, and that we will need to stand firm in the faith to be ready to care for the many broken people who will flock to the Saviour.

A friend with whom we had stayed in Cwmbran, South Wales, before heading for Swansea, had correctly predicted that we would experience ‘bucket-loads of blessings’ and it seemed apt that the long drought was broken by rain – later bucketing down – as we drove to the college via the M4 motorway.

Our Welsh experience finished, fittingly, with a stop to see old friends in Brecon who were missionaries to Bolivia and whose daughters are now following in their footsteps to Colombia and Rwanda. All the family are, like Abraham, still living by faith, not knowing where they are going next, but trusting in the Lord for every step of the way, which had proved to be the theme of the conference.

It seemed entirely appropriate, when we finally arrived back in Yorkshire at the end of our 250-mile journey from Swansea, to learn from TV news coverage of a new hero from Wales, Geraint Thomas, following his epic win in the Tour de France, cycling’s premier event. Will leading the world in this hugely challenging physical pursuit soon be eclipsed at a spiritual level as wells of revival are once more unblocked in Wales?

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths” (Prov 3:6). We had been on an epic journey ourselves as we continue to discover more about the perfect way to live!

Notes

Additional material sourced from Rees Howells – Intercessor by Norman Grubb, published by Lutterworth Press.

Read Part I of this report by clicking here.

Dr Lisa Nolland reports on an up-coming conference tackling sexuality and gender from a biblical perspective.

Many Christians and other social conservatives are becoming concerned by the LGBT rights takeover in the public (including religious) realms in the West. For increasing numbers of children, this social engineering is becoming embedded in the classroom.

Even Christian teachers are needing to 'explain' how two men or two women can now marry, leading children as young as seven or eight to start to believe that they are 'gay' because they too 'love' their same-sex best friend. Of course they do, but that doesn't mean they are gay!

The Church seems to be wanting to sit this one out, hoping against hope that things will return to normal. Sadly, of course, not only is that not going to happen, but indeed, the activists have only just begun! 'Stage Two' is that of totalitarian enforcement: just look at Canada to see how (in)'tolerant' it is now in places.¹

Silent Church

The average person does not begin to know how to navigate these minefields. Christian leaders of mainstream evangelical organisations in this country say very little, concentrating on politically correct or 'feel good' projects, or (like Archbishop Welby) wax lyrical about the needs of the LGBT communities. The very rare conservative 'extremist' willing to stand up for the truth is fined, fired or (at best) humiliated for making politically incorrect comments.

Mostly, however, the average Christian just wants to get on with life and the normal routines of family, work, etc. Even this, though, is increasingly difficult. Stonewall is in several hundred schools and it is only one of various LGBT programmes being pushed at the moment. With LGBT matters being pushed to the fore comes a turning up of the volume of all things sexual for children and teenagers.

Robbing Children

How do children know if they are gay or not? How can they find out if they are? As the excellent video Robbing children of their innocence notes, kids are tacitly encouraged to explore their sexuality in such programmes. That may or may not be the intention, but it is one of the outcomes. See for instance the subtexts of the 'sexual advice' on the highly-acclaimed, NHS-endorsed 'Respect Yourself' site for teenagers in Warwickshire.

Even more troubling is that such high risk and potentially life-altering sex acts as 'felching', 'fisting' and 'rimming' are whitewashed and tacitly promoted to under-age children.² This is complete madness - and yet few, if any, blow the whistle.

Being Prepared to Respond

Closer to home, though, how can one respond when your daughter tells you she is gay or your son insists he is a girl? What to do about the increasingly vociferous demands of Stonewall to 'make your school "safe"'? How about when your child comes home from a school RE session and asserts that Jesus never mentioned homosexuality so loving gay relationships must be OK?

Messy Church, Alpha and Christianity Explored simply cannot do the necessaries here. What can help, though, is The 'New Normal', a Christian Concern conference in November which will engage at the cutting edge of these issues. We will have leading people in their fields coming to update and inform, educate and inspire us as to how parents, pastors and youth workers, in particular can respond.

Beyond Our Borders

We also are doing our bit for those in the developing world who are at the mercy of the activists. The Diocese of Machakos, Anglican Church of Kenya, has created a unique and holistic programme on sex and gender issues which we are thrilled to support in The 'New Normal'. A collection of used clothing, shoes, toiletries, bags and suitcases as well as money will be taken at the London conference.

Proceeds will help at-risk-kids, families, the church and wider community in Machakos, near Nairobi, Kenya. Currently, we are not aware of any other kind of response by any church anywhere. So we want to give Bishop Joseph every possible support. Funds from 'progressives' will be denied to him, so it is vital we do our bit!

The 'New Normal' conference will be held on 12 November 2016 at the Emmanuel Centre, London (10am-5pm). For the full programme and to book tickets, click here.

Lisa Nolland (MA, MCS, PhD) is Convenor of Anglican Mainstream's Marriage, Sex and Culture Group. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to email Lisa.

References

1 E.g. Van Maren, J. Transgender madness is sweeping our schools. Parents, protect your children. LifeSite News, 26 August 2016.

2 See the Respect Yourself website.

'Peace in Jerusalem: But the battle is not over yet!' by Charles Gardner (Olive Press, 2015, 241 pages).