A new message of hope for Britain.

Something quite amazing happened to me last month – in my quiet times I began hearing a new message – a message of hope!

For the past 30 years I’ve been carrying much the same message. Older readers who remember the early days of the printed magazine Prophecy Today, back in the 1980s, will confirm that we were constantly warning about the consequences of the changes that were taking place as the nation abandoned its biblical heritage and embraced secular humanism. We were always calling for repentance and turning – especially in the Church.

The message we gave in those days was in stark contrast to the joyful messages of popular charismatic preachers promising imminent revival. Of course, we were not the only ones giving these warnings. But so many Christians and churches were embracing the teachings of false prophets, that it was not easy to go against the popular tide.

Bible-believing Christians who could see what was happening in the nation were often voices crying in the wilderness and they frequently had to endure vilification. There were strong pressures upon church leaders and others to go with the crowd and give a popular message.

It is quite rare today to hear such upbeat messages. But last month I began hearing God speaking about revival! For me, this was the first time in 30 years and I’ve been holding onto it for nearly two months seeking confirmation before daring to say anything in public.

A Virgin Mission Field

Let me explain what I began hearing. I believe the Lord is saying that the possibilities of spiritual revival, or re-awakening, are now coming onto the horizon. I am certainly not believing that this is imminent, but the first little signs are already to be seen of a change of mood among some young people.

A recent survey of attitudes showed that 52% of the British public now say that they have no religion.¹ This is an indication of the rapid cultural change that has taken place in the space of a single lifetime. In 1960 some 90% of the population would have said that they were Christians. Since then, other religions have flooded into Britain, leading to the construction of all sorts of mosques and temples. But it is important to note that although the native British population have largely abandoned their Judeo-Christian heritage, they have not turned to these other religions in significant numbers – they have simply turned away from all religious belief.

I believe the Lord is saying that the possibilities of spiritual revival, or re-awakening, are now coming onto the horizon.

What we now have is virtually a virgin mission field, which is good news for those who are evangelists and are eager to share their faith with others. But while it presents an amazing opportunity, a spiritual vacuum is also dangerous! As Jesus said, when one devil is cast out, its place can easily be taken by seven others, even more evil. I think it was GK Chesterton said that when we stop believing in God, we do not believe nothing, we believe anything! This may be true today.

Disaster Bringing Opportunity

I think that most Bible-believing Christians would agree that Britain is a nation that has been under judgment for some time – at least since we passed the same-sex marriage act in defiance of the God of Creation. We have had the truth and rejected it, putting ourselves outside God’s protection. This is the situation not only in Britain, but in most Western nations.

Moses described the classic signs of judgment that would follow the rejection of the word of God. He said, “The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind” (Deut 28:28). This is a good description of our politicians struggling to deal with Brexit. I know this was said to Israel, a nation in a covenant relationship with God, but the spiritual principle can be applied to those who have had the word of God and deliberately turned away, as the promises in Jeremiah 18 testify.

Anata, the West Bank village thought to be on the site of the biblical Anathoth, where Jeremiah bought his field.

I certainly believe that some kind of calamity will come upon our nation in the not-too-distant future, but I also believe that this will produce a new openness to the truth and provide new opportunity for the Gospel. This is what I began hearing last month, in much the same way as Jeremiah was given the revelation of the New Covenant at the very time when the Babylonians were about to break down the walls of Jerusalem and bring tragedy upon the nation.

Jeremiah was imprisoned in the guardhouse, but in faith he bought a piece of land that was already in enemy-occupied territory, as a sign that he was looking forward to the restoration of Israel after the disaster (Jer 32).

The native British population have largely abandoned their Judeo-Christian heritage, but they have not turned to other religions – they have simply turned away from religion altogether.

Generation Sensible

I am certainly not comparing myself to Jeremiah – but in much the same way, I believe that ‘times of refreshing’ will come. As a little sign of confirmation, I heard last week that in some universities in Britain, the usual intoxicated hijinks associated with ‘Freshers Week’ are being scrapped. But they have not been cancelled by university authorities - they have been stopped by a ‘lack of demand’ from students!

Young people are turning away from the kind of society that has been produced by their parents, in what The Times has dubbed ‘Generation Sensible’.² They are looking for changes in the culture away from the corrupt and unhealthy practices of the previous generation. Maybe this is the reason why Jordan Peterson is so popular with young people.

In Hull University, it is reported, one campus bar has been transformed into an ice-cream parlour and nightclub hours have been reduced. Other universities are holding plant-potting workshops and setting aside quiet rooms for meditation. On the London Underground, there are adverts on the boards up and down the escalators calling for October to be an alcohol-free month and surveys indicate that many young people are drinking far less than their parents’ generation.

The Turning of the Tide

All these things are part of a popular backlash against the kind of libertarian culture of excess that has been produced by postmodernism and its driving forces – Marxism, Darwinism, secular humanism – behind which lie what I can only describe as the forces of darkness. These ‘postmodern’ forms of rebellion against God are nothing new, but go back to the days of the Tower of Babel. They simply re-affirm the timeless fact that once you reject the basis of truth in the God of Creation, as the Apostle Paul describes in Romans 1, processes of decay automatically follow.

I certainly believe some kind of calamity will come upon our nation in the not-too-distant future, but that this will produce a new openness to the truth and new opportunity for the Gospel.

But for those who are called to be watchmen for the Lord and have eyes to see, I believe there are already little signs of a turning of the tide. Remember that when the tide turns far out in the main, it is a very long time before the first waves start rippling up the beach for everyone to see.

The hope for the future is that Bible-believing Christians will seize the opportunity of filling the spiritual vacuum among young people with the truth of the Gospel, praying in the turning of the tide: that God may breathe his life-giving Spirit upon a new generation revolting against the culture of their parents, but not yet knowing where else to turn for truth in an age of fake news. What a great opportunity for the Gospel!!!

References

1 Church of England numbers at record low. NatCen, 7 September 2018.

2 Narwan, G and Woolcock, N. Freshers week thirst for alcohol is drying up. The Times, 15 September 2018.

Prophecy Today UK's Managing Editor, Frances Rabbitts, left university two years ago. She looks back at university life and asks: how free are students to speak the truth today?

Last month, pro-life students at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow became the latest casualties of the free speech war raging in our universities.¹

Before them, it was the social science student from Sheffield who was expelled from his course after expressing views on his Facebook page in defence of the biblical definition of marriage.² Before that, it was exposure of 'institutional anti-Semitism' amongst left-wing students in Oxford.³ I could go on.

The New 'Progress'

Much has changed in British universities in the last few decades. Historically, they have had a reputation for being places of radicalism, open debate and free thinking, taking the lead in challenging the status quo. This has often (though not always) been cause for celebration, with student groups contributing to advances in women's educational rights in Britain, and racial civil liberties in America.

Today however, student radicalism is being bent in a new and more sinister direction. Our universities are now leading the way in clamping down on free speech. Left-wing student radicalism now means lashing out against anyone who dares to challenge the hallowed doctrines of secular humanism. They are the new racists, the new sexists, the new homophobes, the new fascists, deserving of being silenced, shunned - even attacked.

So, where once 'thinking outside the box' was championed and celebrated, now it is being demonised and excised, all in the name of progress. Of course, universities are not the only places where this is happening. They are part of a much bigger assault on Western freedoms – but a significant part, nonetheless.

British universities were once known for open debate and 'free thinking' – but now student radicalism is being bent in a more sinister direction.

Censorship Growing

Perceptive web magazine Spiked, which paradoxically boasts a strongly secular humanist philosophy, has long been critical of this growing culture of censorship and intolerance, last year launching the world's first Free Speech University Rankings, using a traffic light colour ranking system.⁴ It found that a staggering 80% of British universities in 2015 had been accused of censoring free speech in some way. Activities such as 'no platforming' (refusing particular speakers), banning specific speech, ideologies or group affiliations, and protesting potentially 'offensive' groups or meetings are all widespread.

This year, the percentage accused of censorship has risen to 90%, with over half of all university institutions in Britain receiving a 'Red' marking (i.e. most hostile to free speech).⁵

Spiked editor, Brendan O'Neill, has described today's student culture thus: "Where once students might have allowed their eyes and ears to be bombarded by everything from risqué political propaganda to raunchy rock, now they insulate themselves from anything that might dent their self-esteem and, crime of crimes, make them feel 'uncomfortable'."⁶ [emphasis added]

In the last year, 90% of British universities have been accused of censoring free speech in some way.

Selective Persecution

This growing culture of censoring the 'uncomfortable' often comes in the form of blanket bans on 'homophobic' speech, 'extremist' behaviour and any form of 'harassment', as well as generic official commitments to 'dignity', 'equal opportunities' and 'respect'.

What this translates to in real life, however, is highly selective – certain belief systems and perspectives are attacked whilst others are allowed to go free. For instance, the National Union of Students has been criticised for freely condemning both Israel and UKIP, but refusing to condemn Islamic State for fear of being branded Islamophobic.⁷

Unsurprisingly, a common theme of this selective outrage against the 'uncomfortable' is a large-scale attack on biblical values (especially on gender, abortion and marriage), Jewish groups (under the banner of anti-Israel sentiment) and Christian Unions.

In many institutions, Jewish students now experience harassment and bear the brunt of aggressive anti-Israel protests as a new norm.⁸ In April the NUS hit the news again, not least because of anti-Semitic remarks made by its new president.⁹ As regards pro-life, the latest incident in Glasgow is not the only recent example of anti-abortion groups experiencing censorship on campus – the same thing happened in Dundee in 2014.

Campus censorship is highly selective – and is frequently characterised by attacks on Jewish and Christian groups, and biblical values.

How the Tables Have Turned

Most Christian students are fully aware that living their faith out on campus is a battle. But it is more than just a battle for them as individuals (important though this is). They are part of a much larger and longer-standing war for the minds of British young people.

How did we get here? I want to suggest that the tables have turned in our universities because the enemy finally has them right where he wants them: by and large, they have become dedicated temples to secular humanism, churning out generation upon generation of converts trained to think, write and work accordingly.

Decades ago, when the status quo in Britain was broad adherence to Christianity (if only cultural) and most people had been brought up within a biblical value system, it was in the enemy's interests to challenge these widely held beliefs where possible – including in universities, through such vehicles as 'free thinking' and 'dissent'. Now it no longer works to his advantage to encourage thinking (or believing) outside the box – because Britain's cultural 'box' is no longer Christianity, but secular humanism.

It is no longer in the enemy's interested for universities to challenge the status quo in British culture – because the status quo is no longer Christianity, but secular humanism.

So, instead of universities being centres for challenging the status quo, they are now strategic hubs for its defence. The goal is to consolidate its hold, either by keeping God behind closed doors, a matter of private, individual significance not for public consumption, or by trying more overtly to silence biblical truth on campus.

The Truth is Uncomfortable

Perhaps all of this should be no surprise. With no apology to the campus police, the gospel is an uncomfortable message. We bear it on behalf of the Lord Jesus, who declared that it would naturally cause division between those who accepted it and those who did not (Matt 10:35-36). But those who are willing to be made uncomfortable by its truths will ultimately be blessed with the true comfort of the Holy Spirit.

So, this is not a time to be passive. If you know any Christian students, or have them in the family, I encourage you to pray with them and support them in their faith regularly – intercede for them, that God would empower them to live and speak in a truly counter-cultural way. Encourage them to stand with Jewish students experiencing persecution. And help them to petition the Lord for wisdom about how to rally together and speak out, that the truth might be heard.

They are on one of many front lines in this country – but this is an opportunity for witness as much as it is a threat of social martyrdom. Pray that their freedom in Jesus would be so attractive that every 'casualty' in this war would lead to many others finding life.

References

1 Pro-life students refused funding at Scottish university. The Christian Institute, 12 April 2016.

2 Christian student to seek further action after expulsion from university course. Christian Concern, 8 April 2016.

3 Simons, A. It's time we acknowledged that Oxford's student left is institutionally anti-Semitic. The Guardian, 18 February 2016.

4 Free Speech University Rankings, Spiked Online.

5 Ibid. See specific university rankings here.

6 O'Neill, B. Free speech is so last century. Today's students want the 'right to be comfortable'. The Spectator, 22 November 2014.

7 Rickman, D. NUS will condemn Israel and Ukip but not Isis. The Independent, 2014.

8 E.g. see Firsht, N. When Anti-Zionism Slips Into Anti-Semitism. Spiked, 19 February 2016.

9 University students threaten to split from NUS. BBC News, 22 April 2016.