From roots to fruits – and the future.

In the second part of our two-part critique of The Turning evangelistic campaign, Tom Lennie looks at the fruits of the movement and its future. Click here to read Part 1.

Easy-Believe-ism

A common counter-argument to all the concerns raised last week is that even if just one or two people prove to have genuinely come to Christ through The Turning campaign, it will make the whole thing worthwhile. Surely just one person’s salvation is utterly priceless! I would respond: certainly we should rejoice over any genuine conversion, but how many are also being turned away from Christ by this instant-results methodology?

Consider all those who believe themselves to be saved because they once made an on-street ‘decision’, or prayed a prayer, and were told they are now in the Kingdom of Heaven. They might have no real understanding of salvation or its cost (because no-one told them there would be any) and there might be no change whatsoever in their lives. Consider also those who become more cynical and hardened to the true Gospel because their ‘decision’ or prayer didn’t lead to any significant personal transformation. In either case, where will they end up on Judgment Day?

The Turning script used for outreach in Wales during 2017.Such easy-believe-ism would have been deplored by the great evangelist-preachers of former ages, who stressed the essence of repentance from sin. I mentioned The Turning to a full-time evangelist friend recently and he was appalled by the approach.

The underlying problem is that the present-day Church seems infatuated with instant, impressive results. It’s as if we insist on them for our own encouragement and gratification and then we proudly brandish them around. I feel that reducing souls to statistics in this manner effectively cheapens the Gospel. We’re called to sow seeds; we have no right to necessarily reap and record a harvest a few minutes later. Leonard Ravenhill calls it plucking unripe fruit: we’re trying to get folk saved who don’t even know they’re lost. We need to leave the Holy Spirit to do his work, in his time.

The Fruits

Jesus said regarding a person’s character, ‘Ye shall know them by their fruit’. He never said ‘Ye shall know them by their decision’, or even ‘Ye shall know them by their sincerity’. It takes considerable time after seeds are sown for fruit to appear: far more time than modern evangelism is willing to wait, apparently.

In a report given at a local church meeting I attended, it was stated that one third of the 1,850 who initially responded to The Turning in Reading have subsequently become associated with churches and are moving on in their faith. Such a proportion would be any evangelist’s dream come true! A third works out at over 600 extra church-goers - a massive boost to Reading’s congregations.

I’ve had contact with someone on the leadership team of another Reading church, who said that 2, 3 or 4 people have been added to various churches across the city as a result of the campaign. Nothing approaching 100, let alone 600. Another good Christian friend of mine who lives in Reading, when I asked him earlier this year about The Turning’s success, had no idea what I was talking about. He had never heard of it, nor anyone who claims to have come to Christ through it.

And yet, the entire Turning initiative spreading all across the United Kingdom is based purely on the ‘phenomenal’ success of the supposed mighty ‘outpouring’ of the Spirit on Reading – as it was reported by The Turning’s own leaders. In his report, Yinka Oyekan claims that The Turning represents a similar outpouring to Azusa Street in 1906, and is comparable to Billy Graham’s mass outreaches – only better.¹

The significant hype that accompanies The Turning is, for me, another warning sign. As I often share in my talks on revival history, where you find a lot of puffed-up talk about a spiritual awakening, it’s a tell-tale sign there was no genuine revival in the first place. No true move of the Spirit requires hype.

Where you find a lot of puffed-up talk about a spiritual awakening, it’s a tell-tale sign there was no genuine revival in the first place.

Even if the above statistical claim is true, it still means that two-thirds of those who ‘made a decision’ on the streets of Reading have now, in Oyekan’s words, ‘brushed off’ attempts at follow-up and “not wished to continue the dialogue”.² Again, this speaks volumes about the types of ‘decision’ being made.

I’ve tried to engage politely with Yinka by email and on Facebook, thanking him for his heart for evangelism and sharing a few of my concerns, hoping to receive a constructive reply. He refused to answer me and quickly proceeded to block me completely.

The Future

We can only hope and pray that as The Turning gathers momentum (there is now an app, a network of regional hubs and plans for a nationwide mission in 2020) in conjunction with other mission groups, it will be developed into a helpful mission campaign. But at present, I am afraid I cannot put much store in what appears to be a quick-fix strategy.

To the extent that the Turning is inspiring Christians to get out and share the Gospel within their needy communities, it’s a positive thing. I have several friends who are involved in the initiative and in no way do I wish to dampen their genuine, compassionate, evangelistic enthusiasm. But how we do mission is very important.

I do believe the harvest is ripe. I long to see the people of my neighbourhood and city come to a true personal knowledge of Christ. But this will be by our obeying the word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit for our own precious locality.

We need to be bold, and be ready to become the answers to our own prayers for our neighbourhoods. Lord, send the workers into the harvest field, following the leading of Your Spirit all the way.

About the author: Tom Lennie has a long-standing interest in revival and has authored a trilogy of historical studies on Scottish revivals: ‘Land of Many Revivals’ (1527-1857), ‘Glory in the Glen’ (1880-1940) and the newly-published, ‘Scotland Ablaze: The Twenty-Year Fire of Revival That Swept Scotland 1858-79’ (December 2018). His interest in The Turning was sparked by reports of the Reading ‘outpouring’ and fuelled further by its arrival in Edinburgh, his home city, as well as by the involvement of several acquaintances.

References

1 Oyekan, Y. The Turning Learning Review: ‘The Outpouring’, p6 and p8, respectively. This document is also available at http://theturning.eu/learning-review/.

2 Ibid, p20.

Paul Luckraft interviews a Christian activist daring to expose the hidden deeds of darkness.

Wilfred Wong is an international human rights activist, campaigner and fundraiser for persecuted Christians and also on children’s issues. His life is currently divided between these two strands, but how did this begin and where has God led him along these paths?

Wilfred was born and brought up in Singapore. He did not have a Christian upbringing but was sent to a Christian school where, aged 8, he gave his life to the Lord. He came to the UK in 1986 to study law and qualified as a barrister, practising for a short time. Before long the Lord led him into two specialist areas - persecuted Christians and the welfare of children – and this became a full-time ministry. His background in law would prove helpful but there would be no time for him to continue working as a barrister.

Early Campaign Work

From 1989 Wilfred undertook voluntary work campaigning on behalf of Christian prisoners in the USSR, as well as on behalf of persecuted Christians in some Muslim-majority countries, including Egypt. But the big change came in 1993 when he felt called to leave his legal career and become a full-time activist. Although this was tough at first, God clearly led him, opening doors and overcoming obstacles.

For the next 16 years, Wilfred was a Parliamentary lobbyist with an office in the House of Commons. In this role, obtained through the Jubilee Campaign, he was responsible for arranging meetings and helping MPs speak out on these important topics.

In 1993, Wilfred felt called to leave his legal career and become a full-time activist. Although this was tough at first, God clearly led him, opening doors and overcoming obstacles.

At this time, Wilfred began writing articles for Prophecy Today, including a regular column and feature articles. He was also part of the Editorial Board of the magazine as it then was.

Later, in 2010, Wilfred took a part-time role setting up the UK branch of Stephen’s Children, an Egypt-based Christian ministry. Starting this from scratch and becoming the UK Director was a tough job, but brought its own rewards. The charity is now going strong.

Exposing the Depths of Evil

One of Wilfred’s main concerns is for persecuted Christians in Syria and Iraq, an issue which has been slowly gaining attention in recent times. But the intense persecution of Iraq’s Christians had been going on long before ISIS became mainstream news in the West.

The other major part of Wilfred’s calling has been his involvement in investigating and uncovering SRA (Satanist Ritual Abuse). This began in 1993 when he was approached by an MP on the matter. It would occupy Wilfred’s attention for the next 25 years. Being a Parliamentary lobbyist put him in the right place at the right time to take up this challenging issue, but it has clearly also been part of God’s call on his life to expose an extremely dark, covert aspect of our society’s ungodliness.

It is sad and appalling to record that SRA is far more prevalent than is ever reported, and that it is growing in the UK. Thus, it seems, Wilfred has his work cut out, both in terms of raising awareness about this awful matter and in reporting successful UK prosecutions of Satanist Ritual Abusers. To this end he established CASRA (Coalition Against Satanist Ritual Abuse) in February 2014, whose website was launched earlier this year (http://casra.org.uk/).

It is sad and appalling to record that SRA is far more prevalent than is ever reported, and that it is growing in the UK.

Since the revelations concerning Jimmy Savile became public knowledge there has been an increasing acceptance that SRA does exist and needs to be countered. Some of the UK media have reported on Savile’s involvement in Satanism and SRA. The Metropolitan Police Service has publicly acknowledged on its website the existence of satanist abuse (see here).

At the Forefront of the Battle

Evidence is becoming more widely available of the scope and depths of depravity involved in SRA, and there is a growing openness amongst institutions and the public to consider what can be done on the matter to prevent further suffering.

Wilfred is at the forefront of this battle and needs our prayers. He is also available to give talks at local churches or other meetings on this subject. Contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information or to join the campaign against SRA.

Call for a new law to protect religious freedom

The erosion of liberties experienced by Christians in Britain has rolled back the clock to the Dark Ages before Magna Carta.

Now Christian charity Barnabas Fund, generally focusing on the persecuted Church abroad, has launched a campaign (and petition) for Parliamentary protection of religious practice within the UK.

In Turn the Tide (Isaac Publishing), they spell out the urgent need for reclaiming religious freedom with a new law.

Liberally illustrated by a number of recent case studies demonstrating how far we have fallen down the slippery slope, the Barnabas book calls for an Act of Parliament designed to cover seven specific areas, including the freedom to interpret Scripture without Government interference.

Responding to the Casey Review

This is a response to the 2015 Casey Review set up to examine the proliferation of extremism but, in its 2016 report, effectively suggesting the implementation of a Government-approved version of Christianity.

The report defined extremism as views “at odds with those of mainstream society” – including traditional views of sexuality which amounted to “taking religion backwards”.

Barnabas Fund has launched a campaign for Parliamentary protection of religious practice in the UK.

Turn the Tide says: “The use of this pejorative term in a government report implies an attempt to impose a government-backed definition of ‘modern British’ Christianity.” They clearly also see the merit of doing the same with Islam. All of which is more akin to the sort of ‘Big Brother’ arrangement existing in China.

Barred from Office?

Related to this is the apparent re-introduction by stealth of the ‘Test Act’, which in past generations excluded non-conformists and others from certain professions.

And from the experience of the 2017 General Election, it seems that it already applies to Christians, who are effectively being barred from office because they do not subscribe to politically-correct dogma, particularly on sexual ethics. Some candidates were for this reason deemed by the media to be “unfit” for public office and Liberal-Democrat leader Tim Farron later felt forced to resign because he was unable to reconcile his faith with the views expected of his position.

Because of this, Barnabas insists that a new law must include “freedom from being required to affirm a particular worldview or set of beliefs in order to hold a public sector job or stand for election, work in professions such as teaching and law, or study at university.”

There have been a number of high-profile cases of people who have lost their jobs because they have dared to speak freely of their faith, or who have been taken to court because their consciences would not allow them to provide certain services, as in the case of Ashers Bakery, who refused to bake a cake with the slogan ‘Support Gay Marriage’.

We are witnessing the re-introduction by stealth of the ‘Test Act’, which in past generations excluded non-conformists from certain professions.

One of the most shocking cases was the recent suspension of Christian teacher Joshua Sutcliffe for calling a pupil a girl when she wished to be known as a boy. Quite apart from the obvious insanity of the ‘offence’ itself, the school had bizarrely conducted a survey of pupils’ religion which found that, out of 1,853 students, there were no – repeat no – Christians! And yet Mr Sutcliffe had been running a highly successful Bible Club at the school attended by over 100 pupils (bigger than most churches), which was subsequently shut down by the head.

You couldn’t make it up. I like the phrase I heard the other day: “We have become so open-minded that our brains are falling out.”

Recklessly Abandoning Freedom

As to the freedom we are so recklessly giving away, we are reminded that it started with the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, Clause 1 of which states: “The English Church shall be free, and shall have its rights undiminished, and its liberties unimpaired.”

Though it took centuries to work through, with martyrs burnt at the stake in the process, religious restrictions were gradually lifted until we became the envy of the world, with the liberty enshrined so wonderfully within our shores in time exported around the globe.

In commending Turn the Tide and calling on people of faith to speak up, Democratic Unionist MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said:

I am alarmed at the gradual erosion of the religious liberties and values that we have sought to uphold in this country for centuries. We live in a society today where there is growing intolerance among the metropolitan liberal elites towards those of us who take a faith-based approach to life. They speak much of diversity and inclusion but promote laws that undermine the values dear to Christians and practise the exclusion of people whose religious views they find ‘unacceptable’.

For more information, and to sign the petition, visit OurReligiousFreedom.org.

Dr Lisa Nolland, convenor of Anglican Mainstream's Marriage, Sex and Culture Group and a leading expert on gender issues, takes a critical look at the LGBT movement.

Have you noticed that the Sexual Revolution, beginning as it did in the 1960s, has unfolded in waves – each with its own specific focus?

The first wave involved 'liberating' sex from its previously close connections to traditional Judeo-Christian understandings of marriage, family and procreation.

The second wave has been about 'liberating' alternative sexualities (gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc) from the biblical structure of male/female relationships in God's created order. The third wave, which is happening right now, involves challenging the very idea of male and female through 'transgender' issues.

These are explosive topics, even within the Church – but as such, it is all the more vital to talk about them. Underneath all the arguments about rights, acceptance and love, the trend has clearly been towards the total breakdown of God's framework for gender and male/female relationships. This article presents a brief analysis of LGBT 'progress' in British culture and in the Church today and suggests some practical responses.

When Tolerance Becomes Intolerant

As Ecclesiastes notes, "There is nothing new under the sun" (Ecc 1:9). There have always been various 'alternative' forms of sexuality around. However, up until now, the majority population were not forced to endorse them or face punishment for bigotry by an increasingly vigilant state! This is a new and deeply pernicious development. Dissidents (as those who continue to hold to 'traditional' biblical structures for sex and relationships now are) must hope that they can keep a low profile or, if forcibly confronted about their beliefs, must either appease the establishment or suffer the consequences.

There have always been alternative forms of sexuality around. But up until now, the majority population weren't forced to endorse them or face punishment for bigotry!

In 2014, during the debates on same-sex 'marriage' (SSM), leading evangelical groups got behind the moderate campaign group Coalition for Marriage (C4M). It raised awareness about the nature and importance of marriage and collected almost 700,000 signatures against the SSM bill - a huge accomplishment. It also highlighted the frighteningly draconian aspects of the new politically correct culture of 'toleration'.

However, the downside of the C4M was its avoidance of several key but controversial aspects of SSM and the LGBT movement. For instance, in focusing on defending the biblical definition of marriage, C4M underplayed the unhealthy realities of gay sex and different relationship norms (eg Elton John's and David Furnish's 'open marriage'¹).

Crucially, it also failed to challenge the LGBT claim that sexuality is core to the human identity – i.e. that it is a defining part of who you are. This claim, which immediately transforms a challenge to someone's sexual practices into an assault on who that person is – is now undergirding the present pro-transgender movement (see below).

The Rainbow Flag over Britain

Many countries now have massive LGBT+ 'Pride' events. London's Pride lasts almost two weeks, backed by powerful businesses (e.g. Starbucks) and the Government (e.g. the Mayor of London).² Its goal: "Make London the best LGBT+ City in the World".³ Even the Church of England is getting involved: York Cathedral flew the Rainbow flag during 2015's Pride, while the Archbishop of Canterbury praised "just stunning" gay relationships and now publicly foregrounds the issues of "LGBTI people".⁴

Meanwhile, Stonewall's 'Education Champions' programme has now been rolled out in hundreds of schools.⁵ Mandatory 'literacy' programmes like CHIPS (involving mock-SSM ceremonies for 8-9 year olds and Pride promotion to slightly older children) and 'Pride in Primary' (its replacement) mean that increasing numbers of children are now being marinated in pro-LGBT teaching from nursery age onwards.⁶

So far, the Church has failed to challenge the LGBT claim that sexuality is core to the human identity - that it is a defining part of who you are.

Gay as the 'New Black'

C4M and other Christian leaders have so far failed to address the new ideology which is filtering into every British institution and which underpins gay rights advocacy. This ideology is most clearly articulated in Kirk and Madsen's seminal After the Ball: How America will conquer its fear and hatred of gays in the 90s (1989). It is written by marketing and psychology gurus who miscalled only the timing:

The public should be persuaded that gays are victims of circumstance, that they no more chose their sexual orientation than they did, say, their height, skin color ... (We argue that, for all practical purposes, gays should be considered to have been born gay)...And since no choice is involved, gayness can be no more blameworthy than straightness. [emphasis in original, p184]⁷

The idea of being 'born gay' is foundational to the claim that sexual attraction is a core component of human identity – and therefore something that should not be challenged or criticised but celebrated.

Before this, homosexuality was widely considered to be a complex of sexual feelings and behaviours. But through this brilliant sleight of hand, homosexuality (and other politically correct sexual orientations and gender identities) is now included in 'protected' categories and perceived and treated as comparable to race. To object to this new definition is considered 'racist' and evil.

Not Born This Way

But the truth is that no-one is born gay. Identical twin studies demonstrate this (if one identical twin is gay, in most cases the other is not) - and even gay activists like Peter Tatchell and Julie Bindel admit it.⁸ The Royal College of Psychiatrists altered its statement on homosexuality originally submitted to the Church of England's Pilling Commission, conceding sexual 'orientation' is not set at birth, nor is it immutable.⁹ Lesbian psychologist Lisa Diamond's 'Sexuality is fluid: it's time to get past "born this way"' also makes this point (New Scientist, 22 July 2015).

Because this reasoning no longer holds up to scientific scrutiny, the claim of being 'born gay' is increasingly giving way to claims of sexual fluidity (as Diamond notes, above). Many report spontaneous change in sexual attraction/orientation which 'just happens'.¹⁰ This view is affirmed by 'ex-gays' who have experienced change through therapy.¹¹ Ex-gays exist even in the UK, though they tend to be closeted (the US is different, e.g. see the powerful clip of ex-gay voices and perspectives, Suchweresomeofyou.org).

The truth is that no-one is born gay. The assertion that they are does not hold up to scientific scrutiny.

Psychology and Sexual Orientation

From his work with over 900 clients, ex-gay therapist Floyd Godfrey understands homosexuality as the "sexualisation of emotional needs and wounds", à la Simone Weil's "all sins are attempts to fill voids".¹² Such attractions "will remain until the individual discovers the meaning of them and fulfils them in legitimate, non-sexual ways", according to another ex-gay therapist Christopher Doyle.¹³

Drivers of same-sex attraction frequently include early conditioning, perception and/or experience. There is no one easy explanation - but then, there never is in the world of psychology. However, it is important to acknowledge that same-sex attraction is often a fruit of an underlying emotional issue. To ignore this, says ex-transgender activist Walt Heyer, is unwise and (regarding children specifically) could even be tantamount to abuse.¹⁴

It is not the purpose of this article to propose a solution to the sexuality crisis currently plaguing our nation – but it bears stating that it is vital that those battling unwanted same-sex attraction are able to access help and support.¹⁵ And yet, the current transgender campaign perceives this kind of support as offensive. But even if we use their own logic, that all individuals have a right to choose their gender identity from a rainbow of options, surely people then have the right (if desired) to identify with their biological birth gender, with its heterosexual physiology and function?

Some Practical Responses

The basic biblical truth that is in danger of being lost here is that God made human beings male and female as a central part of his creation. When we tamper with this truth, we put ourselves against God. Ultimately, if we are to recover this truth today, we need to hold out a different definition of identity: one which has our position as divinely created human beings, male and female, at its core, not sexual preference. At its heart, the gender crisis in this nation is precisely this: a crisis of lost identity.

So what can ordinary, Bible-believing Christians do in response? Here are a few suggestions.

1. Pray: for the mythology and damage to be exposed; for the many victims of the tyranny of political correctness; and that groups such as CORE will be able to help the increasing numbers of strugglers who want out of homosexuality.
2. Equip your Church: ask experts to address these issues and raise awareness in your church or fellowship.
3. Give: groups like the Christian Legal Centre are spending a small fortune defending the victims of political correctness in the UK now. Can you help?
4. Educate: discover what your children are being taught and get fully involved in their education; Lovewise has excellent resources. Safe at School is another great resource.
5. Disseminate: pass on helpful resources to your networks.
6. Sign Petitions: Sign petitions and ask your network to do the same, such as AFA's Boycott Target petition or CitizenGO's petition against the World Psychiatric Association's condemnation of therapy for unwanted same-sex attraction.
7. Attend Events: The Wilberforce Academy is one of the most cutting edge events for 20s and 30s in the UK, aiming to resource them to deal effectively with issues like this. Encourage students and young professionals to attend.

If you would like more information or are interested in greater involvement, please contact me. I run a group (below) which does this 24/7 and we are always interested in meeting 'like minds'.

Lisa S Nolland, MA MCS PhD (Bristol)

Convenor, Marriage, Sex and Culture Group, Anglican Mainstream

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

References

1 Cook, M. How Elton John has changed marriage. MercatorNet, 27 April 2016.

2 Capital gets ready for London Pride 2015, ITV News, 26 June 2015. See also Pride in London's What's On page for the plethora of LGBTI events around London alone.

3 See Pride in London's Pledge for politicians.

4 Archbishop speaks of challenge posed to Church by 'stunning' gay couples. Pink News, 21 March 2013. Also Welby sorry for Anglican 'hurt' to LGBT community. BBC News, 15 January 2016, and Mawhinney, R, Evangelism in an age of terror, homophobia and indifference: an interview with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Christianity Today, 31 March 2016. Also private communication with Lambeth Palace, 22 April 2016.

5 See Stonewall's member list.

6 See Pride in Primary Education., also Gay and lesbian values to be taught in 36 primary schools in Birmingham. Birmingham Mail, 12 December 2014. For copies of CHIPs contact me (see below for details).

7 See online outline of After the Ball (pdf). Also commentary in The homosexual propaganda campaign in America's media, MassResistance.org.

8 See Tatchell, P. Born Gay or Made Gay? Biology is not Destiny. Also Julie Bindel: You can choose to be gay - I choose to live my life as a lesbian. Pink News, 4 July 2014. See also Whitehead, NE, 2013. My Genes Made Me Do It! Homosexuality and the Scientific Evidence. Click here for a synopsis. 

9 Royal College of Psychiatrists' statement on sexual orientation (pdf), April 2014.

10 Savin-Williams, RC and Ream, GL, 2007. Prevalence and Stability of Sexual Orientation Components during Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Archives of Sexual Behaviour, 36:385-394. Also Diamond, L, 2008. Female Bisexuality from Adolescence to Adulthood. Developmental Psychology, 44(1):5-14, and Diamond, 2015, above.

11 E.g. Schwab, J. Open letter to Psychology Today: You cannot ignore ex-gays that have changed! Voice of the Voiceless, 18 March 2015. Also Jones, SL and Yarhouse, MA. Honest Sex Science. First Things, October 2012 (though this cohort did not have proper psychotherapy, but engaged in religiously-mediated support group work to reduce their unwanted SSA).

12 Family Watch International. Understanding Same-Sex Attraction. Youtube, 17 November 2013.

13 Doyle, C. Hotel Homosexuality: Yes, you can check out, and leave. MercatorNet, 17 June 2015.

14 Smith, S. Ex Transgender: Parents who don't put their trans kids in psychotherapy are 'abusing' their children. Christian Post, 18 February 2016.

15 Dr Mike Davidson's CORE Issues Trust works with many such individuals.

The Prime Minister has fired the starting gun: what he calls 'the debate of our lifetimes' has begun. Politicians on both sides of the Referendum debate have been falling over themselves to give TV interviews and write newspaper articles.

With the date now fixed as 23 June 2016 we face something like 120 days of wrangling, during which the public is likely to get bored - especially if the debate descends into personal abuse similar to the Presidential Election Campaign in the USA.

In this magazine we have already raised a banner stating our belief that the Referendum offers a unique opportunity for Britain to take a bold step of faith in shaking off the shackles of the European Union and regaining our ability to shape our destiny as a nation.

One thing we do promise our readers – we will not be trotting out the same old arguments week after week, or entering into the minutiae of 'The Deal' negotiated by David Cameron, or debating whether in fact Britain will be 'safer, stronger and richer' by staying in the EU.

No Real Reformation

We acknowledge that the PM has worked extremely hard for many months in trying to persuade the leaders of all the European States to back his proposals. We do not doubt the PM's sincerity and commitment, but in his reports to the House of Commons and numerous other statements it cannot be claimed that the EU have made any significant concessions that could justify asking the country to endorse an agreement with a 'Reformed' European Union.

There does not appear to be any significant reformation! There is no change to the Common Agricultural Policy which is strangling the life out of British farming, such that farmers have the highest rate of suicide of any occupation and the dairy farming industry is likely to be wiped out.

There is no change in the Fisheries Policy which forces our fishermen to throw thousands of fish back into the sea in order not to exceed their quotas, whilst we buy fish caught by foreign fishermen in our own waters. Britannia certainly does not 'rule the waves' around our shores since we gave away our sovereignty to the EU. And there is no change in the predominance of the European Court of Justice, that takes precedence over our own legal system (itself developed over the past 800 years, since Magna Carta).

In this magazine we have already raised a banner stating our belief that Britain should take a bold step of faith in shaking off the shackles of the European Union.

Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/Press Association ImagesMichael Gove said last week "EU rules dictate everything, from the maximum size of containers in which olive oil may be sold (five litres) to the distance houses have to be from heathland to prevent cats chasing birds (five kilometres)."¹

He said, "Individually these rules are comical...As a Minister I've seen hundreds of new EU rules cross my desk, none of which were requested by the UK Parliament, none of which I or any other British politician could alter in any way and none of which made us freer, richer or fairer".²

Speaking of his personal frustration with the restrictions placed upon us he said "Every single day, every single minister is told: 'Yes Minister I understand, but I'm afraid that's against EU rules'."³

Our Greatest Concern

Our greatest concern in this magazine is with the spiritual state of the nation and whether or not decisions regarding its future destiny are in line with the word of God and are likely to have his blessing.

We were greatly concerned during the prolonged negotiations leading up to the Maastricht Treaty, when there were a number of attempts to get some reference in the Treaty to the centuries-long Judaeo-Christian tradition shared by all the nations of Europe. This was vehemently resisted by the secular humanists who have gained power among the unelected officials in the European Union.

Attempts to get the EU to recognise the continent's Judaeo-Christian heritage have long been resisted by secular humanists.

Their atheist values have had a fundamental effect in promoting the secularisation of Britain. A recent example is a 2010 case law challenge to the EU 'Charter of Fundamental Rights' (that became binding in December 2009) from Austria which, though unsuccessful, did lead the European court to affirm same-sex relationships as a valid form of family life protected by fundamental human rights:

61. Regard being had to Article 9 of the Charter ["The right to marry and the right to found a family shall be guaranteed in accordance with the national laws governing the exercise of these rights"]...the Court would no longer consider that the right to marry enshrined in Article 12 must in all circumstances be limited to marriage between two persons of the opposite sex...⁴

This opened the door for a challenge to the law in Britain restricting marriage to persons of the opposite gender, paving the way for the Same-Sex Marriage Bill.

UnGodly and Repressive System

When nations deliberately reject the truth of God's word, they put themselves outside the blessing and protection of God. This is what has happened in Europe, which has gone from being the most Christian continent in the world to the most secular.

Today the nations of Europe are facing multiple problems as they struggle to cope with a vast influx of migrants, high unemployment and growing social discontent, compounded by the desperate attempts to maintain the Euro (which are causing incredible suffering to the poor in countries such as Greece, Spain and Portugal).

Of course they all want Britain to stay to help prop up this ungodly and repressive system, which is why all the leaders spent so much time trying to shuffle together a few crumbs for our Prime Minister to take back to London and claim it as a new deal in a "reformed Europe". This is so far from the truth as to be laughable if it were not so serious.

The Prime Minister's 'new deal' is so far from genuine reform as to be laughable – if it were not so serious.

Politicians and leaders of big businesses are combining to try to scare the voting public into remaining in the EU. But the greatest fear is not in leaving, but in staying within a failing organisation. The warning signs have been there for a long time. Now we have the opportunity of escaping before the collapse comes - like Lot getting out of Sodom, or Abraham leaving Ur.

Of course it leads us into unknown territory, but this is where trust in God is far more important than making pacts and treaties with other nations. Jeremiah had to warn the politicians in his day that making treaties with other nations would lead to disaster. He said "The Lord has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them" (Jer 2:37). Sadly, the leaders and the people refused to listen and only a few years later Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians who had invaded the land.

The big question facing us today in Britain is whether or not there is sufficient trust in God for him to be able to lead the nation into ways of righteousness and prosperity.

A Faithful Remnant

God is not dependent upon numbers! He loves to work out his salvation with just a handful of people who are totally committed to him like Gideon's 300; and like the 120 disciples on the Day of Pentecost who shouldered responsibility for the 'Great Commission', taking the message of God's salvation to all the world.

God is mobilising the faithful remnant in Britain today to intercede to save the nation. As the prayers of the faithful saved the nation at the time our soldiers were rescued from Dunkirk and our airmen won the Battle of Britain against the might of the Nazi war machine, so too faithful believing prayer has the power to influence the destiny of the nation.

God is mobilising the faithful remnant in Britain today to intercede to save the nation.

We are being offered just such an opportunity to put our trust in God. Even though we will be treading unfamiliar paths; if we are doing this through trust in God, he will respond and ensure that blessing will come upon the nation.

God is Faithful

The God of Creation, who holds the nations in his hands, is faithful to keep his promises. He says:

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. (Isa 42:16)

He also promises when we put our trust in the Lord, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way; walk in it'" (Isa 30:21).

The faithful remnant of believers in Britain today have the opportunity to bless the nation through their prayers and through their witness; that if we put our trust in the Lord he will lead us, not only into ways of righteousness but into times of prosperity and happiness.

References

1 Apps, P, EU Referendum: Michael Gove's full statement on why he is backing Brexit. The Independent, 20 February 2016.

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid.

4 Schalk and Kopf v. Austria (case), European Court of Human Rights. A summary can be found on Wikipedia.