Jesus Army: Magazine - Prophetic Word - Jesus Centres are church in action

THE CHRISTIAN Church has a vital role to play in the future of this nation. But it is far from clear whether it is actually going to play that part.

The overwhelming majority of people in this nation have some awareness of a spiritual dimension to life, and for most of them that includes some belief in Jesus, and at least respect for Him.

Yet the Church is so often seen as irrelevant and outdated. Long past is the time when a Sundays-only building held any credibility. In an age of total choice, the church must earn its right to be heard in the midst of the competing slogans of the marketplace. The public is looking for us to address the needs of real people in today’s society.

That is a challenge we in this church are determined to rise to. Not for nothing are we called the modern Jesus army.

Jesus Centres are the seven-day-a-week “shop window” of the church, located in prominent locations in large towns or cities. So far we have three centres – in Coventry, London and Northampton, with plans for Sheffield and Birmingham, and others expected to follow. Jesus Centres are places that reach out to the whole person – body, soul and spirit. They offer practical help such as showers and clean clothes; “capacity building” through services such as “New to UK” and classes in English for speakers of other languages; friendship and support through groups such as those for Mums and Tots, ex-prisoners or Scrabble players, as well as a community café. And above all, they offer a constant spiritual element, with a steady atmosphere of prayer and spiritual life, as well as hosting Jesus Fellowship events. The ethos of the Jesus Centre, as we have learnt to call it, is the spirit of Jesus – and of the Jesus Army. Undiluted. No more, no less.

Jesus Centres show the heart of the church. More than that, they are the heart of this Church, staffed mainly by volunteers – several hundred of them, all from the Jesus Army.

Over many years the Jesus Army has reached out to many, including lots of rootless and homeless young people. Many of them found a spiritual experience and new faith in Jesus bringing new hope. Many, too, tasted the lifestyle of Christian community. Although the friendship and support met many of their immediate needs, the discipline necessary for living with others – particularly in an overtly Christian manner, proved too much, and many drifted away. Over the same time, we found the ability to be a church that addressed body, soul and spirit, meeting practical necessities, meeting the human hunger for a righteous and godly society, and moving in Holy Spirit-given life and power.

Jesus Centres have provided a means whereby we can bring the lessons and skills we have learned through life in Christian community into play, and help meet the very real needs of very real people – body, soul, and spirit. Just as in spiritual terms our range of membership styles mean that people can proceed at a pace that suits them, so the friendly, welcoming atmosphere of a Jesus Centre allows people to proceed at their own pace, selecting how much or how little they want to be involved with. Seeing what the Jesus Centres have achieved, and what they can achieve is exciting. So, too, is seeing the vision being put into practice. As the Jesus Centre in London opens, we are on the point of buying a property for one in Sheffield, and working on the practicalities of one in Birmingham. It has taken many years to get to this position; it will take another five years at least before we can open these next two Jesus Centres.

Looking beyond those, we expect to open Jesus Centres in many other major towns and cities in the UK as the Jesus Army grows and spreads. We are committed to the long haul in our Jesus Centre vision.

We’ve learned that to be effective, Jesus Centres depend on the numerical and spiritual strength of the local church and community and on its leadership. Overall the Jesus Centres depend on the financial strength of the church and community, which in turn depends on the well-being of our kingdom businesses which we have set up over the years. And above all, they depend on our faith. Without God’s presence and blessing they are nothing.

Many have found ministry in serving within the Centres, not least those with hidden ministries – ranging from washing up to effective administration and organisation. What has been particularly remarkable has been the way particular individuals, faced with new and different challenges, have come alive and delivered far beyond what they had seemed capable of before. It’s the Body of Christ in action. We have found that receiving prayer and receiving practical help can be equally valued by our visitors. Day-by-day, Jesus Centres are not places of tub-thumping preaching, but very definitely there are many deep one-to-one conversations and much spiritual input and progress.

There has been plenty of pain and tears. These are places of stretching and dependence on God. We’ve found fellowship and friendship in working together; we’ve found encouragement in achieving and been surprised at the value of the friendship of poor and disadvantaged people.

Interestingly enough, it has been our involvement with some of the most marginalised people in the UK that has taken us to a reception in Downing Street and an awards ceremony in the Houses of Parliament. Food for thought there!

As we move forward into new Jesus Centres around the nation, we can look beyond the buildings and the activities to what is far more important, people being built together in spiritual and everlasting terms – in the Church of Jesus.