Spirit-Filled Church weekend at the Wirral

From the outset at such a friendly Friday evening meal with the Leaders and wives, I knew we were in for a good weekend at Jubilee Church Wirral.  I am always fascinated to see how often Newfrontiers churches have international representation in their leadership team.  On this occasion from Nigeria and even from the Newfrontiers church in Helderberg, Cape Town, South Africa.

On the Saturday morning Dave Frodsham who leads the church, originally planted out from the Newfrontiers Jubilee church Liverpool, took me to the recently acquired former Anglican Church, now their Jubilee Centre, a great facility to host their church.

People where gathering from a number of local churches and from as far a field as Wrexham in North Wales and from our new church plant in Chester.

Waiting for things to start I was plunged into a variety of enjoyable conversations.  Dear friends who were members of my first church in Seaford, Sussex suddenly appeared, a colleague from London Bible college, now a Church of England minister, guys who remembered my preaching and even leading worship at the Dales Bible Week back in the 1980’s!  Also, a lady from the Newfrontiers Gateway church Dubai.  Another said how much Wendy had helped her through prophecy and counsel when we were in Durban, South Africa.

One couple told me that they had given up on church until they stumbled on the BBC programme of live worship on Pentecost Sunday from CCK Brighton and said if we can find a church like that we will go again.  Now they are enthusiastic members of our Chester church plant, Freedom Church Chester.  I must confess that I love just mingling with the people of God and hearing their stories.

The place was packed and we enjoyed the Lord’s presence in some great worship and then got down to our theme of the Spirit-Filled Church, noting among other things that the local church is not a group of people clinging to a fading memory of what it was like when Jesus used to be around.  No, by the Holy Spirit we celebrate his presence now.

Nearly 50 people later testified to God’s touch after we prayed for the sick, including Ruth Barwick who spoke of 15 years of pain and having to “click her back about 20 times a day” and now writing to say since Saturday she is completely free from pain!  Others testified to significant healings.

After 3 sessions we enjoyed another evening meal with all those who had been involved in serving throughout the days program; more opportunity for great fellowship.

Sunday morning saw the winding up of our weekend together with a super response to the final word and another opportunity to lay hands on the sick and pray for God’s healing touch.  In the afternoon I flew back to London Heathrow – a happy and fulfilled man.