"Bread & Games" - Reflections on the British Church

By Tricia Tillin Part One - Overturning The Essentials

Scattered Stones

"How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the sanctuary are scattered at the head of every street. The precious sons of Zion, valuable as fine gold, how they are regarded as clay pots, the work of the hands of the potter!" Lam 4:1-2

Twice already it has happened: the stones of God's precious Temple, the place of His dwelling, have been scattered and broken. The gold, so lovingly placed in the Temple by those devoted to God, has been stolen, melted, remade into jewellry and trinkets.

What a symbol of the corruption and fate of God's people! Once pure, unmixed and devoted to God alone, they shone out as something sacred and special. But when they turned their minds and hearts to other things - pagan gods, sensuality, the accession of land, and the desire for power and dominion over others - when these things corrupted the worshippers in God's Temple, it led unerringly to their downfall.

Those whom the Old Testament people of God trusted to enrich their lives became instead the plunderers of their Temple, the instruments of their exile. The stones of the Temple were torn down and scattered, and the "living stones" of the Temple were also scattered, separated, enslaved and exiled far from home. The Temple Plundered

Now it's happening again! We are witnessing the plunder of God's Living Temple, the Church. It is not a day of revival, as some would have you believe, but a dark day of corruption and the scattering of the stones. All round the world, the cry from those who truly love God is "we are broken up, we are isolated and dry, seeking genuine fellowship but rarely finding it". The "stones" are scattered here and there, at the head of every street, no longer joined successfully into solid structures but meeting as disparate groups of individuals.

The reason this has come upon God's People is the same as before - pagan gods are being worshipped within the Temple, and the lust for excitement, adventure, sensual experiences, power and popularity has eclipsed the of God.

The leaders know (I believe) that sin is eating away at the foundations, but, as in the decadent Roman Empire, they keep the common people occupied with "bread and games". With the bookstalls stacked high and the entertainment non-stop, hardly anyone is asking the hard questions.

This is a perfect description of the endtimes "Laodicean" Church. Just as the Lord Jesus warned, its condition would be one of arrogance, indifference, and self-satisfaction.

"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Rev 3:17)

What Went Wrong?

The sound, albeit staid, pre-1960's evangelical Church has undergone a transformation taking it from dusty formalism to bypassing revival along the way. Within the space of a breathless 30 years the condition, doctrine, practise and order of the evangelical Church has been almost completely changed, with many of the former members finding themselves totally at odds with the result.

From a declining minority, evangelicals turned into the success story of the era, taking the lion's share of converts, and becoming the only sector to enjoy sustained numerical growth. Yet the level of genuine faith and commitment amongst Christians is now abysmal, and popular fads like Toronto consume most of those growing churches. What God offered for revival in the 60's was snapped up by some who perverted it into the worst kind of bondage. How did this happen?

We Christians of another era (pre-shepherding!) recall a Church that is almost unrecognisable today. We used to think it was the "bad old days" before the Charismatic revolution in the 60's and 70's, and in some ways it was - for the traditionalism and die-hard anti-Spirit attitudes were sometimes suffocating.

Evangelicals (which in those days meant somebody who was actually born-again as opposed to a nominal Christian) were in the minority, and unpopular. When I was born again, in 1965, I encountered a Church where despised "evos" fought for existence in a world ruled by liberals. Pulpit preaching was soporific, and hardly ever contained a gospel message. What evangelistic outreach could be arranged was amateurish, and poorly attended. Worship was boring, and lacked conviction.

A few oddballs (like me) were gasping for a more relaxed style of worship, so when "Youth Praise" was published in 1966 it was eagerly seized upon. This music book for youth worship was like a breath of fresh air in a stuffy room. In those days, the height of heresy in the church was to be seen with a guitar in one hand and a copy of "Youth Praise" in the other. We really were judged for those things!

However, if we had known what consequences would follow in the wake of the , we would probably have been more satisfied with what we already had, despite the dead formalism of those days. Let me contrast the general beliefs of true evangelicals then, with supposed evangelicals in the restoration Movement today.

Hallmarks of the Old-Style Evangelistic Christian

Priority of preaching the gospel of individual salvation at every opportunity

To be an evangelical meant you wanted to witness to everybody about the love and salvation found in Jesus Christ. The most significant expression of an evangelical's life was to preach the gospel, because there was no hope for man without it. The "social gospel" of the liberal Church was seen to be in opposition to this, because it sought the transformation of man's nature, and society as a whole, without reference to the biblical experience of justification by faith.

Absolute insistence on a born-again experience for salvation

Nobody without a definite conscious conversion according to John Chapter Three was counted as a Christian. "Growing up" as a Christian would not do! The wishy-washy doctrine of the Anglo-Catholics and especially the do-goodism creed of Rome was anathema to a true evangelical. Nominal Christians who thought they were going to heaven because they attended services and led a blameless life were in the majority at most Anglican churches, and were the hardest to convert. What marked out an Anglican as "Evangelical" was the insistence upon true conversion.

Love of, and knowledge of, God's Word

Evangelicals took the very seriously, believed it literally, and would not allow the smallest deviation from the written word. The judgement of any sermon was its "soundness" according to scripture, and this was a matter of discussion after every service. The Bible was rightly seen as the foundation of a Christian's life and existence, and the more you knew, the better off you were. The first thing that happened to me as a new Christian was enrolment in a serious Bible Study course to teach me all about the doctrines in the Word. The daily "Quiet Time" of personal prayer and Bible Study using notes provided by a sound ministry was seen as mandatory and failure to keep the daily "QT" was a sign of backsliding.

Desire for doctrinal purity

Heeding the command to "test all things", evangelicals never accepted ministries, books or sermons at face value. They were put through the fire. Flaky ministers who had come to speak in our church were often invited to an "after-meeting" and given a grilling. If they did not own up to scriptural doctrine, they were ruled out as heretics. One youth minister highly respected in his ministry and sent on recommendation by the Diocesan Youth Board admitted under questioning that he did not know who the Holy Spirit was. A shocked silence followed this revelation, and he was shortly afterwards invited to leave the premises.

Abhorrence of liberal creeds and intimate knowledge of the errors of Rome

We had no truck with Rome whatsoever! And since the Anglo-Catholics amongst us were Romans in disguise, we rejected them also. The first education we received as new converts introduced us to the stark differences between the biblical gospel of justification by faith, and the Roman creeds. Rome was the Great Harlot and the Pope was the Antichrist. No arguments. "Foxe's Book of Martyrs" was high up on our reading list, and we also knew all about the history of the Reformation - indeed, since we happened to live near Oxford we often walked over the spot were the Martyrs were burned alive, so we were well acquainted with the horrors of Rome. Of all the heresies, ecumenism was about the worst.

Spiritual unity of the Saints without compromise of doctrine.

Ecumenism aside, we did value and practise unity amongst born-again believers within various denominations. In our town, there were about four Christians in the Anglican Church, several couples in the Baptist, two in the Congregational (as it was called then) and one in the Methodist who met regularly together for prayer, bible study and fellowship. We also jointly organised evangelistic events (in which our respective churches did not participate!). However, our unity was a spiritual one, because we all knew the Lord. This I believe was a common experience amongst evangelicals in those days. (The Charismatic Revival was launched very much on the back of these informal house meetings, and was called the House Church movement for some time.)

Daily walk governed by scriptural principles.

Since evangelicals knew and loved the Word, it is hardly surprising that they were convicted to live holy lives. This meant separation from the world in the sense of avoiding carnality and excess. It was not acceptable to drink or smoke, modest dress was encouraged, covetousness was sinful and humility and a simple lifestyle were prized. Those without a conspicuously holy lifestyle were under suspicion, and if anyone strayed, the whole group would pray for and correct the offender.

Recognition of the condition of backsliders, correction in the Church

The corollary to this was of course that genuine backsliders were not allowed to get away with their fall from grace. Sin was both recognised and dealt with in the churches. Certainly, any minister who disgraced himself was ejected from office - or if not, he was ostracised by the evangelicals.

Infilling of the Spirit linked to sanctification, not gifts or manifestations

Although in the Spirit had not been "invented" in those days there were of course many who had experienced an infilling of the Spirit. However, the early teaching on fullness was centred on sanctification, not the gifts and manifestations of the Spirit. The way to a deeper life was to seek after holiness, and to submit entirely to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This meant that anyone who desired to receive the Spirit spent a long time in personal reflection, dealing with sin and stumblingblocks, and committing his or her life entirely to God.

Traditional, scriptural worship without excesses

Worship in most denominations was a hymn-prayer sandwich, which left no room for inspiration or spontaneity. This meant that there was little scope for spiritual reality in worship. However, on the plus side, the hymns by and large were solidly biblical. Many had been written by deeply committed Christians, Missionaries and Martyrs, and of course there were the songs of the Wesley brothers, too. All these contained sermons in song, far from the trite nonsense of today. So, hymns sung by believers could be a real outlet of heart-felt praise. The roof could be raised on occasion, simply through use of the organ and choir. Anyone who has listened to a Welsh male-voice choir will recognise the potential for genuine worship. Secondly, the Anglican Sunday service offered regular Bible readings, a variety of prayers, confession of sins, and time for quiet reflection in an atmosphere of reverence.

Pre-millennial eschatology, with expectation of apostasy before the Lord's Return.

Most evangelical doctrine was pre-millennial if not pre-tribulational. Although eschatology did not figure large in our teaching, we read the Bible literally. We expected to see a decline in standards, apostasy, and an evil world government as signs of the Lord's coming. In particular, the Brethren were very strong Dispensationalists and a distinction was made between Israel and the Church.

Heavenly goal; rewards sought in heaven rather than on earth.

Evangelicals felt that this life was one of toil and trial, labouring in the field, but that the heavenly rewards were outstanding. Hymns and songs reflected this: "Trials dark on every hand, and we cannot understand, all the ways that God will lead us, to the blessed Promised Land…" The very idea of taking dominion in this life, on this earth, was laughable because not only did we see the Tribulation ahead, but so few people were interested in accepting the gospel of salvation, which after all was the only method of changing men's hearts. The great goal ahead was the heavenly Kingdom, and its representation on earth during the Millennium. It was only after death, in heaven, that we would enjoy perfection and peace.

How it all fell apart with the Restoration Fellowships

Almost as soon as the charismatic movement took hold, there was a subtle shift from God to self. This was hardly apparent at first, but biblical self-discipline, faith, holiness, gospel preaching and all the other things that had marked evangelicals out as true Christians faded day by day to be replaced by exciting worship and tongues-speaking at meetings. Many people, even then, complained about the bubble and froth of the charismatics, compared to the true grit of the old-style Christian.

As good as the renewal was in reviving dying saints, it brought with it the desire to enjoy Church at the expense of the basics. Along with the spirit of many, the flesh was also revived!

Worse was to come. Doctrine began to change, also. Little by little the Bible was sidelined, the truth eclipsed by false teachings, and a new revelation introduced. The changes can be described in contrast to the list above:

The gospel becomes social transformation and is lost

Preaching the gospel of individual conversion and salvation is far down the priority list of most Restoration fellowships. Indeed, it is sometimes criticised as part of the old order. The new priority is getting everyone to join or co-operate with a local fellowship with the goal of transforming society and ultimately the world. Grandiose claims about the role of the Church as salt and light in the world cover up a change to the social gospel where welfare work, (so- called "servant evangelism") replaces genuine gospel preaching. The spiritual aspect of evangelism is now a matter of high-octane worship in which people are led to "experience Christ" no matter what their creed or situation in life.

A biblical personal conversion is no longer needed or required for membership

Corporate salvation is now more important than individual salvation. The rot set in when "shepherding" demanded that every saved person had also to be a disciple to be truly Christian. Church membership was the door to the Kingdom, and the leadership were the holders of the key (rather like the pope!!). This led to more emphasis on obedience to the Church than obedience to God in His Word. Leaders developed a slackness about conversion experiences and taught that, instead of crisis conversion, we are "on a spiritual journey" towards faith.

Added to this was the concept of being converted by a spiritual experience in which the person "encountered" Christ, followed swiftly of course by obligatory discipling under the local apostle.

Salvation now comes to most through spiritual experiences, by having a love-fest with the christ-spirit or simply by becoming a member of a local fellowship. This matters little in a Church where the main focus is not upon getting people saved so much as uniting and glorifying the Church. Where the goal is getting the Church ready to rule, individuals Christians are merely required to be obedient and to conform to The Plan. The Corporate Body on earth is all; the individual is nothing but a cell of the Body. So much for individual, biblical salvation!

The Bible has almost disappeared

The charismatic movement, from the beginning, was criticised for being worship-oriented rather than Word-oriented, but in the early days Christians still knew and valued the Bible. However, as the years went by there seems to have been a decided effort to push the Bible into the background. Young converts were not encouraged, as they once were, to study the scriptures deeply. In many Restoration meetings the Bible is hardly ever opened, let alone used for preaching. The message is not Word-based, but anecdotal, full of personal testimonies and experiences. Revelations through and visions are valued equally to the written Word and now in some cases have overtaken the Bible in importance. In addition, suspect new translations such as "The Message" are often used by the leaders, and these blur the distinctions and make expository preaching well nigh impossible.

Even in the early days of shepherding, the "disciples" were taught that the decisions of their leaders were all-important, and in some cases the leaders contradicted what the Holy Spirit was saying through the Word. But long years of obedience to their elders has stopped Restoration believers thinking for themselves. Now, those who study the Bible for doctrine are seen as religious fuddy-duddies, stuck in the old paradigm.

Doctrine seen as divisive.

Instead of doctrinal purity, we have doctrinal chaos where there are no absolutes, and even traditional doctrines such as eternal judgement are coming up for review. Restoration leaders not only turned a blind eye to false doctrine, but actually introduced it. Black and white became grey, and the search for doctrinal correctness was abandoned and ultimately derided as "divisive". Thus, testing all things by the Word of God became unfashionable in Restoration circles.

Rome became a partner in faith instead of an enemy

The trend to ecumenism within Restoration and other new fellowships has been well documented. David Du Plessis was one of the first Pentecostals to court Rome, and the Anglican Renewal Movement in the UK soon followed suit. But even amongst the non- denominational charismatics, the guarded atmosphere against Rome was lost within ten years. Not only was the history and creed of the Roman Church swept under the carpet, but also the basis for Christian fellowship was broadened to include anyone who had been baptised in the Spirit and claimed to "love Jesus". Thus the door was thrown open for supposed charismatic Catholics to enter the arena, and for Roman doctrines to be re- introduced to Protestants. Now Restorationists are reprinting articles by Catholics in their magazines, going on pilgrimages and worshipping alongside Catholics without turning a hair.

Organic, visible unity of all denominations is seen as vital

Restorationists have moved from the biblical spiritual unity of believers to "unity at any price". In their understanding, full visible unity is necessary before the Church can conquer evil and bring in the kingdom of God. To achieve this, they have thrown all stumblingblocks to unity out of the window. The first casualty was, of course, sound doctrine.

The daily walk of Restoration believers is worldly

No sooner did Restoration gain a foothold in charismatic fellowships than the march back to the world began. There were two main reasons for this. Firstly, conviction of sin was lost when the Bible no longer played a part in worship and when leniency replaced church discipline. Secondly, the Restoration ideology was that of earthly success and advancement. They sought to transform this present world and the people in it rather than make converts for the kingdom of heaven. Accordingly, believers were supposed to go back into the world and influence others to "join the Church".

Separation from the world was criticised as a "gnostic" doctrine and long theological articles appeared condemning those who made a distinction between sacred and profane. The result was to force Restoration disciples back into the lifestyle they had given up for Jesus. I know of several who complained that they were forced to start drinking in pubs again. As well as this, the boundaries between sin and righteousness were blurred so that sexual sin, drug-taking, homosexuality, abortion and many more of the world's values were imported into church fellowships and accommodated there without much dissent.

Impurity is no longer a bar to membership

The Bible pattern is for unrepentant sinners to be challenged, and ultimately to be barred from fellowship. This no longer seems to be the case. Those who keep quiet about their lives probably get away with the way they are living. Others - more blatant troublemakers - would be dealt with sympathetically as victims of their upbringing or environment. Social work and psychology have largely replaced Biblical counselling, so problems are not dealt with at a spiritual level. Restoration leaders have created such a welcoming environment for sinners that sin is no longer the greatest threat to their fellowships. Instead, it is dissent that is the crime. Objecting to the teaching of the elders is now almost the only reason for disfellowshipping a member.

Getting the anointing has replaced true Baptism in the Spirit

As I remarked earlier, in the 19th century amongst Holiness groups the concept of a deeper spiritual life was linked to sanctification and submission to God's will. The change brought by the charismatic movement was devastating. It linked Baptism in the Spirit more with the gifts than the Giver. People suddenly craved power and excitement and saw an easy way to get them. Righteousness was not the issue; almost anyone could have a spiritual manifestation without the need for sanctification. This meant that, over time, obtaining an "anointing" became the key to deeper living. Toronto and Brownsville traded on that error, offering spiritual experiences to the masses at no cost.

Worship has become entertainment

At first the charismatic movement used the choruses of earlier revivals for their worship, but in the search for a spiritual "high" these quickly developed into new choruses that were often trite and repetitive. Later, as new doctrines came in, they were promoted in the form of songs, so "worship-leaders" were employed to compose the new musical arrangements. The spontaneity of the old worship with simple, inspired worship songs died out.

The focus of worship shifted from the words of scripture to statements about the Church - her victory, power and importance - and promises about the coming kingdom. Praise and dedication to God was replaced with emotional love-songs to Jesus. With the focus on self, not God, worship became entertainment. The world crept in with rock, heavy metal and now Celtic and new-age styles.

The other aspect of music, the ability to manipulate people's minds and hearts, was employed to good effect in softening up the congregation to receive new doctrines. Now, it seems that no charismatic meeting can begin without two hours of loud, intensive, mind-numbing "worship". Other aspects of Christian worship such as stillness, reverence, prayer, Bible reading and expository preaching have been mostly lost.

As for the bedrock of the charismatic renewal, the every-member ministry, this has been so eroded in Restoration circles as to be almost meaningless today. The gifts of the Spirit have been perverted into opportunities for indoctrination and prophecies received by mere members have to be vetted by the elders. Although lip-service is given to body-ministry, most Restoration "worship" is stage-managed and led by the elders.

Pre-millennialism has been replaced

Although some leaders still claim to be pre-millennialists, the doctrine has been almost wiped out in the Restoration church. A major shift to a triumphalist post-millennial doctrine happened in the mid-70's, when the goal became establishing the Kingdom on earth. Doctrines about the rapture, tribulation, endtimes apostasy and a literal personal Antichrist were denounced as deceptions. Also, Israel was replaced by the Church in .

The goal is now taking the nations for God

Given the shift to post-millennialism, it was inevitable that the focus of attention would become the earth, rather than the heavenly kingdom. Taking the nations was the aim, not enjoying heavenly rewards. The Church was on a mission to win the world to Christianity and train up rulers for the millennial reign. Obviously, this represents an enormous change of interests. Christians will submit to discipleship and resign their individuality if they believe the most important thing is rulership in a restored earth. Also, with the world looking for government, the need for structure and clerical order is apparent. Without tribulation ahead, there is no need for vigilance, and in the absence of apostasy there is no need to fear deception. The desire for heavenly things has faded out, and Restoration Christians no longer "look up". They look around them and consider how to transform the world.

How "Renewal" became "Restoration"

Clearly, a huge gulf has appeared between classic and the new churches. Doctrines have changed almost beyond recognition. Instead of renewing the existing Church, the Restoration wave has swept away the old and replaced it with something that looks more like a cult. It has grown exponentially, overtaking every other denomination in numbers. It has cornered the market in publishing, teaching, music, evangelism and worship. More, it has bent the national Church to its will and sent shock waves into every corner of Christendom, forcing even those who were originally anti-charismatic to become their allies.

How could this have happened? How did a God-given desire for new life become a suffocating straitjacket of dominion? The steps downward into are studied in Part Two. Part Two - The Birth and Death of the Renewal Movement

In Part One of "Bread & Games" I tried to show how the fundamental beliefs and practises of the Church have changed radically from the onset of the charismatic renewal of the 1960’s. Naturally, there are historical reasons for this shift in understanding, and to properly treat the subject I would need to go back into earlier centuries to examine the slow development of thinking that produced these changes.

However, for the sake of brevity I intend to present a concise history of the Renewal Movement from the 1950’s onwards, when events impacted our own lives and beliefs. ( As an Englishwoman I will inevitably be focussing more on the UK than America, though the course of events was very similar both sides of the Atlantic.)

By the 1950’s there were Pentecostal denominations functioning in Britain as well as the rest of the world, but they had made little impact on the Church as a whole. There was widespread ignorance and even a fear of spiritual gifts. British people as a whole, and evangelicals in particular, were temperamentally unsuited to displays of "emotionalism" as it was called.

Being born again in the 1950’s and 60’s did not include being baptised in the Spirit - indeed, Christians knew nothing about it. Those who did have an experience of Baptism in the Spirit were usually asked to leave their churches. Many, therefore, who joined the early charismatic movement had come out of lifeless Anglican churches, staid Baptist fellowships and Brethren Assemblies that had refused to countenance the operation of spiritual gifts in this day and age. Fore-Runners of the Charismatic Movement

From the turn of the century, there had been various influential individuals who seeded the ground ahead of the full charismatic movement. One of these was Smith Wigglesworth, a British by-product of the Pentecostal Revival in the States, by way of A.A. Boddy and his wife, Mary. Their centre in Sunderland was one early manifestation of the growing desire for power in ministry. Behind Sunderland lay the experiences of the Welsh revival (1903-5) and of course the Keswick meetings (see below).

But by the 1960’s there were three main strands of neo-pentecostalism in the British Isles, and these could be considered the forerunners of the Charismatic Movement, yet they were in many respects different from it. They were independent fellowships, not interested in unity with the traditional churches, and very much running on their own tracks.

One group was centred in South Chard, Somerset. It drew its doctrine from old-style Pentecostalism and to some extent the Healing Revival and the Latter-Rain Revival in the States. South Chard's vision, however, was broader than these two things and its focus was "body-ministry" in which the priestly caste of the Church of England and Rome was abolished and all Christians were equal before God.

Another group gathered around the ministry of G. W. (Wally) North. The North fellowships were also independent and shunned the traditional denominations. Their doctrines were largely those of old-time Wesleyanism with sanctification seen as the goal.

Another pre-Charismatic group met annually at Keswick, having been formed from the American in the nineteenth century. (It is accepted by many that the Welsh Revival was born out of the Keswick Conventions ). The Keswick preachers, while rejecting extremes such as "sinless perfection", emphasised the need for sanctification and "fullness of the Spirit" as a definite experience distinct from salvation. This "second blessing" brought victory over sin, and power for service.

It was my privilege to be present at both South Chard and Keswick meetings, and I testify to the way God used them in my early Christian life. Indeed, I was led to pray for the infilling of the Spirit after attending a Keswick Convention. Many others in this country owe a debt of gratitude to the Chard, North and Keswick meetings. I mention this by way of contrast with what is to follow.

The influence of these pre-charismatic groups was important, but not long lasting, and they were eventually overtaken and to some extent swallowed up in the coming Charismatic Explosion. Streams of Renewal

It was the dawn of the hippie era, the 1960’s, and "the times they are a-changin". People were getting restless, as they always do when Christianity becomes merely another religion. Born- again believers wanted the richness, power and beauty of genuinely spiritual worship. They sought like-minded fellowship. They thirsted for meat, not milk. They looked for the freedom to pray aloud in services, to preach the gospel to their neighbours, to practise the gifts of the Spirit. All this was impossible in the traditional Church structures of the 1960's.

As more Christians – and especially the young and newly-saved – discovered the Chard way of worship, or met in lively house-groups during the week, a hunger for freedom from dead formalism developed and gained pace. Replacing the restrictive structures of the traditional Church was high on the wish-list of the new generation of Christians.

Many felt that informal house-groups and community lifestyles were the way to go, but as we shall see, a major row was brewing over the extent to which the clergy were prepared to let go of the infrastructure of the Church. Eventually, two streams of renewal emerged, diverging on this point of denominationalism, and also ecumenism.

In Part Two, I will look at the stream called by some the Anglican Renewal Movement, because it largely affected the traditional churches. Only then can we see how "restoration" took centre stage and became the leading charismatic force in the UK. Waking Up To Revival

Something of a national awakening to Christianity took place in Britain following the London Crusade of Billy Graham in 1954. Over a twelve-week period, many thousands of people came into contact for the first time with dynamic, informal and effective faith. Buses and trains in London were full of happy people singing Crusade songs. Despite the scepticism of the established Church, and the derisory tone of the national newspapers, a great bubble of post- war optimism rose to the surface of Britain and burst unexpectedly onto an unsuspecting and unprepared Church.

Billy Graham converts were looking to extend their new-found freedom to worship, unbounded by the fetters of ritualism. They had experienced a personal conversion that went beyond intellectual religion; they had witnessed the power of Spirit-filled praise and preaching, and now they were seeking a fullness of faith that could not be found in the established churches. They were chafing at the bit.

So, despite the number of vibrant new converts, the traditional churches of Britain continued to suffer a decline. This was both puzzling and distressing for men like Martyn Lloyd-Jones of Westminster Chapel, and John Stott of All Soul’s, Langham Place, both at the leading edge of evangelical Christianity. These men were renowned for their expository preaching, yet failed to improve on numbers in Church attendance.

Neither of these men was a lover of "emotionalism", much less Pentecostalism. Lloyd Jones was a Puritan at heart, and Stott was a regular conservative evangelical Anglican, trying to force his faith into a traditional mould.

Oddly, however, it was Lloyd Jones who first showed interest in revival, having been challenged by the evangelical awakenings of the 19th Century. Between 1955 and 1958, therefore, he set about a systematic study of the Epistle to the Ephesians and concluded that a distinct experience of infilling of the Holy Spirit was needed alongside the experience of conversion.

This series of Sunday morning sermons was bound to excite wide interest. In addition, from the early 1950’s Lloyd Jones set up an inter-denominational meeting for interested called the Westminster Fellowship, attended by such men as David Watson, David Pawson and Michael Harper who later took a central role in the Renewal. At the same time, John Stott was galvanising evangelical Anglicans by undertaking with his Church Staff a comprehensive study of the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. "Nine O’clock in the Morning"

A timebomb was about to explode, and some believe it was set off by events on the other side of the Pond, in Van Nuys, California. Dennis Bennett was baptised in the Spirit in 1959 and the news spread like wildfire around the globe, reaching England via the "Trinity" magazine. The spectacle of Episcopalian ministers toying with Pentecostalism was news- worthy and a major article on the subject soon appeared in "The Churchman". Martyn Lloyd- Jones introduced the news at his Westminster Fellowship.

Following these events avidly was the Curate at John Stott’s church in London, All Soul's, Langham Place. His name was Michael Harper, and he was to become the leader of the Anglican Renewal Movement. In 1962 he also had an experience of infilling of the Spirit, but was not treated sympathetically by John Stott who had concluded that the "second blessing" was not scriptural.

Harper depended, in those early days, on advice from others who had experienced the Baptism in the Spirit. He accepted the counsel of an evangelical Anglican called Frank McGuire, Rector of the Church of the Holy Spirit, Monterey Park, California, the church where Dennis Bennett had been baptised in the Spirit.

It was McGuire who initially advised on the contacts between UK and American revivalists, and it was on McGuire’s advice that Larry Christenson, a Lutheran Pastor from California, met with Harper in 1964 and was asked to speak to clergy and church workers. It was Christenson who encouraged Harper to speak in tongues.

At one of the very first public meetings to promote the new revival, David Du Plessis (the so- called "Mr Pentecost", the Pentecostal minister most responsible for bringing Rome into the charismatic movement) was asked to speak. This took place at a Hotel in London in 1963, and was organised by Michael Harper. Later Harper and Du Plessis toured Scotland and England together, holding meetings to promote renewal within the Anglican Church. The road was set for Rome’s involvement in the British Renewal from day one. The Fountain Trust

Nonetheless, in February 1964 when Harper organised the first charismatic conference in Stoke Poges it embraced all kinds of revivalists and not just the Anglican contingent. Assemblies of God preacher, Arthur Wallis, would have been the main speaker if he had not been ill. His place was taken by Campbell McAlpine.

In June 1964, another conference at Stoke Poges brought together the dynamic Pentecostal Healing Evangelist, Harry Greenwood from South Chard, and Baptist Pastor, David Pawson. In this way links were forged and the renewal spread to many different denominations.

Also in June 1964, Harper left All Soul's to set up the Fountain Trust, the headquarters of the Renewal for many years.

Renewal was now fully under way. New ideas like healing, prophecy, tongues, community life-style and spontaneous prayer and praise hit the Church like a thunderbolt. Anglicans who had been seeking power in ministry and freedom in praise flocked to revival meetings throughout the country, many of them organised by the Fountain Trust.

Under the auspices of Michael Harper, Fountain Trust, and a group known as The Fisherfolk (Graham and Betty Pulkingham) huge cathedral meetings were held for those who had come alive in the Spirit, and the praise flowed free. For the first time, popular music was used extensively for worship, instruments other than the organ were used, and musicals like "Come Together" travelled from town to town.

The song-book jointly produced in 1974 by the Harpers and Pulkinghams was "Sounds of Living Waters" and it was a huge success. Many songs contained in this book have become the bedrock of charismatic praise today.

These were momentous events! Theologians on all sides rallied to discuss the "renewal". Conferences were held and meetings convened to discuss what was happening. Anglicans were ! Dissent in the Camp

However, Pentecostals and other independent groups were suspicious, despite their initial enthusiasm. The Renewal Movement retained its allegiance to the Church of England and in the case of the Fisherfolk was almost Anglo-Catholic in doctrine. Liturgy was not abandoned but "renewed"; the Priesthood was not overthrown but became more user-friendly. Because of its association with the traditional denominations, this Renewal movement was rejected if not despised by independent charismatic groups, and many eventually refused to work with Harper.

Martyn Lloyd Jones was becoming increasingly alarmed at the ecumenism of the leaders of the Renewal, and he deplored the influence of Du Plessis. He viewed involvement with the World Council of Churches as dangerous, and even more so the growing sympathy of the Vatican towards the charismatic movement.

As early as 1965, this issue led to a major split. The Westminster Fellowship was divided on the subject, and came to an end in 1966. In the same year, the Evangelical Alliance – the national body that represented evangelical Christians and denominations – held a National Assembly, only the second since its foundation in 1896.

There, the rift between Lloyd Jones and John Stott erupted into a full-scale argument, dividing those who saw renewal as the uniting force for the historic churches, including Rome, from those who rejected Rome and believed renewal should, if necessary, overturn denominations and their traditions. No compromise was possible and the two sides parted company.

Roman Catholic interest was publicly acknowledged by 1967, and at the Fountain Trust conference held at High Leigh in 1969 there was significant participation by Anglo-Catholics. The next conference in 1969 had the theme "Catholic Pentecostalism".

The traditional clergy were alarmed at the influx of faddy new ideas through the Renewal movement, such as lay participation in communion services, folk masses, guitar liturgies, choruses and extempore prayer.

As well as this, there was disquiet at the strange theories being promoted by renewed Anglicans, often endorsed by the Fountain Trust. Popular at the time were the Sandford’s inner healing, Frances McNutt’s healing through deliverance, Frank Lake’s clinical theology, and the Pulkingham’s drive towards community lifestyle.

Meanwhile in the rank-and-file of the Renewal, dissent was also afoot. Christians who had at first heralded the Renewal as the answer to all their prayers began to suspect that it was not.

A few Anglican, Baptist and Methodist churches threw themselves into the Renewal wholeheartedly and became charismatic through and through. This usually happened because the man in charge became baptised in the Spirit and was courageous enough to introduce the renewal to his entire church. These churches were the exception rather than the rule, because such things received official disapproval from the powers that be. (Many such renewed churches later formed a foundation for the acceptance of the Toronto Blessing, and other errors. For example, St. Andrews, Chorley Wood – later the home of David Pytches – and David Watson’s church in York came alive at the time of the renewal and then went on to stranger things.)

However, the more common experience of renewed Christians within the traditional churches was one of frustration and misunderstanding if not outright opposition. Although in many churches there was tacit approval of spiritual experiences, there was also a desire to apply the brakes whenever things began to take off. Bishops breathed down the necks of any clergy who went too far along the charismatic route, and increasingly any genuine charismatic activity had to take place outside the church buildings. The real worship, prayer, prophecy and healing was taking place in house meetings during the week. On Sundays the services were as straight -laced as ever, and the clergy seemed anxious to maintain the status quo.

It was quickly perceived by those involved in the renewal that, as always, the structures and traditions of the Church were going to stifle revival. Men who wanted to retain their power and position, and church members opposed to the Holy Spirit’s move, tried their hardest to quench the fires of revival. Everywhere, disappointed Christians were leaving their churches and looking to house meetings for fellowship. Others, who were baptised in the Spirit against their Pastor’s wishes, were actually disfellowshipped and forced to leave.

But just as this move out of the historic churches was taking place, the Renewal movement faltered and lost its way and could not help its supporters. Not with a roar, but a whimper

The Anglican Renewal movement that had seemed so full of promise was ultimately shipwrecked by its own leadership, and on the rocks of ecumenism, "theology" and Church tradition. Harper et al misjudged the need for a "new wineskin", and went too far in courting Rome.

The first international charismatic conference held in Guildford in 1971 was described by some as the "Coming of Age of The Renewal" yet it was attended by 40 Lutherans and 30 Roman Catholics and one of the main speakers was Kevin Ranaghan. "Mr Pentecost" David Du Plessis was also there.

In 1972, Cardinal Suenens became intimately involved in the Renewal and introduced it to the Catholic Charismatic movement.

In the same year, Tom Smail (Presbyterian, with a classic reformed doctrine) joined the staff of Fountain Trust and began to introduce "a theological framework" for the renewal. By 1975 the oomph had gone out of the Renewal, innovation was being stamped out, meetings became tame, and interest was waning.

Michael Harper left the Directorship of Fountain Trust in 1975, and Tom Smail took over as Director. In 1980 the Fountain Trust closed down for ever.

This did not bring to an end the Renewal Movement as such, but it was a sign of its terminal decline. An alternative body sprang to life in 1980 as an attempt to keep up the impetus, but the Anglican Renewal Ministries today is a pale shadow of the glory that had been. Their magazine "Anglicans For Renewal" is the typical charismatic Anglican fudge, broadly supportive of Toronto, but also with Anglo-Catholic articles on the Celts and pilgrimage. It seems the Anglicans are ever travelling hopefully but never actually arriving anywhere of significance. It illustrates the parody hymn we used to sing (affectionately) to the tune of "Onward Christian Soldiers":

"Onward Church of England, crawling out the door; with the Holy Synod going on before; like a mighty tortoise moves the Church of God, forwards and then backwards, the way it’s always trod…"

As an illustration of the extent to which Michael Harper adopted ecumenism as a personal belief, witness the meetings held in Brighton in 1991. There, Michael Harper along with his old stable-mate, Larry Christenson, plus Vinson Synan, Fr. Tom Forrest and others were to head the committee of the ecumenical "Brighton ‘91" meetings for global evangelism. The highest attendance was Catholics and suggested methods of evangelism included rituals, the sacraments, the Mass, and the Virgin Mary. Obituary Notes

Frantic to keep in place the structures they had known and loved, the Anglican leadership refused to adopt a wider vision. Moving with slow steps, agonising over every new move, holding interminable theological debates and doing little to feed the hunger of the spiritually impoverished, the leadership lost the trust of ordinary Christians, who were forced to find other outlets for their enthusiasm. Ultimately they turned to "restoration" fellowships as the only viable alternative.

Thus a priceless opportunity for revival was lost, and, instead, the "restoration" movement was able to glean thousands of young souls dissatisfied with their churches and thirsty for something new. A vacuum was created by the failure of the traditional denominations to embrace renewal fully, and "restoration" rushed in to seal the gap.

The Preface to Joyce Thurman’s book "New Wineskins – a Study of the House Church Movement", written in 1982, wrote of the fast advance of the restoration fellowships, "their ranks having been swelled by disillusioned members of churches who have become impatient waiting for the denominational structures to experience revival".

These independent, non-denominational house meetings springing up all over the country were, indeed, passionately and ideologically opposed to the traditional structures. It was magnetically attractive to unchurched Christians longing for a new experience of worship and faith. But what these fresh-faced, hopeful and unsuspecting Christians did not immediately realise was that the doctrine of the restoration fellowships called for a different kind of Church unity – that of the One New Man of the Latter Rain!

Exposed in Part Three is the rise and rise of the Restoration fellowships, and how their doctrine, aims and early contacts owed more to the Latter Rain heresies than to true revivalism. Part Three:The Latter Rain and the Restoration Movement in Britain Introduction

The second article in this series broke off at the transition period between the breakdown of the Anglican Renewal in the UK, and the coming of "shepherding" which impacted the early Restoration fellowships.

Shepherding (examined later in this article) was a major shift in doctrine, but it was not the only nor the most important factor in shaping the teaching of what was to become the Restoration Movement. A stream of thought had been feeding into the 19th century Holiness groups, and it led to the formation of various Apostolic churches in Britain and America, and sprang out with renewed vigour in the Canadian Latter Rain Revival of the 1940's.

This revelation occupied a parallel track to most of the traditional Church doctrine. While evangelicals concentrated on getting individuals saved, this teaching, which I shall call "restorationism" for want of a better description, looked to a greater goal - that of transforming the Church into the One New Man, Christ incarnate in His Body.

A necessary part of this transformation was to be the restoration of the spiritual gifts, powers, authority and structure of the early Church, with emphasis on the renewal of apostles and as leaders bringing the Church to complete visible unity, purity and glory - the supposed goal of "fullness". The "overcomers" of this super-church would ultimately attain sinless perfection so that they could rule from the heavenlies as Christ's Executive Agent over the earth. It would result in the restoration of all creation, and a golden age of peace and righteousness for all.

Restoration teaching, many times rejected by the traditional churches, waited patiently for its time to take centre stage. That time arrived (as did so many other things) in the turbulent post-war era of the 1960's.

It was a time of expectation and hope for Christians when changes were in the air. Many dormant Christians were coming to life and finding fulfilment in informal fellowship, prayer, praise and the lively new worship of the Renewal. At first this was uncoordinated and had no apparent leadership. Independent house-groups sprang up containing small knots of renewed Christians who had left their denominations.

The Anglican Renewal Movement, as we saw in Part Two, tried valiantly to pastor the Renewal but foundered on ecumenism, formalism and their loyalty to the historic denominations. This left thousands of Christians seeking an alternative. They were like ripe fruit hanging on the branches, and it was the Restoration Movement that came along and plucked them. The Hidden Stream

The House-Church movement, as it was known at first, ran almost unnoticed alongside both the Anglican Renewal Movement and the independent Pentecostal groups in the 50's and 60's.

The differences between the Anglican Renewal movement and the House-Church movement were not at first apparent. There was the same desire for informal meetings, freedom of expression, new songs, praise and worship, body ministry. Members of both groups claimed to have received a new infilling of the Holy Spirit, and to be practising the gifts. But underneath all this there was a great sea-change taking place in the area of doctrine. Restorationist, or Latter Rain revival teachings, implanted at an early stage, were a major influence within the heart of this group. The Latter Rain Comes to England

Initially, the Canadian Latter Rain teachings had been brought to England by leading figures such as Cecil Cousen (1913-89) a founding member of the UK Apostolic Church, and an associate of Smith Wigglesworth. In 1949 Cousen went to Ontario and came under the influence of the Latter Rain pioneers. On his return to England he tried, with some success, to introduce the doctrines into his church, but was finally expelled from the Apostolic Church in 1953 as a result of his new beliefs. Nonetheless, he became a respected leader and teacher in the budding Charismatic Movement, and was on the advisory council of the Fountain Trust.

Secondly, Arthur Wallis (1923-88) who later became known as the "father of the charismatic movement" incorporated into his teaching the latter-rain beliefs about a massive endtimes outpouring which he identified as Joel's "outpouring upon all flesh". If there was to be an eschatological golden age in which believers were empowered and united, and millions were to be harvested into the Church, then this went far beyond personal renewal, or even the renewal of the current structures. The idea began to be circulated that a whole "new wineskin" had to be made into order to carry the new wine of the charismatic revival. Things were moving on from "renewal" toward "restoration".

In the late 50's and early 60's Wallis convened a number of important conferences with Cecil Cousen and another pioneer, David Lillie, who had come to similar conclusions about the restoration of the Church through the books of G. H. Lang.

While neither of these men took on board the more heretical excesses of Latter Rain doctrine, they did imbibe enough to form a new doctrine of the restoration of the Church in the endtimes, the government of apostles and prophets, and the role of the "overcomers" in bringing in the Kingdom on earth. Lillie wrote:

Our goal is not Pentecost but the Kingdom of God. ... the prophetic word which has been passed down to us from the apostles and prophets who stood at the door of the new age points forward with unwavering confidence to the dawning of that new day when the overcoming saints shall take the kingdom..(2)

In his book "Beyond Charisma" David Lillie reveals that the aspirations of the Restorationists were much more ambitious than personal renewal. The old institutions "are Babylon, the Great Harlot" and they had to go. A new universal Body would arise, "a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing", perfected and transformed into the One New Man, the Corporate Christ who is to bring in the Kingdom.

"The spiritual renewal… is perhaps the heralding of the dawning of the church's new day. The New Man is yet to appear in splendour in the midst of the churches - as a great light shining in the darkness of this world!" (3)

In Lillie's thinking, the New Age of Kingdom Rule would be brought in by these glorified Christians, after a decisive victory over the heavenly powers, and "not even the powers of death could withstand them." (4)

These ideas cut across conventional pentecostal/evangelical doctrine. Lillie writes:

"…it is believed [by dispensationalists and others] that we have now reached the final "Laodicean" period when the churches are marked by indifference (neither hot nor cold")....this depressing interpretation which is used by devotees of the failure syndrome has nothing really to commend it exegetically... there is nothing inevitable about apostasy. …. we are not shut in to a bleak prospect of universal apostasy, or even of "laodicean lukewarmness" simply because these conditions were found among some of the churches mentioned in Revelation 2 & 3. (5) Lillie stated that the Charismatic renewal "has nothing to do with schemes to refurbish denominational structures, nor with attempts to build up some sort of charismatic super- Church. It has everything to do with the coming forth of the People of God, as in Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones".

It was inevitable, then, that such as Lillie and Cousen would fall out with such as Harper and the Fountain Trust. Although they worked together in the early years, there came about what Lillie calls "irreconcilable differences" between those who wanted "renewal" within the Church structure, and those who believed in "restoration" to fullness. Lillie sums it up perfectly:

"Within the Fountain Trust milieu, the conviction that it was the purpose of the Holy Spirit to "renew the historic churches" became an established principle. This, clearly, was totally incompatible with our "restoration vision", and led inevitably to the parting of the ways." (6)

Arthur Wallis added to the refrain. In 1974 he stated: "I see no future for denominations, but a glorious future for the Body of Christ". (7) Turning from the Anglican Renewal Movement, they next hitched a ride on the house-church wagon. it is undeniable that the 1960’s Devon meetings of Lillie and Wallis and their vision of apostolic authority in a restored New- Testament Church is what initially sparked the "restoration" revolution. (8) A Mighty Outpouring

Arthur Wallis completed his first book "In The Day of Thy Power" in 1956 and still today his book is recognised as seminal to the restoration Movement. The first editions contained a chapter on the "Latter Rain of Promise" in which Wallis preached the classic "Joel's Prophecy" outpouring on the Church. He writes:"…we should expect before the Coming of Christ a season of mighty outpourings, eclipsing all that the Church has experienced since the Reformation, and only comparable in character and in power with the former rain of the early church." (9)

Wallis' book as a whole follows the pattern laid down by the earlier Latter Rain revivalists, though it avoids the deeper heresies of Manifested Sons teaching. It includes sections on restructuring the Church, the Elijah Ministry of preparation, warfare in the heavenlies, the Church replacing the spiritual rulers in the heavenlies, and judgement for those who rejected the coming revival. On the purpose of God for the Church, Wallis writes:

"God has a grander and greater purpose for this age that simply saving souls from hell; he is bringing "sons unto glory"…He is forging an instrument, glorious and holy, that shall rule and administer the world in the coming age…" (10)

Thus he like David Lillie taught that the Church had to be purified, unified and restored so that it could become "a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing…" (Eph 5:27).

All of this is familiar to us now, but then was couched in a revivalist zeal that seemed very attractive. Wallis was asked to speak on the subject of the New Testament church at the Devon conferences where of course soul-mates in doctrine, David Lillie and Cecil Cousen were delighted to see the restoration doctrine given a public airing. At their third and final conference in 1965 (on the theme of "Apostolic Commission") not only Wallis, but Hugh Thompson and Barney Coombs attended, men who would become leading figures in the later Restoration churches.

At this time the revivalists from all camps were trying to work together. Wallis in particular flitted from Michael Harper's Anglican Renewal meetings to conferences with Lillie and Cousen, to house meetings with the small band of independent leaders such as John Noble and Gerald Coates who were just beginning to set up fellowships of their own; Graham Perrins was also involved from an early stage, having been present at Lillie's meetings. It was only later, as the different visions hardened into dogma, that the groups went their separate ways. More Latter Rain Influence

Here I need to point out yet more input from "sonship/latter-rain" teaching at the very heart of the nascent Restoration Movement. Bryn Jones and America

Attending one of the Devon conferences of Lillie and Wallis (with which Cecil Cousen was also closely involved) was a newly-converted Welshman called Bryn Jones who was to become a leading figure in the Restoration Movement.

Bryn Jones and his brother Keri were born in Aberdare, Wales. Bryn was converted in 1957 and the following year, having been baptised in the Spirit, he joined the Assemblies of God. Shortly after his conversion he travelled to Europe and returned in 1966 via the States. This was the first contact between the American and British charismatic fellowships, so gives us an important marker for what followed. The contact was with Robert Ewing from Waco, Texas who had a church that had come from the Latter Rain Revival in Canada.

Later, in 1971, Ewing invited Bryn Jones to preach at a convention in Waco. Jones also preached at a number of other churches, including Ewing's home church in St. Louis, Missouri. By the 1980's that church numbered 4,500 members and considered Bryn Jones its Apostle. It was later discovered that had direct links with many of the churches Bryn Jones visited in the States. Given the involvement of Ewing and Baxter with the Latter Rain Revival, it seems obvious that their teachings helped to formulate early Restoration thinking. Honor Oak and T. Austin Sparkes

Secondly, there is the input from the sonship teachings of T. Austin Sparkes. His books, written from the 1930's to the 1950's, and drawing from earlier sources than the Canadian LR revival, speak of the now-familiar concepts of "fullness", the One New Man, the Corporate Christ, Unity and the Restoration and Glorification of the Body.

Sparkes's teachings were disseminated by "Witness & Testimony" based at Honor Oak, in London. The community there was dominated by T. Austin Sparke's teaching, and was thoroughly restorationist without being pentecostal.

An elder at Honor Oak in the 50's and 60's was a man called Maurice Smith, later a prime mover in the Restoration Movement. He and other Honor Oak members attended Gerald Coates's home church meetings in the late 1960's. Maurice Smith himself left Honour Oak in 1967 (with Ted Crick, of whom more later) and made contact with many independent house meetings and itinerant leaders, forging the links that would become the organisation we know today.

It was Maurice Smith who organised the important Westwatch Conference (West Sussex) in 1967, which was attended by many Restoration leaders - men like Roger Forster, Graham Perrins, Peter Lyne and Hugh Thompson and of course Gerald Coates and Arthur Wallis.

At Westwatch, the Restoration doctrine was preached with fervour. Arthur's Wallis's vision of a massive endtime revival leading to the demise of denominations, full Church unity, and reorganisation into a new Apostolic Church was incorporated into plans for a British Charismatic Network that would bring about these ideals in a practical way. The Restoration Movement was being born! But the milk of its earliest diet was certainly "sonship" and "fullness".

By 1969, Maurice Smith (ex-Honor Oak) was trying to organise joint meetings for all the independent charismatic groups, and he wrote to eighteen leaders calling for united discussions on the future of the renewal. Sid Purse of Chard was initially keen, but later recognised the meetings as an attempt to "organise" unity, and he withdrew his support. Wally North never came, and others declined to be involved after they saw what was going on. However, a group later known as the "London Brothers" formed from these meetings, the first one of which was held in the Leprosy Mission Hall in North London in 1970

These London meetings became a popular venue for budding Restorationists. John Noble played a major part. He, with Gerald Coates, , George Tarleton, Maurice Smith, and David Mansell formed the core of the leadership. In time the meetings transferred to the London School of Economics and the numbers swelled to over five hundred.

A restoration magazine appeared in 1971. It was called "Fulness" and its editors were Maurice Smith, Ted Crick and Graham Perrins, all three of whom held to sonship doctrines. David Lillie was a guest writer, and the topics were apostleship, unity, non- denominationalism, the restoration of the New Testament pattern, and the overcomers who would take the Church to glory. Discipleship was not yet an issue. The Bradford Harvestime Fellowships

Meanwhile, Bryn Jones in Bradford was organising the Northern wing of Restoration. His style from the beginning was different to the London Brothers, his fellowships were more classically Pentecostal, and governed by a more authoritarian style of leadership. Jones organised, from 1970 onwards, camp meetings that became the famous Dales Bible Week at the Great Yorkshire Showground near Harrogate. The Northern branch of Restoration was to become the dominant force for some years, and its magazine "Restoration", started in 1975, became the organ for the whole Movement.

However, in 1971 a watershed event took place that was to unite all camps of the budding Restoration Movement, and helped it to adopt officially its neo-latter-rain doctrine. Arthur Wallis, fired by his endtimes vision which was becoming ever more radical, called a national leaders' meeting in 1971 to discuss eschatology. He wanted to do away with the "doom-and- gloom" theology of pre-millennialism. He believed what was needed was a united leadership to oversee the coming of the kingdom, and the restoration of the glorious endtime church.

What began as a meeting to discuss theology, turned into a workshop for the establishment of the Restoration Network. During the meetings the leaders received new revelation that God wanted them to be the apostles and prophets of the new order. They were to be the inner court where the rules and laws of God's kingdom would be revealed through prophecy, and be transmitted to the flock by the authority of anointed leadership. They were God's Government on earth. The "Magnificent Seven"

Originally seven leaders formed into partnership based on this ideal. They were Arthur Wallis, Peter Lyne, Bryn Jones, David Mansell, Graham Perrins and Hugh Thompson. This "magnificent seven" met a number of times, and received personal prophecies telling them what their functions in the Church were to be. Some were appointed as apostles, some as prophets and some as evangelists and teachers.

Before long, they widened the group to include seven more leaders - George Tarleton, Gerald Coates, Barney Coombs, Maurice Smith, Ian McCullogh, John MacLaughlan and Campbell McAlpine. The "fabulous fourteen" as they were known, believing they were to be the foundation of the New Church, came to the conclusion that they must covenant to one another and become submitted to the authority of one another as elders. In the same way that the Fort Lauderdale Five had developed "covering" in 1970's, so did the fourteen leaders of the British Restoration church.

This was the real beginning of the radical change of direction for the charismatic church in Britain. The "fourteen" spent the years between 72 and 74 developing their ideas of apostolic leadership, and the rulership of the restored Church. It is significant that American leaders like Orvil Swindoll and Ern Baxter had a hand in this development. Argentinean Juan Carlos Ortiz was also influential in the development of "discipling" techniques, and his followers had already visited the Leprosy Hall meetings in the late 1960's.

Bryn Jones and Ern Baxter, of course, had already met and had mutual contacts in the States. Baxter was invited to speak, along with Bryn Jones, at the Capel Bible Week in 1974, and later went on to achieve an almost godlike status amongst the Restoration fellowships. He could do no wrong. Sadly, his doctrine was way off base and he carried the infection of his Latter Rain beliefs to Britain. Ern Baxter had travelled with William Branham (a story in itself) and also had George Warnock (author of the LR handbook, "The Feast of Tabernacles") as his Secretary on the eve of the Latter Rain revival.

Ern Baxter's teaching was, like that of Arthur Wallis, derisive of pre-millennialism, and contained the concepts of the Pattern Son and the Corporate Christ as well as the role of the Church in bringing in the Kingdom. (11) Baxter had, by the mid-70's, become part of the influential Fort Lauderdale Five, and so we now come to another radical change of direction - the adoption of shepherding to govern the New Order. Shepherding Arrives !

There had been a window of opportunity in the early 70's, especially after the conspicuous failure of to pastor the spiritual revival that God was sending, for a genuine new move of the Holy Spirit to awaken the Church to her gifts and her responsibilities. Though many did benefit from what God accomplished at that time, the verdict of history is that (as so often before) fears, false teachings and the basic desires of the flesh prevailed over the Holy Spirit's leading so that the fire was quenched.

It seems to be the pattern that after the first uncoordinated attempts to seek and sustain renewal in the Church, bureaucracy, authority and officialdom step in to "organise" things on God's behalf. On the one hand we have the spectacle of church leadership eager to maintain its power and authority among the people; on the other hand we have the Christians in the pews fearful of launching out into uncharted waters, seeking to be led, and lazy enough to settle into an ecclesiastical routine rather than follow the Holy Spirit without being able to predict "whence it cometh and whither it goeth" (Jn 3:8).

So the concept of "shepherding" when it sailed over the Pond, courtesy of the Fort Lauderdale Five, caught on quicker than it should have done, and quickly changed the whole direction of charismatic renewal.

"Shepherding" also known as "covering" or "discipleship" was born I believe out of fear - the fear of falling into theological error. (Also, the Five had begun working with Roman Catholic "charismatic" leaders, and this was surely a contributing factor. Th e concepts of "shepherding" and Priesthood are almost identical.)

At the time that the covering controversy erupted, there were increasing numbers of Christians coming out of churches unsympathetic to the charismatic experience, and it was thought that they needed to submit to an organised leadership if they were to avoid error and sin. (Actually, if a believer if listening to God, and willing to be corrected, there should be no fear in his Christian walk. His spiritual discernment will guide him. One wonders just how much spiritual discernment was operative in Fort Lauderdale at the time.)

Be that as it may, the fact is that the five men of the Christian Growth Ministries at Fort Lauderdale (Don Basham, Charles Simpson, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, and Ern Baxter) developed the theory that if they submitted to eachother's covering they would be protected from error. Through mutual submission and delegated authority, the possibility of teaching or acting contrary to God's will could be avoided.

Soon, Christians were being taught that, in addition to conversion "discipleship" was mandatory, and unless Christians were "under their covering" they were out of God's will and, in spiritual and practical terms, excommunicated from fellowship. This went far beyond the biblical teaching on the subject.

Pyramid structures of leadership were set up in many new fellowships, requiring the sheep to submit in all things and at all times to those above them, who were their designated "covering". Inevitably this led to many abuses. Stories hit the press of Christians being commanded by their shepherds to move house, change their careers or get married, and some dictated even the smallest details of the lives of their flock.

Surprisingly, the system of shepherding could be shaken neither by theological arguments nor scandalous stories of abuses. It took hold and spread, bringing thousands of Christians under the control of a handful of leaders who were designated Apostles of the Church. Those who had been enjoying freedom of worship and the exercise of spiritual gifts in the assembly were suddenly unable to open their mouths without permission from their Shepherds. Satan's counterattack to rein in the renewal was underway.

I believe that, whereas the teachings of restoration dictated the goal of the new churches, the practise of "shepherding" provided the means to fulfil it. Up to the mid 70's, Christians seeking a charismatic fellowship felt free to join an independent local group, to meet in homes, to attend the occasional larger conference without any obligation to the organisers, and to remain unaffiliated - merely a member of the wider Body but not an organisational part of it. They had no real ties to the Restoration leadership beyond the usual respect or admiration.

However, discipling broke into this happy state of affairs with threats of excommunication and worse for anyone who failed to submit to the newly ordained leadership, the apostles and prophets of the New Order. It was no longer enough to be saved and attending your local fellowship. If you had no links, through the ranks of the pyramid structure, to your local Apostle you were "out of fellowship" with the Church as a whole and would miss out on the great endtime revival.

As Arthur Wallis states in his book,

"God… is ever halting and reversing the trend of the times by means of revival - or judgement. Where His people are not prepared for the one, they shut themselves up to the other" (12)

Fear of disobeying God, and the threat of losing fellowship, made many charismatics submit whether they felt it was right or not. They became a captive audience for the new doctrines, unable to raise objections, for the leaders were closer to God than they and had received direct revelation of the truth. Furthermore, "rebellion" against the ordained leadership was "as witchcraft" and ranked as the highest crime against the Government of God.

Few were the believers who dared to stand out against the might and power of Restoration. One by one, small groups were swallowed up. Budding independent groups were visited by the local Restoration elders and persuaded, coerced, or duped into joining up with the Big System. Even Chard fellowship, after a long battle, succumbed to Restoration doctrine in time. Conclusion

Although it is not possible to cover the subsequent history of the Restoration leadership in detail, it is characterised (despite its claims to near-divine status) by bitter doctrinal disputes, personality clashes, splits, rivalry, and scandals involving several members of the top leadership. Today the Restoration Movement has many different "tribes" each with its different doctrinal emphasis, but all broadly in agreement about the core issues.

Gerald Coates of "Pioneer" and Terry Virgo of "New Frontiers" are front runners, followed by "Ichthus" (Roger Forster) and various other similar groups. There is still a North/South divide, with significant differences of belief and practise. The former stronghold of Bryn Jones in Bradford, however, faltered and the magazine "Restoration" died (in all real terms) after a much-criticised article supporting Palestinian claims to Israel and preaching replacement theology. (They are now known as Covenant Ministries.)

What began with a group of seven charismatic leaders, has become an unstoppable juggernaut flattening everything in its path, mowing down the opposition and pulling Anglican, Baptist, Methodist and other denominational churches into the momentum of its journey. Branching out from their former isolation and tight doctrines, they have become ecumenistic, almost liberal, and are networking with every church group imaginable. The restoration fellowships, together with Elim Pentecostal fellowships, were in the forefront of the Toronto, Promise Keepers and Pensacola controversies, just as they had promoted the Kansas City Prophets earlier on.

Restoration teachings are responsible for infecting almost every branch of British church life, and their goal of full visible unity seems to draw nearer every year, as successive churches succumb to their influence. This is a success story in the making, and if we were able to look back from fifty years in the future we would pinpoint the restoration fellowships and their doctrines as having swept almost every other form of Christianity off the board in the UK. No doubt the leaders see this as fulfilment of prophecy, vindicating their vision of fullness and glory. Sadly, the only fulfilment of prophecy that those outside the Big System can identify is that of apostasy and persecution - and the ultimate wholesale deception of the Church, leading her into the arms of Antichrist.

Nevertheless, there remains, as always, a believing Remnant, once more a hidden and despised few existing both within and without the conventional churches, yearning for a fuller expression of faith that that permitted by the System. We have come full circle back to the hopeful days at the dawn of renewal. Can we avoid treading the well-worn path back into religious bondage this time?

Once more true believers are praying for release from the System, and the freedom to worship simply as the Body of Christ, to exercise under God the gifts of the Spirit without officialdom breathing down their necks, and to reject false teaching without being pilloried for it. Perhaps this time we have learnt the lessons of history. Perhaps this time we will resist the pressures to conform to authoritarian structures, avoid being squelched by arrogant self- appointed shepherds, and strike out into the Holy Spirit's unknown territory where His will is all. Perhaps - I pray! But who knows?

ENDNOTES

(1) "bread and circuses" [trans of Latin "panis et circenses", the only concerns of the Roman populace, according to Roman satiric poet Juvenal 140AD)] it means: entertainment provided at public expense; also a palliative offered to avert potential discontent

(2) Lillie, "Beyond Charisma" Paternoster Press 1981, (Dedicated to G. H. Lang) P.123

(3) Ibid. P.108

(4) Ibid., P. 114

(5) Ibid., P. 120

(6) "Is Restoration Still On God's Programme?" David Lillie page 86 Kyrtonia ExPress, Devon, 1994

(7) "Renewal" issue 52, page 16. In this issue there are two articles on the future of the charismatic movement, one by David Watson urging a policy of patience and staying within the historical churches, and the other by Wallis arguing for the opposite.

(8) In later years, David Lillie also broke company with the mainline charismatic Restoration groups, they having failed to achieve the vision for restoration as he understood it. Lillie does not today approve of the Toronto "renewal" nor the spiritual abuses that stemmed from "shepherding". He remains committed to a purified New Man Church that he believes will still emerge from the rubble of the present "renewal". He has latterly been relating to Clifford Hill of "Prophecy Today" (PWM Ministries) who is setting up a "Reformed Charismatic Network" in Britain.

(9) Wallis, "In The Day of Thy Power" CLC 1956, Page 41

(10) Ibid., p.215

(11) See "Can The Elect Be Deceived" MacPherson quoting from Ern Baxter at the National Men's Shepherds Conference, Kansas City, Sept 1975.

(12) "In The Day Of Thy Power", p.216

© 2003 Tricia Tillin of Banner Ministries. All rights reserved. Cross+Word Website: http://www.banner.org.uk/ This document is the property of its author and is not to be displayed on other websites, redistributed, sold, reprinted, or reproduced in printed or in any other format without permission. Websites may link to this article, if they provide proper title and author information. One copy may be downloaded, stored and/or printed for personal research. All spelling and phraseology is UK English.