Lambs, snow, mountains, and streams. It sure beats sitting nose-to-bumper in London traffic!

This was a truly awesome journey, which I made to the accompaniment of Handel's Messiah. Somehow the music seemed suitably grand and majestic for the scenery.

Amazingly, I had my first sighting of sheep at the very same moment that "Behold the Lamb of God" began. A lump appeared in my throat. Somehow the baby lambs looked so innocent. How amazing that the innocent Lamb of God would willingly die for me!

Steven Spielberg ought not to be afraid. With my video skills, I'm no threat to him, I know. But, here is some video we took at our favorite Disney park - previously known as MGM Studios.

This is Disney's answer to the traditional zoo. A day at Animal Kingdom which combines roller coasters with seeing animals in a safari-like condition

I'm still struggling with the transition to real life and the UK time zone. Two-week holidays seem to disorientate me a bit, but I'm certainly not expecting any sympathy, nor do I deserve any!

I will stop annoying you with details of our amazing time soon. But at least as I share this video, you know that I'm now no longer in Florida enjoying our holiday of a lifetime, and am instead suffering the British winter weather!

The video begins in the world of Canada, then we journey through England via China to America.

We're home again! The reunion was sweet, although the three of us are rather tired. I worked today, while both Henry and Tamasin spent some time sleeping. Unfortunately, none of us slept a wink on the plane!

This was the longest I've been away from my dear wife, and the longest I have been in America. We even found ourselves talking about "restrooms" and "strollers" and "pacifiers"—words for which most of my English friends would need an interpreter. Sadly I gained about 3 kg. during the last two weeks, so I'm afraid I was right about the poor diet I would likely be subjecting myself to. We wanted quick food, so that meant fast food, and on a few occasions, "eat as much as you like" deals. So all that walking didn't do any good—thanks, I guess, to all those hot dogs and "freedom fries"! I missed our own English chips—which have nothing to do with either what Americans call "chips" OR what they call "fries." Our chips are apparently like American steak fries or pub fries, and oddly, that was one of the first foods I craved on my return home! Far superior in taste, but probably equally as fattening. It's now time to revise my food intake habits, I suspect!

I'll share a couple more videos, and maybe a few more photos and reflections, but for now I'm about to go to bed in an effort to stave off the jet lag that is likely to hit me like a brick when tomorrow morning I have to start work at what will feel like 4 a.m. to my body!

On Thursday of last week we went to Magic Kingdom and then to Downtown Disney. Magic Kingdom was the first theme park. It's amazing in its architecture and totally unique. But to be honest, we felt it was showing its age a little. It IS a magical world. It IS an amazing sight. But on the day we visited, two of its main thrilling rides were closed (including one which broke down that day). I understand that the roller coasters are not as fear-inducing as those at Universal, but there's no doubt that younger children will be totally wowed by the experience. And while we DID enjoy it a lot—we just didn't find it quite as enjoyable as some of the other parks we'd visited.

This may be a Disney heresy, but I have a confession to make. My children and I were thrilled more by Downtown Disney, and in particular DisneyQuest, than Magic Kingdom! Please don't shoot me. Please let me out of the country tomorrow! Why did we like it so much? At DisneyQuest you have this large arcade with simulators, all kinds of games, and some animation all included in the admission price. We loved the simulator roller coaster, which allowed you to design and ride your own track. We managed to persuade someone to teach us how to produce one with 13 inversions! (We have a DVD to prove it!) 

A significant portion of our last weekend in America was spent at DisneyQuest. We spent some time at Typhoon Lagoon, which was a much better water park than Wet and Wild in our opinion. We were also much braver on the slides. I conquered my fears and rode the worst ones in the park. It was made much easier because the climbs to the slides were all on rock steps rather than on open metal staircases. The slides were also enclosed rather than open mostly, so the irrational fear of falling wasn't really there!  We also made a second visit to Hollywood Studios, our favorite Disney theme park.

We will be flying home overnight this evening and arriving in the early hours on Tuesday morning.

Today I visited Metro Life Church in Orlando, which is part of Sovereign Grace Ministries. This is the home church of blogger, Jesse Phillips, and is led by Danny Jones, Senior Pastor, who is a part of SGM’s apostolic team.

The venue was very nice, and as the worship began I felt very comfortable, having been warmly welcomed. The worship time was upbeat, and the modern songs were carefully chosen for their rich theological content. There were several prophetic words—given mostly in the first person rather than reported in the “I feel God may be saying” style. There was a time of prayer ministry following one of these. Individualized prayers were offered and hands were laid on a number who responded to a call to acknowledge they were battling against fear in their lives.

Benny Phillips, Executive Pastor at Metro Life and father of Jesse, preached on Mark 4:26-29 on the way in which the gospel works progressively, slowly, but unstoppably. Benny explained that the Word of God is a seed that is doing the work. It can take years, but will produce fruit. Sometimes in our lives a period of harvest comes suddenly, but will be the result of years of faithfulness to God’s Word.

He highlighted the fact that God’s methods are different than ours, and that his glorious future victory has implications for the here and now. He shared the following quote, which explains this well.

“The kingdom which is to come . . . has, in fact, entered into the world in advance in a hidden form to work secretly within and among men.”

— George E. Ladd

He applied this to both our own personal lives and to the spread of the gospel evangelistically. He then drove home two questions: “What kind of soil are you?” and “Is the seed in you?” He argued that if the answers to both questions are correct, there is a guarantee that fruit will indeed be produced. The Word of God will permeate and have its effect. God’s intent is our salvation and our sanctification. We have to be patient like the farmer who sows the seed and waits for it to do its work. It is God’s miraculous work to build a kingdom into our own heart.

“The Lord is not slow to fullfill his purpose as some count slowness, but is patient towards you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

Yes, it really is true that we managed to take all the above photos during a single day at the Animal Kingdom this week. Back on Wednesday, which seems an age away now, we spent a fantastic day on the wilder side of Disney. Actually, we got there closer to lunch time than opening time. (We are now firmly on American time and are no longer waking very early every morning as we did for the first few days!)

We saw everything we wanted to and had no need at all for Fastpass. The rides were good, but not too scary or dramatic. The safari was fantastic, and walking through the park a true pleasure. We were glad to see that the tigers were firmly behind walls which appeared totally unthinkable for them to jump over!

The less dangerous animals were close enough to touch from our safari truck. Those people (such as my darling wife, Andree) who have been to Africa will have to confirm this, but it seemed to me that Disney has done a pretty good job of at least trying to get a flavor of the real thing.

Animal Kingdom was definitely a treasured experience, although it was very different to any of the other theme parks we'd experienced.

On Tuesday we visited Disney's answer to Universal Studios. It's not as big as its rival, but has lots of rides and shows. Fantasmia lived up to its reputation at the end of the day. The Tower of Terror set a mildly horror-based scene which was an irritating distraction to the real basis of the ride—a crazy, randomly generated sequence of rapid rises and drops in a demented elevator. It was a real hit and the ride that we have repeated the most times (except for the Universal roller coasters). The best thing about it is that it was a new ride each time we rode it and therefore you couldn't predict when you were going to plunge or be launched with equal violence!

The Rocking Rollercoaster is good, but not as scary as any of the top three Universal ones. We enjoyed the backlot tour, and some of the shows—especially the two stunt shows and the Star Wars ride, which was surprisingly rough.

We only needed one Fastpass during the whole day, which was for the roller coaster. The lines were short, perhaps partly because of the rain, which didn't put us Brits off. Tamasin said, "Now I don't feel as homesick!"

After a quieter day when we went back to Islands of Adventure to revisit some rides we especially liked, we moved to the Pop Century Hotel at Disney.

One major advantage of being here at this time of year is that we were able to do almost everything we wanted to do at EPCOT despite arriving just before lunchtime.

We still had to use FastPass, however, for Soarin' and the Test Track. Soarin' is an "unmissable" hand glider experience. A 3D movement effect is produced that makes you think you're flying over parts of America. More than once I found myself moving my legs to miss the rapidly approaching trees!

The Test Track brought you to speeds of 65 MPH in a small open car, close to the track. The crash into a wall test was genuinely scary for a moment.

What felt like the strongest G-forces I have yet experienced occurred on the Mission:Space ride. In fact, it is the sustained nature of the 2G force that makes it feel stronger. Other rides produce over 4G (the biggest being Hulk), but do so for a matter of a few seconds (see http://www.local6.com/news/5423136/detail.html). We worked up to the Mission:Space by doing the no-spin version first, which seemed a good strategy, especially after hearing that someone had died on it!

We enjoyed the shows such as the Circle of Life, O Canada, and the 360 film of China. The way in which the park is laid out—exhibits of different nations around a lake—made for a lot of walking. But, especially for those Americans who never leave their own state, it made for an interesting introduction to some of the cultures around the world, even if they were a bit stereotypical.

The American history show was surprising for a Brit. The level of self-belief and pride in their history of the average American is staggering for those of us who are, more commonly apparently, ashamed of our past. It did make for quite a story, but not quite enough to inspire me to want to live here, Andree will be glad to know!

I'm slipping a bit behind with my update posts . . . too busy enjoying ourselves! Here is some video we took at Sea World, however.

Saturday was Sea World day and the Mardi Gras. Tamasin described it as follows in her diary:

Today we went to Sea World. Sea World is joined up with Discovery Cove (the place with the dolphins). Sea World was really cool. They had a roller coaster (it was easy but fun) and a water ride. I got so wet I had to buy a new top. There was loads of shows, including a dolphin and whale show, an otter and sea lion one, one nothing to do with animals but called itself a circus, another with big massive killer whales (we got soaked).

Henry said:

Today was great coz we went to Sea World to go on a few rides and shows and rushed off to the Mardi Gras! I collected 34 beads that you have to catch.

There is more to Discovery Cove than Dolphins . . .

There is even less that I can say about today than yesterday. I'm almost speechless, which is a rare thing for me!

Discovery Cove was not cheap. But I'm glad I spent the money. The photos above tell our story, but don't show the amazing snorkeling pool full of wonderful fish you can see up close and personal or the Lazy River.

I've received several questions from readers which I thought I'd answer right here . . .

First . . . No! I have not received funding from the Florida Tourist Board or any company for this blog series! But if anyone reading this runs an Orlando-based restaurant or tourist attraction and wants to offer me something free for a mention on the blog, I'm certainly open to such an arrangement!!

Second . . . someone asked about the video clips. I can confirm that I am just uploading them without any editing straight from the 640x480 video that my Canon PowerShot A700 takes.

Third . . . I have been asked if we plan to go to church. I can confirm that this Sunday we will not be going—there just seems to be too much to do. I know many Christians take different positions on going to church on vacation. On the one hand, it's really great to visit another church. But on the other hand, especially for preachers and other church leaders, it can interrupt the sense of a break. It is just impossible to go to a church without assessing it and thinking about what we can learn to "take back home." So, at least for this Sunday, we won't be going. Next Sunday, depending on how we are getting on at Disney, might be a different story.

Tomorrow I think we will go to Sea World.

What can I say about a day that truly was unique? Experiencing the simulator version of a shuttle launch in the Shuttle Experience, then climbing inside one, then learning about the International Space Station in a 3D IMAX movie—all before seeing a real launch live . . . not many people get to do that!

We were so glad that the weather held out as there had been concerns earlier in the week that a storm might delay things.

It was fantastic to spend the day with Jesse Phillips and his son. We were only sorry we brought with us some serious traffic worthy of London's M25 after an accident on the way back. It seemed like the whole of America had flocked to the space coast to witness this awesome sight. We then ate dinner at Cici's, which is one fine American food chain that hasn't made it to the UK (unlike McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Pizza Land, Papa John's, Starbucks, Outback Steak House, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and a few others). There were even THREE different salad options in their buffet. (We get a lot more salad choices than that in pizza joints in the UK!)

Next up . . . swimming with dolphins.

We are back in our hotel room after a long day in the second of Universal's parks. This was an amazing day and we enjoyed it immensely, as you can probably tell from our photographs. The Hulk roller coaster towered terrifyingly above us as we entered the park. The noise was rather imposing also. I plucked up all my courage and showed real leadership (although at the time I wondered if it was stupidity!). The worst part of the ride was getting into the carriages. Once you were past the point of no return, it was truly an invigorating experience. There is a sudden launch up the opening hill (no slow climb here!) and I think I screamed the whole away round the coaster, but I did come back later in the day for a second dose.

The Fear Fall was more of a fearfully powerful take off. Spiderman was a nice mix of 3-D video and ride. Then there were a couple of incredibly wet rides. They were like diving into a swimming pool fully clothed!

The Jurassic Park section was nicely implemented, and sadly we missed it's aerial ride as it had the longest queue in the park (over an hour even on a day when the rest of the park was fairly empty!) and no express pass access. If you want to do that ride, get to the park early and head straight there! The dinosaur river ride was not as wet as the ones in Toon Town, but was full of great special effects and surprises.

Flying Unicorn is near Jurassic Park and makes a good introduction to roller coasters if you want to work your way up more gradually to The Hulk or its neighbors, the Dueling Dragons. The Dragons made The Hulk look like child's play. But even they look far worse to watch than they actually feel to ride on. Apparently you pull over 4G on the ride!

The Sinbad Stunt Show has to be the best live-action show I have ever seen. It had everything—fire, water, explosions, wire tricks, and fights. We failed to catch Poseidon's Fury today, so will probably pop back into the park later in the week to catch that and perhaps one or two of those roller coasters!

This is the stuff of which memories are made!

We learned an invaluable lesson today about vacations in Florida. You really can't do it all, and you actually don't want to. Having spent a stimulating and enjoyable day at Universal Studios yesterday, we took someone's advice and decided to have a day at a waterpark before hitting Islands of Adventure tomorrow. The idea of a less full day in-between parks is very sensible.

On the way into the park, we were feeling excited, and only mildly apprehensive at the sheer height of the slide rides. We made a plan to go on all of them one-by-one. That plan evaporated when we got up close to some of the rides. We loved the ones we did go on, including one that took the three of us together in a "boat thing" and dropped us down a steep slide. We planned not to scream, since being stiff, upper-lipped English people it seemed somehow inappropriate. All three of us kind of screamed in a not totally terrified way on the way down, however, as we just couldn't help ourselves! So much for being among the stiff upper-lipped English!

Sadly I have to report that I was one of many guests who just couldn't bring myself to be shut into an area which looked disturbingly like a coffin, and then have the floor disappear from under my feet, dropping me vertically onto a ridiculously fast slide. My embarrassment at knowing I'd have to admit my fear to you was outvoted by some deep-wired self preservation drive that told me I was far too high up to throw myself down, or let someone else do so, even if there was a slide there! So, I have to admit that I didn't do even the "easier" version of that terrifyingly fast and high slide! I turned back and walked the walk of shame down the steps. Tamasin and Henry both did the version without the coffin, so they are officially braver than me.

Anyway, we enjoyed the slides we did do, the wave lagoon, and a "Lazy River" which is basically a set of circular rapids which pushes you around allowing you to pretend you're able to swim really fast! We also tried unsuccessfully to teach ourselves beach volleyball.

So, after a relaxing day, which offered me much time for quiet reflection while sunbathing, we are all the more ready to hit the serious roller coasters and other rides offered at Universal's Islands of Adventure tomorrow.

Here are some pictures from today . . .

This morning I was able to confirm what I had suspected last night by the pool. For the first time in my life I was watching the Super Bowl. Watching is probably too strong a word for it as I was dividing my attention between the big outdoor screen, my kids who were swimming, and the book I was reading. The occasional word I actually understood from the screen and the cheers which went up at various points during the incomprehensible action were strong hints that I was, in fact, watching something vaguely important to you Americans, although of almost no interest to the rest of the world! I could make a load of rude comments such as, "What's with the constant rests to get their wind back and all that body armor?" But I have too much to say about what we did today to make wisecracks about the superiority of the Rugby Union. It was when one of the actors in a show at the Universal Studios Resort interjected a comment about the Patriots and the Super Bowl that I knew for sure I had largely missed a critical event! Any hope I might have had of ever receiving a link from C.J.'s new blog has surely now evaporated!

Anyway, so what did we think of Universal Studios? First up, it seems it was a good park for us to start with as it probably has the fewest real rides of any of the parks we will visit. But that's not to say there wasn't lots to do! Universal Studios is more about shows which are often a hybrid between cinema, live theater, and ride-like sensations. They are all very clever and, at least today, consistently and energetically delivered. We almost didn't need our fast access which allowed us as Universal Hotel guests to jump the queues which were mostly very short in any case. We did not have to wait at all for anything, except when the show in front of us had to finish before we could enter. The attractions where this was an issue almost always had a "pre-show" that helped to set the scene and was very much part of the fun.

We began with the Revenge of the Mummy. I wasn't quite sure about this one from a creepiness perspective. We have a very low threshold for things like that—having, for example, walked out of the movie King Kong. However, I don't think I really needed to worry that much. Apart from the mummy itself, it was really much more about a fast and furious rollercoaster ride in the pitch black, which was enough to leave the three of us feeling slightly unsteady by the end! We loved it. The pyrotechnics were great and set the scene for the day. We saw a whole lot of bursts of flame large enough and close enough to make you warm today!

We stayed in the park from 9 a.m. until just after 5 p.m., not even really stopping for lunch, although we did grab a hot dog. We actually wandered a bit more than we probably should have as we hadn't worked out a program for the various shows we wanted to see.

Four attractions stood out because we found ourselves joining a spontaneous round of applause at the end. These were Twister—whose special effect depiction of a tornando was very believable; Disaster—which used to be called Earthquake; Terminator 2 4D—which was the most immersive experience you could ever have in an adapted movie theatre; and the surprisingly good Jimmy Neutron.

We also enjoyed all the other things we saw very much—Shrek 4D, Fear Factor Live, the Live Blues Brothers Show, rock climbing, and especially the Men in Black ride.

We won't forget Universal Studios in a long time, and will be returning later in the week for Mardi Gras. We were a little disapponted that Back to the Future has closed and building works are ongoing to replace it with a Simpsons' ride. My family knows I don't really like the Simpsons as they make men look weak and ineffectual. Also Jaws will only reopen later in the week, but at least it will be before we move to Disney so we will be able to experience that, which I suspect will also be a highlight. We also had a caricature drawn of us, which was rather fun.

We did get a bit caught out by the cost of our hotel breakfast this morning. We were awake and very hungry very early because of jet lag. So we had little choice but to partake since the parks and Universal restautants didn't open until 9 a.m. We discovered that we could have bought "eat as much as you like all day" tickets in the park for what we spent on our breakfast! I guess you could say, "Well, live and learn!"

We made it!!

Tamasin said:

In the end, when we finally arrived in Orlando, it was about 5:15 p.m. We went to our hotel, grabbed some food. and went to a sort of party with an outdoor swimming pool. It was great.

Henry said in his diary:

We're here. I'm at the hotel and I have just been to its huge lovely swimming pool. It's past 10, but in England it's 3 in the morning. Tomorrow we're going to Universal Parks, and we'll keep going there until the week is up. But we have a whole other week, so we'll then go to Disney Parks."

We're sitting at Gatwick, having enjoyed what I fear may be our last healthy meal for a couple of weeks! We ate a fruit salad, a chicken, bacon and salad sandwich, and fresh fruit yogurt between us. I may be wrong, but my image of Orlando doesn't include healthy salads being available. Tamasin is particularly worried that we may be forced to eat hot dogs all week. Henry and I just want to make sure we find a good steakhouse.

I was surprised at how I had a moment of sadness saying goodbye to the other half of my family. I have traveled so often, but this is the longest I will have been apart from Andree since I met her in the spring of 1993! She is amazing, and got up early so I could drive to Gatwick, and then as we got out of the car, she took over for the trip around the M25 to church. She is a great wife, and I felt guilty leaving her as we headed for our holiday of a lifetime. We realized that by the time she gets home today, she will have done a complete circuit of London's orbital motorway, sometimes called the world's largest car park. There were no traffic issues today, and we were glad to hear she made it to Enfield in time to grab a McDonald's before church. I'm just glad we've left them all healthy!

Henry wrote in his first diary entry:

"Well, here we are at the airport ready for our nine-hour flight to Disney in around two hours. I think things I'm looking forward to most are seeing the shuttle take off, the spaceship simulator and swimming with dolphins."

Tamasin meanwhile was refreshingly honest:

"So here we are at the airport waiting for the plane. Me and Hen have to do a holiday diary—how boring. I'm sitting here in Gatwick airport writing in it 'yawn yawn'. It's 9-51 and the plane goes at 11-40, can't wait. The things I'm most looking forward to are swimming with dolphins and all the water parks. We're gonna get soaked."

Yep—that's right! This post marks the return of Warnie. I just can't keep away any longer! Not only am I returning to reasonably regular fresh blogging, in less than 12 hours I'll be jumping on a plane and living the "American dream" for two whole weeks! After much careful thought, I've also decided that you're going to be allowed to share in this dream vacation.

We're staying the first week at the Universal Resort and the second week at Disney. Internet access permitting, you'll be able to read a day-by-day account right here. There are three of us going—me and two of my kids, Tamasin and Henry. We all figured this was as good a chance to enjoy ourselves together as we are likely to get this side of Tamasin becoming a teenager, which is not far off. I can't believe that the baby I held in my arms only a short time ago is now doing her best to organize me for this trip, and has even put together some flat-pack furniture on her own!

We'll share our personal thoughts and, hopefully, some photos and video. Blogs are intensely personal things, so you will forgive my indulgence. If nothing else, my wife and three younger kids will be able to follow along with what we're getting up to. Incidentally, Andree deserves a medal as big as a pancake for holding the fort at home. But she doesn't really like all those rides and things anyhow, and says she will be quite happy.

If you're looking for serious theology over the next few days, go visit challies.com, although, thanks to my editor, the last few of my "top 30 posts" will be making their appearance in-between the Florida epic travelogue.

If anybody has any last-minute travel tips for an Orlando vacation, now is the time to e-mail them to adrian.warnock@gmail.com. I may even share the best here!

The first tip is, I am told, choose the time of year carefully. February seems like a good month. The weather forecast suggests most days it will be upwards of 27C. (That's 82F for you Yanks!) But the crowds should not be too big, and it should not get unbearably hot. Importantly, it's also well outside hurricane season. So since Gordon Brown won't be anywhere near Gatwick when I am taking off or landing, we should return in one piece.

We had a lot of fun with our American visitors over the weekend. Some of my kids and I went to London with them on Saturday. We visited St Paul's, the Westminster area, and the Tower of London, which we reached by boat. It was a great day, whose highlight for me was surely the following quotes:

Tamasin—"Why did you come all the way from America to look at all these dead people when there are plenty of living ones in our country as well?"

Henry—"That statue over there is supposed to be an angel! More like a demon, showing off its breasts like that. Disgusting!"

Tamasin and Henry of Darwin's tomb—"What's he doing in a church? Surely he's not welcome here?!?"

Charis—My legs are all shaky (after climbing up then down St. Paul's 400+ stairs).

Yesterday it was a delight to see my old friends, Ian and Megan Jukes, and their three lovely kids. We went to visit a church founded by George Whitefield where he preached and is buried under the pulpit. I took loads of photos so have turned them into a slide show for you. If you want to see his burial place, it is at The Old South Church, Newburyport, Massachusetts.The Resurgence also posted a sermon by George Whitefield just recently.

I have to say that this experience was one of the most memorable of any of the historical tourist things I have ever done. We were shown around the church by Norm, one of the elders there. To just stand outside the church and realize that we were standing on the very street where revival had been so strong all those years ago thrilled me. We have pictures of ourselves standing at Whitefield's preaching desk, and handling his Bible.

I have to say that I felt the presence of God in that church building today, and at one point I was praying silently, "Do it again!" It was a special moment to join Ian afterwards in praying that God would once again raise up preachers like George Whitefield.

I find myself very powerfully affected whenever I visit these sites connected with historic revival. Three such visits stand out in my mind. Today's visit, a trip to Wesley Cottage, and some time I spent on our honeymoon speaking with a lady who personally remembered the Lewis Revival. On each occasion I felt a stirring in my spirit, and the same sense of the presence of God was tangible to me. Once again I have been undone. Once again I find myself longing to experience for myself the joy of being present during such a sovereign touch of God's Spirit.

As I woke early this morning, I decided to remind myself of the events of the Lewis revival. Imagine my surprise to find that there are a number of recordings by Duncan Campbell (the preacher used by God on Lewis) available for free online. I listened this morning to a talk given in 1950 by Campbell about revival. It is powerful, engaging, and captured my heart again. The sense of God's Spirit on this talk was tangible to me, almost as though the Spirit himself is somehow contained in the words.

Campbell begins his retelling of the events with which he had been so intimately involved by saying:

"One evening, an old woman 84 years of age and blind, had a vision. Now don't ask me to explain this vision because I cannot, but strange things happen when God begins to move. This dear old lady in the vision saw the church of her fathers crowded with young people, and she saw a strange minister in the pulpit. She was so impressed by this revelation, because a revelation it was, she sent for the minister and told her story. The parish minister was a God-fearing man, a man who longed to see God working. Oh, he had tried ever so many things to get the youth of the parish interested, but not one single teenager attended the church. That was the situation. Well, what did the old lady have to say to him? I'll tell you what she said: "I am sure, Mr. McKay, that you are longing to see God working. What about calling your office bearers together and suggesting to them that you spend two nights a week waiting upon God? You have tried missions, you have tried special evangelists, Mr. Mckay, have you tried God?" Oh, I tell you this is a wonderful old woman. So he meekly obeyed and said, "Yes, I'll call the session together and I will suggest that we meet on Tuesday night and Friday night, and we'll spend the whole night in prayer." I tell you, dear people, here were men who meant business. The dear old lady said, "Well, if you do that, my sister and I will get on our knees at ten o'clock on Tuesday and ten o'clock on Friday and pray until 4 a.m. . . ." And in the prayers, according to the minister, they would say again and again, "God, you are a covenant-keeping God and you must be true to your engagements . . ." One night a very remarkable thing happened. They were kneeliing amongst straw, the straw of a barn house. Suddenly one young man rose and read part of Psalm 24: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord” (vv.3-5a). And then that young man closed his Bible. And looking down at the minister and the elders, he spoke these crude words (but perhaps not so crude in our Gaelic language): “It seems to me to be so much humbug to be praying as we are praying, to be waiting as we are waiting, if we ourselves are not rightly related to God.” And then he lifted his two hands and prayed, “God, are my hands clean? Is my heart pure?” That dear man got no further, he fell on his knees and then on his face on the straw. In a matter of minutes three of the elders fell into a trance . . . when that happened in the barn . . . a power was let loosed . . . that shook the whole of Lewis. God stepped down. The Holy Spirit began to move among the people . . . God seemed to be everywhere . . . "


— Duncan Campbell

I defy you to listen to that talk and not be moved deeply. The description of revival is amazing, and I can feel the presence of the Spirit as I listen. As I write this, with Campbell's voice resounding in my head, I am not ashamed to say that tears are welling in my eyes. Oh, won't you join me in crying to God, "Do it again! Do what you did on Lewis. Do what you did through George Whitefield. Revive us again!"

Photos from George Whitefield's final resting place.

I have long ago learnt that travelling on business is a mind game. Is that delay in the airport a 'nightmare' or is it simply more time for contemplation or reading that book you brought with you? Is travelling alone a risk, boring, or an opportunity for rare peace and quiet in our busy world?

I treat my business trips as though they were a spiritual retreat. That may sound crazy, but when else would I get a few days where aside from the time I am actually working I can switch off, think, read, pray or just relax and enjoy the sights?

Admittedly some trips are easier than others to approach in this way. I somehow suspect that the trip I am about to start on - to the beautiful Greek island of Rhodes may be one of the easiest so far in that regard. I will have work to do - sessions of a conference to attend. But, the environment should prove to be refreshing to my soul.

I feel like this years rest and recuperation is a bit front loaded. Having taken time off for my baby, for my knee, and having the rest of my annual leave booked for July, the second half of the year promises to be a lot more hectic than the first from a 'real job' perspective.

Often when I go away I either shut down the blog or possibly post travel-related posts. This time, I have a stack of posts already written and ready to go. Andrée my lovely wife is planning on being the one to hit publish once a day. If I feel so inclined, I may tell you about my trip a bit in between.

 
 
 
  

This is Andrew and I outside the Toronto Airport Church which was, of course, the church in which the so-called "Toronto Blessing" originated. There was no prayer meeting going on today. This is not the place for me to comment any further on that movement, which over the last thirteen years has seen hundreds of thousands of people visit their facility from many different nations.

It was, however, a great privilege to be shown around the building today and to have a short meeting with Steve Long, the successor to John Arnott as main pastor of the local church that meets there.


Here is their main auditorium, which is a very versatile room, easily adapting from housing the 1000 or so who attend that campus on a Sunday (there are also three other campuses for the church) to hosting the large conferences that continue to occur there.

Steve spoke of how they have felt a need in recent years to refocus their efforts on the local church after surviving years of a constant stream of visitors for prayer ministry. They are to be commended for their goal to multiply cells and evangelise their city.

John Arnott still preaches at the church from time to time, but he now largely focuses on the many requests for help internationally they still receive.


Steve is clearly a humble, passionate pastor. I was left with the impression of a man deeply in love with Jesus. The time when he lit up most was when he started to explain what they mean by "soaking times." In a way, I think it is a real shame that they use that novel phrase to describe something that basically seems to mean communing with God and meditating on Him. He described it as finding time individually for contemplative prayer or so-called "wasting" time intimately with God. From what he was saying, this seemed largely to represent a recovery of a timeless Christian practice rather than, as some might assume, something novel and therefore dangerous.


This picture says it all about the passion of this church. They are only too well aware, it seems, of the possibility that people visiting them might become overly focused on an experience of God. So, on the way out, you are faced with a text which perhaps more than any other urges us to remember the lost.

Those who criticized the Toronto movement the most predicted that a departure from the Gospel was inevitable. Thirteen years later, this church is led by a man who gets all his leaders to go through significant periods of theological training, and from what I saw and heard today, remains as evangelical as he ever was.

I have heard of grey squirrels, I have heard of red squirrels . . . but until today, I ain't never heard of no BLACK squirrels. This was the view from my window at breakfast this morning!

Like the poor grey squirrels of England, these little fellas are being blamed for the demise of their red squirrel cousins. It's all because they get down from the trees and go hunt food - that's what makes them successful!

This is the area of Toronto where I stayed last night. Apparently there are few areas like it anywhere in North America- a vestige of colonial Victorian life. It was great to wander around for a few minutes and see the area where Andrew Fountain is planting a church.

The Fountains have a pet iguana - seen here with its owner- Jessica Fountain.



I was quite struck by this building - coated with gold leaf! If this was in the UK it would probably get nicked!

Well, I made it - at least as far as Toronto. I had an eager sense of anticipation as I got off the plane. As I met my now dear friend, Andrew Fountain, it was amazing to me to realize how true it is that being a Christian makes you part of one big family of God. For those of us like Andrew and I, who are also part of newfrontiers, that sense of family is strengthened still further. When we meet, we realize that we all share the same spiritual DNA!

In what seemed like a blur, we were seated in a Keg Steakhouse with two other great blogging buddies - Tim Challies and Paul Martin. There is lots that I could say about the dinner we had together. The first thing is that, in fact, the whole thing was an internet date. Only Paul and Andrew had known each other first in real life - all the other relationships had been formed online. It was a real advertisement for internet "dating" - at least as far as friendships go.

We all shared so much - a love for the Lord, a basically reformed Baptist position (albeit with Andrew and I having a bit of a bonus add-on in the form of a charismatic theology!) and were all part of relatively young churches, none of which had a building they owned between them. Paul and Tim's church is practically a house church!

The other nice thing was the way in which Tim managed to dispel all those myths about him being quiet, reserved, and never smiling. I have photographic evidence that he smiles, and I can assure you that he spoke at least as much as any of the rest of us.

We avoided the whole "Stop saying that I read it on your blog!" by pretending that none of us actually reads the other one's blog at all!

Tim and Andrew broke off into technobabble at one point. In fact, for a moment I thought that they were both speaking in tongues as they discussed the intricacies of the databases that can power websites.

I then chipped in with a few comments about how to be a friend of Google - in particular my bugbear that we should all try and remember (I often forget this myself!) that when we link to other webpages we should try and use appropriate keywords. So, for example, if I wanted to link to Tim's most recent post (and I do!) I should write something like this:

Tim Challies has updated and republished his post ironically enough on the updating and publishing of old Christian hymns.

Rather than what we all (including me!) tend to do, which is this:

Tim Challies has updated and republished his post ironically enough on the updating and publishing of old Christian hymns.

Google already knows that Tim's site includes information about himself - the first example signals to Google that it might want to consider that page as a resource on Christian hymns, too. I have checked and right now Tim's site is nowhere to be found on a search for the phrase "Christian hymns" - it may be that my link alone will change all that once Google indexes this post. What is certain is that if just a few good blogs were to link to him like that, his page would definitely end up appearing in the top ten for such a search.

I want even more people to find Tim's site than already do - don't you?

Anyway, back to our dinner. I banned any theological debates as I felt that it would be unfair to me having just got off a transatlantic flight, but that didn't stop us from a few gentle digs at the areas about which we do disagree. More than that, though, we had a lot of fun and laughter. For example, the waiter took a photo of all of us (which I will share at the end of this post and whilst doing so told us to "look like we like each other and sit closer together" - to which the inevitable "not like we like each other too much!" and "not TOO close!" were the instant retorts and at the time seemed as hilarious as they were predictable with a bunch of us guys eating dinner together.

I had a great time, and I was left with a sense that as great as online friendships can be, it is no substitute for meeting face-to-face and seeing the whites of each other's eyes, the smile as a slightly cheeky point is made, and feeling the warmth of the friendship and respect mutually held.

We discussed how perceptions can be distorted online. Certainly Tim and Paul were a whole lot funnier than I imagined them to be (at least until our crazy email exchange over arranging this dinner!) I also gave the specific example of Phil Johnson, who I also met a while back. I am sure Phil won't mind me sharing that here. In person, and in his audio messages, his genuine warmth, respect for those with whom he disagrees, and general nice-guy nature is abundantly apparent. Sometimes online, our personalities don't always come across as we want them to, and we can surprise ourselves by the way we are perceived.

Every now and then Phil will say something that, if said face-to-face, the twinkle in his eye would have given the appropriate context to it. I hate to admit it, but there is then a peculiar fascination in watching the wave of indignant reaction that sometimes hits certain corners of the blogosphere after Phil writes something which at the time I guess he had no idea would offend anyone. The wave of anguish is then almost inevitably followed by a genuinely puzzled Phil trying to figure which part of his comment caused the reaction The trouble is that the whole thing is not as funny as all that, as every blogger knows he could be next - and indeed has probably been there himself - I know I have been, and probably will be in the future.

I am not sure that there is any reliable way we can guard against being taken the wrong way from time to time as we write. So for every time in the future some unguarded un-nuanced comment I make here on my blog will offend someone, I apologise up front! I am afraid a few "smileys" definitely cannot take the place of all the non-verbal communication we miss when we read the written word.

What happened last night over a dinner near the Toronto airport was a precious thing - it involved a strengthening of trust. If a relationship is like a bridge, then our bridges were reinforced last night. For me, once a connection has been made face-to-face, it makes electronic communication much more enjoyable and, I guess, even safer in a funny kind of way.

Tim, Andrew, and Paul . . . thanks for a great evening. Thanks for being brothers fighting together on the same side. I commit to never seeing any of you as the enemy as we go about this blogging business and possibly even interact and disagree publicly. You guys have my permission to critique me privately or online.

I pray now that, together with many other bloggers, we will always find ourselves in this online world to be "standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel" which was "once for all delivered to the saints." (Philippians 1:27, Jude 1:3)

UPDATE
Tim Challies and Paul Martin have both posted about our dinner. I just want to point out, that if my memory is correct, it was the Holy Spirit and not cessationism as such that I brought up, but it was only in passing and I could be wrong!

Well, it's happening again. I'm traveling with my work once more, and this time I'm going to be traveling to America via Toronto. The way things have worked out, I'll be able to meet up with some great blogger friends - all of whom I feel like I've known for years already! Believe it or not, it's taken us more than 60 emails so far to organise this meeting - most of which were peppered with humour and deliberate sporting references intended to leave me out! I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun meeting face-to-face with this band of fellow nutters - sorry, bloggers! Tim Challies, Paul Martin, Andrew Fountain, and me in the same restaurant - the other diners better watch out!

Whenever the time comes around for me to travel and I mention to those who know me that I'm once again going abroad, there are at least three different reactions I observe. The first, which is more prominent immediately after a terrorist incident, is one of concern for my safety. It's interesting how irrational our fears can often be; for example, the risk doesn't change just because yesterday the head of MI5 announced that there are some 1600 people involved in some 200 terrorist organisations in the UK that MI5 believes want to plan other attacks. Statistically, I'm still safer flying than any other form of transport, so such worries really don't concern me that greatly when I plan a trip. I do pray more these days, however, before a trip.

The second response that I get is - "Wow! What a jet-setter!" The truth is, as any frequent business traveler will tell you, the glamour of seeing the world can soon fade. At times we can zip in and out of a city and not see anything at all. Sometimes it's possible to squeeze a few hours out of a schedule to spend time outside of a hotel room or restaurant. It can mean setting an alarm earlier and walking around the city center (if the hotel is based there), or sometimes flights can be organised to give a few extra hours on either end of the trip. That kind of carving out of "me-time" is worthwhile, in my opinion, as it is a major way to avoid the cynical disinterest that is the constant temptation of every business traveler. If, on at least some trips, the sights and sounds can be absorbed rather than spending the time merely rushing around, something of the wonder and appreciation of the privilege it really is to actually be paid to visit other countries instead of having to take a holiday and pay for your own flights, will return.

The third response - perhaps by some who know what excessive travel can be like - is one of pity. Thoughtful comments are made about the difficulties involved in leaving a family behind, and of the hassle that travel can be. But, in a funny way, I think most of us go through a bit of a U-shaped curve when it comes to our attitudes towards flying - I know I have. At the beginning you love it, then the hassles come and you start to hate it. Then, if you are smart, when things go wrong and you end up spending your first unwanted night in a foreign country - or worse still, having to sleep in an airport - you start to remember how much easier we have it today than our anscestors did in their day. All kinds of rationalising thoughts come into your mind. I remind myself how amazing it is that we can do these trips in a day when in the past they would have taken weeks. Traveling becomes something to which you resign yourself, and you do it because you have to. So when someone said to me that they were shocked I was preaching just before getting on a transatlantic flight this Sunday, my response was twofold:

1. I'm glad I'm not preaching after getting off the flight.
   
   
2. To me, flying is just another form of commuting anyway!

I take a book to read, or things that I need to work on for my job. I program myself to think "Well, if I wasn't sitting here in this airport or on this plane, I would probably just be sitting somewhere else anyway, so what difference does it make?" You can get a lot of reading done - no emails, no phone calls, usually no conversation. And at times, for a bookaholic like me, it's almost a dream come true! I am really beginning to ENJOY flying! I suppose that makes me sound mad.

In summary, life is what you make of it - you can either think, "O rats, we are circling Heathrow again, waiting for a landing slot, and my taxi driver is going to be annoyed at me like it's my fault when I'm delayed", or you can say to yourself, "Cool, I get a bit longer to read this book without any interruptions", or "Hey, isn't this a great opportunity? I get to sit next to someone who actually wants to talk!"

I think a lot of this new attitude of mine to traveling is simply a common sense way of coping with it. But, I'm sure that a good proportion of it is God helping me to learn to be content with the situations life sends my way. I need to learn this lesson in every area of my life, not just in traveling. All this makes me think of Paul's words:

"I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11-13)

It is a real pleasure to welcome to my blog today, Dr. Albert Mohler. Dr. Mohler should need no introduction to most of my readers, but I include a link to his biography for any who need to know more, as well as a link to my Together for the Gospel Conference Round Up Post.

This interview began yesterday in part one and will be serialized over several days here on my blog.

Adrian
Al, I get exhausted just thinking about all the strands that you hold together - it seems to me that you combine leadership of a Bible college with the academic and educational work of being a professor, but at the same time have some form of leadership within a local church, influence over the leaders of many other churches, preaching, conference speaking, serving on various boards, and a radio program, not to mention prolific blogging. Have I missed anything?

Dr. Mohler
Well, I’m sure you have left something out—my more pressing fear is that I have left something out. I end each day with a sense that much remains undone. I serve as a teaching pastor at Highview Baptist Church here in Louisville and, beyond that, much of my time is taken up in denominational leadership and affairs. The Southern Baptist Convention is a vast denomination, and it requires a great deal of time and investment as well. Adrian, I must admit that I truly enjoy and find fulfillment in all of these responsibilities. I have no one to blame but myself, because no one has forced all these responsibilities upon me.

Adrian
Do you see all these roles as separate roles or entwined? When you are doing your radio program or blogging, do you think of it as another form of preaching or as something else? Your bio says "Dr. Mohler's mission is to address contemporary issues from a consistent and explicit Christian worldview." Is that the vision that holds everything you do together?

Dr. Mohler
I am absolutely certain that these roles are entwined. The interrelatedness of these responsibilities is clear to those who work alongside me and know how I think. I do not think of blogging or the radio program as another form of preaching, but I do see these new opportunities as a way of addressing an audience with Christian truth. My first responsibility is to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, visible in local congregations. I do believe my calling is to address contemporary issues from an explicitly Christian worldview, but my greater responsibility is to serve the church in all that I do. My sense of mission is fundamentally theological, and all of my involvements emerge out of that sense of theological responsibility for the church.

Adrian
Are there any of your many jobs that you feel fit less comfortably within your life's work? Are there some roles that you do because your know somebody must rather than because you take delight in them?

Dr. Mohler
My answer to this question is easy. Travel is the least comfortable part of my work. I truly enjoy being in other places and with people and churches all over the world. Nevertheless, the reality is that travel is becoming more and more of a complication. Even so, I do it because it is absolutely necessary and central to the accomplishment of my ministry. In my most honest moments, I would have to admit that, even as there is no part of my involvements that I wish to relinquish, I look forward to a reduction in travel. I do not delight in sitting on airplanes, and I take even less delight in waiting in airports.

Adrian

Is it really possible that ONE MAN does all these jobs on his own? How much do you tend to rely on a team of researchers working behind the scenes and how much is purely your own personal work?

Dr. Mohler
All of the written and spoken material is my personal work. I am thankful to have a team of interns who help to collect and organize material for me, but I simply could not work with someone who would assemble the projects for me. For me, this is a matter of both integrity and pride. I write all the material attributed to my name. At the same time, I do want to recognize a wonderful team of interns and co-workers who make all this possible. They know my weaknesses. For example, one of the first things they learn is never to put a piece of paper in my hand that they ever want to see again. If they do not retain a copy of a document, it is likely to disappear within the thousands of items that flow through my office on a regular basis. Furthermore, they are a wonderful first audience for my writing and speaking. I value tremendously their response and critique.

Adrian

What is the secret of working successfully with so many different people and in so many different contexts?

Dr. Mohler
I guess the operational secret of working with so many different people in different contexts is finding enjoyment in them all. I can state honestly that I enjoy each of these contexts and, as varied as some of these constituencies are, I serve them all gladly and with a sense of genuine honor in being granted the opportunity.

Continued in Part Three . . .

Having visited this church on Sunday, I can see why C.J. frequently describes his home church as "the dearest place on earth." Somehow I suspect if I, too, had been a part of this church for decades, then I would feel the same way. It was a real joy just to be able to pose as "guests" on a fairly typical Sunday morning, and even get to observe some baptisms.

I know some of you will want to know what the church was like. Well, it is hard to put into words. What I can say is that their commitment to the Bible and pursuing the active presence of God was clearly reflected in the service. Their bookshop is probably the best quality Christian bookstore in the world — their careful selection of books means every resource in there seems like it is guaranteed to feed your soul. Their facility is beautifully designed and well cared for.

I want to pass on a big thank you to all the people from Covenant Life Church who have been so kind to me. This is a church which is characterised by incredible humility, gentleness, generosity, and warmth. I did have the advantage of knowing a few of these folk before, of course (in some cases purely online) — but every single person who shook my hand at the church welcomed me in an amazing way. It was great to be among the family of God.

I believe that the global Church has much to learn from these people. I certainly learnt a lot myself this weekend, and the memories will remain with me for years to come.

There is no doubt that meeting Travis Earles once again, and being introduced to the rest of his family for the first time, was one of the highlights of my trip to Washington. Here we have a family who love God, and whose gentleness, humility, and warm welcome to us was much appreciated. I do so hope that my third meeting with Travis is not another thirteen years after the second. It amazes me to realise that I last met this man back in 1993! So much has changed for me in that time.

One thing that hasn't changed is my love for this amazing man and my instinctive recognition of a kindred spirit. Friendships like this that span the globe are one of God's most precious gifts to us. So, Travis, when are you going to bring your wife and kids to meet mine??

 

The weekend passed in a whir, so I thought that I would finish off my travel blog in a time-delayed format.

The experience of visiting the Washington monuments was very impactful for me. I had a lovely time. The thing that struck me about Washington was the incredible sense of intelligent and intentional design. It seemed clear to me that the smallness of the White House, and the grandeur of the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument were designed to communicate a message. Sometimes when you hear phrases like "government for the people, by the people," "freedom from tyranny," "equality," and "liberty," you can be in danger of thinking they are just slogans. The buildings of Washington, and especially the inscriptions inside the Lincoln Memorial, ensure that the visitor realises that this idea - for which many have bled and died - is every bit as potent and inspiring to the average American today as it was all those years ago. To me, the architecture is like a message engraved in stone for all time. I hope we listen to it. I trust these hopes and aspirations continue to be renewed for future generations, even as they were for Martin Luther King, Jr.

David Wayne has been my truest and closest blogging friend for what feels like a decade in blog years. My respect for him knows no bounds, and his blogging is the most gracious, yet insightful, I have ever come across. Today I met David, together with his wife and daughter, and became even more impressed. They are truly a jolly family.

You can tell a lot about a man by his children. There is no doubt that the Jollette is a credit to David. How many 13 year olds are self-assured enough to be outgoing and friendly to two of their father's friends? How many are interested in their father's blog? I hope Tamasin, my 9 year old, remains interested in my blog when she is 13. The Jollies homeschool, and the Jollette is living proof that a homeschooled kid can be even more sociable than the average school-educated child.

We all spoke about blogging, and it was amazing to me how well I felt I knew David already. I'm really glad that the first Presbyterians I have ever knowingly met in the flesh were the Jollies.

We resisted the temptation to get into any theological debates - that can be done online! David was amazed at the almost total absence of Presbyterians in England. He then said that if I wanted to meet Baptists, I should head south where "there are more Southern Baptists than people!"

David spoke about his reasons to start a blog, which were very much like mine. He wanted to practice his writing and organise his thoughts. We reminisced about our blogging through TULIP and what we thought was the first charismatic/cessationist debate ever in the blogosphere. Our tag blogging days were great fun - I hope we can return to that level of interaction one day.

I had a fairly typical lunch for this trip, and despite my wife's sensible advice, we didn't order one meal to share between three!

We had a fun time, and we had a wander with the Jollies through the National Air and Space Museum. Seeing the vision, drive, and determination of the Wright brothers and the space pioneers was striking. On this trip I have seen the first car, made only a decade or so before the first plane, and the first space capsule. Amazing to think of the progress made in the last 120 years!

UPDATE
Sorry, John Schroeder! How could I forget you are Presbyterian?! So I am afraid I was wrong to say that the Jollies were the first.

One of the things that has struck me on this trip is the global family of the Church. I have been so well treated by Christians here (and in the last town I was in, too). Being in Christ's family gives you brothers and sisters wherever in the world you may be.

It's an amazing thing for me as I begin to be immersed in the life of Covenant Life Church. Travis Earles, who is an old friend of mine, is serving us wonderfully. He selflessly picked Tope and me up late at the airport. He will show us the sights today.

Food is very important when you are traveling. I always like to sample the authentic local cuisine. In this case that meant a "small" 14 ounce steak. The largest on the menu was 32 ounces - that's enough to feed a family!

So, two heavy meat-filled meals (not to mention breakfast!) and I have been exposed to America's finest. Beats the French restaurants which always give you TINY portions, but I think I had enough calories yesterday to last me for a week!

Off to D.C. later today . . . .

Well, I was lucky enough to get some time to take in some U.S. culture today, as you can see from the following photos. It was great to meet a Christian brother who took time out of his day to show me around. We had a lot of fun. There are two questions posed by these photos:

1. Will I be able to eat anything at all this evening?

2. Will Mohler and the rest of the SBC guys denounce me as a heretic for drinking American beer?

Well, here I am . . . sitting in a hotel business centre marveling at what we all take for granted these days. Having been able to deal with yesterday's emails on the plane (yes, it was in flight-safe mode!) thanks to my Blackberry, and today, thanks to that and the fax machine, all my work can be dealt with just as though I was in the UK! The thought of being in America so quickly, let alone being able to carry out business here so easily, would have been unimaginable by our ancestors.

In a funny way I quite like traveling, as it seems to prompt me to think about life and things that are often taken for granted. Technology really is fantastic, but what is so valuable is the way it brings people together across continents. This has really struck me today - I have connected this morning, either on the phone or via GoogleTalk, with my secretary, another colleague, my wife, my mother, the JollyBlogger (whom I will meet face-to-face for the first time on Friday), two friends from home, a Christian brother who is going to show me some sights today, and my editorial assistant. People brought together by technology - again something we take for granted and shouldn't.

Thanks to the technology God enabled us to create, I also made a connection I would never have done otherwise with several people in D.C., which has led to the fantastic opportunity I have to be immersed in Covenant Life Church this weekend. The boundaries between real life and my online personality are beginning to blurr in a big way this week! Putting faces to names with which I've become familiar will be a fantastic experience, I'm sure, as will seeing all the places that I've grown to love through watching my favorite TV show - the West Wing!

Every journey comes to an end eventually. Having spent almost no time in the last 48 hours asleep (I was packing when I should have been sleeping) and 20 hours since my taxi collected me from my house, I am finally in my hotel. This should be by far the worst travel day of the whole trip. Both flights were delayed for an hour on the tarmac - it's strange how knowing we are not making any progress is frustrating. I almost missed my connection as well! Now it's over, and I am just glad to be here!

I am on a journey that will take me through five different airports in the next week. Already I am missing home and my lovely wife and kids, who were all sleeping as I left. But journeys like this pay our family bills, and I think this time I will bring the kids home some presents!

Time in airports can be put to good use, redeeming the time by reading or just in thinking. Right now the words from one of Tim's posts at WorshipGod06 are going round in my mind - the idea that the Bible is not a biography of a dead God. I am eager that these few days will lead me to living the reality of authentic experiential Christianity more than before. I want to know the God of the Bible better each day!

I am thrilled to have the chance to spend a weekend immersed in the home church of C. J. and Josh. It's a great church, and I want to learn from them.

UPDATE
In January 2008, the following post was identified as the 12th all-time most popular post with readers of this blog. The 13th most-read post was my post concerning Bishop Tom Wright's response to John Piper.

The post below was republished from an article I wrote many years ago. In some ways it was this article that first stirred the "writing bug" in me. I survey the historical events associated with what was called "The Toronto Blessing" and examine some biblical and church history data. Some of my reformed friends are uncomfortable with the fact that I am willing to see good in what happened. No doubt some of my charismatic friends will be unhappy with the fact that I accept that unhelpful excesses also occurred in some places.

***************

I thought I would share with you—for history's sake and in its entirety—an article I wrote almost eleven years ago about the so-called "Toronto Blessing."

An Outpouring of the Holy Spirit? What on Earth is Going On?

In the months following May 1994, there was a sudden wave of bizarre phenomena in many churches in the UK, USA, and elsewhere in the world from a wide variety of backgrounds. Since then, the city of Toronto, Canada, has become closely associated with these events. Much attention has been drawn to all of this in both the secular and Christian press.

Phenomena widely reported with these events included falling over, laughing, crying, shaking, peculiar movements, cries, roars, intoxicating joy, and incoordination. While a dramatic transformation in the life of many of the people affected by these phenomena was observed, a large number of conversions was not reported and most people did not call this a revival.

The falling may, on occasion, have been sudden and violent. I am unaware of any cases of injury resulting. Giddiness was sometimes reported prior to the fall. There usually was not a total loss of consciousness, and most were able to hear, although they might not respond. A feeling of detachment was common—hours could go by and seem like minutes. An apparent spastic or flaccid paralysis was often present in individuals affected. Many reported impressions and visions imparted to them while on the floor. Some felt as if they were physically pinned to the floor and felt quite unable to move.

Likewise, shaking and other apparently involuntary movements took a wide variety of forms. These had to be seen to be believed, but included repetitive leaping to a great height, a heightened physiological tremor, twitching, and being thrown as though hit by an electric charge.

All of the above phenomena occurred in combination with the same individual. They sometimes followed prayer, with laying on of hands, or began spontaneously during worship, preaching, or alone at home. People became so intoxicated with joy that they had to be carried to their cars. Some were carried out rigid, others staggered as though drunk. It was very difficult to observe all of this without wondering, "What on earth is going on?"

A pattern emerged from study of the spread of the these phenomena. People, and especially church leaders, flocked to the affected churches to investigate. Even the skeptical found themselves being affected, much to their surprise. Upon their return home, often before assimilating what had happened, they found similar events breaking out in their own churches. The briefest of statements about God doing strange new things might be followed by a request for any who would like a fresh touch from God to stand. Often at this point an entire congregation would stand to its feet, and following a short prayer, a sudden outbreak of the above phenomena occurred. Those affected might not have even heard of the specific phenomena that had occurred elsewhere!

Origins of the Movement

The center of much of this attention, with 20,000 to 30,000 visitors from around the world in the first six months of 1994, was a tiny building at the end of a runway in Canada where the Toronto Airport Vineyard Church (now Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship) was meeting. John Wimber was the unofficial leader of the Vineyard Movement, of which this church was a member. This was one of several groups of charismatic or "new" churches worldwide. The Vineyard Movement was strongest in the USA, but certainly had churches elsewhere, including London.

Although the controversial John Wimber had seen many of these reported phenomena on a smaller scale in his conferences, he seemed to have had little to do directly with the birth of this movement. Indeed, Mr. Wimber subsequently died.

The first place where these phenomena occurred in the intensity and extent now so well known was actually not Toronto, but in the USA. In 1989, South African evangelist, Rodney Howard-Browne, complained that his meeting was being ruined when many people fell off their seats and began laughing. He soon became convinced that God was to blame. These events followed Howard-Browne and persisted after he had left, spreading rapidly. In April 1993, during meetings in Florida which were attended by 10,000 people, waves of laughter affected the congregation. Subsequently, widespread attention was drawn to these events. Approximately 2,200 people were baptized in water, and 800 new members were added to the host church by the middle of 1994. Another church in the area, whose initially reluctant pastor was suddenly struck to the floor with laughter, reported that by the middle of 1994 the church had grown from 800 to 1,500.

As a result of this meeting, Howard-Browne was invited to preach to 4,000 students later that year. He reported, "One night I was preaching on hell ... [laughter] just hit the whole place. The more I told the people what hell was like, the more they laughed. When I gave an altar call, they came forward by the hundreds to be saved."

The interesting thing has been that far from dying down after this evangelist left town, the phenomena continued and spread. The movement did not appear to be centered in a man, and in terms of its spread to the UK, Howard-Browne played a very limited role.

Since 1991, there has also been a separate outbreak in Argentina, where the phenomena seemed to be associated with a full-scale revival. In November 1993, John Arnott, the pastor of the Toronto Vineyard Church, traveled to Argentina and the United States to see what was happening. He met with another Vineyard pastor, Randy Clark of St. Louis, who had been prayed for by Rodney Howard-Browne and subsequently experienced similar effects in his own church.

On the 20th of January 1994, a meeting with Randy Clark took place in the Toronto Vineyard and the phenomena broke out. Very soon, news spread and the people started coming to investigate. From this church, other Vineyard churches and many other groups were affected.

Spread to the United Kingdom

A church in Columbia, Missouri (near St. Louis) was at that time led by a man named Terry Virgo. Terry Virgo was the founder of another international network of "new" churches known as New Frontiers International (NFI). New Frontiers was made up of over 200 churches, most of them in the UK, and included a number of prominent Baptist churches which maintained their links with others. Terry Virgo's church in Columbia began to be affected after members attended Rodney Howard-Browne's meetings in St. Louis. In late April, Dave Holden, the UK leader of NFI, made a scheduled visit to this church, and due to an airport delay, also attended a Rodney Howard-Browne meeting. Following his return, the phenomena followed him—first to Cambridge on Sunday May 1st, then to fifty other London church leaders, and then to his own church on May 4th. His church in Sidcup began having an extra evening service on Sunday June 12th, and 900 people completely filled the hall and side hall. Hundreds were turned away, and a wall-to-wall carpet of bodies resulted.

Separately, on Sunday, May 1st, the meeting of the Brighton NFI church was disrupted by an outbreak of the phenomena as one of the elders, Alan Preston, began to speak of what he had seen in Toronto. The church had been in a sense of expectancy since a prophecy in February had warned to prepare for disruption.

On the following Sunday, May 8th, Gerald Coates (the leader of Pioneer, another grouping of thirty "new" churches) attended the Vineyard church in Putney and was surprised by the phenomena which followed his message. Subsequently, the Pioneer movement gradually became affected, particularly after a leadership meeting in July.

That same Sunday, May 8th, in the Queens Road Baptist Church in Wimbledon (also part of the NFI network) one girl on her knees weeping after the service led to widespread weeping and repentance, continuing to 11 p.m. Norman Moss, the church leader, visited Toronto the following weekend. He was there at the same time as Mrs. Eleanor Mumford, the wife of the pastor of the Vineyard Putney church.

On Sunday, May 15th, while he was away, one of the elders, Malcolm Kytes, asked the Wimbledon Church to quietly wait on God. After seven minutes, he fell to the floor and remained there for almost one and a half hours. As he lay there, the phenomena erupted in the rest of the church. A weekly ministers' fraternal, hosted by the church, grew from 6 to about 200, many traveling from all over the UK.

On Tuesday May 17th, two hundred NFI church leaders, including Terry Virgo and David Holden, met for prayer and fasting and most were overcome by these phenomena. Many were still surprised when the same thing happened in their own churches the following Sunday. The phenomena also spread from this meeting to the NFI churches in South Africa and India who had been represented there.

On Tuesday May 24th, at a small meeting for leaders in her home in South London, Mrs. Mumford shared about her time in Toronto. Nickey Gumbel, a curate at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), a well-known charismatic Anglican church in London, was one of those present when, after prayer, everyone was remarkably affected. He then rushed back to a prayer meeting at his church, to arrive as it was finishing. He briefly shared, prayed, and instantaneously people were affected in ways few had ever experienced or seen. People fell to the ground again and again. Other people walking past the room were also affected.

Sandy Millar, the vicar, was telephoned at the Evangelical Alliance with the news that the whole team was on the floor following prayer. On asking how the caller had got to the phone if that was the case, the caller responded, "I crawled!"

On the following Sunday, May 29th, after Mrs. Mumford shared her experiences, HTB was "rocked by waves of 'holy laughter', weeping, and a multitude of other phenomena." Two days later, Sandy Millar traveled to Toronto to investigate further. The involvement of this church drew the attention of the secular press, and in September 1994, the church considered issuing tickets to their services to ensure regular attendees could gain admission. Holy Trinity became a major focus for the spread of the phenomena, especially among Anglicans.

From the 3rd to the 4th of June, Icthus (another group of "new" churches which began in London) had a leadership conference culminating in a celebration held at Westminster Chapel. Sandy Millar of HTB spoke, and the Icthus movement then experienced the phenomena. David Pytches of St Andrews, Chorley Wood, also visited Toronto. The phenomena broke out in a special church meeting held on 12th of June following his return.

These phenomena have since spread to hundreds of mainly Anglican leaders in meetings held at this church. Another group of charismatic churches, based in Southampton and led by Tony Morton, also experienced the phenomena in June and became a base for further spread.

Many churches in the midlands, including another group of charismatic churches—Covenant Ministries (led by Bryn Jones)—also became affected following Rodney Howard-Browne's meetings in Birmingham from June 14-17. Most outside of the midlands were unaware of his visit. The Covenant Ministries group also saw hundreds of other church leaders travel to various locations and experience the phenomena.

In July, an Evangelical Alliance leaders' meeting at Westminster Central Hall resulted in most leaders present being on the floor following prayer, with many shaking. At another leaders' meeting held on October 1st, Roger Forster, leader of Ichthus, reported that at that point (in what some thought was a conservative estimate) 2,000 UK churches of all types were involved.

These peculiar events have appeared in the secular and Christian press alike. One particularly astonishing account of a meeting at the Vineyard in Putney speaks for itself and was published in the Times:

"After his sermon, Mr. Mumford prayed for 'the tornado to visit the church'... Outside it was calm, but suddenly the curtains shielding an open door blew in and over my face, a huge wind rushed in, scattering service sheets and papers ... nearly everyone else fell over, stood rigid, or [were] shaking, sobbing, clutching at their faces, or waving their hands before them ... I clambered over a couple of prostrate bodies for tea and coffee and found myself giggling uncontrollably ... I felt dizzy, grasped a chair in order not to collapse ... I downed the coffee and ran."

Billy Graham, the well-known evangelist, has commended the current work and declared he is praying for a new touch from the Holy Spirit.

It's Not New! - Similar Phenomena in History

Much of the secular press, and even at times the Christian press, speak as though these phenomena are a recent occurrence. They have actually been seen on and off in various places within the charismatic section of the Church for some years. In particular, John Wimber conferences have been noted for the phenomena. American psychiatrist and author, Dr. John White, wrote on the subject in 1988 and discussed all of the various phenomena. It is the extent and intensity of the current phenomena that is different now.

The phenomena have also been reported in Church history, particularly during revivals. Earlier this century, in the Belgian Congo revival, there were many "drunk with the Spirit, many shaking beyond their control, others throwing themselves on the floor ... yet none were hurt."

The so called "holy laughter" was also a feature of the Welsh Revival of 1904, as were the "sobbing disorderly meetings."

In 1859, a revival broke out in Ireland which then spread extensively in the British Isles. Physical "prostrations" were very marked in Ireland, and also in Scotland and parts of England. "Even strong men have staggered and fallen down under the wounds of their conscience. Great bodily weakness ensues. The whole frame trembles."

Towards the end of the 1700's, in camp meetings in the USA, "large numbers fell and would lie motionless for hours or would shriek or groan at intervals ... Some talked, but could not move. Some beat the floor with their heels ... It was a common sight to see men leap, sob, shout, laugh, or swoon ... the scoffer was as likely to be stricken as the convert."

Charles Finney, the famous 18th century revivalist, "saw people weep, cry, and fall senseless." John Wesley, a revival preacher earlier in the 1700's, was no stranger to these sort of phenomena. For example, while preaching in Wapping, London, "Many of those that heard began to call upon God with strong cries and tears. Some sunk down, and there remained no strength in them; others exceedingly trembled and quaked; some were torn with a kind of convulsive motion in every part of their bodies, and that so violently that often four or five persons could not hold one of them."

One man who listened to Wesley on another occasion found that before the sermon was over, "I was so overpowered with joy and love that I had much ado to walk home." This experience sounds remarkably like the "drunkenness" reported by many more recently.

Wesley also reports having discussed with his colleague, George Whitefield, the latter's reservations about the phenomena. Wesley says,

"But the next day he [Whitefield] had an opportunity of informing himself better: for no sooner had he begun (in the application of his sermon) to invite all sinners to believe in Christ, than four persons sunk down close to him, almost in the same moment. One of them lay without either sense or motion; a second trembled exceedingly; the third had strong convulsions all over his body, but made no noise; the fourth equally convulsed, called upon God with strong cries and tears. From this time, I trust, we shall all suffer God to carry on His own work in the way that pleaseth him."

There is even a most remarkable reference from the revival in Camberslang, Scotland, around this time to roaring, where the wife of a Carter in Rutherglen, following family prayers, "was made to roar out twice in a hideous and terrible manner ... not like a human voice."

David Brainerd saw a revival among American Indians beginning in 1745. He writes, "The power of God seemed to descend upon the assembly 'like a rushing mighty wind' and with an astonishing energy that bore down all before it."

John Bunyan, the seventeenth century divine and author of Pilgrim's Progress, while reading Hebrews 2:14,15 "thought that the glory of these words was then so weighty on me, that I was both once and twice ready to swoon ... yet not with grief and trouble, but with solid joy and peace."

Responses to the Phenomena

There have been numerous explanations of the phenomena. Mass hysteria or hypnosis have been suggested by many lay people. Alan Morrison, a Baptist minister in Derbeyshire, linked the phenomena with mesmerism. This, however, reveals a simplistic view of such phenomena. Mass hysteria is an illness associated with negative symptoms. Hypnotism cannot explain the phenomena, particularly when the 'hypnotist' (church leader) is already on the floor himself!

Suggestion and peer pressure are other factors that have been used to explain what is happening. In meetings where the phenomena are all of one type, or individuals are prayed with for prolonged periods, the pressure to conform must be strong. Some individuals may also learn "appropriate" responses to certain stimuli.

Baldwin, a consultant psychiatrist, wrote a critique of John Wimber's meetings for the CMF, describing similar phenomena on a smaller scale. He felt that much could be explained in terms of CNS excitation due to excessive sensory input and primed by suggestion. The release of certain behaviors such as laughing, etc. could result, and "in the extreme instance, momentary deregulation of the brain stem occurs, resulting in complete physical collapse." Baldwin is quick to point out that this does not rule out the Spirit's activity in producing these phenomena, but merely allows the influence of other factors. He points out the danger of exaggerating the differences between the natural and the supernatural. It would certainly seem to be the case that previous experience, unwitting suggestion by the leader of a meeting, and the phenomena experienced by others can all have an influence on how a person responds to a sudden experience of God.

The presence of bizarre phenomena, even if we suppose them to be supernatural in origin, does not guarantee that the Spirit is at work. The prophets of Egypt were able to reproduce most of the signs that Moses produced. (Exodus 7, 8). Jesus warns that false prophets will appear and produce signs (Mark 13:22), and warns that even miraculous powers exercised in his name are no guarantee that a person will be saved. (Matthew 7:22)

There are some who find the whole thing somewhat disturbing. Citing the Scripture, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40, AV), the rampant display of powerful emotions and peculiar actions is seen as inappropriate. There is a tendency among evangelicals to downplay experience altogether. Faith is made to be mere intellectual assent, and if there are no feelings or experiences, that really doesn't matter. This is simply not biblical.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the famous preacher (who was also medically trained) said that the trouble with many Christians today is that they

"talk much about the truth but very often they have never felt its power ... They have never been mastered by it ... The essence of the Christian position is experience—experience of God! It is not a mere intellectual awareness or apprehension of truth ... It is inconceivable that a man should really perceive the truth of this Gospel and feel nothing ... It is impossible that this amazing message that tells us that God, before time, planned this scheme of salvation, that the Son came in the fullness of time, humbled himself, divested himself of the signs of his glory, should leave us unmoved."

It would seem that if we become profoundly moved, the depths of our emotions may naturally find expression in at least some of these phenomena. As the American, Jonathan Edwards (who saw revival in the 1700's characterized by many of these phenomena) put it:

"It is easily accounted ... how a right influence, a true and proper sense of things should have such affects on the body, even those which are of the most extraordinary kind, such as taking away bodily strength, or throwing the body into great agonies, and extorting loud cries."

Of course, the mere force of emotion does not indicate the reality of a person's experience of Christ; we must look elsewhere for that.

The scriptures mention many of the phenomena seen today. The accusation of "drunkenness" (Acts 2:13-16) made to the Apostles is interesting. Scripture does not say what it was that led to the accusation. It is unlikely that people speaking in languages they did not know would be sufficient in itself to produce these accusations. As the disciples were suddenly filled with the Spirit and boldness, it seems that they knew the same intoxication with joy seen today. The current move has been identified by many as "a time of refreshing." (Acts 3:19) Certainly many today are feeling empowered for Christian service. The flourishing of new life in the desert seen in Isaiah 35, and the typological interpretation of Ezekial 37, with the river representing the Spirit of God which we are called to enter fully into rather than only ankle deep, have been widely quoted.

Laughter is the result of God restoring his people in Psalm 126:2, and is also described positively in Abraham (Genesis 17:17). In this reference, Abraham also fell to the ground. Falling to the ground in the presence of God is frequently described in the Bible. The following are examples: Joshua (Josuha 5:14), the parents of Samson (Judges 13:20), Jehosophat and all the people of Judah (2 Chronicles 20:18), Daniel (Daniel 10:9), Jesus' disciples (Matthew 17:6), Jesus (Mark 14:35), the guards arresting Jesus (John 18:6), the Apostle Paul on his conversion (Acts 9:4), and John (Revelation 1:17). Admittedly most of these fell forwards and most of today's cases fall backwards, but in not every case is the direction described. Something similar may be meant by the references to trances (Acts 10:10, Acts 11:5, Acts 22:17). Saul also is described as lying all day and all night prophesying. (1 Samuel 19:24)

This "falling over" has often been referred to as being slain in the Spirit. Many do not like this terminology as the phrase is more in keeping with the experience of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:5-11) than the experiences of many currently reporting this phenomena.

There are also many examples (e.g. Exodus 19) of trembling before the Lord, although these examples are usually accompanied with fear, which does not always seem to be the case today.

If we are to believe in a God who never changes, we have to accept that God could do the same today. The question is—Is he actually doing the same today?

Testing the Movement

If we are to accept the unavoidable conclusion that, both in the Bible and in Church history, God has acted in similar ways to what we are seeing today, we need discernment in order to determine whether he is indeed doing so.

Jonathan Edwards discussed how to judge if a movement is of God. According to Edwards, we should not be influenced by

1. Bizarre and unusual phenomena
   
2. The interest generated by the phenomena in the world
   
3. The ecstasy and reports of impressions or visions
   
4. The fact that imitation is to some degree responsible for producing the outward effects
   
5. The conduct and teaching of those affected.

It was his opinion that none of these things prove anything.

It was in his study of 1 John 4 that he found the signs to indicate the genuineness of a work of God:

1. An increase in esteem for Jesus as the Son of God
   
2. A greater following of God's ways
   
3. An increased hunger for and understanding of God's Word (thus listening to the Apostles)
   
4. An increased love for God and man.

It is by the fruit of this movement that we will know its genuineness. (Matthew 7:15-20). The result of all of this ought to be a greater desire for holiness and to see souls saved.

What of the current movement? Terry Virgo reports that he has observed several specific results of this movement.

"Prayer meetings are growing in size and number. People have a greater desire to be with the people of God. Bad relationships are being resolved. There is a new desire to witness, and an increase in the participation in meetings. Morale has been lifted greatly, and there is a fresh hunger."

Sandy Millar writes, "People are experiencing a tremendous new love for Jesus Christ, for the Bible as God's Word, and for the things God loves."

At least some of what has been going on seems to be genuine. Thousands of believers have been asking God for his Spirit's influence. To claim that they are all receiving something else flies in the face of Scripture. "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11)

At times there have also been excesses. It is hard to disagree with a charismatic pastor's concern about a few people in Toronto laughing uncontrollably while God's Word was read concerning the death of Christ. A response to this kind of thing, where powerful words from the Bible have seemed to excite a few people further, is to quietly ask the affected to remove themselves or be removed if incapable. We do not have to accept everything we see simply because we conclude that God is at work.

There is a worrying tendency among some to try to appropriate the movement as though it belongs to them, or indeed to attach it to a particular church or place. This article deliberately has not called the phenomena, "The Toronto Blessing," which has become an all-too-frequent name for it. If this is a blessing, it is God who has given it, not Toronto. In fact, the very fact that this "blessing" has not been confined to any particular group in spite of our terrible divisions is perhaps a sign of its genuineness. There are some signs of a growing unity where churches and groups who have separately discovered the same phenomena are having joint meetings, particularly among their leaders.

What Should I Do?

Four broad categories of response can be observed:

1. The Pharisee Response
   After a minimal investigation, possibly largely by hearsay, some vigorously oppose what is going on. As one Baptist pastor who had never attended a meeting pronounced, "This movement is not of God." The extreme denunciation of any movement is out of place without a careful investigation. In the case of the Pharisees, their opposition to this young upstart, Jesus of Nazareth, was largely based on jealousy. To oppose from a distance is dangerous since, unless one throws aside the history of revivals, one has to conclude that these phenomena could be the work of God. How sad to fall into the same trap as those biblical men who opposed every revival in history.
   
   
2. The Gamaliel Approach (Acts 5)
   Leave it alone since, if it is of God, it will continue; otherwise, it will fail. At first sight, Gamaliel's "stand back and see what happens" advice seems good. It is certainly an improvement on the first position. We should not forget, however, that these were the words of an unbeliever. The biblical view of the Church is that, like it or not, we are all part of one another. When a widespread movement is affecting so large a part of the Church, if you feel you have wisdom and maturity, you have a responsibility to investigate. If this is a work of God, don't miss out! If this is a deceptive endeavor, rescue your brothers and sisters!
   
   
3. A Blind Acceptance of Everything
   There are those who become so enraptured by experiences that nothing else matters. There was apparently at least one church which had not had a sermon for nine weeks solid. This is a road fraught with danger. Power is dangerous. Heresy, error, and sin may result. We need to be more responsible than this.
   
   
4. Recognize Carefully the Work of God and Seek His Blessing
   Careful investigation with discernment is called for. We should actively promote this movement if it is of God. It is a fearful thing to oppose God. At the same time, we need to be wise, as excesses can happen. We need to ensure that decency is always maintained. For example, sometimes young women wear clothing that can become revealing as they fall. This needs to be managed to prevent improper exposure. We need to care for those prayed for, and particularly those who feel left out. Any appearance of manipulation ought to be rooted out.

A careful eye needs to be kept on the stricken. A medical emergency could easily be missed. There has already been one case of status epileptics which was, fortunately, discovered amidst a mass of twitching bodies. This is one area where the trained eye of a doctor could be especially useful. The graying face could also easily be missed if surrounded by a carpetful of other prostrate bodies. Let's endeavor to conquer our built-in cynicism and discover whether this is a move of God. There is a great need for the wisdom and steadiness that a doctor provides. Should you be serving your brothers and sisters in this way?

If you choose to attend a meeting, it's important not to merely go as a spectator. Nor should you go with a strong desire to be struck by a particular experience. You may well merely witness a bizarre, possibly humorous, spectacle if either attitude is yours. Instead, attend with a desire to experience God for yourself if all this is genuine. Do not seek phenomena, SEEK GOD! We are desperate, needy people who live in a world destitute of any hope, except that which is offered in the gospel. We ought to cry out for the sovereign influence of the Holy Spirit for our renewal—yes—but also for revival where countless people become Christians. We need to see a work that is not confined to church buildings, still less to a time for prayer. There are some who believe that we stand on the threshold of a great revival. Lloyd-Jones, who died in 1981, believed he was doing a preparatory work for a great revival by helping to renew a foundation of biblical teaching. Let's hope this movement is indeed a small shaking, leading up to a great earthquake of God's moving to awaken his Church and add many, many people to his bride.

If that is so, the current phenomena could very well be a part of God testing us to see whether we are faithful in the small things so he can entrust us with the big things. Let's not veer away from our biblical roots, nor despise the work of God. In view of the dangers of both excesses and blanket rejection, the correct approach to the movement is surely found in one of Paul's letters:

"Do not quench the Spirit ... but test everything; hold fast to what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:19,21, NRSV)

This has been a great week so far. Despite having to travel when I wasnt expecting to and some logistical issues that arrose as a result, I have felt closer to God. I have felt a strength growing within me, a greater desire to know God more and my desire for holiness has been increasing. I have felt good, really good. So much so that I was starting to ask myself why. Then tonight when I felt the blessing of God as I spoke about Why did Jesus Die at Alpha, even doing that felt somehow different. We were thrilled to have someone make a committment to Christ afterwards. What could be going on I thought again?

Then, I suddenly remembered, I asked you guys to pray for me earlier in the week and several of you have said you would. Guess what people- prayer works. If we really remembered that I think we would pray a lot more than we do. Your prayers made a difference to me this week. Thank you all so much for your praying for me, and an extra special thanks to my friend at Blogotional who so kindly said "I am praying for Adrian Warnock just because I like his blog so much." I like his blog a great deal too!

I know it sounds selfish but please dont stop! I have felt carried along this week, and I want to feel that more and more. I need more annointing and grace just to live the life I live- on my own I simply do not have the strength. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME!

Hat tip to A New Kind of Christian

"MONEY

The Brits have peculiar words for many things. Money is
referred to as 'goolies' in slang, so you should for instance say 'I'd love to
come to the pub but I haven't got any goolies.' 'Quid' is the modern word for
what was once called a 'shilling' - the equivalent of seventeen cents
American.

MAKING FRIENDS

If you are fond of someone, you
should tell him he is a 'great tosser' - he will be touched. The English are a
notoriously tactile, demonstrative people, and if you want to fit in you should
hold hands with your acquaintances and tossers when you walk down the
street.

FOOD AND WINE

British cuisine enjoys a well deserved
reputation as the most sublime gastronomic pleasure available to man. Thanks to
today's robust dollar, the American traveller can easily afford to dine out
several times a week (rest assured that a British meal is worth interrupting
your afternoon walk for). Few foreigners are aware that there are several grades
of meat in the UK. The best cuts of meat, like the best bottles of gin, bear Her
Majesty's seal, called the British Stamp of Excellence (BSE). When you go to a
fine restaurant, tell your waiter you want BSE beef and won't settle for
anything less. If he balks at your request, custom dictates that you jerk your
head imperiously back and forth while rolling your eyes to show him who is
boss.

Once the waiter realises you are a person of discriminating taste,
he may offer to let you peruse the restaurant's list of exquisite British wines.
If he does not, you should order one anyway. The best wine grapes grow on the
steep, chalky hillsides of Yorkshire and East Anglia - try an Ely '84 or Ripon
'88 for a rare treat indeed.

When the bill for your meal comes it will
show a suggested amount. Pay whatever you think is fair, unless you plan to dine
there again, in which case you should simply walk out; the restaurant host will
understand that he should run a tab for
you.

TRANSPORTATION

Public taxis are subsidised by the Her
Majesty's Government. A taxi ride in London costs two pounds, no matter how far
you travel. If a taxi driver tries to overcharge you, you should yell 'I think
not, you charlatan!', then grab the nearest policeman (bobby) and have the
driver disciplined.

It is rarely necessary to take a taxi, though, since
bus drivers are required to make detours at patrons' requests. Just board any
bus, pay your fare of thruppence (the heavy gold-coloured coins are 'pence'),
and state your destination clearly to the driver, e.g.: 'Please take me to the
British Library.' A driver will frequently try to have a bit of harmless fun by
pretending he doesn't go to your requested destination. Ignore him, as he is
only teasing the American tourist (little does he know you're not so
ignorant!).

For those travelling on a shoestring budget, the London Tube
may be the most economical way to get about, especially if you are a
woman.

Chivalry is alive and well in Britain, and ladies still travel for
free on the Tube. Simply take some tokens from the baskets at the base of the
escalators or on the platforms; you will find one near any of the
state-sponsored Tube musicians.

Once on the platform, though, beware!
Approaching trains sometimes disturb the large Gappe bats that roost in the
tunnels. The Gappes were smuggled into London in the early 19th century by
French saboteurs and have proved impossible to exterminate. The announcement
'Mind the Gappe!' is a signal that you should grab your hair and look towards
the ceiling. Very few people have ever been killed by Gappes, though, and they
are considered only a minor drawback to an otherwise excellent means of
transportation.

AIRPORTS

One final note: for preferential
treatment when you arrive at Heathrow airport, announce that you are a member of
Shin Fane (an international Jewish peace organization-the 'shin' stands for
'shalom'). As savvy travellers know, this little white lie will assure you
priority treatment as you make your way through customs.

Safe travels
and Bon Voyage!

After being in three different European countries in two days its great t be able to blog from the comfort of my hotel room. I was lucky enough to be delayed at Heathrow the other day so that in fact from my waiting lounge window I got a perfect view of the last three commercial landings of concorde. This made me think of several things. 1stly life is about being in the right place at the right time and mostly that is about luck. 2nd despite the first point those who suceed in life are those who make the best of what luck throws their way. 3rdly mans acheivements can sometimes offer false dawns- There are certainly times when I wish the age of supersonic travel hadnt just come to an end. 5thly to have lived through an entire age of transport, seen its birth trumpeted and its death makes me feel very old!

A few weeks ago I asked, work-curse or call? I can honestly say that whilst it is hard work and involves a significant amount of travel I am truly enjoying it. Some of the people I work with are a real joy, and I feel like for now I have really found the place I fit. If you are thinking of making a move towards a job for which you are truly suited, go for it- I recommend it.

I preached on work this sunday and among onther things asked-

o Do you seek to better yourself in your career so you stand out as someone people aspire to be like?
o Are you a settler who makes the most of his lot or a pioneer visionary who presses on in all aspects of life?
o Are you lazy and half hearted or proactive and passionate?
o Do you do the minimum possible to avoid being sacked or go the extra mile?

Do you endure or enjoy your work?
o Is your work a prison or a place of destiny?
o Are you longing for the beach or living for God with all your might?
o Are you a workaholic or do you know when to stop?

Do pop over to my churches site and read a bit more from my notes entitled Dare to Be a Daniel

My poor wife had to cope with me being in the USA shortly after I started my new job. I am sure she would have agreed with a woman who was quoted in the telegraph as sayinghaving his comatose body home two days ahead of his mind drives me nuts.

This was certainly true of me after that trip! In fact I slept for ages on my return and twice thought I was in my hotel room on waking up. One of these times I was convinced I had another woman lying next to me in bed. I couldnt understand it as that really isnt my style! It took me almost five minutes to realise I was in my own bed with my own wife next to me!

Since travel is part of the job, what can a spouse do to lessen the stress?
Rita Yee, of ExpatCoach.com, recommends that partners talk beforehand about the impact business travel may have on the family and the relationship. "Get it all out and be heard," advises Ms Yee. "As much as possible, be clear about when the trips are coming and how long they will be since no one likes last minute surprises. The spouse who stays home has to prepare for the trip too. Talking about the travel, rather than ignoring it, will help couples come up with a healthy coping strategy for both pre-departure and during his time away."
Ms Yee also offers the following helpful tips to spouses:
Do make sure you're prepared to handle whatever might come up while he's away. Know who to call if a pipe bursts. Let friends and neighbours know you're home alone.
Don't play Superwoman. If you need extra help with the children while he's away, reach out and ask. Martyrdom will get you nowhere.
Don't brood while he's away. Be so engaged in creating a life you love that you don't have time to wallow in resentment.