17th November 2023. In Acts 16 we read of Paul and Silas making a sudden change of direction when, having had their intended visits to Asia and then Bithynia blocked by no less than the Holy Spirit of Jesus, they then received a new directive which was delivered in a dream in which a Macedonian man pleaded with them to “come over to Macedonia and help us”. In this event of clear divine guidance, there was a negative factor (the Spirit blocking their progress towards their intended destination) and a positive factor (a new directive received by means of a dream).
Less than two weeks ago Ingria and I were on course to become members of Oxford Community Church, which we had settled on after twelve months of seeking God’s guidance to find the church which could become our new spiritual home and a launching-place for the Healing and Prophetic Ministry to which God had called us in 2018. The church was truly alive: the worship was beautiful, the preaching was inspirational and meaty, the moving of the Holy Spirit to bring upbuilding words through members and ministers was refreshing, and the offer of prayer-ministry was a source of ongoing blessing and direction. All that was needed to become members , having attended three ‘Discover’ sessions and a lunch interview with a leader, was to have a final interview with one of the ministers. But could we find a mutually suitable date, given the minister’s busy schedule and Ingria’s working hours? I finally suggested one, but silence ensued for at least two weeks. Were we being blocked, like the two apostles?
On November 5th, OCC were holding their ‘Salt and Light Advance’ service, to which members of the various Community Churches in the area were invited to attend. Knowing that we would probably have difficutly parking, and the Sunday Bus service being what it is, we decided to give it a miss, and instead headed for one of the churches we had once visited on our Oxford quest. It had not struck us that it might be the church for us, but the pastor had welcomed us and shown a real interest in the Healing Ministry. We had subsequently failed to find a time to explore further over coffee. He was delighted to see us again, and now we have a coffee-date in the diary. But another person was in the congregation that morning, a Burmese lady I had met, with her husband, a few months previously at the Healing Couse run by Dominion Life. Hearing that I was a Baptist Minister, she (also with Baptist connections) had invited me to visit her afternoon service of the Burmese Church meeting in John Bunyan Baptist Church in Cowley. So I attended and was invited to share testimony, but heard no more for several months.
On this particular Sunday she had been prompted by the Spirit to attend the host church’s morning service because God had a purpose for her. It became apparent to her that it was to meet Ingria and me. She invited us for coffee and we were joined by her husband. They were very welcoming and seemed to believe that the Lord had sent us to help them with their congregation. At their invitation we stayed in Oxford to attend their 3pm service, where both of us were welcomed and encouraged to participate. I was invited to preach at their service in two weeks’ time when they would be going abroad. But before that they would be holding their church’s 12th Anniversary service (this was last Sunday, at the time of my writing this). We would be made most welcome again, and we would meet their guest preacher, a Canadian named Scott Dalton. At the mention of this name, Ingria and I were amazed because we had met this preacher in January when we had attended, while on our travels, another Oxford church at its evening meeting. There, I had shared our recent testimony, and after preaching, Scott prayed with several of us, but, specifically to us, he had prophesied that we would have a Healing Ministry team. So, with great joy, I was able to meet up with him again, and, over a Burmese Anniversary meal he gave me a lot of helpful advice. Unfortunately Ingria had to be in London that day, but we had more prayers led by Scott before that service was over. We are likely to be able to join the online prayer meetings that Scott holds with the Burmese pastors Gin & Man. And I have been invited to preach again when they are away after Christmas.
So, after being blocked on the journey we had set out on, we have received this new direction – our ‘Macedonia Call’ to help the Burmese Church in Oxford. And, as for OCC, being the spiritually ‘switched-on’ church that they are, have recognized this and the minister who was due to meet us has shared warm feelings with us. The same is true of Neil Townsend, the first leader outside of my former church to hear my story and encouraged me to share in ministry. I am nearly 78, and life has never been more exciting!
Healing in Jesus' Name 