Spiritual Survival in the 80s No 5 — George Verwer

I think the last time I was here was the valedictory meeting of Mike, and it was just about a year ago that I stopped in to see him on my way to visit the Soviet Union. I had about 45 minutes at the home in Hamburg.

And I know that they certainly appreciate your continuous prayer support of that strategic ministry they have among Turks. I think when people think about Operation Mobilization, they don't generally think about Christian camps.

Christian Camps as Missionary Training Grounds

But in fact, in our own ministry, we have seen how God uses Christian camps. In Jordan, it's one of our main ministries. In Turkey, it is also one of our main ministries. In other parts of the world, we haven't been involved in it so much because there are many groups, better to say some groups, who specialize in the Christian camp ministry.

I remember way back when I was first converted to Christ, hearing about a camp near, not so far from New York City, that was founded by a man named Jack Wordston. And the year that I was converted, the founder of the Navigators, a man named Dawson Trotman, drowned in that camp.

A story that Christians in North America will never forget. But it was before I was a Christian that one summer, I received a Gospel of John from a friend, and he was working in this Christian camp. I found out later it was actually his mother who sent the Gospel, even though the name had Word of Life camp, Scroon Lake.

And that was the lady, some of you know my testimony, who really prayed me into the kingdom. She had prayed for me for three years. She had been praying for the secondary school that I attended for about 15 years.

That people would be saved and sent. To make a long story short, all through my Christian life, I've always been convinced that camp, summer camping, is one of the programs that God is really using to build people up spiritually.

Many of the people who end up longer term on Operation Mobilization as missionaries are young people who have started their spiritual experience in a summer camp somewhere. Even in my own Christian life, shortly after my conversion, I went off to a church camp.

And I can't remember much about that camp, except God was speaking to me in a strong way. But I remember especially this candlelight service we had at the end of camp. And the message from the Word, I don't think it was even that strong a message.

And somehow it was at that camp that God further confirmed that He wanted me to be a missionary overseas. Even though that wasn't the emphasis of that particular camp. And it's exciting, it's been exciting for me to follow the ministry of Word of Life as they have established camps all over the world.

And thousands, thousands and thousands have come to Christ through those camps. And I just praise God for what I've learned this weekend myself about your own camp ministry that's based here and yet takes place there in Wales.

And I think God has given you a very important vision and a very important ministry. And I have just three or four burdens about that. Number one, I hope you really will commit yourself to pray. It's not an easy ministry.

Prayer, Promotion, and Participation in Camp Ministry

And we looked this weekend over some of the ways, this wasn't our main message but we touched on it in passing, some of the ways that Satan may try to attack this camp ministry, even this summer. And how to stand against those fiery darts.

Using the shield of faith outlined in Ephesians chapter 6. And any ministry like this, more than anything else, it needs people who really will pray. Even taking the names of campers or taking the names of staff members and praying specifically for them.

There's often a lot of hard work involved and a lot of people. And we need to really pray. Number two, of course, we need to be involved in promoting the camp. Now I understand probably there are young people that want to go at least some weeks then they can handle.

Don't presume that last year's success will be next year's success. But realize that it's important to keep spreading the word and challenging people to get involved. I'm sure that those who are involved in the staff will probably get as much from these camps, especially if we include this training weekend, as those who come and take part in the camp.

You know how we grow in our Christian life? When we start passing on that which God has given us. The biggest reason a lot of people are stale in their Christian life is they're dead sea Christians. There's an inlet but no outlet.

And so things grow stale. The Sea of Galilee is not like that. Good fishing in the Sea of Galilee. Water comes in, water goes out. And I know that as we went out into the streets and into the beaches giving out, that enabled us to receive more.

And as young people commit themselves to go and work in this camp and serve and help, even behind the scenes, we're so wonderfully served by that dynamic kitchen force. They are going to be blessed. They are going to be blessed because of that.

Prayer, participation, encouraging others. And then thirdly, to realize that camp is only the beginning. The bigger task always lies with the local church. And for young people to go to camp and hear about dynamic Christianity, how God answers prayer, how the church is growing, to experience dynamic worship, to see people coming to Christ, to move out in evangelism, and then come back to a semi-sleepy assembly that is still functioning in the 19th century mentality, can indeed be very, very depressing.

Camp Ministry and the Renewal of the Local Church

Now, of course, you don't have any of that kind of assembly in Merseyside. But I can assure you, in other parts of the world, it's often that way. That which a young person receives in camp seems to be isolated from that which is there in the local church.

And then the enemy comes in with some fiery darts and tries to bring disunity. Maybe something unwise is said. How can you ever have a young person without something unwise not being said? It's impossible.

I just had my first son, 23, married just about eight days ago. And as I've watched him grow up, it's been a great lesson to me. I only have two to go. You know, I'd rather see a young person open his mouth and say something unwise than through fear and intimidation, never say anything, and become one more half-baked, shriveled-up, sleepy, evangelical fish.

May God deliver us. May God have mercy on us. And so, let's not worry if, as a result of this dynamic camp ministry, there's a few ripples in the lake, or there's a few problems, or a few disagreements, because that's probably a sign of health, and a sign of growth, and as long as there's dialogue, and there's love, and there's the basis of the Word of God, we can always come through the problems.

Praise God for the way He can use this Christian ministry, not in an isolated way, but as a vital part of the work of the Church. And I see this as something that can help bring constant, fresh, and new life into our local assemblies and churches, so that more lives can be touched.

And I'm convinced that if things continue to move the way I believe the Holy Spirit wants to move, then you're going to have to find another camp, maybe somewhere else. Lake District's nice. And you'll have more people wanting to get involved in this ministry, and get involved in this program, then you'll know what to do with it.

Of course, we know there are many other places young people can get involved in the summer, and this is only one of many great programs that God has. But it's an important program, and for those of you who have prayed for it, and supported it, and worked hard over the years, and had the vision for that in the first place, then I think you can be greatly encouraged.

God has definitely used you. This is no small thing. And even if it is, learn from the Word of God, never to despise a small thing. I appreciate being involved this past week. I want to commit myself today for this ministry, and I believe that it's something that really is bringing glory to God.

The Unity of Local Church, Camp, and World Missions

Now probably a lot of the young people at the camp were a little disappointed that they didn't get a red hot message on world missions. Figured a missionary speaker, leader of Operation Mobilization, surely you were going to be all challenged right out of your seats to go to the ends of the earth.

Well, you know, the Bible says sometimes it's good to keep the new wine to the end. And I feel that tonight God does want me to share about the challenge of world evangelism. And one of the reasons I accepted this opportunity to go to this camp, and if you know anything about those of us who do a lot of preaching, Easter is the preacher's holiday.

There are more opportunities to preach over Easter than you can ever begin. In fact, once I covered four countries over Easter, trying to meet all the invitations during one Easter. Last year I was in Finland, and then the Soviet Union over Easter.

But the Lord wants me to be with you. The reason is I never see these things as separate. The local church, camp ministry, Operation Mobilization. I see it as one. Because I see it, I believe the way the Bible puts it.

There's one body, one church, one baptism, one Lord. And there's clearly different ministries, different gifts, but one great goal. To glorify and honor Him. To become more Christ-like, growing in grace and a knowledge of Him.

And to make Him known, to carry the gospel out to the ends of the earth. You know, among those 800 campers this summer, will be the missionaries of the next decade. And I think it all fits into one great program.

The Great Commission and the Fullness of the Holy Spirit

Let's look at some scriptures together, because we want a biblical basis for all that we do and all that we say. My doctor and I have had throat difficulty, operated on once, vocal cords. My doctor and my wife tell me I'm supposed to take only two meetings a day.

Yesterday there were five. I mentioned this to my wife on the phone, and I'll be facing her tomorrow. But today's been a good day. Today there's only been two meetings and I have some voice left. Acts 1 .8 But ye shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.

Do you know what happened this morning in the camp? Some people got filled with the Holy Spirit. Does that scare you? I'm sure it shouldn't scare us, because the Bible teaches, especially in Ephesians, I remember hearing Billy Graham preach on it.

Ephesians 5 .18 Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit. It's biblical command. You know, sometimes those of us who are among the assemblies, we think, oh, well, to emphasize this too much, this is the group down the road, don't you know where you are?

You've heard that George Ferber's sort of an interdenominational speaker, and maybe he's got mixed up, he doesn't know where he is. You can slip me a note. I remember preaching at a Big Brethren conference in Chicago, I got a note.

It says, your time's up, please sit down. I wonder if you've ever studied the writings of a man named J .N. Darby. I've read a lot of his material. You know, he emphasized the need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

So did Muley, so did Chapman, so did Anthony Norris-Groves. Because these men preach the Bible. And you can't preach the Bible without talking about the fullness of the Holy Spirit. I'm reading a book right now about Billy Graham.

It's actually somewhat of a negative book, I don't recommend it. But since he's my spiritual father, I was converted in a Billy Graham meeting from middle-class American bourgeois paganism. There's a lot of positive books about him.

Maybe I should read a good one and get a little balance. Some of the young people at camp know this is my big word. You know, if you could have seen this skit they put on at this camp, then you would know what a sanctified, imaginative crowd of mercy-side-ites that you have.

Because in listening to me only once in one day, they had me. The nose, the way I treat my wife, my relationship with my father, my tree experience. They had a whole thing in a skit. And I couldn't quite figure out what was going on.

Old Steve bet for Mr. Cool. He says, you know, we think you ought to come along to the meeting at 7. I thought, you know, there's no need, I'm preaching at 8 or 8 .30. No need to go so early, you know, I know the brethren like to be punctual.

But I'm along at 7, and there they have this little skit. This is your life. George Orwell. Well, God has been teaching me a lot of holy over the past days. The Lord knows I need it. So balance is a very important word.

And I believe it's something that is greatly needed. Greatly needed. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Look at Acts 4 .31, they were having a great prayer meeting. And it says, And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they spoke the word of God with boldness. I was mentioning how I was reading this book about Billy Graham. And the section I just read is where Billy Graham, down in Pontypridd, in South Wales.

Forgive the pronunciation, I can't pronounce anything correct once I cross the border. I have enough trouble on this side. So, this was his first encounter with this dynamic preacher, Stephen Alford. And the anointing of God was on Stephen Alford in a mighty way in that meeting.

And I think he was speaking about the Holy Spirit. And Billy Graham, that night, he asked the Holy Spirit just to fill him. And the Holy Spirit did. We realized at the training weekend that the fullness of the Holy Spirit is the normal Christian life.

It's not something that just happens to a few sort of extra-spiritual types. You know, sort of these combinations of Superman, E .T., Gandhi and George Muller. But it's an experience, it's a way of life for every Christian.

And we emphasize that God works in different people in different ways. Some people do have somewhat of a crisis. Others, it's a more gradual experience. Some people are more emotional than other people.

But certainly I think it's clear in Scripture that every believer should know, let's use a different terminology, the ongoing reality of the Holy Spirit. You know, sometimes we emphasize the need for our preachers to be anointed with the Holy Spirit.

I often have people write to me or say to me, They were praying that God may anoint you in the ministry of the Word. Especially when I went to speak at the Keswick Convention. A lot of friends, you know, they were really worried about what I do in Keswick.

They were really praying, the Lord's anointing be upon you. We sort of acknowledge that our preachers need the anointing of the Holy Spirit. What about preachers' wives? Well, what do they need? Rubber gloves to do the dishes with hot water and not get burnt?

The Holy Spirit in the Home and in Missionary Service

I tell you, it is my conviction that our wives need the anointing and the fullness of the Spirit in the home more or as much as we need it in the pulpit. And it is my experience in 29 years of serving the Lord Jesus, most of it overseas, from my own country at least.

This is now in the last 22 years become my adopted country. My overseas land really is India and the rest of the world. But I believe that the harder task is often for the wife. I've been on the phone with my wife two or three times a day actually during this trip.

I don't like to spend too much at any one time. And making these phone calls, I usually phone her more than once. It's amazing how much you can get after six o 'clock at night with five pence. You know, even from the backwoods of Wales.

This camp is one of the most unique telephone box in the entire world. Really, we're going there, right? Just a telephone box experience. But you know, I think in many ways it was much harder for my wife this weekend.

Back at home, our older son just married away. Our daughter's got her boyfriend. She's gone most of the time. Our second son is mainly upstairs studying in preparation for his final exams at Southampton University.

And basically all she's got is my daughter's dog. And I think my wife had a hard weekend. We need the fullness of the Holy Spirit in the kitchen as well as in the pulpit. We need it behind the wheel of our automobile as much as we need it when we go out down the beach giving out tracts.

I believe the fullness of the Holy Spirit is a very down-to-earth practical reality. It's not something that will turn you into some kind of Christian weirdo, swinging on the chandeliers with gospel texts written across your forehead.

I believe that the fullness of the Holy Spirit is the normal Christian life. And if you've never known this experience, maybe it's about time. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. You know, this is so important because without the fullness of the Holy Spirit, there'd be no missionary work.

The Holy Spirit Directs the Mission of the Church

Have you been reading the new books published by Echoes of Service about the great work of brethren missionaries? It really is quite exciting. Wherever I go all over the world, I'm often ministering in the assemblies and fellowshipping with these missionaries.

And truly when we study it, it's hard to put it all together. It's one of the great missionary works of all times. It really is. And it goes back, right back to the Book of Acts. Who's the director of world missionary work?

Who's the director of assembly world missionary work? Let's read about it. Acts chapter 13. It's right there. Acts 13. Now there were in the church, that was at Antioch, certain prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon, who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.

They ministered to the Lord and fasted. Or as they ministered to the Lord and fasted. Isn't that beautiful? We often think of ministry to the brethren. I'm going to minister Sunday morning, I'm going to minister to the brethren.

I'm going to give them a word. God's given me a word, I'm going to give them a word. These people ministered to the Lord. I'm sure the brethren listened in. Interesting little concept. I read a book about this once, it really shook me.

It's by a man called de Wurmfranke, called The Ultimate Intention. And it showed how so much of our work is man-centered. We're always thinking what people think, what men think, what women think. And we are not God-centered enough.

What does God think? Even as we consider this camp ministry, as you gather together as a committee, I wonder how many times you say, what does God think of our camp? God evaluates our camp. How does God evaluate this past weekend?

And one of my great burdens is to somehow create greater God consciousness of His people, and greater God-centeredness in all our worship. And it's a dangerous thing, especially at the breaking of bread, if our ministry becomes man-centered rather than God-centered.

And we're thinking, oh, I wonder if they think what I'm saying is really on target. And I wonder what that elder over there is thinking about what I'm saying. And I wonder if they're impressed with this little bit I've got from the Word.

Instead of God, it's possible to be gathered around the Lord's table supposedly remembering the Lord Jesus Christ, and in fact we're mainly thinking about one another. They ministered to the Lord and fasted.

The Holy Spirit said, that's amazing, isn't it? The Holy Spirit said, Separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work under which I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

You know, that's exactly what we did here the last time I was in this very spot. I don't have too many there. Remember this man at the organ. Weren't you in the meeting? He looks familiar. It's good to see a familiar face.

Where's Mr. Buckley? Isn't he here? He's another face. He's still alive, isn't he? Yeah. I mean, you know, these fast-moving saints, they go quick. And in fact, the last time I was up this way was at the funeral of Mrs. Morris, Philip Morris's mother, went to be with the Lord.

The funeral was there in Wrexham just a few weeks ago. They used to live here in this area. Here were five men in that assembly with a vision. Donald MacGovern, the great missiologist, points out that it wasn't necessarily the whole church that had this vision.

That cannot be proven from this scripture. Five men. And the Holy Spirit used those five men. And probably this is true of this camp ministry. Probably it isn't your whole assembly has a vision for these camps.

It's probably some. Don't worry about that. It's quite biblical. You know, if we wait for all the saints ever to unite about anything, we're going to wait a long time. So if you've got a vision and they've got a vision, at least get agreement from the others.

You know, negotiation, a few cups of tea, a little fellowship, and then get on with the vision and on with the task. So the Holy Spirit guided and they commended these men out to the ministry. Verse 4, so they being sent forth by the Holy Spirit.

You know, we examined over this past weekend some of the different forms of pride that come into the union. And I know there's such a thing as missionary pride. And I know sometimes there's such a thing as sending forth the missionary pride.

We're so proud we've sent out. And if anybody tries to accuse us of not being missionary minded, we're quick to defend, quick to explain, Oh, don't you know so-and-so? We sent him out 30 years ago. He's doing a tremendous job.

Personally, I don't think God is impressed with our patting each other. The fact of the matter is, in Scripture, it was the Holy Spirit who sent them out. And God has been able to do anything for the likes of us, then He should get all the glory and all the praise.

Giving God the Glory for Missionary Work

And one of my great guillotines in the work of God, and I speak to my own work, is the danger of us trying to get a little bit of glory. Beware of that in your camp work. Be sure you give all the glory and all the praise to God.

Now, when I had my great lunch, we had tremendous food. I mean, professional catering, these people are really, really put on tremendous. After the meal today, the great company of campers, they expressed their appreciation to me and they gave me a great big clap.

I'm not against that. We call that the human factor. But let's make sure that deep down, deep down, we give all the glory for what happened this morning. And let's not go away from this weekend talking about George Boehmer and the messages he gave, or all this about him or that about him.

That's alright to a tiny degree, the human factor, but let's go away from this weekend giving glory to God. And let's keep that as a basic pattern for all that we do, for all the Lord does this summer, to always give Him the glory and Him the praise.

And you know, when we do this, we're all a lot happier. You know, I find a lot of saints are discouraged because they feel other people don't appreciate their ministry. Have you ever met any of those types?

Do you have any of those saints here in Merseyside? They're suffering from self-pity-itis. They've worked so hard for Jesus, they've been serving cups of tea for several years in the church, or they've been doing this, or they may have been doing that, and maybe they feel people don't really appreciate their ministry.

Now, first of all, we emphasize this weekend, the need to show appreciation, especially to these young Christians as they come into camp. Nothing wrong with that. But ultimately, in all that we do, we want to give God the glory and the praise.

And as we think of the great brethren missionary task, and we think of the great ministry that has taken place through some of these men who've gone forth way back to the days when Anthony Norris Groves launched out to Iraq, one of the most unreached countries, by the way, in all the world today, we just give glory and praise to God.

So, they being sent forth by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the author, the organizer, and the director of real missionary work. That's why it's so basic, if we're interested in missions, to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

It says that when we have this power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, I believe that every believer has the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches if you have the Spirit of Christ, you have not Christ. And we're baptized into the Spirit of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

But it's quite clear that as believers we can grieve the Holy Spirit, and we can get into trouble in our spiritual walk, so that through sin we're not walking in the Spirit, and through disobedience we're not filled with the Holy Spirit.

And therefore I think it is important to examine our hearts, examine our hearts. It says that even about coming to the Lord's table. The Lord spoke to us around the Lord's table on Sunday morning, about the danger of over-familiarity with spiritual terminology.

Over-familiarity with spiritual things. You know, one of the reasons why I was baptized in a brethren assembly in the United States, and had very close linkings with them, one of the reasons I refused, now there was some pressure from certain types of brothers, I refused to only move among those who were called brethren.

They're arguing over big, big or small, at least in the States. Because I found that in other churches, and other groups, and other assemblies, they are more hungry and more responsive to some of these basic principles that Darby, and Groves, and Chapman, and a host of other men taught and preached down through the years.

We have become hardened to these things in our assemblies. We have become over-accustomed to the centrality of Christ, the Lordship of Christ, the message of New Testament church life, and many, many other biblical truths.

It goes like water off a duck's back. And we can go in and out of a breaking of bread on a Sunday morning, like Joe Blow can go into a pub on Saturday night. In fact, he usually gets at least a little more excited than some of us.

Brothers and sisters, we need revival. And if you don't believe that, I would challenge you, whether you know anything about Brethren Roots, and Brethren History, and what this movement of God once stood for, and still does stand for in some places.

We need revival. We need to be filled with the Holy Ghost. We need to take more seriously these biblical principles that we so easily talk about, and make sure the fire is burning on our hearts. The Hebrew says, our God is a consumer.

And if you're in touch with God, if you're with God, in that Sunday morning meeting, there's going to be a fire in your heart. Because Christianity is taught as much as it's taught. Some argue one against the other.

I say both. Both. And we need all the teaching we can possibly get. And these young people, just on this weekend, have probably had about 15 hours of teaching. They weren't there just getting, you know, a little challenge, and nice meals, and a lot of fun.

This was a hard weekend for some of these young people. I don't think they'll get a little rest. I don't know what their employers are going to say when they show up tomorrow morning. Hello, I had a weekend in Wales.

I really had a blessing. So maybe I shouldn't go too long tonight. And you can get home, go to sleep. But the amazing thing is when some of us middle-aged types, like me, you know, we're running out of steam, they're all wanting to go watch videos, you know.

Chariots of Fire, and the Lagos story, and the story of a famous woman, God's tramp. What's her name? Boom. Notice just a few things in this verse. I'm sure you've already studied this verse, so I won't tarry long.

The Four Geographical Zones of Christian Witness

But notice, we are to be witnesses in four geographical zones. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth. This is God's vision. You know, you find sometimes Christians, they say, well, I've got a vision for my own area.

Fine, nothing wrong with that. Then you get some that say, well, no, my vision is for India. You get others, and this is especially strong right now, their vision is for all of England. What's the vision of God?

The only vision you read about in the whole New Testament? It's the whole world. And I think it's fitting that we've finished this time together, many of us have been together for a couple of days, just focusing in on this great vision, the whole world.

You know, I've just come back from Pakistan, and Nepal, and Bangladesh, from Dubai, and Kuwait, some of those countries. You know, they have about one one-hundredth, one one-hundredth, do you know that about mathematics?

One one-hundredth of the witness that we have in Versailles, or in London. I believe if I had time I could prove that. You'll just have to take my word for it, or if you believe I exaggerate, then cut it down to, you know, what if I said even one-tenth?

Now that's, you know, that's ten percent, one-tenth. But that wouldn't be fair. We have whole tribal groups with several million. For instance, the Baluch people, the Baluch people. Four million, no church.

There may be a few little groups beginning. No New Testament in their language. There are now a couple of Gospels being done by a dear friend, working on the Gospels. The Red Sea Mission team has a man among them.

I don't know if the Assemblies have anybody among the Baluch people. I know in Bangladesh, where I've been many times, the Assemblies had one family. That's all we had, from all of our Assemblies, in an area of the world that is especially open to British people, and all that is one family.

Phil Game and his wife, they're now back in England. And maybe one other family that's in a place. I can't. Yes, these countries, which could be classified as the uttermost part of the Earth, mentioned in the last part of this verse, these countries have one one-hundredth of what we have.

Therefore, I believe as we pray for this camp ministry this summer, we should be praying that God is going to touch hearts and send some of these young people, eventually, it takes time, out to some of these countries, where there's still such an open door, where there's such a great need.

Reaching Muslims and Unreached Peoples

Muslims, the priority target field of our own fellowship, which works totally with churches, and as the arms of the church, moving out to the ends of the Earth. The Muslim world represents about one-seventh of all the people in the entire world.

And yet, only two percent, some say one percent, of the missionaries are working among Muslims. Isn't that reason enough, brothers and sisters, to be a little more concerned about these Muslims? To try to find out what they think, especially since there are now thousands of them living in Merseyside?

And to try to increase our efforts in sending out literature to the Muslim world, not just to evangelize, not just to give out literature, that's our work in the Muslim world, but to establish living New Testament fellowship.

We've been trying to do this in some of these Muslim countries like Turkey for many years, and some of you who have been praying for that work, you know how hard it is. But we must not give up, we must not be discouraged.

Yes, we are to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the Earth. This means this camp work is a priority, this means the evangelism going on right now with Mission England here in Merseyside is a priority, and a unique opportunity in history, that is for sure.

Have you ever read how God used D .L. Moody in this country? If you haven't, then probably you haven't read much of missionary or church history. Because you can't study church history in this country without reading about D .L. Moody.

That one American with his poor English, his lack of cultural sensitivity, came to Glasgow, came to different universities, and dozens and dozens of churches and ministries, Bible schools, all trace their roots back to D .L. Moody.

And I believe we again are at a historic moment, as Billy Graham is toward the end of the race in his life, he's no young man anymore, and God's given him good health, and he has come back here. We know Billy Graham is not perfect.

You may not agree with some of his strategy, or this or that. There are some leaflets going around the Merseyside, which I believe paint a false picture, 2 plus 2 equals 32. But I will tell you, I've watched this man for 29 years since my conversion.

His ways are not my ways. I've never officially met him, I'm not officially linked for that work at all. But I believe he is an anointed servant, and I believe this is a historic moment for Merseyside.

Let's not miss it! And we don't see that camp as competition to evangelism in Merseyside, any more than we see reaching the Baluch people and planting churches in Turkey, or Mike Buckley in Hamburg as competition to the camps.

There's one Lord, one church, one body. And all these ministries are necessary. And you know, if some of us, as God's people, got out of the grandstands and into the field of action, it would be no problem maintaining all these ministries, three times as big as they are right now.

You know, when I went over to Wales some time ago, some reminded me that when I went to Wales, I needed to understand that rugby was more important than football. A great Welsh sport, at least they feel it is.

Fifteen people in the field, in desperate need of rest, thousands in the grandstands, in desperate need of exercise. A beautiful picture, sometimes, of the Church of Jesus Christ. Isn't it interesting we don't have enough staff members yet for this summer?