Posts Tagged ‘Faith Mission’
A Prayer from the Heart
At the opening of Edinburgh Convention 2005, our General Director, JOHN TOWNEND, prayed for the convention, for the nation and for us all as individuals. As the meeting was recorded, we are able to print an extract here. This is so that all our readers may have the opportunity to join those of us who identified with John’s words that night, and that together, we may continue to pray for God’s blessing on The Faith Mission, our own lives and on our needy nation. – Ed.
Thank You, Father, that we don’t come before You because of who we are or what we’ve done, but because of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You that He was willing to take in His own body our sin and nail it to that awful cross at Calvary. Thank You that ‘there is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus’. Lord, we are a privileged people. You did not discard us, but You loved us and have visited us with Your grace and mercy.
Father, we surrender this convention into Your hands. Thank You it is not the Faith Mission’s convention but it is Yours. It is convened because You have a work to do during these days. We pray that we would take our hands off and that You may come in Your fullness and in the freedom of Your Holy Spirit to minister to the needs that You want to touch during these days. But, Lord, most of all, come to glorify Your Name; to bring honour to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord, thank You that You are a great God. Nothing is impossible with You and as we think of the need in our nation, we thank You that You also see individuals here, who are crying out for You to minister to some particular need in their heart and life. Thank You Lord that You care for us as individuals as well as communities of Your people. Lord, meet with us and have Your way.■
The 2011 Edinburgh Convention is planned for Tuesday 28 June-Sunday 3 July 2011.
For further information contact
The Convention Secretary
548 Gilmerton Road
Edinburgh EH17 7JD
Tel: 0131 672 2149
This article was published by The Faith Mission, Edinburgh, in FIRST! magazine November/December 2005Campbellville Camp centre
THE SPICE OF LIFE!
Report on the Campbellville , Ontario centre by JOHN BENNETT, General Director of the Faith Mission (in Canada)
If “variety is the spice of life” then for us there is never a day without plenty of spice! Let us share some of what goes on in the Campbellville Centre.
Youth Leadership Training – Every year, during the March break, we hold an intensive youth leadership course, bringing together key youth from different churches for Bible study and challenge. Many participants in this course are now in leadership in their home church, school or college. Some are in fulltime Christian service, while others are in Bible College.
Summer ministry program – During the last week in June students joined Faith Mission staff for days of prayer and instruction. Then they scattered all over Ontario and into Quebec to teach at camps and conduct Vacation Bible Schools. Thousands of kids and youth were reached and some professed faith in Christ in the seventy or so weeks of summer evangelism.
One lady, who was thrilled that her three grandchildren were second generation Faith Mission participants, wrote:
“My daughter and son ( their parents), along with our other three children, all attended Faith Mission VBS at Wasaga Beach in the ‘60s and ‘70s . We became close friends with the Faith Mission family and they were a great help to us, as we were going through some very deep waters at that time. Our eldest daughter, Caro, had died , aged nine. She had attended the VBS the summer before she died and had given her heart to the Lord. Each of our children grew in the Lord through those years and our middle son, Ken, is now a pastor. I would like to thank the young men who came and ministered God’s Word to the kids at the VBS in our church, Uxbridge Baptist.”
Summer camps – The first year it was for one week; this year we had five weeks and still we had to refuse some junior campers because of lack of space. Some counsellors were thrilled at pointing their first child to Christ. First time campers spread the news that it was the best week of their lives. It was a partcular joy to have some former campers now in leadership.
Sno’ camps – These are always a pack out! We need more weeks than the two we hold in January and February, but time and free weekends on the calendar are in short supply!
Men’s retreat – This annual event at the end of February unites men in fellowship, study of the Word and prayer. Many testify how much these weekends mean to them in a busy lifestyle.
Ladies’ Spiritual Enrichment Retreat – This May event is another ‘pack out’. During this year’s retreat, tears of repentance were shed, and many ladies shared how God had met afresh with them. This comment sum sit up: “Every retreat has been wonderful, but this year was extra special. The Bible messages, as well as the singing and testimonies were all so encouraging. I was really challenged. There was a homey atmosphere, making it like a big family gathering, feasting and fellowshipping around the tables. I just want to thank you and all the workers, who catered to our every need and served us so graciously.”
Family Christmas in the Country – Four years ago we held our first one. It is a Christmas dinner for people living in our neighbourhood. We plan a program
with a clear presentation of the Gospel. God has so blessed these occasions that now we have three throughout the Christmas season.
Church retreats – the centre is used not only by the Faith Mission, but is in constant demand by churches and other mission groups for youth and adult retreats.
Volunteer help – For four days in January and May, and sometimes in the fall, volunteers come to help on some special project. Through the year, three men are never far away - David Scott, Jack Bell and Bruce Davidson. To these, and Brenda Thiessen, who often steps into the challenge of the kitchen, Isabel and I express our sincere gratitude. Without you and a host of others who have helped the ministry practically, financially and prayerfully this Centre could not and would not be impacting the thousands of lives it does each year.
…………………………………………………………….
EDITOR’S UPDATE – November 2010
John is the Director of the Faith Mission (in Canada). He and his wife Isabel head up the work from Campbellville, which is the location of the conference centre.
You may be interested to know that since this article was first published, a further Camp Centre has been established in Falkland, BC.
Though this article was first published some years ago, it gives a flavour of the busy programmes which are still run by the Faith Mission in Canada. They always have a full and busy calendar.
Children point the way
By David Ohin
We had a very encouraging time with the children in B_______. They were not only well behaved, but enjoyed the club very much, taking in the Bible stories too.
We are delighted that ten children have trusted the Lord by God’s grace. They are not too small to understand what it’s all about, because the gospel is for everybody. We were thrilled to see the kids’ shining eyes and joyful hearts after they committed their lives to the Lord Jesus.
One boy, who is only seven years old, went home and said to his Mum, who isn’t a Christian: “Mum, I hope you don’t mind, but I have asked Jesus into my heart.”
She answered thoughtfully: “Hmm, have you?”
He continued: “Now I have only one wish, could you buy me a Bible please?” In the same afternoon his mum sent Grandma to buy a Bible with her son.
Another boy went home saying to his dad, who is a non-Christian: “Dad, I have asked Jesus into my heart and He has cleaned up all my sins and you need a clean heart too. You know all the lies you told.”
Father: “When did I lie?”
The boy mentioned two situations.
Father: “Well, they were only small lies.”
Boy: “It doesn’t matter, and what about all the other sins you have done? You need a clean heart! Jesus can forgive you too and make you clean.”
Pray for the children of our land – that they may receive Christ and that the hearts of their parents might be prepared to receive their witness. ■
David and his wife Donna live with their two sons in Derbyshire, where theycontinue to work with The Faith Mission and have a longing to reach the lost of all age groups.
This article was first published by The Faith Mission, Edinburgh, in Life Indeed January/February 2004
Lewis revival first-hand reports
Sounds from Heaven is a book by the late Colin and Mary Peckham. It sets the 1949-52 Lewis revival in the context of history and the island culture.
The book includes previously unpublished weekly reports from Duncan Campbell to the Faith Mission Headquarters, and vivid testimonies from those who lived through the revival and were forever changed by it.
It is very apt that we should be reminded that the same God who worked in Wales in the nineteenth century, and in Lewis in the twentieth, is still able to break through in power today! Here is a brief selection of extracts from Sounds from Heaven to build our faith and stimulate our longing for revival in our generation. - Editor
From Duncan Campbell’s reports
25th January 1950
This has been another week of ‘God’s right hand’. Meetings have been larger than ever; hundreds have been crowded in, and many turned away.
I am now at it night and day, and just getting sleep when I can. The largest meetings are now in the parish of Ness. This is part of Lewis that is thickly populated and, praise God, it is gripped by revival. Among the men who sought God last night there were two pipers who were to be playing at a dance in Carloway that night. At the beginning of this week, buses came to collect people for a concert in the town; they had to return empty for not one person went.
1 February 1950
In my last report I mentioned two pipers being saved, who were to have been at a concert and dance that night. A minister from the district where the dance was held, and who was in the meeting, felt led of God to go home and visit the dance and tell what had happened. He did so, arriving there at 3 o’clock in the morning.
After some opposition from the leader he was allowed in; he there and then gave out Psalm 50, the last three verses. God’s Spirit fell upon the gathering and in less than ten minutes men and women were crying for mercy. The first to be saved was the leader of the concert party. This is just another incident of the many wonderful things happening here just now.
The canopy of His presence
It was a revival; I have no doubt about that. It was God working in our midst. Numbers came to the Lord at that time. Wherever you went, you could not get away from the presence of God.
This is the one thing that I will ever take with me, the abiding memory of that time – the presence of God. You were in God’s presence wherever you went. It was just like a canopy over the whole island.
Sometimes that presence and power of God was almost overpowering. I remember being on the island of Berneray, Harris, for communion services before Mr. Campbell went there. The Spirit of God was working in an unusually powerful manner.
In some of those meetings, if you wanted to say anything about the Lord, you would have to sit down, or you would fall. If you started to sing, you would have to sit, or you would fall. The singing was so powerful! No-one came to the Lord then, but God prepared the hearts of the people so that when Mr. Campbell arrived they were all ready to receive the Word of God. Even before he came – and he was undoubtedly God’s instrument on Berneray – it was just like heaven on earth. People were open, convicted, ready to receive and ripe to be plucked. God went before and prepared the ground. - Rev Kenneth MacDonald
Singing
It seemed that everybody went to church. They could not stay away. It was a wonderful time! Whatever we were doing and wherever we were, we were conscious of the presence of God. We had no desire to go to sleep. Even though we had so little sleep we were not tired.
I recall one night when a few of our friends came to our house and on their leaving we accompanied them to the main road. Such was the bond between us that we did not want to part with them. We were not dressed for the weather and on our return my mother said, ‘My goodness- you are soaking wet!’ But we were not even aware of the rain!
In the small hours of the morning, on returning from a meeting, we stood on
the street, loathe to part company, and we would sing and sing and sing! (This is how they got their name -The Shader Singers.)
We recalled a visit by Mr. Reid and Mr. Bell of the Faith Mission some years before. They were staying in a home next door to us and they taught us hymns from Songs of Victory, the Faith Mission Song Book. That is how we were able to sing English Hymns. [Ed: The people usually sang psalms in Gaelic]
Who will ever forget the strains of singing, as young voices joined in, spontaneously giving expression to their new-found faith? – Agnes Morrison
Sounds from Heaven is priced £7.99 from the Faith Mission Bookshops online.
You can also visit a website dedicated to the work of Dr and Mrs Peckham at www.revivals.org.
Posted in Revival | 
Tags: Duncan Campbell, Faith Mission, Lewis, Peckham, power of God, revival, testimony | 
No Comments »
