We are so grateful to all who were able to join us on 9th June for the Trumpet Call – either in the ICC, via social media or in your own prayer groups up and down the nation and beyond! Thank you for standing with us for the nation and the nations! We are also so profoundly humbled by all that the Holy Spirit released into and through that gathering of God’s people. Trumpet Call on 9th June saw an acceleration of the turning that He is calling for in order to see a healing in our land.
Turning from and Turning To 2 Chronicles 7:14
The day was framed in worship to Jesus – The Lamb who has conquered - and included deep times of humbling, confession and repentance both after RT Kendall and Malcolm Duncan had spoken. The promise contained in 2 Chronicles 7:14 invites us to continue to come to our heavenly Father on an ongoing basis for ourselves, for the Church and for our nations, in humility and confession in order that we might see a continuation of the turning from our wicked ways. We highlighted certain areas that we have been led to as a WPC team to prompt our turning from and turning to on 9th June. Do use these as a resource.
We have had many encouraging comments. One Church leader reported how it had completely turned around his ministry, another said “awesome is an overused word but it truly was awesome”. We have had very positive feedback on the two key “gospel words” from R.T. Kendall and Malcolm Duncan. We have also been very encouraged by feedback on evangelistic events happening at the same time and the week after and by conversations about prayer and mission whilst recognising that there is a hard road ahead of us.
R.T.Kendall is a great father of the church and theologian. He said of Trumpet call if he were never to preach another sermon in his life this was the one he would want to be remembered for.
He started with a clear declaration from Romans 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” R.T. said that we have lost the focus of the gospel and made it about politics, health, wealth etc. He stressed how important it is to address the issue of death.
The gospel is about salvation. If we die without Jesus we go to hell. We go to heaven not by good works, family connections, or regular church attendance but by surrendering our lives to Jesus. The blood of Jesus opens the way to heaven. His last words on the cross, “It is finished” or in Greek testelestai was found on business documents meaning – “paid in full”. There is no need for hoops and barriers – accepting Jesus brings salvation.
There is an absence of the fear of God in the nation but this reflects the absence of the fear of God in the Church. Jonathan Edwards preached that we hang over hell by a slender thread and people responded in large numbers to his word. We need more preaching on heaven and hell and salvation. Paul is beaten, hungry, shipwrecked and continues because he has a vision of heaven. We need that passion to share the gospel, and the sure faith in our call to heaven to be stirred up afresh.
Malcolm Duncan, freshly installed as Senior Pastor at Dundonald Elim spoke about the need for a reality check in the church. He spoke about Jeremiah’s long ministry and unpopular message. His father Helkiah had been the man who found the books of the law in Josiah’s reign. This led the people of Israel to turn back to God but their turning was not deep or permanent enough.
Jeremiah spoke into the reality of the situation in the nation, he was calling people to move from complacency to repentance. We cannot pretend God is moving everywhere or that there is a widespread openness to the gospel. We cannot describe small moves of God as an awakening. Joel 2 tells the children of Israel that they needed to rend their hearts - a deep and painful response. It is only after this heart rending that God sends His Holy Spirit. We can fall into the trap of exaggerating what God is doing, when in reality the church is starving from a famine of God’s word. In Israel, Josiah built a fresh understanding of God’s word and he purified worship but it did not last. Judah fell away from God and the book of Lamentations is Jeremiah’s heart cry at the brutal devastation of Jerusalem. Jeremiah says “We are dressing the wounds of our people as if they were not serious.” “My people have forsaken me.”
In Jeremiah 6, we are told to walk in the ancient pathways, and give heed to the sound of the trumpet. It is time to repent, to ask for the ancient paths, to listen to God, to love His word, and His presence, and hold tight onto Jesus. Jeremiah 7:2 says Stand at the gate of the LORD's house and there proclaim this message: "Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD.”
Both words need careful consideration. You can watch them on the World prayer centre YouTube channel.
I was reflecting on Trumpet Call with a Vicar friend of mine, he was particularly struck by Malcolm’s plea for reality in the church. God is doing amazing things but we can fall into the trap of ignoring the reality that the world is far from salvation and the Church is struggling to proclaim the gospel. Reality leads to real pray, to rending our heart and crying out to God. Of course, we love it when God is moving and celebrate His mercy and love but we have to ask – is this enough? Or do we need more in the church and the nation? Let us seek God and know His heart. “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long” Ps.25: 4,5.
The WPC Team
TRUMPET CALL DVD
Our friends at British Christian TV have put together a video summary of the day. The DVD's are £10 each.
To buy one, email your name, address and pbone number to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. They will contact you to take payment by cheque or card. You can also call on 01260 633 644.