SPECIAL ENQUIRY: THE JESUS PEOPLE

FOR THIS MAN IT'S HAPPINESS

Source : 18/09/1982 Northampton Chronicle and Echo

A man is a 25-year-old student architect who has just finished his final year of study.

He is a dedicated member of the Jesus Fellowship New Creation Christian Community, which he joined six years ago.

The only cloud on his otherwise crystal horizon is a special concern for his parents, who live in Northamptonshire.

They are not happy about his intense religious commitment, but son and parents remain on good terms.

'There is obviously a feeling - as parents do have - that I'm not living up to their expectations,' said the man, who was prepared to speak to me if I did not identify him or his family.

'I think they expected me to settle down in a slightly more normal way, with money to myself and independence, but my convictions to Christ and to this church don't go along with that.'

'In terms of my parents' views I have surrendered financial independence and independence generally - which they would probably think was detrimental to my character as a whole.'

The man sees his life ' in terms of being a disciple of Christ.' And so long as his day-to-day needs are met, the lack of personal wealth does not worry him. 'I would rather see my wealth distributed,' he said.

He was first introduced to the Bugbrooke chapel, at the age of 17, by a man who subsequently quit the Fellowship and strongly attacked the group in a national newspaper article.

He moved into a Fellowship home in June 1976, and has remained in the warm embrace of the community ever since.

'One of my father's criticisms of the community is that it discourages education at university level,' he said. 'It has not discouraged me.'

'When I first moved over here to live, I came with the intention of not going ahead with my studies, but with the advice of people here I was encouraged to carry on.'

The man's parents have also complained that he does not see them enough.

'I usually go to see them every three weeks, or sometimes five weeks, but very rarely as long a gap as that,' he said.

He added: 'I think in time my parents will perhaps see I am happy here. I think this process has begun already.'