"Christian Praise!" 2005 took place in Leicester's De Montfort Hall on Tuesday 1 November and Wednesday 2 November 2005. Its theme was "Ransomed, Healed, Restored, Forgiven".
Ransomed: Jesus came to give his life as a ransom (Matthew 20 v28). He died in our place as a sacrifice for sin and has broken the chains of sin and death. One of the objectives of "Christian Praise!" is that participants in "Christian Praise!" may leave the De Montfort Hall knowing Jesus afresh, or for the first time, his saving grace and power.
Healed: God himself said "I am the Lord who heals you" (Exodus 15 v26) and Jesus when on earth instructed his disciples to preach the Kingdom and heal the sick. The Holy Spirit gives the gift of healing. There is the opportunity at "Christian Praise!" for healing prayer at the end of each meeting.
Restored: Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son and we recognise the joy of the father when his son returned home. May we receive the father’s kiss as many return to experience again the same joy of a renewed relationship with our heavenly Father.
Forgiven: We each need to feel the total forgiveness of God in all its fullness and also have the grace to forgive others. As Paul writes in Ephesians 4 v32, 'Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as Christ forgave you'.
Jonathan is a writer and broadcaster whose previous career spanned the world of war correspondent, merchant banking, Parliament, the Cabinet – and prison.
In 1974 he became a Member of Parliament and was appointed Minister of State for Defence in 1992. He joined the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 1994.
He was subsequently found guilty of perjury and served an 18 month prison sentence during which time he became a Christian. He spent 2 years studying theology and is now in great demand as a Christian speaker.
Gordon has worked on major evangelistic campaigns in Africa and the Far East returning to England in 1990.
He and his wife, Rachel were then Senior Pastors of four churches in the Watford area after which they began the ‘Heartcry’ prayer ministry.
Gordon has a passion to see cities transformed through the power of prayer and evangelism and as part of this vision has, with Rachel, developed the London Prayernet.
Gordon is now Associate Pastor at St. Aldates in Oxford.
Free will offerings at "Christian Praise!" 2005 amounted to almost £18,000, before the addition of Gift Aid tax recovery. This will enable gifts to the following organisations:
Tear Fund: 50%.
Leicester Street Pastors: 25%.
Distributed amongst the following charities selected by Jonathan Aitken: 25%.
Thanks to all of those who contributed so generously.