by Kim Gordon

Kim Gordon is on staff with Cross Movement Ministries, Inc., and works full-time helping with administrative assistance and support development. Kim actually wrote this article prior to her joining the ministry staff. This is her personal account of Cross Movement Ministries abroad in the United Kingdom during 1998. Read and be blessed!

CM in U.K. - York

Finally winding through the streets of York in a British cab, I couldn’t believe I’d made it. Many thanks to the Lord! I’d been on a solo mission trip to France disguised as study abroad. It was about time for me to shadow some pros. When the Movement told me they’d be in Europe the same time I was, I knew I had to be there! I’m glad I was, so I can tell you how the Lord blessed.

Even though I got to the youth hostel in the middle of the night, the group was already hard at work in the parks. They wouldn’t return from witnessing until later that night. The trip was organized by Calvary Chapel. We were with a youth group from Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (NJ). Early Morning, we all set out.

But, yo, they listened!— to the gospel flowin’ like they’d never heard it. Maybe that’s why they listened.

York didn’t look like a place where the Movement would be well received. It was authentic “old Europe” style-little shops along cobblestone streets and everything! They even had a town square. That’s where we set up shop. We followed a couple of other street acts. We had our own magician and kids making balloon animals with Gospel tracts stuck in them. That all went over well. But I was wondering how the crowd would respond to city-cats. We already detected some anti-American sentiment. There was definitely a hint of ethno-cultural insensitivity. Yo, and I forgot to mention that the spiritual climate was cold, too. I mean frigid! So how would the crowd react to black city-cats, rappin, about Jesus!

But, yo, they listened!—to the Gospel flowin’ like they’d never heard it. Maybe that’s why they listened. I remember in particular how Ambassador shared his testimony and did “Off the Hook,” the young-uns especially paid attention. Many left with Gospel tracts and fliers for the concert later that night.

I was definitely moved by the ministry in town-square. But I still wondered if anyone would show up for a Christian rap concert, and on such short notice at that! Once again, the Lord brought ‘em. All different kinds of cats, too. Some looked conservative, some punk-y, some Gothic. Some were Christian, some not. CM came on after a skit by Calvary Chapel. Then they represented with tracks from Heaven’s Mentality. Some kids walked out once they realized it was Christian. But others stayed. I remember some who stayed even after friends left! The Lord granted a harvest (in spite of my doubts). I don’t remember the exact number, but I know there were several who responded to the invitation. Calvary Chapel handled the follow-up of those who responded. It was a beautiful thing to see all those seemingly unlikely people, in such a motley (mixed-up) group streaming to the back where they’d be lead in prayer.

One kid who got saved had been rollin w/ us since town-square. His name is Greg. Don’t you know?! That kid followed us to all the way to Bradford and London!!

But Bradford and London are stories in and of themselves…

CM in U.K. - Bradford

On the way to Bradford, it seemed as though we passed only hills and sheep for the last few miles. A little rural church called “Church on the Way” hosted us. His ways are definitely not our ways, because probably few would’ve imagined Him using us here. No headz around here as far as I could see.

But the place was packed yet again that night. Again, it was a mixed group. There were a lot of people from that church and quite a few visitors, too - young people; older people; couples; kids, etc. I remember teaching one older lady in her “Sunday best” how to throw her hands up like a real head J.

The church also had some kind of group home for folks who were on the street or in trouble. Some of the residents were there. A lot of them gathered outside smoking. They could still hear the music, though. Some of us witnessed to them. Remember Greg? He was helping witness, too! A few of them were really receptive to the witness.

Bradford was a short stop, but folks got saved that night, too. To God be the Glory! Who knows if it was the praise team, the magician, the Cross Movement, or some combination that got through to them. We do know that it’s the Father who draws us to himself. I like how, that night, he did it with a situation that looked like foolishness at first -- from a worldly perspective.

From there, it was off to London…

CM in U.K. - London

We spent time in London at Leichter Square. We were surrounded by restaurants, clubs and other kinds of worldly entertainment. The Hari-Krishnas had set up already, doin their own kind of witnessing. We set up like we did in York. Following our witty Calvary Chapel magician-friend, Tonic and Phanatik had to hold it down by themselves. Ambassador had gone home for a ministry engagement the day before. Again a mixed crowd gathered.

Few, if any, of the people I met knew the Lord. Most that I talked to said they didn’t believe anything or they believed something “new-agey”. At least one couple told me, “We believe all the religions.” As if Christ has left us that choice! After they rapped, the Movement joined us witnessing amongst the crowd. One time, Phanatik and some CC youth spent a long time witnessing to this one kid w/ long blonde dreads. Apparently he’d had some hard times. I don’t remember his name, but he, too, gave his heart to the Lord.

Another time, Phanatik helped me out talking to this other kid. He was struggling to accept the whole concept of grace. We reasoned with him for a while. He said he’d keep thinking about it. On some occasions, like this one, we had to be satisfied just planting seeds. If our hope was in our own oratory and eloquence, we may have been insulted by the many rejections. But “…neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow”(1 Co. 3:7 NIV).

On one of the days, the youth group continued to labor in the park while the Movement and I followed a local from CC Westminster named Rob. He took us to a monthly worship meeting of some British hip-hop, reggae, and R&B artists. I hadn’t realized the Lord was using hip-hop to reach headz around the world!

We entered through an alley door into the back room of a little Christian bookstore somewhere in urban London where the meeting was held. The welcome was warm and everyone introduced themselves. After worship and a message, the movement was invited to come up and share. Of course they ripped a little, but the most important part was the Godly council they offered. I don’t know if the group was looking for industry advice or spiritual guidance, but I know Tonic and Phanatik gave all glory to the Lord! They testified how the Lord had shaped the ministry as they yielded to the guidance of His Spirit. They heavily emphasized the kingdom of God rather than the medium of hip-hop.

We saw some of the same cats from that night at an outreach in Brixton the next day. Brixton really looks just like Brooklyn or Queens. We set up in a little square on the street. I met a brother-in-the-Lord who thanked us for being there. He said that the Muslims usually set up right across the street from there spreading their “theology.” I also met this girl named Larissa who was visiting from Germany. She had just been walkin on the Ave. when the rhymes caught her attention. We had a chance to talk for quite a while, and she said she really wanted to get in fellowship with the Lord. It was hard to tell if she’d been saved already. She eventually had to jet but not before we prayed. Remember her name though, ‘cause she shows up again later.

After rappin, the Movement once again hit the crowd with us. Rob from Calvary Chapel got on the mic. I thought he was just gonna talk. But he started to spill! We didn’t know he could rip like that! I did a double take only to catch Tonic and Phanatik doing the same thing. That was kind of the beginning of the beautiful relationship between CM and M.O.D.

We spent a little time in the hood in Brixton on the way to the community center. We witnessed door-to-door, and handed out fliers and gospel tracts in balloon animals. Tonic and Phanatik free-styled a little. We even had time to play with some cute kids. At the Maranatha center, Rob’s wife hooked us up with the fine Jamaican fare from her “Feast” ministry. It may’ve been the first time we all had a tasty meal since we got there.

Brixton felt like a more common scene. There was almost nothing but headz! Various artists from the worship group opened up the night. The place was hyped. The music was hot. Of course the Movement represented. Not all the ministry went on inside, though. Some of us spent time outside with headz who were spillin out. We fellowshipped with some and implored and reasoned with others.

Back inside, I ran into Larissa! I was supposed to get in touch with her and hook her up with a ride, but I lost her number. I thought we’d never see her again. But, somehow, she found her way across town with her little niece on the bus! She even invited some guy-friends who showed up later while CM was on. They’d never seen the kingdom represented like that. Later, Larissa responded to the invitation to accept Christ! Many people did, actually. Ministry went on late into the night when everything was “over.” We were still reasoning with some people. More people still came to the Lord.

I don’t know how many people joined the kingdom on that trip. The Lord granted a harvest everywhere we went! And I was only there for half the trip (Someone else is gonna have to write about Scotland). The whole trip really blessed everybody, and I know I learned a lot about evangelism. I was so excited when I went back to France, I told everybody what the Lord had done, and three of my international friends got saved, too! It was amazing to see how the Lord of all cultures glorified himself through so many different expressions to so many different people. Maybe some of y’all out there are even getting some ideas. Why not ask the Lord if He wants to use you in an international context, too?