Jerusalem the Musical

From a kitchen in Kent to Jerusalem and beyond, how one man’s vision has impacted people from all over the world.

It seemed like an ordinary, though inspiring, evening meeting. Pilgrim’s Hall was the place for a weekend conference for The Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International. The date was October 1998. Little did I realise what a significant conference that would be …

As a writer of multimedia musicals, I am constantly seeking inspiration for the next. Rather like a novelist, once a theme has been established it makes the progress easier. In January of 1998 I was standing by the cooker in the kitchen and I said to my wife Jenny: ‘I need to ask the Lord for inspiration for the next musical.’ The following night I came home and excitedly said: ‘I’ve been given the theme; Jerusalem!’ The third night I said: ’I believe the Lord wants us to take a choir to Israel to sing the musical. That’s crazy, I don’t know anyone in Israel but I think it is the Lord’s will.’

Those few days became a turning point in our music ministry. For 20 years we had written musicals for The Tonbridge Christian Arts Group, subjects ranging from Daniel, Jonah, Joseph, the Nativity and many more. By this time we had written some 12 musicals. But this theme, Jerusalem, was to open our eyes to the importance of the Jewish people in the purposes of God. As I began to write I felt a whole new raft of revelation was coming, particularly with regards to the ‘one new man’ concept.

We began to pray for the money for the air fare to Israel in order to carry out a reconnaissance of possible venues. We began rehearsals for the new musical which we simply called ‘Jerusalem’ and premiered it in Tonbridge on September 11th 1998. Although I still felt that the Lord wanted us to perform in Israel, very little had happened in the way of contacts in Israel.

The miracles begin

It was with this background that I arrived at a conference in October 1998 and that is when the miracles started! On the Saturday evening, a man from Porto Rico called Rudi started giving words of knowledge and prophesying. After a few minutes he approached me and not knowing me from Adam said: ‘You are going to the lost house of Israel.’ I was stunned. But more was to come. The following morning after the final service, a man approached me and said: ‘Are you involved in a project?’ Yes’ I replied. He then said: ‘God has told me to give you £1000. Use it as you are led.’ It was of course the money for the air fare! That man subsequently became our tour manager and organised our visits abroad with three musicals – once to the United States and three times to Israel!

Some weeks later I received a phone call from a local Full Gospel Business Fellowship representative who said that a member living in Israel was speaking at the Tonbridge branch and could we give him hospitality? He stayed with us for a night and during that evening he listened to the Jerusalem musical CD. ‘You’ve got to bring this to Israel’ he said. ‘I can arrange concerts for you in Haifa and in Tiberias at the Galilee Experience which is right on the shores of the Lake.’

Israel beckons

We felt the Lord wanted us to go on reconnaissance to Israel in October 1999, yet we still needed a contact for the Old City of Jerusalem and Christchurch in particular, the home church for the Church’s Mission to the Jews (CMJ). The months drifted towards September, a few weeks before we were due to fly and we still had no Christchurch contact. Then one afternoon we were sitting in the kitchen of our music producer. His wife was there with a friend we had not met before. We started talking and the conversation got round to our project to take the Jerusalem musical to Israel in 2000 and mentioning that first we wanted to go out beforehand on reconnaissance in October 1999. We particularly mentioned our lack of contact with Christchurch. The lady who we had never met said: ‘Christchurch, Jerusalem? I have a friend who knows the vicar who is taking up his new appointment in Christchurch. I will get her to give you a ring and give his number.’ We couldn’t believe it!

Neil Cohen was his name and, when I had his details, I rang him explaining what we were planning to do. ‘I’m in Berkshire at the moment’, he said. ‘But I am visiting Kent in two days’ time, I will pop in and see you both.’ He did. He sat for over an hour listening to the Jerusalem CD and then said: ‘This is really blessing me; when you come to Jerusalem I will give you a conducted tour of the City from the rooftop of my vicarage! You must perform this in Christchurch.’

So, in 2000 we took a choir out to Israel for the first time and performed the musical in Haifa, Galilee and Jerusalem. Whilst we were in Israel the Lord told me that I would meet someone who would open the door to the United States. Sure enough, after the Galilee performance a lady called Tina from Richmond, Virginia became our contact which opened the doors to performances up the eastern seaboard, starting in Richmond, then Washington, Boston and Salem.

A revelation in New York

There were many miracles leading up to this visit. One of the most amazing occurred when we were in Times Square in New York in late August 2001, when we were again on reconnaissance for the musical which was planned for 2002. The previous day we had gone up the South Tower of the World Trade Centre and now we were talking to a lady who attended David Wilkerson’s Church just off Times Square. I shall never forget that conversation. ‘It’s no good you trying to get your musical in there’ she said. ‘They’ve stopped everything; their conferences, their extra meetings. The only things they are keeping going are their Sunday services and their prayer meetings.’ This was two weeks before 9/11. ‘Why is that?’ I asked innocently. I shall never forget her answer. ‘Because they believe that something is coming on New York and they don’t know what it is.’ 2 weeks to the day, the Towers collapsed.

Since that musical we have found our ministry centring on end-time prophecy and the nation of Israel. The CDs and DVDs of the musicals have gone out all over the world. The music has been presented on radio and television and others have performed some of the musicals, one as far away as New Zealand! At the moment we are preparing to present our latest musical, The King is Coming, in Rochester Cathedral in October with a choir made up of people from all the churches in the diocese.

Why we do what we do

I have a very simple set of reasons why I write. Firstly, under the Spirit’s direction I want to draw attention to the urgency of the hour. Secondly, to open the church’s eyes to the importance of the ‘one new man’ doctrine. Thirdly, to awaken the church to the fact that the Lord is coming again.

Hundreds of people have passed through our choirs over the years. The Americans were amazed that we had a multi-denominational choir. I said we were practicing for heaven! Incidentally, my wife Jenny, who writes out the original music for choir and musicians, was born again on the same day as myself – we didn’t meet for another five years and I am 3 hours older than her! We need to involve people with many different specialised skills in order to present the musicals. We are never in debt, even though each musical can cost between £5k-6k to produce. We have a Scripture which has guided and inspired us through the years, as we have not only presented the musicals but sung on the streets, in shopping Malls and even on the top of Masada and the Mount of Olives. It speaks for itself. David is giving instructions to his son Solomon who is about to build the Temple.

“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished. The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.” 1 Chronicles 28:20-21

Many years ago, the Lord said to us: ‘I will honour what you do if you do not mess around with the Scriptures and turn them into a form of liberal entertainment.’ We have tried to honour Him and He has proved totally faithful on this amazing musical journey.