What on earth have Gideon, Wokeism, Street Preaching and my latest book writing project got in common? Be patient and I will tell you. But let me begin by giving my thoughts on all four of these topics and, in the case of the first three, helped by AI.

Gideon’s Army

I am convinced God is calling a remnant out, a minority of those who identify with the Christian church, often a motley band of no hopers most people wouldn’t rate highly when it comes to gifting and meaningful achievement, irrespective of denominational affiliation, in order to carry out His all-important plans for planet earth. I thought of Gideon in the Bible.

The story about how Gideon was called by God to fight the Midianite oppressor, who needed to be got rid off, is fascinating. He required an army to help, but God told him he had far too many and that meant it being whittled down in size from 32,000 to 300.

First cut: 32,000 → 10,000

Judges 7:3 – God tells Gideon: “Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home.” 22,000 men left. Fear would spread panic in battle, so God removes them first.

Second cut: 10,000 → 300

Judges 7:4-7 – God tells Gideon to bring the men down to the water. Those who “lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps” are set apart from those who kneel to drink. 300 men lapped, bringing water to their mouths with their hands, staying alert. 9,700 knelt to drink, putting their faces to the water. God chooses the 300 lappers. The exact reason isn’t stated, but the common view is they remained watchful while drinking.

Three key reasons:

1. To prevent Israel’s pride – With 32,000 vs Midian’s 135,000, a victory could still look like human strength. With 300 vs 135,000, it’s impossible without God.  
2. To demonstrate His power – The greater the odds, the clearer that deliverance comes from the Lord. The victory was by trumpets, jars, and torches, not swords. It showed “the sword of the Lord and of Gideon” – God’s power first.
3. To test faith and obedience – Gideon had to trust God’s strange battle plan. Reducing the army forced total dependence. The 300 who stayed alert were likely the most disciplined and ready to follow orders exactly.

With 300 men, torches, and trumpets, God caused the Midianite camp to turn on itself. Israel routed them without a conventional fight. God created impossible odds so that His deliverance is unmistakable. He gets the glory, and His people learn to trust Him. While today’s oppressors of the people may not appear to be anything like the Midianites of old, that are nonetheless a formidable force that needs with standing by today’s Gideon Army, often comprising the unlikely but will prevail according to God’s purposes as He is with them. Their assignment is not to kill off the baddies but to present the Gospel of God’s Kingdom.

Wokeism

In recent days I have become acutely aware of differences among Christians based on their attitude (for and against) towards wokeism and this often leads to irreconcilable fall outs. While some will be put me down as being in the “anti” camp, it isn’t that simple and it all depends on how you define “woke” and weight you give to the alternative definitions that my AI “friend” has supplied me with. I should say, not only do I upset the woke brigade, I have managed to do so with the anti-wokers, typically those branded as Christian nationalist and anti- diversity, inclusion, immigration, net zero, Islam, LBGT etc. This includes issues as my views on Israel, Tommy Robinson, Donald Trump, the latest “conspiracy theory”, etc.  

Woke = Gospel-aware

Being awake to injustice the way Jesus was. Seeing the marginalized, “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40), and acting with mercy and justice like the Good Samaritan.

Woke = Worldly ideology

A secular social framework that elevates identity politics and grievance over personal responsibility, forgiveness, and biblical truth.

Woke = Socially conscious

Originally African American vernacular for being alert to social and racial injustice. Now broadly used to mean being aware of systemic inequalities and discrimination.

For what it is worth, I see some merit in all three definitions but, as always where one stands on “wokeism” ought to depend on what says God and the Bible and what aligns with God’s agenda and the character of God: holy, true, righteous, loving, merciful, just, etc.

Street Preaching

A modern-day phenomenon that is being increasingly recognised in the UK and many other countries besides is that free speech that doesn’t fit the controlling narrative is being increasingly penalised and punished. Quite often we learn this applying to Christian street preachers who are deemed a liability (unlike with Muslims who can freely shut down city centres with their open air call to prayer). This was brought home recently when I read about a Christian pastor friend, operating in a nearby town, who had been brought to task by the local authorities because people complained about their open air preaching. I have even preached at one of the gatherings that Pastor Stephen has helped to organise.

Stephen Clayden, pastor of Bread of Life Community Church in Colchester, has been issued a Community Protection Notice (CPN) by local authorities, which could criminalize him and his church members for preaching in the city centre. The notice restricts their use of amplification and references to hell, claiming it causes “harassment, alarm and distress”.

The church argues the CPN is an attempt to silence their gospel message and restrict their freedom of religion and expression, protected under Articles 9 and 10 of the Human Rights Act. They’ve appealed the notice, with a hearing scheduled for May 1, 2026, at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.

The church provides community services, including a food bank and hot meals for the homeless, and claims many locals respond positively to their preaching. The Christian Legal Centre supports the church, arguing the CPN is an unprecedented use of public-order powers to regulate Christian doctrine.

I watch developments with interest and will continue to support my friend and others who are merely obeying Jesus’ words: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” Matthew 28:18-20.

My latest writing project

This is to produce a book with the title “It’s Not What You Were Told” and it is in the form of a dialogue between myself and my friend and co-author Paul Barnes. The synopsis goes:

This Book is an attempt to cover important matters that ordinary Christians ought to know about but too often they aren’t even aware, because they haven’t been told or they were told wrongly. Paul and John, now both senior citizens, were converted in their youth and they have been involved in carrying out Christian endeavour throughout that whole period. Whilst having mainly associated with Christians of the Evangelical persuasion, they have mixed widely with those holding a range of views concerning what Christians ought to believe on many different subjects and how they ought to live in today’s world. They have sadly seen what happens when, and too often they do, Christians fall out over some of these subjects, and the unwelcome outcome when they get it wrong, including those that are not spoken about despite being important. Many of these will be covered under twenty-two different chapters. They will each take it in turns writing a chapter, with the other person responding at the end by way of agreeing, offering a different perspective or sometimes disagreeing. It is envisaged that the book will end up at around 60,000 words and 200 pages and will be available as a free download or from Amazon etc. The intention is not to stir up controversy for the sake of it but rather to get people to think and be drawn closer to God.

Joining together Gideons Army, Wokeism, Street Preaching and my latest writing project

I have little doubt that God is raising up His army to do battle against the enemy, just as He did when using Gideon over 3000 years ago. He is looking for a people who are faithful and dedicated to Him and His cause who will do battle with the forces of darkness and deception etc., by his strength. I am conscious, even among Christians in my own camp, e.g., non woke as opposed to woke leaning, that there are differences that lead to division. In one sense it doesn’t matter because the battle belongs to the Lord and our job is to serve Him, come what may, but my heart is for the people of God, often with their half and untruths, to join forces against God’s enemies. While He is able to do what He wants, with or without us, He also chooses to employ those with a heart for Him and what He cares about. It brings me to the vanguard of today’s “Gideon Army” – the street preachers, who are paying the price for obedience to their supreme commander. If anything, my latest writing project is so we can encourage such and the rest of the army as we persist in our endeavours for truth, meekness and righteousness to prevail.