“What brings you here?” I was asked in a church in Jesmond Sunday evening.

“Well we’ve been plotting the overthrow of Satan’s empire in the city of Newcastle”.

A mischievous answer to an innocent question, but Diane, my host that afternoon, liked the description.

My three days in Newcastle left me with a strange sense of déjà vu.  Twenty years ago, I and my staff team met with a small group of students at Newcastle Polytechnic, sharing our heart and vision for seeing a multiplying spiritual movement there.  Three years later, hundreds – possibly thousands – of students had been touched by that movement, including Diane herself, now helping lead an innovative church plant in Jesmond along with her husband Chip.

I had asked Chip and Diane to bring together a group of “spiritual entrepreneurs”, and enjoying their warm hospitality that day were gatekeepers for Health and Education who together represented thousands of employees in the city.  I hope to return in January to make contact with gatekeepers in business as well as one of the bishops, and if everything comes together we could possibly see a “Habits of the Heart” course launched in a few months’ time.

In the long run, we need to consider government, politics, arts&entertainment, sport&media too – making up what some have labeled the “seven mountains of culture”.  But one step at a time.  It’s all about relationships – spiritual depth incarnated in the lived experience and prophetic vision of Jesus’ followers. Health, Education and Business are where we have begun to build significant models in London and Birmingham., so we will build from that experience.

The idea of seven mountains is, of course, a reference to ancient Rome, the heart of the empire.   As we all know, it took more than a day to build, and it will take some time to restore to its rightful owner.    As for that other great city in the North East of England, I have the sense that we are motoring somewhere new, and will keep you posted.