Question of the Week: Andy Calderwood

The generational tragedy in Belfast, Northern Ireland is so far removed from Americans’ way of life and culture that it is hard to even imagine life in Belfast. For centuries, Roman Catholics and Protestants have been at odds, with generations of ongoing armed conflict and skirmishes being a routine way of life. So when I heard that Northern Ireland’s premier Southern Gospel trio, Revelation, has had a chance last week and this week to sing for a Gospel meeting with both Catholics and Protestants present, I was immediately intrigued.

I asked baritone Andy Calderwood:

Daniel: I’ve heard that, this week and last week, Revelation has had the chance to sing at Gospel meetings where both Catholics and Protestants have been in the same room. How have these meetings gone?

Andy: Well, seeing that the divide between ordinary Catholics and Protestants in normal life here in Northern Ireland still remains quite high, it is really something amazing to have various opposition paramilitaries coming together under the one roof to hear the gospel, being brought by men throughout the country who are on the streets weekly witnessing about Christ, and who are closely connected with Richard Bell and his team from “the Gospel Bus Ministry,” who does a great work amongst the needy and problem areas in the large town of Ballymena and a Homeless outreach in inner-city Belfast.

The meetings were originally to mark the opening of the new hall based in Ballymena, with guest speaker Doc. James McConnell from the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle Church, Belfast, Revelation and Cherith Bell, daughter of Richard Bell ministering in song along with Amazing Testimonies of recent converts from drugs/alcohol abuse and violence.

These meetings were packed to overflow, Christians having to revert to the back of the hall and even outside to allow the unsaved to get seats! What a mighty night it was! Glory to God, the preaching and singing were anointed, with people listening carefully/attentively, some weeping and deeply troubled in spirit, God’s spirit moving swiftly from heart to heart and resulting in the Salvation of many souls and also backsliders coming back to their first love – Jesus Christ! There was much joy, fellowship and counselling afterwards with God still touching many hearts days after. There has been much prayer and sowing for men’s souls in the last few years and now God is doing something very special in small pockets throughout this country and we look forward to even bigger things to come as He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think! It was a privilege for us at Revelation to be involved in something like this—as this is our vision fulfilling before our eyes. We are all blessed and humbled to think that God would use us to be a little part of such mighty things!

Daniel: Praise God for His touch of revival upon one of the most troubled areas of the English-speaking world!