I spent the afternoon in York today meeting my publisher, Chris Hayes of GILEAD books. He took quite a risk publishing Smack Heads and Fat Cats. I mean, it’s not your typical Christian book, to illustrate this it even has a health warning on the cover. Anyhooo, Chris is a great encouragement and we had a good time in and around York.
We spoke a great deal about David Watson. Chris has recently published some books with some of David’s sermons and unpublished writing. I am fascinated by what happened to him and his ministry of renewal and healing in the late 70’S and early 80’S. The book ‘I believe in evangelism’ was an inspiration to me when I first became a Christian.
David was quite a guy. Chris told me that when David would go out and about to spend time with his kids people would come up to him and touch him, as if to receive a special healing blessing from God. David really did have celebratory status and sadly many people kind of exalted him.
Yet, David pioneered much of what we naturally do today. Prayer for people for healing, freedom to worship creatively and expressively. Even talk of the holy Spirit and his work is something that we just take as granted, yet it wasn’t the norm 30 plus years ago.
This afternoon has got me thinking a great deal about the mystery of healing. While David saw many people dramatically healed he died of cancer at a young age.
be the light 
Yes, I met DW many years ago at his home in York. He was an Englishman through and through! Elegant, articulate, charming…cool! Whilst a pioneer of the renewal movement, he was opposed I believe to anything to do with ‘restoration of the church’ and loved his Anglican roots and the Anglican tradition.