The Aggressive Life with Brian Tome How Six Ordinary People Sparked a Massive Revival with John Funnell—Welsh Pastor
Nov 11, 2025
John Funnell, a Welsh pastor at Noddfa Church, transformed a struggling congregation of six into a thriving community of over 300 in one of Wales' poorest valleys. He shares the journey of revival sparked by prayer, persistence, and community engagement. John distinguishes between revival for believers and awakening for the spiritually lost, recounts a powerful three-week encounter with God's presence, and discusses how crises can lead people back to faith. He emphasizes the necessity of genuine relationships and active faith in modern times.
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Crawling To Pray
- Doreen, a woman in her 90s, crawled on hands and knees into church to pray because her zimmer frame wouldn't fit the door.
- Her devotion set the tone for relentless prayer that birthed the church's turnaround.
Growth From The Depths
- Nodfa started with six elderly members in a post-industrial Welsh valley and grew to ~300 weekly attendees.
- Persistent gospel ministry can flourish even in deep, multigenerational social deprivation.
When The Presence Fell
- During one Sunday the congregation felt a physical 'weight of his glory' and became collectively silent before weeping and public repentance.
- That intense presence lasted across meetings for three weeks and led to multiple conversions.
