A year ago at Together On A Mission I interviewed Samir and Jackie who at the time were preparing to move to New Delhi to lead a church plant there for Newfrontiers. I always intended to share the video here, but a whole year goes past so quickly! Now that the plant is up and running (and next week they are running a week of prayer and fasting for this baby church), I thought this would be a great time to finally show you the video. This couple are heroes of mine, and I missed sitting next to them this year at TOAM as they could not be here. There plant was mentioned, however, and thousands of us prayed it would become a significant and influential large church in India’s capital. If you want to know more about what they are doing, join the Newfrontiers Delhi Church plant Facebook group.

Watch on Vimeo.

Evan Rogers And Tacy Rogers from Adrian Warnock on Vimeo.

This interview with this energetic worship leader and his wife took place at Together On A Mission. You can read more about Evan at http://evanrogers.org or listen to his music at http://www.evanrogers.org/web/music.html or buy his new CD at http://resources.newfrontiers.xtn.org/product_info.php?products_id=2158

PJ Smyth Interview from Adrian Warnock on Vimeo.

At TOAM I interviewed PJ about his perspective of the conference, and his concerns that Newfrontiers must not become “domesticated”.

Terry is currently in the USA with Mark Driscoll’s home church. He has actually been in the USA for most of the time since Together On A Mission. He was there when a sudden explosion of interest in his sermon on prayer happened. By the way, if you watched that video but never made it to the second part, you can see both parts easily on vimeo.

He has found time to post his own perceptions of the conference and videos of the first and second of his talk on his blog. The videos each include a brief extra introduction filmed in his study. I am sure he will post talk 3 soon.

Joe Day, one of the Mars Hill’s worship pastors has posted two tweets about Terry’s talks while in Mars Hill:

Terry Virgo is awesome. Preaching justification and righteousness and continuing in the deep love of Christ. And…he bounces up & down like Gordon Ramsey when he gets fired up.

I have a lot more posts about Terry Virgo elsewhere on the blog and have interviewed him previously.

There is a new CCK album just released. Its what I have playing in my car at the moment. Worship music from Newfrontiers has always been one of the highlights of this group of churches. Some of the new songs we learnt in Brighton are on this CD which is available for a special discounted price for the next day or so and there are 2 free tracks available to download too!

Don’t miss getting your hands on this!

Behind The Scenes At TOAM With My Lovely Wife from Adrian Warnock on Vimeo.

I thought I would let you have a glimpse of a behind the scenes moment. This year at the Brighton Conference, I had the most good-looking assistant I have ever had helping me. Consider this video something of a tribute to her. It was a real joy having her there with me!

This video is an interview with Dave Devenish On Newfrontiers Missionary Work. We in Newfrontiers are convinced Church planting is the best way to fulfill the Great Commission. Newfrontiers is taking this seriously all over the world. In this interview Dave Devenish explains what is happening in the parts of the world he has been working in.

The conference may be over, but its reverberations will be felt for months and years to come. This year they already have videos available to view online of the main sessions, and both main sessions and training tracks are available as MP3s.

My gorgeous wife has developed some more of her amazing photos from the event. These are available together with all the photos on flickr or to view as a slideshow here:

Church Planting in Zambia from Adrian Warnock on Vimeo.

This video is the first of several interviews I will be sharing shot at the recent Together On A Mission Conference in Brighton. I thought I would start with this one as it demonstrates the breadth of Newfrontiers and its international flavor. I just love the fact that a church in the South West of England can help plant a church into Zambia! Andy Cottingham leads the Newfrontiers church in Honiton.

This video was shown on the final morning and gives a good taster of what the event was like. If you have a blog of your own you can easily embed it yourself by clicking on the embed button and copy the html into the code of one of your posts. If you follow the link you can also see the video in HD.

Together On a Mission Conference, Brighton Highlights from Newfrontiers on Vimeo.

TOAM ’09 Highlight video

Newfrontiers has made available some mp3s from the recent Together On A Mission Conference. These will be followed shortly by the rest of the sessions and then by video. Notes for all the main sessions are available on my blog.

1 Samuel 14

Joel felt that God wants to speak in this session to the team players, not team leaders. You carry significant responsibility but are not the “main guy” so the focus of this talk is not on Jonathan but his armor bearer.

There is real strength in plurality. As one man stands on his own before God he can accomplish great things. But when a team stands you are more than the sum of your parts.

Deut 32:30 Moses said one shall chase a thousand, two shall chase 10,000. When you are joined there is a power that is released. There is an eternal principle that was true before we ever showed up. God revealed himself as a team- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is a God-like characteristic to community.

In the context of plurality there is still order, and distinction of role. The Son submits to the Father. Submission and authority never began. These concepts are generally seen as negative. What we have experienced has been tarnished by the fall. But there was good submission before the fall.

We have moved away from one-man ministry and understood plurality but we mustn’t then try and say we are all the same in an egalitarian way. The Father was not sent by the Son! It is just as God-like to be subordinate as to be the head. You can display the qualities of God by following someone else.

People jolt to mutual submission in a hurry to get away from the idea of headship. It can mean committee or no leadership at all. We can sometimes be self-effacing because we want to look humble. We don’t want to be humble, just look humble! We must understand that within true team there is leadership. Crab mentality pulls people down. We don’t pull Moses down the mountain, we are all now up the mountain and sharing in the glory. But even within the equality we must allow ministry and gifting to emerge and operate.

We need to build with strength. Not just putting one pin on a map in each nation. We need team players who in a God-like way will give themselves to serving a local vision long-term. We mustn’t think, every leader that comes through the door is to be a team leader and plant the next church. It is not a failure to instead be someone who faithfully follows another and helps them. Cliff Barrows said to Billy Graham “As long as you want me to I want to work with you and carry your bags or whatever you need me to.”

God wants to speak to some people and elevate to you the possibility that you are called to be like Cliff Barrows, and to give your life to help someone elses ministry. This will lead to greater kingdom advance. How then do you be an armor bearer to another leader?

Catch His Heart
The armor bearer says he is with Jonathan heart and soul, do whatever you wish. But notice that you cant say that to just anybody! Herod was foolish enough to say that to a stripper “whatever you want” and she wanted the head of a prophet! Whoever you choose to follow like this better instead be someone who’s heart is after God. Consider what is on the heart of those who lead you. We need those we have learnt to trust.

Jonathan has an unusual way of getting guidance. Different leaders will discern the hands of God and the ways of God in different ways. Nehemiah was more analytical. We have to get to the place where we know God has spoken. There needs to be faith. The decision-making might not feel very spiritual but this is fine if it is full of faith. Perhaps you need to help the leader get to the position of faith. Sometimes just by asking, “OK, so what do you want to do?”

Cover his back
Jonathan climbs on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer after him. He is behind him, he kills them after him. With this guy behind him he is watched. I am going to cover you. How do leaders watch each others back? The guy can’t see everything, even though he can see what God wants. Some leaders are persuaded but utterly unskilled. Let them set the trajectory, but some of them don’t know what it looks like. Some people are able to then work out the details.

Bring your skill to the same trajectory. In that area you lead the team. Without you there, there is no way it is going to happen. Jethro comes to Moses and brings advice. We need hundreds of people like that who can come to leaders and give clear suggestions. We need team players who say I know that I can bring qualities to the table that can make this happen. I may need to humble myself and listen to what is supposed to happen.

Absence, when the guy is away. When you are in a meeting when he is not in. Is it an opportunity for us to do it “our way” because he is not here. That is not team. You can call it team but you are lying. I am going to stand the ground, hold the line, push it through. Aaron in Exodus 32 does not act like the armor bearer. Idol worship and an orgy are the result, which is not the vision Moses had!

Aaron blames the people “you know what the people are like.” Moses is probably thinking, but I know God, and you were meant to stand holding the line!

When a team leader expresses his heart and speaks of a weakness. We need to then cover that. Not to cover it up, we may need to confront, or even rebuke, as appropriate but we deal with it in love. Don’t speak ill of someone, and pull them down, instead watch their back. We need to be strong where they are weak.

Can they be trusted?
Can your armor bearers trust you? We need to be able to trust. Moses had to trust the people he recruited to lead. Trust works both ways. Prove them. It takes time to develop trust. Don’t abdicate that. Dispense trust to key leaders God is bringing through. David asked some people who came to him “have you come to betray me?” Sometimes you have to rebuke someone to see how they respond. Some of our people seem submissive because they have never had to submit. How will they respond when you correct someone? When you see the trust build on it and protect them.

Share the victory
There was no headquarters where this victory was planned. Two nutcases were going for it, and Saul was like “Let me get in on this one.” Jonathan and his armor bearer didn’t say “hey wait a minute!” or build an institution.

Teams can sometimes break down and not really function properly. We may have to reconfigure, or perhaps people need to move on. That is painful. We don’t hold onto team for the sake of saying “We just don’t want it to change.”

Can be very hard when the new leader and you just don’t fit. Some people are functioning as team leaders by name only but need to make room for the one who God is raising up. This is a call to us for humility and followership.

3 John speaks of one who “likes to put himself first” and does not acknowledge the authority. This comes from a lack of perspective. We must evaluate people by the kingdom values. Don’t set yourself up or anyone else up inappropriately. When you are a new creation it sets everything up differently. We must not desire to be as God.

As Joel finished off what was an outstanding sermon, it suddenly struck me that Jonathan later showed the same attitude to David that this armor bearer had shown him. I suppose that in various situations in our lives we will all be the armor bearer, whilst in other situations we will be the leader. Even for the team leaders within our churches, there will often be a need for them to play the armor bearer to those with apostolic ministry. Certainly we must all learn how be lead, and to submit gladly.

We are a family of churches. Its not a Bible phrase as such, but it is something we value highly. It comes from the very heart of God. We don’t want to abandon the idea of a community. The people related to one another.

Denominations tend to be static, associated with rules and regulations. They have headquaters. Don’t tend to be charismatic even if they started that. We resist being called a denomination. We have called ourselves an apostolic sphere. Why?

1. Its to do with the gift of the apostle
2. Its to do with the relationships surrounding that gift

It’s a biblical concept. Apostle is based on a Greek word which means to send with authority, commissioning, representing someone. Its an ambassador, someone apprehended and sent. There are different categories. Hebrews 3 describes Jesus as THE Apostle. He was the ultimate sent one. In John’s gospel he kept saying he had a task, he had been sent. Moses was a different man before and after being sent. Moses was trying to help and met hindrances and then left. Then when he was sent, it was almost as though he was bullied into it! God imposed his will on him. He still has difficulties. But he is confident in his call.

Jesus was unique. But he also gathered the 12 and called them Apostles. They are unique. They have a peculiar standing. They are foundational.

Thirdly in Ephesians 4 it says Jesus ascended on high and then gives gifts. These are a different category. Paul was one of these, although he is almost in a category of his own. He was unlike the 12 apprehended after the ascension. Barnabus, and others in the Scriptures are also listed as apostles. In Ephesians 4 we see diverse gifts with different tasks all given from heaven. They have different roles. A pastor is not the same as an evangelist.

What then did Apostles do?

They provided the foundation of the church.
The early Christians were not just converted but added to a community founded on the foundation of these Apostles. God made his home in the church. Never known a whole people before who could say God lives in us. Jesus says I am the true vine and you will be like branches in me. We are in the Messiah, and the messiah is in us. When people were saved, some of them would have been rejected by their families. They found a new sense of belonging in the community of the church.

They gave identity to the church
The people were built on the apostles and their teachings. Jesus replaced the temple, now we are the temple. Some Evangelicals will say that Apostles were simply Bible writers, and when the Bible is written that’s the end of the deal. Of the 12 only 3 who wrote any of the Bible! The person who wrote most of the New Testament, Luke, wasn’t even one! Some say now we have the epistles who needs apostles. These scholars take away this phenomenally important ministry for world mission. They rob us of an incredible thing. The reformers were anxious to reject apostolic succession in the Catholic church, and so they rejected the continuation of apostles and most commentators since have just followed them.

1 Corinthians 3, describes Paul’s work as a wise master-builder in founding churches. Obviously the completed cannon of scripture is foundational for our faith. But Paul spoke about the work he did in individual churches. He was a church builder. He was the wise architect. God gave him a blueprint and he built it.

He said to the Corinthians they were the poof of his gift, and he said “surely I am to you” He said that the fact they existed was the proof that he was an Apostle. Paul was a dynamic figure who fathered churches. Phillip the Evangelist did not father them he simply evangelized. Paul says you don’t have many fathers. He developed relationships with churches. He brought them to birth and he continued to have a link with them. Even Colossae which he had never visited personally (one of his team had done it) he stabilized his team, and were still within his sphere. He had an ongoing relationship with a number of churches. Theologians speak of the “Pauline churches.”

He spoke of his ongoing care for the churches. He prayed for them day and night. It was affectionate and dynamic. It wasn’t institutional It was life imparting. 2 Corinthians 10:13 speaks of a sphere that reached to them. In the ESV this is translated as

“But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged”

The idea actually seems to be not so much that the area or sphere grows in Corinth but that it will stretch beyond them.

We gave an apostolic sphere a name – Newfrontiers. Actually, what is important is the apostolic sphere.

The idea is that the Corinthians faith will grow, and hence he will be able to reach beyond Corinth. A spiritually unsettled state of affairs at Corinth would be a hindrance to him moving forward.

Paul is not called to be a pastor, but to press on.

In Bible days, Jesus called apostles who then planted churches, and then the whole church got caught up in their mission and the world was reached. When churches were not healthy, the apostles came back.

JB Phillips “your growing faith will mean the expansion of our sphere of action”

A healthy church can help apostolic thrusts, we are in this together.

Churches and their faith and partnership determine the growth of apostolic work. The churches are caught up dynamically on a mission. We really are together on a mission.

We are trying to recapture Biblical Christianity. We need to fight for the apostolic. We want to see the dynamic of global evangelism through the biblical way of honoring apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. We want to win this battle.

We must beware of the danger of becoming too static. We might loose the edge of our New Testament origins. It could become too easy to belong to this movement. What is it we are building? We are building something radical.

Over the years there has been change within Newfrontiers. Many guys who have gone out from us, and who would have represented Terry initially, now are more and more functioning in their own gift. People have built networks of grace-filled churches that span different nations some nations where Terry has never been to. There is already a lot of pumping life out there in our movement.

When Simon Petit died, it was like a large tree had fallen, and God directed us not to replace him but to make room for the saplings that had been growing in his shade. We are now in a dozen more African nations as a result.

Adam is told fill the earth. Multiply. Sons who become fathers, who can then have sons. Newfrontiers is not just Terry’s apostolic sphere any more. He is coaching others who are themselves doing apostolic work.

We are coming to the end of the beginning of this movement. When this was one apostolic context. Its already more than one apostolic context. There are details to be worked out. But the principle is established. Jesus did not hand over to a successor, Peter was not the pope. When Peter stood with the eleven, Peter was the spokesman. But it was Peter’s moment, not Peter’s movement. Later James stood up and spoke at a controversial council, and it was his moment. Paul said he went to those of reputation, not that I went to the new leader. He spoke of those reputed to be leaders. There was not a stagnant nature.

What we are looking for is gifts that multiply, grow and develop. Paul did not come from the Jerusalem stable. He wasn’t trained by Peter. He grasped the gospel, he founded churches, he fathered churches, and he was recognized for his gift. He did not want to be alone. He wanted to be in step with what is there before me. He wanted unity with the existing. He wanted recognition and affirmation from those who were before him, though he was absolutely confident in the gospel. Later on, Paul is able to confront Peter “to his face” when he saw him drifting on grace. Why? Because he wanted the church to be one. There is confronting, and challenging each other. They were a fellowship of apostles, a band of brothers. They held together and kept relationship. They could have chosen their own way. They could have said “I’m off”. In fact, if some people want to leave Newfrontiers and go their own way then they are free to do that. Its not that Newfrontiers has authority. This is a name we gave to an apostolic sphere, that’s all.

There is a mutual support that is going on. We have relationships that have bonded us together. We believe that these relationships will continue. We are looking for the emergence of more apostles. Its God’s church. Its not our institution. Its HIM that gives the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Apostles are not an appointment of the church, they are a gift of Jesus. Terry can’t make more apostles.

You can encourage and train those with developing ministries, but it is GOD who gives the gift. The day we make it our thing is the day we drift towards and institution. We need the divine call and the divine equipment.

Apostle is not a name given to the church’s leadership, it is a gift given by the ascended Christ. Give us laborers for the harvest! Give us more of these gifts. Lets see more spheres opened. Let the criss-crossing happen. Not a case of little visits, but apostolic thrust. Paul did not have a big religious event. He probably had a meeting in a house somewhere where Peter just said – hey we are with you, we recognize God is with you.

Paul says “We were gentle, as apostles” in a letter written by Silas and Timothy. There is some confusion there about whether these two were apostles or not. We need to be careful to see who are the real apostles, recognizing they don’t have to look the same, but neither should we call a room full of pastors an apostolic team.

What is more important than Newfrontiers continuing, is that genuine apostles rise up where churches are in dynamic partnership with apostolic advance. It’s about a dynamic joining not about being on a list.

There is a generation coming up through Newday and Mobilise that are not very interested in institutional life. They are pumping and radically red hot. We have to stay vibrant for that to happen. It must be uncomfortable to stay around. What can hold the spheres together? There is fellowship to happen between different spheres knowing that we are more together than we are apart. Unity of doctrine and values. There has been great strength to us in that. There are promises God has given us to change the expression of Christianity all over the world. Not sure any one sphere can do that, but lots of spheres together can! We are going to touch nations. We need one another, we are going to still need one another.

Finally, Joseph was a dreamer who was thrown out, through youthful exuberance. Ultimately came into a place where he was a blessing to his brothers. We are seeing an opening of doors into reformed conservative evangelicalism. They are seeing “perhaps you are not as crazy as you thought”. Jonathan said, come and join the victory. We need a big heart to embrace and bless if we can the broader body of Christ.

God will take us from nation to nation. We want to see every nation touched.

If we are to be a grape vine it can stretch very far from one root. In these next few years we are coming to the end of the beginning. God will do an amazing thing.

God is not dead as the book recently written by the editor of the Economist said. We do have a voice. We can have a voice. What can we do? What will we do with the influence that God is giving us?

Dave read Daniel 1. He explained that the goal here was to put Babylon into the brightest people. He changes their names first. Jewish names have theological significance, but the Babylonian names were related to the Babylonian gods.

They were prepared to become very familiar with the people they are trying to reach. But there were places that they were not willing to go. He refused to make compromises, saying they would be tainted with sin. He makes a proposal, and is initially turned down. Daniel makes a counter-proposal. This is a great way to bring about change. Go for a trial run! Daniel and his friends end up ten times better.

Daniel has incredible influence.

How churches can have influence

1. What does God value? God values his people, but he also created everything. He cares about everything that happens in Babylon. There are always two camps among Christians. Some say “build the church” others say “get out there and change society” Jesus said we were salt – we get out there and its hard sometimes to tell where the salt and the meat end. But the other metaphor is a light, and a city on a hill. We have to build the church so the people will see. So we need to influence society and build the church.

2. How should we be involved? (Jeremiah 19:4-7, Genesis 12:1-3) Some Christians say, don’t try and change the world. Stay separate, or you will become like them. But the prophet didn’t say that! Jeremiah 29 says go and live in the city. Some of us set up Christian organizations and then shout at the world and tell them what they are doing wrong. That is often unhelpful, though sometimes we do need to speak up for justice. We do need to be confrontational sometimes, but we have to also win hearts. What can I do to help? Scripture encourages us to get into the culture.

Christians have often wanted to look different but in our hearts become very similar. The truth is the opposite. We should look very similar ie in what you wear etc, but in your heart you are very different. We run to a very different set of values. Take confidence in the promises of God that as you get involved you go there to be a blessing. While Jacob is with him, Laban prospers. When Joseph is with him, Potipher prospers. The promises of Abraham are having an effect. Eg the work of Street Pastors, Christians are out on the streets engaging with the gangs and has led to massive reductions in crime.

God cares for everything and we should be incarnational.

3. What should we be thinking? (Daniel 1:6-8)

Most people would rather die than think. We have to think. We need wisdom. There are marks of God’s natural grace in culture we can identify with and delight in. What can we redeem from a culture? Ie things that are not essentially bad, put them back in the proper place. What should we confront in culture? What are the idols that need to be demolished?

4. What should our vision be? Influence but not ultimate transformation in this age. Unpopularity will also be our lot at times.

5. How will things end? (Daniel 1:21) He is there to Cryus comes. He is a forerunner of the age to come as he will send the exiles back. IT ends on a physical earth with physical bodies in the new age. All things will be restored.

What can we as individuals do?

1. Daniel said yes to the opportunities that came his way. He wasn’t passive, but actively gave himself to his work. He didn’t feel ready and prepared. We don’t just need church planters, we need people who will become Christian barristers, and Christian businesspeople, and many other professions.

2. We need teams . We often hear one name, but there is always a team

3. Daniel did not allow cost to deter him (Daniel 1:12-13) He had conquered the flesh. Integrity is often tested. Must neither be corrupt nor negligent. We must be in prime condition. We need to go into strict training and run to win the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-25) There will be testing. Get sharp. With every test comes a promotion.

4. Daniel and his team were outstanding candidates. Enormous difference in ability. God doesn’t promote people unless they give themselves to become outstanding. Put in the hours Genies is not a born naturally. Its about loving something and giving 10,000 hours to the thing you love. We must value education and secular learning. Look for the favor of God. Live with the fear of the Lord. He sees everything. Live the same in private and public.

5. Daniel continued as a man of prayer and of the Spirit. (Daniel 1:17) Its God who promotes, so Daniel prays.

6. He developed authority or cultural capital. He was someone who was listened to. One person can change the world.

I won’t share a full set of notes from this seminar, but will just share a few things that stood out for me.

Owen spoke about diversity, using material from his new book on the subject. He over-viewed the Bible’s teaching on the subject. He made the point that the early church did not just grapple with issues of law and grace they grappled with issues of race and culture.

Evan Rogers began by speaking in Afrikaans, and asked us how we all felt. He challenged us with the thought that people will come to our churches unable to speak English. He spoke how singing songs in different languages shows we are open and inclusive. Eg, singing “How Great is Our God” translated into a different language.

Steve Tibbett spoke about leading a multicultural church. Some argue that to grow a church you should target in to a specific people group or type of person. In fact, at King’s you can walk in and whoever you are you will feel comfortable, and that has been a growth engine.

The afternoon session is perhaps the toughest to lead as several thousand tired brains wrestle with over-full stomachs to stay awake and alert. Who better to help us in this battle than a loud South African who gets excited as he preaches!

Stephen began by reminding us of Abraham and his faith-filled obedience to God’s call, and his faithfulness during the long delay in the birth of a child. He then reminded us of the astonishing command of God to sacrifice his miracle son of promise, who represented everything he had hoped and longed for.

It is one of the great faith stories of the Bible, and is included in Hebrews 11.

Steve then compared the events on mount Moriah and Calvery. The venue, the fathers, and the sons all had similar roles.

At the point of climax they are altogether different, because the Lord provided a ram for Abraham, but there was no substitute for Jesus. Jesus was the sin-bearer. He was the lamb slain on our behalf.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son” (John 3:16)

Christ died for us!

This is the grand story. It shows us how God loves us. What are the implications?

Philippians 1:1-11

Grace To You
We must be touched by grace personally and deeply as leaders before we touch anything else. Salvation is from God from start to finish. It began with God. He is the author. God finishes what he starts. Our confidence is in Jesus not how many people are coming to the meeting. Our commendation comes from Jesus and is for being faithful.

Grace on Display
Christianity was never meant to be private. God is after a people, a gospel community living for the glory of God. As a body we are to declare to the outsiders, this is what this town could look like if only Jesus was your lord and savior. We are saints because of what Jesus has done. We show wherever we live what it could be like if Jesus was Lord

Grace to the Nations
Not static, but on the move. The community of believers must be connected to God’s global purposes. This is played out through a relationship. They were partners with Paul. This is how they got involved with mission. God saves us by grace, connects us to a community of grace, and then that community gets connected to apostles and hence God’s mission. Its God’s desire that every local church is connected in a genuine gospel partnership with someone who actually knows you.

Terry began by recommending two books by Bruce Ware. Father Son and Holy Spirit. Terry explained that this book had stirred him to contemplate the wonders of the trinity more devotionally and God’s Greater Glory

Paul was confronted by the risen one who said “I am Jesus who you are persecuting”. He could have answered but I am persecuting Christians! But Christ and the church are one, united, we are the body. Jesus even ensures that Paul has to receive the next step from one of Jesus’ members. Paul learns what it is to be integrated. Cornelius gets an angellic visitation, but the angel says “send for a man”, Pauld describes the churches as his beloved, his joy, his crown. Thats how God sees us. We must love the Church. We must know the wonder of the church. There is a passion and a delight for the Church in the heart of God. We must really love the Church and see it from God’s perspective and genuinely believe for a glorious church.

Churches are to be founded on and flooded by God’s grace.
We are aiming to build churches that are full of people who are free in the grace of God and basking in God’s acceptance of us. We are free from law, religiousness, rules and regulations. Its not a case of us having to work harder. We must live grace. Get it into every pore of your life. Enjoy it, drink it in. Many churches are heavy, heart-aching, working at it, slaving away. We want a whole church that is full of complete freedom. This was perhaps Paul’s greatest battle. We must bannish legalism. We need to build grace-filled communities.

The church is where we loose our individualism and selfish ambition.
We don’t have a private agenda. We get free from all that in community. Many of the commands of the New Testament can only be obeyed in the context of the local church. We have to loose our life. But we do that in the stuff of fellowshiping with the people you don’t initially like. Its not just a noble thought when your hands are raised and you worship. No, its when someone says “No, you are not on that list” or “No you can’t lead worship next week”

Don’t be a church hopper who never puts down their roots. The group is not about having my needs met, its about laying down my life and my preferences. We are told to be kind to one another. Not think abstract “kind” thoughts! We forgive one another when people hurt us. The fruits of the Spirit work in church not in space.

There are two warring women in Philippians. There seem to have been two reasons for writing – tell those women to stop rowing and thanks for the money! Then there is a breathtaking theological statement of the majesty of Christ who took on human form and went down to the cross. But all that was written in response to two women arguing to persuade them to stop! Its the gospel that changes us as a community. God is at work among you, there are communities of love, gentleness, and kindness.

The world is so bitter, harsh and cruel. So to come into a community of love, not grumbling and complaining we will shine like lights. People can be full of themselves, even in Christian circles. We build our sanctification, our Christlikeness in church and we can serve. People need to be close enough to tread on our feet. We must build lives together. We must relate together. Its a wonderful creation, breathtakingly different.

Through Love Serve One Another
Become one anothers slave. In the fellowship of the saints we lay down our lives. We do humbling things. There is an army behind an event like this of unsung heroes. We serve one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Obedience of Faith
The devil offered man the choice to be their own god and make their own choices. But, we can then try and impose God’s will on people by force, laws, and rules. We want to see an obedience that comes from the heart. The Christian witness of simply saying “We are not alllowed to go to the party” is poor. So when people at work say are you going to sleep with one woman for life are you going to say “yes, because I am not allowed to sleep with others” or are we going to be convinced by faith that it is best for us to live God’s way. Do you believe what Jesus says or not? If you ask the question, “do I have to?” then you are asking the wrong question! The lies of the enemy are penetrating us, and Jesus wants to change us from the inside so we believe it by faith.

Heaven is outworked in the church. We live by different values that we are thoroughly persuaded of. Its a community of obedience by faith.

The church is not just individually obedient but corporately obedient. We must see that we have to build the churches themselves by biblical values. This is what we mean by restoration of the church. The church wanted things to be the same. When Martin Luther nailed his thesis to the door, and Calvin joined him in teaching justification, everything had to change. Justification changed the whole church. We want churches that are corporately changed by the Spirit. People are so cynical about the Church, but its God’s church and we want to get it right. We don’t want to sprinkle unregenerate babies and we don’t want to be embarrassed by unregenerate bishops. Thats why we are on a mission around the world to plant new kinds of churches or help existing churches make the radical changes that are required.

Democracy is not the way to run a church. We have to change that. A completely new type of church, not democratic, not institutional, not independent. God tells us to be inter-dependent. We must work these things out. The Holy Spirit appoints elders. God has given us a big heart to love and fellowship with other believers and we mustnt be harsh with them. But God has given us a vision of what church should be like and we will go into all the world and plant those kind of churches.

Church is precious, wonderful and magnificent. We cannot apply sanctification and obedience to the individual only. We have to restore the church to its Biblical model.

The theme of restoring what was lost is very common in the Bible. The walls needed to be built up. We are the people of God, we must get distinctives up. But restoration is also about recovering the corporate presence of the Lord. David restored the ark to Israel. A personal relationship with the Spirit is not enough. We need churches that are full of the Spirit corporately. God wants to make the Church truly his temple. We want God to dwell in his people as a body. Church is where God is. Where God is here now. His presence is here, neither quenched nor grieved.

When pentecost came and the Spirit fell, perhaps Peter yelled “He’s back!” Terry said, “I hate doing church when Jesus is not here.” Its the presence of God that makes the church distinct. Even Moses knew that it was God’s presence that makes things different. But we must cultivate our openess to the presence of God. We don’t gather to a faint memory of what it used ot be like when Jesus was here. We want church where Jesus is here. In the midst in all his glory. Where God is encountered. Lives are transformed by such encounters. The gateway to heaven is the church. Its the dwelling place of God. We are the new temple. Its the place where God lives on our planet. Here is the place of God’s presence especially when we are gathered to worship. It is God’s own presence among us that distinguishes us from all the other people on the face of the earth.

Where are we now? Well we are planting churches. We are trying to build them biblically, loosing our individual life in order to find it, building communities of love worked out in real relationships where the prsence of God is happy to dwell. If we continue to honor and respect his word and the presence of the Spirit. We will see much growth as we follow this path. We are going to the nations. We want to be a people of word and spirit, who build church right and who welcome Jesus among us!

We had a more contemplative time of worship, and Terry did one of his famous “book plug” sessions. He doesn’t just tell you to read a book he tells you why. The books he mentioned were

Planting Churches, Changing Communities by David Stroud. Terry explained the book was full of faith and methodology, information and expectancy. It is full of practical details of what to do that will be helpful for both a church planter and a small group leader.

The second book he mentioned was Just Like Us by Steff Liston is about the ordinary heroes of the Bible.

Stef was also the preacher for this session. It was a free-flowing sermon which ranged all over the Bible and made it a bit harder to take notes on, so I will share just a shorter outline of some of the bullets that stood out to me.

From our hearts flow everything. Above all else we should guard our hearts. He wants to govern and rule the seat of your affections. Everything starts and ends in our hearts.

If leadership is influence, then we are all leaders to some degree or other. People will look to us and be shaped by us. People are around us watching us. So words to the shepherds are relevant to us all.

The shepherds in Israel had forgotten who they were meant to look after. They have assumed that the people belonged to them, and that they existed for their benefit and feeling good about themselves. God says they are not your sheep, they are my people.

God says to them, I will not allow you to feed them because you are eating them. What you are teaching them is breaking them down and leading them astray. He says, I am bringing in a different kind of people. Me, I am going to leave them and the new David – Jesus. It’s a theocracy. I will lead them through a man. That is God’s plan for his people and how they will be lead.

Jesus owns his church. He told us not to call each other “Father”, so it is strange that churches do this. Stef told the story of a time when someone he met introduced himself as follows

“Im Father John but I don’t suppose you will want to call me that”

“No I cant do that really, can I call you John?”

“Not really”

“Mate then?”
“How about Father Mate?”

“No I can’t do that”

“Well in my church you have to call me Father”

“Its not your church!”

If you want to be a leader after God’s heart then you are to do it in such a way so they are being led by the Lord.

There is a reason why Jesus is called David as there are elements of David about Jesus. Matthew 18:1-6. Jesus called up a child and said that only people like a child can get in to heaven. What does it mean to be child like but not childish?

Humility is childlikeness. God is childlike. God never commands us to be something that he is not like himself. God showed his humility by becoming a man, a baby.

Kids delight in simple things. The world has been going on for a long while. Sun comes up, over she goes, and then its gone. God is delighted at the work of his own hands. God has not been tainted by the sin in the world. It struck me as I was listening that God is not cynical like us! He is unblemished.

Kids love to follow. David was a leader, but he was also a sheep. He wrote Psalm 23, as well as Psalm 131 says to not be lifted up, but calmed and quieted. It’s the king of Israel writing this. Spurgeon the city shaker was described by a visitor as someone who was “cradled in the Holy Spirit”

Kids are medicinal – Matthew 19:13-15 Jesus has important things on his mind, the disciples assume he wants to talk to the leaders and important people around. But kids are important. God’s image is in them. Jesus is probably thinking the disciples are bugging me, they don’t understand me, I need someone to pull my eyebrows and ask me what my favorite color is.

Kids are oblivious to hierarchy. They don’t get it. Someone might be an earth-changing apostle, but to the kids perhaps he’s just their granddad.

Kids ask for loads of things and are bold, we can be like that in prayer

Kids know how to enjoy themselves. Don’t be so driven that you cant relax.

For some reason, even more than other years, I am finding myself wishing I could transport you all into this venue so you can just experience the worship. I don’t know how I can really portray the worship well on this blog. Lets just say I sometimes wonder about the structural integrity of this glorious building as a few thousand people all bounce up and down in unison and sing loudly! It somehow even reminded me of a verse in scripture which says of the ancient Israelites that on one occasion they were

“rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise”

During the worship time, someone brought a word based on the idea that together can also be read to-get-her.

Two books were mentioned, firstly Influential Women by Wendy Virgo which speak of the important role that women can play for good and evil in churches. This book will help in addressing the wrong perception some have of the role of women in our churches

The second book was God Knows You Are Human by Terry, this book tells us how God puts us back together again. It outlines Bible characters who experienced God’s favor and mercy.

Terry read from Ephesians 2:1-10

He explained he would be speaking this year about Newfrontiers, its past present and future. This would be different from usual as he didn’t plan to expound a particular passage. In order to help us look forward, he would today look back “The further back you look the clearer you can look forward”

His purpose was to highlight foundational values. In fact I wish I could have caught every word, so please do get the video or audio of this as it is a fantastic summary of what it is that we value in this movement.

We are fundamentally a word and spirit movement. We must value this and treasure it. We don’t want to drift either way. We are both reformed and charismatic.

Where we started: We were dead. Not a very exciting place to begin! Didn’t come together as entrepreneurial whiz kids who started something to go around the world. Terry said he is reformed because he believes the Bible tells me it was of God that I was saved. Dead people don’t search for God. They don’t contribute a lot. They need God to take action. There is a glorious “but God” He spoke, he acted

We were living according to the culture of this world. We evaluated things in the way the world does. The world doesn’t know the first thing about living as Eugene Peterson says.

This world is a short term thing, an age passing away. We used to follow that way. There was another power, another force at work. Sometimes people say “I don’t know what came over me” The devil drives us further than we would have chosen to go. We are subject to the lusts of the flesh. If there is no God, what a terrible world to live in. But while we were in that disgusting state, God loved us with a great wonderful love. He entered into that world.

God did something to us. We were raised with Christ. We were included in the resurrection of Jesus. All who are in him are raised to a newness of life. We are all given a new heart. No longer evil and deceitful heart. He has made us alive. We are saved by grace! God is the initiator. Even faith is the gift of God. He breathed life into us. God has done an amazing thing. His mercy, not your wise choice, his lavish grace not your longing. No one searches for God. If there was a bit of a search in your heart, then God had begun to work on your corpse-like person. He began to draw you to himself. We can celebrate his amazing goodness. It wasn’t my idea it was his. It wasn’t my initiative it was his. He loved me when I was so lost, so why would he stop loving me now? This God is FOR me! Its great news. We are a “but God” people. God changed our lives completely.

Verse 10 says we are created in Christ Jesus. God does things out of nothing. Not just forgiven, not patched up, we are a new creation! Its true of an individual and also the whole church. If anyone is in Christ then we are a new creation.

We are his workmanship. We are like a poem (which is the Greek word used here), a work of art. God puts us through set backs, delays, heartaches, heart breaks. Terry remembers how God broke his heart in his 20s and thanks God for that now. God wants to be able to trust you with things. He wants to know you will build straight not at an angle.

Terry then shared a recent prophetic word that someone had given. The guist of this word was that we in Newfrontiers are God’s workmanship, his work of art. We are surprisingly different, and people will be drawn in. We are not to merely copy the techniques of others. What God is creating in us is Spirit breathed, and it will attract others. We are to learn from techniques, but to realise he has built layers of diversity, textures of relationship and colours of grace in us. This word predicted that though we have been hidden away, now it is time for us to be brought out, made pubic, put on display and as a result many will be drawn.

In Christ Jesus we in Newfrontiers have been formed into a people. We have benefited massively from others coming in and have been changed and shaped. But we have been created in Christ Jesus for good works which God has prepared for us.

We have a sovereign God behind us. What are the works God has prepared specifically for us in Newfrontiers to walk in? God has spoken to us over the years through prophecy.

John Groves had a word where he saw a herd of elephants that were charging where there was no road. They made a road, where there is no road. Others will follow and together you can accomplish more than you could alone”

We are now in all these nations. But decades ago when we started there was no road. No one was doing this stuff. No one was saying we are church planting. The idea of going together was not often spoken of in those days. You either stayed or sent a missionary.

We realized that being personally charismatic was not enough. Its not just about a private prayer language. Its about doing things very differently. Its hard to think back to what church was like back then. It felt like we had to change church life completely. It almost felt arrogant. How can we do this together? We began to train leaders, send teams, plant churches, conferences, and raise finance. We did all these things together.

We were directed to plant churches back in the whole of the UK then to go to the ends of the earth. We are now going together to the big cities of the world.

We were told we would gather old bricks that would join our new wall. We will have seen that, and we are going to see it more. So many men are in sad independent lonely works. They need to be in a galvanized world mission movement.

We were told we would change the expression of Christianity around the world. Why does it need to be changed someone asked? Well, these are some of the changes we are looking for

From legalistic to grace-shaped. The Apostle Paul would have fought to liberate many modern churches that are driven and devoid of joy.
From independence to interdependence. Many churches today are antonymous. It was never the apostolic concept that a church would be planted and then have nothing to do with world mission. Churches to see they are part of something bigger than themselves.

From closed in to looking out
From self centered to sacrificial
From Inward looking to mission orientated
From democratic to releasing gifted anointed leadership
From cessationist to charismatic
From an old wineskin to a new wineskin

The goal of Newfrontiers is to be planting new churches or helping exiting churches to change so the radical life of God can be released. God has made us an instrument for change globally.

Ephesians 1:13 says we have been “sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise.” There is life available in the Spirit. We want to be truly biblical, but we want to know the explosive power of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

A seal is stamped in wax. Its something you know about. Something visible. Adds authority or authenticity. ESV Study Bible notes says “Holy Spirit certifies the authenticity” of their salvation.

This is then referred to what happens in Acts. Peter goes to Cornelius and preaches and the Spirit falls on them. Peter sees that the gentiles are authentic people of God because of the demonstration of the Spirit.

So many teach that the Baptism of the Spirit is non-experiential. But when the Spirit came upon then for Peter that was proof they had been accepted.

When Peter describes this, he says God cleansed their hearts by faith (conversion) and then that the God who knows the heart testified to this by sending the Spirit.

In John 6:27 even of Jesus its said that the seal is set on him. John the Baptist was told that when the Spirit came on someone, that would be the one. The coming of the Spirit is tangible. It is something experiential. MLJ fought to say that Spirit was experiential. Puritans believe that it was experiential, and many in previous generations did. But the Doctor was almost alone in claiming this was something clear and unmistakable to both the person and others who look on.

We mustn’t rob the church of its joy and its awareness of God. Jesus said come and drink, not just come and learn a verse. Its dynamic. In Acts it’s very experiential. It’s not automatic and when you were converted. Even Paul saw the Lord on the road, and is called brother by Ananias so he is recognized as a believer, but told that now he would receive the Spirit.

Its not a gradual thing. Its not reserved for when you are mature. Paul asks “did you receive the Spirit?” In Ephesus they said “no”. Its plain biblical truth that the spirit is real and available in a dramatic way.

The Gospels promise the Spirit. The Epistles look back to the Spirit having come
Acts tells us how it happens.

Some say don’t use the narrative for doctrine, but we are told that “All these things written down for our instruction” – all narrative sections of the Bible teach us doctrine. All Scripture is profitable for teaching.

We must rediscover the splurge of the Spirits coming. Will never understand the growth of the NT church without understanding the Spirit.

Paul’s asks a question about receiving the Spirit in Galatians, modern commentary would say “I don’t know….” We need to KNOW we have received.

Are you thirsty? Not holy, special, very mature, just is anybody thirsty….

Terry spoke about how one man recently who received the Spirit after listening to a talk. He had asked God to lay hands on him digitally, and imagined the Lord laying his hands on him.

“suddenly, without any warning received a baptism of the spirit, shouting laughing, could hardly contain myself. Laughed cried, overjoyed, flood of prophetic activity then noticed I was not speaking in English.”

You can read more of this on my blog

Coming upon of the Spirit is deeply felt and intensely experienced. MLJ says it is crying out, an extravagant word.

We don’t receive by merit, but by hearing with faith. We have been invited to come and drink. Come and receive. Not works of law. Not being a good person. By hearing with faith. It’s a gift. Promise is for everyone that the Lord will call.

The only people who were ever told to wait, were those who had to wait for Jesus to be glorified. On the day of Pentecost, Peter declares this Jesus has now been raised, now exalted. He has sent the Spirit. After that day no one was ever told to wait!

When God saw that Cornelius heart was cleansed through faith the Spirit fell. The Holy Spirit believes in justification by faith. He owns and seals people who are justified by faith.

1 Cor 14:15 Paul says he will pray with the Spirit and also with the understanding. The two things are different. Praying with tongues is like turning on a radio with a foreign language you don’t understand. It’s a form of worship. Its like an answer to Wesley’s prayer “O for a thousand tongues to sing” and God answers and says here’s one. Paul prayed more in tongues than all of them. Its biblical not to understand tongues! He doesn’t say “maybe God will” he says “I will.” You are using apparatus you have used before. You know how to speak. When you receive the Spirit, its you that speaks in tongues. Not a case of waiting. Jesus is walking on the water, and Peter says “tell me to come to you”, Jesus says “come” and Peter doesn’t wait thinking “any minute it will come” he walked to the edge of the boat and then he moved into another realm. We similarly just begin to speak and the Spirit empower tongues.

Terry concluded by reiterating that we are committed to word and spirit, reformed and charismatic. There is an essential truth that grips us, removed out guilt and shame, and the truth that has liberated us and we have been sealed with the Spirit.

If anyone is thirsty COME and drink!

Wow! What a glorious time of worship we have just shared together here at Together On A Mission. Rocky, powerful rhythms belted out and set to potent lyrics rich in doctrine. Bass and drums were clearly designed to glorify God.

There was a tongue which was interpreted with a prayer uplifting the trustworthiness of God in a time when human resources are running out. This was followed by a prophecy which challenged us to remember that building a glorious large people is really about making many small difficult decisions back at home when there are challenges we are facing.

The names of all the countries represented in this conference were read out and there were 35 different nations present! To gather from the ends of the earth to worship our glorious King is a wonderful thing.

There are few countries on earth where there are more challenges for the people than Zimbabwe so it seemed appropriate that the first talk was given by someone affectionately nicknamed “Bones” from Zimbabwe. I wonder if this is because of Star Trek or because he was very thin when younger?

Bones began by quoting Campbell Morgan and arguing this book is a story about the revelation of the heart of our great God.

Jonah 1 opens with God speaking. He is sent not just to any foreign nation but to the capital of a world superpower which is a sworn enemy of Israel. Jonah is described as prophet in 2 Kings, and says God will expand the borders of Israel. Jonah is no more to be Mr Israel, but to be Mr Nations. God has a global heart.

The command of God to Adam was to fill the earth. God told Abraham and told him that through him the nations would be based. There is a global tug. God will give us a bigger vision this week.

Isaiah said “here I am send me” Moses said “send him!” Jonah simply ran! God said “go” Jonah said “no”. Tashish was the opposite direction.

There is always a “good reason” to say no to God. God sends a massive storm. If God made land and sea then he probably made the storm! Jonah thinks “this is what I deserve.” But people still struggle to believe what happened next. The same God who sent the storm sends a fish. It suddenly struck me as I was listening to this how wonderful it was that the God who’s wrath led to the punishment, also had mercy that led to the means of escape.

Salvation comes from the Lord. God gives him a second chance to obey and he does. The people are cut to the heart by a simple message. They fasted and turned to God and he had compassion on them.

Jonah and God come face to face. The rest of the story fades into the background as Jonah is exposed to the heart of the global God. The key to unlocking the whole book is in the last chapter when God reveals he is concerned for the people. Our love for the one we love most is as small as a speck of dust compared to the sun of God’s love for that individual. God’s heart for the world is like 7 billion sun’s worth of power. We should therefore want to run to wherever people are as fast as possible. If we jump to the practice before understanding the principle we miss out. The practice is we should go to where the people are to express God’s heart. People are in the cities. We must prioritise population centres as much as we can. But that is not all that Jonah says. God’s heart is for people. We might say “I don’t live in New York, so is God interested?” The question is simply this, are there people there? If so then God cares for your town!

50% of the people in the world are in urban centres. So we have to care about both cities and rural areas. Caring for the rural areas can open up influence in the cities. So helping the farmers has opened doors with cabinet ministers for them in Zimbabwe. Remembering the poor doesn’t mean to forget the rich. But as there are more poor people than rich then God’s heart is drawn to then.

What does a global strategy look like? In Acts 18 we see Paul going from city to city. Paul was a tentmaker. Having skills-based employment is a key for us as we can then plant churches more rapidly. We can advance with greater integrity. There is a lot of cynicism about the church. We don’t peddle the gospel for profit. But Paul could look people in the eye and say “you can’t pin that one on me!” Business can help us plant churches. Wealthy and influential people can help us. Some need to move, some need to stay and press through. We ended by praying for both groups.