Newfrontiers USA
MAY JUL
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JANUARY 15-17, 2010 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
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JUBILEE CHURCH OF ATLANTA >> ATLANTA, GA
It was time to close, so I spoke over the loudspeaker, “Attention all Revive customers. The store is closing. Would all customers please make their way to front register.” I would normally end by saying thanks and have a good night, but instead I said, “Two of our employees just gave their life to Jesus Christ and have joy and peace in their lives now. If anyone would like to make that same decision, either of our two cashiers will gladly share with you how. Thank you so much and have a great night!” We didn’t get an immediate response from the announcement, but we did get a few shouts of praise for the new believers! God is awesome!
DESTINATION CHURCH SUMMER INTERNS
A Chicago Progress CHRIST’S CHURCH OF JOPLIN >> JOPLIN, MO Matt Spiel Eight young men from around the United States gathered to help Destination Church pound the streets for Christ during the 2009 Chicago Evangelism Internship. The first weeks proved the most difficult, as some of us quickly realized that sharing Jesus Christ with the people around us was something we’d severely neglected. It was amazing to watch God take atrophied portions of our lives and stretch us back out. Each day brought new challenges, whether it was stopping people as they got off the subway or going door-to-door offering prayer. God taught each of us to rely completely on Him. We have come to realize that our position in our relationship with God is firmly rooted in what Christ has done for us on the cross. God’s love for us doesn’t change if a day’s work brings no visible results. What an amazing truth from which evangelism flows! Never in our lives have some of us felt so much freedom to simply love Jesus and the people around us. We personally connected with nearly 400 individuals, and handed out nearly 5,000 flyers on behalf of Destination. What’s most inspiring is knowing that while on internship, we played a key role in helping to lay foundations for Destination Church here in Chicago.
to establish the kingdom of God by restoring the Church, making disciples, training leaders and planting churches.
A N E W F R O N T I E R S U S A P U B L I C AT I O N
Michael Mowrey
Out of excitement we told some coworkers what happened. At that moment I noticed another coworker, Claudia. I heard God say that He wanted to save her too. Hearing this, I stepped away to give Claudia a hug and said, “I think you’d be pleased to know that Maria just gave her life to Jesus Christ and she’s already experiencing much peace and joy in her life. Would you like to make the same decision?” To my excitement, she said yes! I briefly shared the gospel with her and led her in a prayer of repentance. She started tearing up and was so happy! The Holy Spirit was flooding the store!
Newfrontiers is a worldwide family of churches together on a mission
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The Gospel at Work One day at work God told me He wanted to save my coworker Maria. In faith, I approached Maria later that day with the intention of sharing the gospel. We talked for awhile about her life and I responded by telling her of God’s grace and love. I shared the gospel and what it means to me personally. She expressed that she desired this kind of life, so I led her in a prayer of repentance. Her eyes filled with tears of joy!
09
Being a Son, Becoming a Father Mike Lawson >> Team Member, Newfrontiers USA John Lanferman oversees the Newfrontiers USA apostolic team and regularly gathers us for times together away from the office. During these apostolic extended team meetings we seek God, evaluate where we are, look ahead to where God has called us, strategize and plan for the way forward. This year’s meeting brought significant thoughts to mind concerning transitional leadership. More specifically, the need to develop multi-generational leadership that upholds our biblical, apostolic and prophetic foundations. Being a Son
(It is worth noting the disciples fail to cast out a demon just before Jesus sends them out!) David Jackman said it well in his commentary on 1 John: “How important it is then that ‘fathers’ in the church should teach ‘young men’ ... nothing matters more for the future health and strength of Christ’s body.”
Looking To Other Movements Without minimizing Newfrontiers in any way, no one in our midst would be deluded enough to think we represent the pinnacle of church movements. If we all agree we’ve not “arrived” then change is inevitable, but not simply for the sake of change, or change that moves us off a biblical and apostolic foundation. In desiring to learn from others, the question always arises as to how we adapt and adopt not simply methods (that’s easy and alone leads to disappointment), but different ways of thinking that make us more effective in our mission. This is key for us! Despite successes in reaching their culture, some of our brothers in the Emergent Church have cut ties to biblical moorings, sowed to the ever-changing winds of culture, and are in some respects reaping a whirlwind (Hosea 8:7). So how do we avoid these pitfalls while moving forward?
I, maybe more than most, have made the mistake of deciding who is ready to lead by comparing their ability or skill to my own, forgetting what I was One way is to clearly define our values as fathers. Whether you have like when I started a “few” years ago. This is because I was thinking more written them down or not, you do have values and they do inform your like a son than like a father: a son considers more his own role within the opinions and conclusions about everything in the family, whereas a father looks to developing sons church. Terry Virgo once used the illustration of a to carry on the family line. Another strength of ...A SON CONSIDERS MORE HIS OWN Ferris wheel to describe the relationship between mine that quickly can become a weakness when Word and Spirit. The Word is the foundation or base discipling others is my desire to see things done ROLE WITHIN THE FAMILY, WHEREAS A that allows us to “whirl around in the Spirit.” In a very well. Requiring that things be done as well as FATHER LOOKS TO DEVELOPING SONS similar way, our clearly defined values will allow us I do them can actually choke out the opportunity to appropriate what is helpful from other streams to develop leaders. It can influence my decision to TO CARRY ON THE FAMILY LINE. without the danger of shifting away from our biblido something myself instead of “bothering” to cal, apostolic and prophetic foundations. We can take the time to invest in someone. It can also appropriate what is both culturally relevant and highly effective for church create a heavy burden that can frustrate rather than motivate a son. Excelgrowth without eroding our foundation. lence can be maintained by training, but this will require present leaders to shift their priorities and change their schedules. This does not mean that we will avoid challenges to the way we think and operate. This is one advantage of including sons (i.e. younger leaders) in Becoming a Father our meetings. In this most recent apostolic extended team meeting Bryan A key part in raising up and transitioning leadership for the future is that Mowrey and Bo Noonan participated, bringing perspectives to our sons who are in positions of leadership make the transition to become dialogue that were both helpful and necessary. At the same time fatherly fathers. If we don’t father, who will? The answer to that question is “no values were a balancing part of the discussions. one!” The consequence of this would be a church that suffers from knowing little of what it means to be a father (much like today’s culture). To ensure our future as a family of churches, we must transition from thinking like sons to thinking like fathers. Current leaders must develop sons After clearly defining discipleship in Luke 9, Jesus appoints seventy-two who will take on the call of building missional churches. Sons likewise, anonymous disciples to proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom and must grow in their leadership activity and apostolic vision. This multisends them out. These disciples were with Jesus for at most two years and generational leadership will bring fresh expressions rooted in healthy founnot even part of his inner circle (Mark 3:14). These disciples were headed dations, connecting all of us to Christ and His mission. into a dangerous situation (10:3) without everything they would need to survive (10:4). Despite the disciples’ misunderstanding of Jesus’ ministry (9:46, 9:54-55), Jesus gives them authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, and speak for Him (10:11). Would we take the same risk? We should.
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Newfrontiers USA churches, church plants and pioneering efforts are currently working in 14 states.
A Closer Look:
Catalyst Church >> Charlotte, NC House of Prayer >> Langley, WA
Leadership Highlight >> Sam Poe
Soundbite from John Lanferman
Target City Spotlight Newfrontiers USA Today
Team Leader >> Newfrontiers USA
FATHERING THE NEXT GENERATION
A Look at Bob Roberts
Church leaders recently asked me about fathering young men in ministry. In 1 John 2:12-17, John the apostle instructs the churches in Asia Minor about this issue. As a wise spiritual father and grandfather, John appeals to three groups who are at three levels of understanding: children, young men, and fathers. John first addresses children or newer believers in a manner appropriate to their understanding: “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven…” (v.12 ESV). They don’t know much but are secure in the fact that their past, present, and future sin has been fully dealt with by the finished work of Jesus. As a father, John secures them in an understanding of their relationship in being part of the Father’s family: “I write to you, children, because you know the Father” (v.13). They don’t know a lot, but what they do know is foundational to their continued journey with God. Second, John speaks to fathers. Having walked with God, these individuals have a history, an understanding, and a great responsibility to children and young men. They have provided stability in the community, and likewise are a reservoir of wise counsel and an example of God’s faithfulness. When fathers tell you to “trust God,” they are not mere words. Their model of experience backs them up.
Being a Son Becoming a Father
these young men were the soldiers who carried the day on the battlefield. Paul’s letters to Timothy also provide a valuable clinic on the issue of fathers and sons. Paul uses the language of a father, addressing Timothy as “son” (2 Tim. 1:2 NASB). Paul challenges him by example: “I have fought the good fight” (2 Tim. 4:7), and exhorts him in word: “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12). He then encourages Timothy: “let no one despise you for your youth” (1 Timothy 4:12 ESV), expressing his fatherly confidence in him. Young men are vital in God’s Church. At age twenty-two Calvin wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion. In his twenties, Whitfield shook our nation and Moody, at thirty years old, shook two continents. William Cary at age twenty-five went to India, starting the modern mission movement. Spurgeon preached to thousands in his twenties.
John addresses a third group—the young men. In fact, they receive most Fathers… may I challenge you to give yourself to teach, model, and make of his attention. As a father, John has a great deal to say to this group. They room for young men to stand in your place? I believe the most fruitful years have reached a stage of spiritual development where they are expected to are the years spent fathering others. While this article seems to speak to lead and bear the burden of the church’s first line of defense and developthe male gender, scripture contains similar admoniment. John’s fathering is so evident as he affirms tion to women: “older women likewise… teach what them: “…you are strong, and the word of God abides WHEN FATHERS TELL YOU TO is good, and so train the young women…” (Titus in you, and you have overcome the evil one” (v.14). 2:3-4). “TRUST GOD,” THEY ARE NOT MERE John challenges these young lions to take the church I encourage newer followers of Jesus to remain WORDS. THEIR MODEL OF EXPERIupon their shoulders in order to see God’s kingdom secure in your relationship to the Father, and grow in advance. He says they are strong, having labored in ENCE BACKS THEM UP. order to take on more responsibility. You young men, the scripture and learned to do battle, because “the study the scripture, know what you believe and learn word of God abides” in them (v.14). I’m sure John to recognize false doctrine in order to be “a workman who does not need knew this because he had a relationship with them, spent time with them, to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15 NASB). taught them, gave himself to them, prepared them, and had listened to them teach and preach. He made room for these young men and they Fathers, scripture declares: “The glory of young men is their STRENGTH, occupied important leadership in the church. and the honor of old men is their gray hair” (Proverbs 20:29). Gray hair symThe churches in Asia Minor were in danger on account of false teachers. These young men however, had dealt with these issues because they were courageous and strong in the Word. John, aware that they had overcome the evil one, encourages them to keep fighting for God’s cause and expresses his confidence in them. As a father, John acts like a general, and
bolizes wisdom, experience, and a desire to give place to upcoming generations. Don’t hold onto a particular place. Enjoy this season of being an example—modeling, training and giving place to strong young men.
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