Terry Virgo on the Future of New Frontiers : 24 Dec 2009

Terry is an elder in Church of Christ the King (CCK) Brighton and the founder of "New Frontiers" family of churches.

A group of pastors is not an apostolic team

What we mustn’t do is encourage a group of pastors to say ‘we are an apostolic team’. No you are not. You are a group of pastors. It’s very important that we don’t muddle the gifts or we come unstuck.

Essentially Newfrontiers was a name given to a sphere of churches under Terry’s apostolic leadership. It would be my hope that the title and corporate life of Newfrontiers will live on, but it’s more important that apostolic spheres emerge, and that churches are in dynamic partnership with apostolic advance. Newfrontiers as a name could fade away. That’s not my heart’s desire, but it’s so much more important that apostles emerge, vitally engaging with churches that know they are on apostolic mission together, not simply on ‘theNewfrontiers list’.

So what could hold the new spheres together? It could be like it is in southern Africa: there are different apostolic men coming through, church planting and serving churches in their individual spheres. But they are keeping in touch. They remember God’s word to us at the beginning, ‘You can accomplish more together than you can apart.’ By acting corporately they have more punch. Walking away would break their hearts. We are integrated with profound love. Unity of doctrine and common values are prized. I don’t want to walk away from that, it’s too precious.

Also, there are promises that God has given us to ‘change the expression of Christianity all over the world’. I am not sure that any one sphere could accomplish that alone, but lots of spheres together in harmony, can do it. I know other teams that God is raising up are also fulfilling that goal, but we have a massive part to play, and men and women scattered throughout our present family of churches care passionately about that promise. No one wants to drop that ball!

God spoke to us years ago about the role of Joseph, a visionary dreamer, who in his youthfulness may have been arrogant and insensitive. Thrown out, he kept his dream and stayed pure through the testings. Ultimately he was released and vindicated, and blessed his brothers and the world. I have believed that promise for us. I believe God wants us to have a big heart to embrace and bless, if we can, the broader body of Christ. I am thrilled to find doors are opening to us among those who used to be nervous of us.

When we started and became Newfrontiers we were about 30 churches. I didn’t contemplate involvement in Russia, Mexico, Japan! Bedford was in the far north! God has accomplished amazing things with one sphere. What will it be when dozens of spheres kick in, develop their teams, grow their spheres, keep walking in love and relationship. Where will it take us? Where will it take you?

In Kew Gardens there is an enormous ancient vine, which produces thousands of clusters of grapes. Not apples in their loneliness, but clusters of grapes. How many apostolic clusters can come from the one root? We are coming to the end of the beginning. God plans amazing growth. I hope you aim to be part of it and play your part in it.