08Sep 2016 by Nigel Ring

Succession in Newfrontiers and a visit to Westpoint

Church Planting, Commission, Guy Miller, New Ground, Newfrontiers, News, Terry Virgo, Westpoint
What happened when Terry Virgo ‘handed over’ Newfrontiers? Recently I was speaking with someone who had contact with another stream of churches. That person was commending Terry and Newfrontiers for the way in which succession had been handled when Terry handed over the responsibility for the Newfrontiers family of churches in 2011 to about 15 men who had demonstrated apostolic gifting and ministry. He said that, as a result of what they had observed, his stream of churches was adopting a similar philosophy of ‘sons’ growing up to become ‘fathers’ who would lead the next generation. On arriving home I found this interview in my inbox. Terry had been invited by David Holden to speak at the ‘Newground’ Leadership Conference and shares his perspective on the process and developments over…
Read More
05Jul 2016 by Nigel Ring

A new website for Newfrontiers

Books, David Devenish, David Holden, Downs Bible Week, Guy Miller, New Ground, Newfrontiers, News, Regions Beyond, Steve Oliver, Terry Virgo
Gains and losses In recent weeks I have sought to give an overview of some of the apostolic spheres. The feedback has been very encouraging. People clearly seem to enjoy catching up with other members of the Newfrontiers family. So I was particularly delighted to learn recently that a new website has been launched. The transition five years ago was essentially positive – to see Terry Virgo’s reflections on this go to my last blog – but it did also have some negative aspects. Particularly, ‘decentralisation’ and the necessary closure of the Magazine resulted in easy access to news from around the world substantially evaporating. A hunger for news This desire for information from across the spheres still existed in the hearts of many people who have enjoyed the international fellowship. So,…
Read More
28Jun 2016 by Nigel Ring

Terry Virgo reflects on the Newfrontiers transition

Newfrontiers, News, Terry Virgo, Together on a Mission
The start of it all In 1980 Terry Virgo was urged by a friend, Bryn Jones, speaker at our second Downs Bible Week, to draw together a team of men around him. Terry was beginning to travel widely within the UK from his base on the south coast, Seaford, and needed others to share the load and complement his ministry.     A team is formed [caption id="attachment_5249" align="alignleft" width="260"] L to R: David Holden, Richard Haydon Knowell, Henry Tyler, Ray Lowe, Alan Vincent, Terry Virgo, Nigel Ring[/caption] In September that year a team of seven met for the first time. A name was required; ‘Coastlands’ was agreed. The prophet Isaiah uses ‘coastlands’ to denote the ends of the earth, a reflection of our heart to fulfil the Great Commission. But,…
Read More
22Oct 2014 by Nigel Ring

Moving on – some reflections. Part 4 – Holy Spirit activity and conferences

Newfrontiers, News, Terry Virgo
Prayer One key element of the growth we were experiencing can be attributed to prayer. I mentioned in the last posting that Clarendon Church had dynamic prayer meetings. The same was true for Newfrontiers where regularly, on a Thursday morning, leaders from Newfrontiers churches in given geographical regions would gather to pray together. There were also two days of prayer and fasting three times per year to which Terry invited all church leaders. At these days substantial time was given to worship, seeking God through intercession and listening to his voice through prophecy. Indeed, much of the development of the family of churches came through prophetic revelation, which was carefully weighed in a biblical fashion. John Wimber In the mid-80s we started to have regular visits by John Wimber from…
Read More
15Oct 2014 by Nigel Ring

Moving on – some reflections. Part 3 – Growth

Clarendon Church, Newfrontiers, News, Terry Virgo
Multiple congregations The 1980s were years of steady growth of Clarendon Church. In 1984 we ran out of space and multiplied onto two congregations; a further three were added two years later. But we then realised that we had effectively created five churches. This ran counter to a prophetic word we had received in the early days that we would be like a substantial tree whose branches would reach over Brighton and Hove, a tree that would have visibility across the town. And so we started to meet again as one congregation in the local cinema complex with its six halls, allowing us to carry on the children’s ministry in parallel with the main meetings. New building There was an urgent need for us to have our own larger building.…
Read More
08Oct 2014 by Nigel Ring

Moving on – some reflections. Part 2 – Entering Full time ministry

Clarendon Church, Downs Bible Week, News, Terry Virgo
I believe that full time ministry is more a function of practicalities than a calling. It is not a status or promotion, but a necessity when it is not possible to carry out what God has called us to without devoting more time than is possible while pursuing a secular job. Twice God had spoken to me about being in ‘full time ministry’; once when I was 9 years old and again in 1974 while leading a research team in a paediatric hospital. I mentioned this to Terry in 1978 in a crowded context. He did not respond so I assumed that he had not heard and I did not repeat myself. However, I was later to discover that it had registered, as we shall see! Downs Bible Week  In 1979…
Read More