This message was preached by Steve Oliver who leads Regions Beyond an apostolic sphere within Newfrontiers Intl.
Steve shares his heart on what is our DNA and where are we going from here.
You can hear the audio by clicking here.
SETTING THE SCENE
I was reading Hudson Tylor’s book o how he had to wrestle
for his values and understanding God’s heart for the nations.
“Utter weakness in ourselves, we should be overwhelmed at
the immensity of the work before us, were it not that our very insufficiency
gives us a special claim to the fulfillment of His promise, 'My grace is
sufficient for thee; My strength is made perfect in weakness.'" Hudson
Tylor He was 25 when he wrote this an took his family to China
We are 19 nations and 10 regions. It has spread far and wide
and it’s huge to carry so many nations.I only had a heart for one little church in S Africa up in
the hills but now look at us. We are here now.
I remember the promises that we are in a new day.
We are setting our course and are discovering our key DNA
issues and God is joining excellent gifts together.
1992 I accompanied Jeff in the Drankensberg in South Africa
and heard about God’s heart of every nation. This was the first time I was
exposed to a call to the nations and that it would be through the church.
When the call came “who can I send and who will go”?
I felt something stir in my heart. Here we are many years
later. One evening God told me as I was praying “I have called you to build
Newfrontiers” It was a strange word because I was at that time only a Life
Group Leader.
1993 Terry and Simon Petit changed the course of the work in
South Africa and the Bay Community Church was born. This was my first
involvement in a church plant.The church grew and multiplied and took shape.
We finally felt led to leave Cape Town and go to Clarence in
1996
September 1996, Ray and Sue Lowe visited us. Ray asked me
what God had called me to. What could I say with me here sitting in the middle
of nowhere? But God had spoken that we would be like a mountain whose rivers would
flow into South Africa and into the nations. Ray’s response was “Great, let’s
do it”.
God has done a wonderful work and now I am here. I am
marveling at the task before us.
I felt God say that you started a church on a mountain top
and now you are all gathered here on a mountain top and God is true to his
promises.
God is looking for people who will say “Let’s go” We have a
journey fueled by many promises.
India – I came away so encouraged. They are men of capacity
and vision.
Regions Beyond 2010 Terry courageously and obediently took
us on a journey from one sphere to many. Some have joined together and some
have multiplied.
Those were early days when I shared with Terry that I longed
for a group of brothers and sisters who were like minded people with a common vision
and would find an environment where they have the freedom to express themselves
and where we would reach nations and continue the work that had begun.
I want
to see an apostolic sphere that does not gather around one person but around the Eph 4 gifts and I layed all this out before Terry.
Newfrontiers has become a group of apostolic leaders together with teams
and churches united in global mission by core values and genuine relationships.
The wineskin changed. If we can have many Eph 4 gifts
released it will happen a lot faster.
Regions Beyond has now taken shape and we’ve added more
gifts. Over the last year and a half we have had 3 defining points all around
people.
Garry Welsh joined us and then at Master Builders God spoke
to me to reach out to Ray Lowe and that we need to do this together. Late last
year Ray Lowe joined us.
Jeff Kidwell joining us has been another defining moment.
These days there are some of the most significant days of
our lives. Its going to change some of our lives in the near future.
Some of the promises God has given us Is 55:5 A word that I
have said and me so many times. So there is a God element to what is happening.
Next Month we go to Malaysia and God has worked this out.
Gen 13 God is going to continue to give us nations. At the
HUB we heard about the dam bursting and the word “Don’t Shepherd God” Ray’s
word about a caged lion i.e the church deeding to be un caged and released.
Lastly
There are some things that I long for.
1 These are things that I have carried in my heart for
years. Ever increasing circle of friends. Never be an organization. Be what we
have been taught – a family together on a mission. We can function among st friends
, hear the purposes of God and move on.
2 I want us to be a movement that continues with the values that
we have received. Some values may rise to the fore but there are values that
mark us and are visible among us.
Years ago we started leadership training in Clarence and it
bore us a lot of fruit.
We need to be value driven and not opportunity driven and
this is what we should be whether it is how we build church, team, manage our
finances etc. We must have values that guide us.
3. I long for constant diversity. You will hear difference
languages in the next few days.
4 I long to be among leaders who are secure in being
themselves- position ally secure. They will not be a shortage of things to do.
5. I long for a people group that will criss- cross nations.
It’s wonderful that its already happening.
6 I long to see this glorious church being re produced-
people who love to worship and pray and embrace the poor.
We are a diversity family of churches in apostolic partnership.Our diversity is a big strength. I want us to go from here loving our local
church and impacting the town in which we live with expansion in your hearts. That’s
what we’ve go to be wherever we are.
So I am calling you to greatness. What is biblical greatness? – it’s abandonment to the purposes of God.
Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again), Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log ontowww.wordofgracechurch.org.
English Language Service Sundays at 10am. Please check google maps for directions!
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