Newfrontiers-USA Leadership Conference

Short but very sweet. Last week and weekend Wendy and I paid a swift visit to the USA.

Our Newfrontiers-USA leaders and wives held their annual conference in St Louis, Missouri, where a growing number of churches and towns were represented, from Tacoma on the West Coast to Boston in the East, joining together in a great time of fellowship, teaching, worship and prayer.

John Lanferman kicked off with an excellent statesmanlike word, calling us to fight the good fight of faith, followed by Lee Yarbrough from Montana, who reminded us how Jesus lifted the hearts and heads of his disciples in Luke 24. P-J Smyth, visiting from Godfirst, Johannesburg, South Africa, gave a stunning word focused strongly on the centrality of the gospel, a word which he would subsequently bring at Mars Hill, Seattle at the conference that followed immediately after ours.

Six practical and inspirational seminars were followed by myself on (1) Paul’s goal in ministry, and (2) the centrality of worship, not only as a lifestyle but also as the vital hub of our life together in the presence of God.

Our final morning was given to reports and intercessory prayer, especially in connection with the upcoming Newfrontiers churches to be planted in Chicago and Charlotte this coming autumn.

Jubilee Church, St Louis
Finally, on Sunday morning I enjoyed preaching at the growing Jubilee Church in St Louis led by Bryan Mowrey. I was very encouraged to see two people respond to the gospel, followed by some wonderful healings.

What was already a short visit was made even shorter by the USA putting their clocks forward on the Saturday night, something I shall have to repeat at the end of March for British Summer Time!

This short but sweet visit provided great opportunity to renew fellowship with so many friends from all across the USA, and to make new friendships with an upcoming generation of guys with their eye on the goal of planting churches in the top 100 cities in the States.