REGARDING DRISCOLL'S PROPHETIC WORD TO TERRY AND NEWFRONTIERS

Following Mark Driscoll's remarkable message I approached him and told him, "You have spoken boldly and obediently with much grace and we are all grateful." He seemed to greatly appreciate how we had embraced him. It was evident that he had been drained of all energy as a result of his obedience in giving such an earth shaking prophetic word to us.

As is our custom following the conclusion of the Brighton conference, the apostolic forum, which is comprised of the apostolic leaders representing the nations in which we serve, gathered for fellowship and prayer. We had dinner on Friday together, and around the various tables we were eagerly attempting to determine in our conversations the meaning of what Mark had shared. On Saturday morning we meet for a few hours to pray and to embrace prophetic gifts. Terry opened our time by stating that he knew that what had transpired was from God. We began to pray for some of the cities we are moving into across Europe. During this time of prayer I shared a prophetic picture that had come to me at the last session of the Brighton conference. Time had not allowed me to share it with the conference. However, Terry encouraged me to share this prophetic word with the apostolic forum on the Saturday. Prophecies are not often impacting when put in print. However, at the forum a powerful presence of God was in the room as I shared the following.

I had seen a picture of a relay race with the stands filled with eager spectators. I saw the crucial point of transition when the baton was being passed to another runner. The hand-off of the baton is the most crucial point in a relay race, the race is won or lost at the time of the handoff. There is a moment when both runners have a hold of the baton and are running together. The runner receiving the baton must begin running and get up to speed so that at the crucial point of transfer both runners are running together. Their is that moment when both runners are running full out at the same speed and the transfer is made as the now new lead runner receives the baton.

As I watched this picture a most unusual thing occurred, the spectators in the stands stood up and begin to move down the aisles of the stadium toward the track. Soon the track was filled with the entire stadium emptied of spectators as all were running.

I felt that we were at a must crucial season as a movement when a transfer was going to take place. If there was ever a time we need to be praying for all of us who are leaders of Newfrontiers it is at this time.

When the spectators emptied the stadium and started to run on the track I felt God told me this is what was happening at the Brighton conference when all the attendees spontaneously stood to their feet and began to applaud. It was a prophetic moment that induced a spontaneous response.

We were not applauding Mark Driscoll, but responding to something much deeper. This Brighton conference was a time of commissioning an army to run together, this was a time of a future of amazing expansion of leaders and workers in the mission. This was a time when people were no longer observing the few run the race but that all could embrace a future that included all of them.

Following this prophetic picture an amazing weight of God's glory seemed to be present. Others in the forum began to pray out an acknowledgment that God was speaking. The many conversations and confusion as to Driscoll's remarkable prophetic word to us was made clear. Faith and energy seemed to punctuate our prayer with continual reference to this picture.

I would encourage those of you in the Newfrontiers family to respond to the above. While we are at a very crucial time in our movement, God is leading us and God is commissioning us. Let's respond and move to the track, their are churches to be planted, disciples to be made, money to be given, and leaders to be trained. It is a time for those younger men in our ranks to consider seriously the call of God and the opportunity to participate. It is a time to refuse to be spectators. While we rejoice in God's gracious love expressed to us I implore you to pray much for Terry and those of us who are involved in apostolic leadership.