forerunners fellowship

A Holy Order for Kingdom Leaders in New England

WHAT IS THE FORERUNNERS’ FELLOWSHIP?

It is a dispersed holy order for Pastors and Christian leaders in New England who wish to prepare for revival and awakening. Like the biblical forerunner, John the Baptist, they intend by God’s Grace to prepare The Way of The Lord by making straight paths to Jesus for themselves and those they serve. The Forerunngers Way is focused on 3 vital elements:

  • Praying humbly and expectantly for revival, beginning with themselves, assisted by those in the Fellowship

  • Adopting and committing to a practiced way of life that engages the vision of God so as to cultivate the breadth of virtues needed to lead with spiritual authority in the chaos of spiritual decline and revival

  • Preparing themselves and others by innovating church and ministry structures for the next revival in New England


WHY DOES THIS FELLOWSHIP EXIST?

The short answer is for the sake of the Church and the World. There is a desperate need for spiritual revival in the Church in the post-Christian West, especially in New England.  

If we need revival and are asking God for it, Kingdom leaders need to be ready to provide leadership as revival breaks in, like the bridesmaids who had their lamps ready and oil topped off for the Bridegroom’s coming. We believe that God has been calling some of His People to be harbingers of revival and awakening, forerunners leading and pointing others to the One Who is coming, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 

By its very nature, revival induces radical change. This requires leaders who will:

  • Pursue an intentional Way of Life rooted in God The Holy Trinity, so that they can operate at a high level of spiritual intimacy and authority.

  • Embody Christian virtues, especially the three that abide - faith, hope, and love - so that they can reflect The Life of The One Who lived as one of us.

  • Practice disciplines in which they are stabilized in faith, converted in hope, and obedient in love.

  • Submit themselves and their ministries to scrutiny as together members seek to be revival-ready personally and ministerially.

Christian leaders need support and accountability to operate in this way, especially in a milieu of chaos, spiritual decline, and Kingdom revival. Covenanted communities have long provided this kind of support to Christian leaders and have served as bulwarks of stability.  They offer a context in which Christian leaders can be transformed from the outside in, such that the way of Jesus moves from practice, to habit, to the disposition of virtue.  Being part of a holy order helps leaders to avoid distraction, deception, and deconstruction.

WHO SHOULD JOIN?

The Forerunners’ Fellowship is for:

  • Church/Kingdom pastors and leaders (anyone with a following)

  • In New England

  • Who are longing for revival and willing to pay the price to welcome it

  • Who agree to covenant deeply with others around a common purpose and way of life


WHERE/WHEN WILL THE FELLOWSHIP GATHER?

We gather:

  • Once each year for a multi-day in-person retreat to reflect, evaluate, and rededicate ourselves to one another and our common mission, as well as to receive and commission new members.

  • Monthly for 90 minutes on Zoom to pray together for revival, reflect on our way of life, and to discuss how we can develop and sustain structures for revival in our churches and ministries.

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS FOR MEMBERS?

Members commit to:

  • Reading 3 books/year on a topic related to revival or revival leadership and discussing with other members

  • Having their church or ministry take the Revival-Ready Assessment and use its results to adjust the focus and shape of ministry over time. Information about the Assessment, developed by Revive New England, can be found here.

  • Regular attendance and participation at Fellowship gatherings

  • Practicing their common rule of life, being accountable to one another

  • Evaluating their way of life once a year with another member and with the Spiritual Director 

  • Praying for one another and for revival daily

  • Inviting others to join the Fellowship

  • Each year, after Easter, discerning whether to remain in membership for the next year.

WHAT IS THE COMMON RULE FOR THE ORDER?

Each member will make, commit to, and live out an annual Plan, Rule, or Way of Life for:

  • Practicing Habits and Disciplines to keep us in the Face of God The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit so that we can grow in Faith, Hope, and Love.

    • Practices that stabilize us in Faith

    • Disciplines that convert us in Hope

    • Commitments to obedience in Love

          This so that our inner disposition and outer habits are congruent in being transformed by God. An adaptable template for the Way of Life can be found in the Way of Vision, Virtue and Via promoted by The Abbey of The Way, linked here:

  • Preparing ourselves and others for Revival, particularly through prayer

  • Supporting each other in our life together and our unique ministries.

WHAT IS THE INITIATION/DISCERNMENT PROCESS?

First-time members will:

  • Have a discernment conversation with one of the leaders (Overseer Chris Bannon, Spiritual Director Len Cowan)

  • Commit to a six-month trial membership

  • Come to the retreat for commissioning and laying on of hands

WHAT IS THE CREEDAL AFFIRMATION REQUIRED?

All members must affirm:

  • The trustworthiness and authority of all Scripture

  • The Nicene Creed

  • The Vision of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

  • A biblical faith, a holy hope, and an obedient way of life

Forerunners Invitation