I have been mulling over this phrase for a few years now. A forerunner is one who goes before someone to prepare their way. My son Joshua enjoys playing a game ‘Halo’ on his Xbox against with fierce alien warrior characters called forerunners. Yet forerunning is not about personality or military or fantasy.
Instead it is about a position and a shift of worldview. Position because It is to do with looking ahead and preparing to live wisely in a fast changing world. Worldview shift because it is being aware of how the spiritual reality bears upon the world around us whether we like it or not. A Christian forerunner is someone preparing to live life in the light of Jesus Christ’s soon return. And there a lot of such people being stirred right now.
I have shied away from writing any sort of blog for a while. A period of depression three years ago robbed me of any confidence in having a voice or anything to say to people as a Christian leader. I am grateful that that has slowly returned. I also didn’t want to add another mediocre teaspoon of general musings to the ocean of well meaning blogs rolling over the Internet. I have been waiting for a right spiritual nudge to spur on some fresh writing of my own. The right side of three small books and a doctorate thesis, I know a little about both the potential impact and the limited influence of words. What you think can be most exciting and important thing to write about can touch lives or gather dust on a shelf.
So what do I hope to achieve in a forerunner blog?
- A journey into understanding destiny.
I feel a growing sense of urgency to be prepared for the best of times and the worst of times. Voices need to speak powerfully about God’s love and call out for people to get their lives right with Him. We must see communities in this country that are beacons of transformation amidst trouble, where Jesus’ love on the ground is visible and life changing. The church across the world is growing and can be refined into a beautiful reflection of Jesus to communities and nations. The sense of God’s hand on this generation is awesome.
- A commentary on life in this world from a prayerful perspective of watching and waiting.
I am trying to get a better perspective on the events of my life and the events of this world. This doesn’t have to always be profound. I want to explore the dimensions of a full life that Jesus says is possible. Family, culture, mundane weeks, seeing beauty and brokenness, joy and tragedy are all vehicles for reflection. They all cause me to pause and wonder, if I make the time to do so.
However there is also major shaking going on across nations and continents. The place of wise insight into this is from a position of spiritually watching and waiting. A prayerful eye on the news and an eye on God’s throne is important to know how to pray and how to act in coming years.
- An exploration about Christian eschatology – the future and ultimate reality of God
I think we are living at the start of a unique timeframe, when the present age of human history will transition to the age to come of Jesus’ perfect kingdom. This could be generations away; my spiritual sense is that it could be in our lifetime or that of our children. The Christian tradition has always stated a belief that ‘Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. This means that one group of people will be alive on earth when Jesus’ second coming will actually happen. What would it be like to live through a time when the crises of planet earth and spiritual stirrings of faith amongst millions will increase over decades to breaking point and culminate in the long awaited return of Jesus?
Perhaps my thoughts will echo yours, or stimulate you to think or connect with your destiny more. Perhaps combined wisdom of many reflecting on the signs of the times will influence families and a generation for good and towards God.
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About williamrporter
William is married with two children. He helps lead a house of prayer in the Midlands of the UK. William loves God and counts photography, music and walking as hobbies. Living life to the full amongst good friends and family are some of the precious gifts of his life.
William Porter - author and blogger 
I think this will be a valuable blog…really looking forward to hearing more of your thoughts.
Thanks for encouragement Lisa. Hope you are well. Interesting to reflect on the signs of the times.
HI already put a question on a different post, but I wanted to respond to this to encourage you, that I have a blog but similarly recently have wondered at the value. Also in Christian ministry and find it hard at times. Encouraged to see you run a house of prayer etc. And recently we have had some fresh teaching on Revelation in our church, and starting to get grounded in the vision and urgency coming from this: THIS is why we need to share the gospel, THIS is why the message is vital even though people say they don’t want to hear it! And then the challenge of doing that in love, appropriately, and yet urgently!
Thanks for your message. Yes we do need to let people know about the gospel and to prepare the world for the events in coming years which the bible tells us about. Keep being faithful and fruitful in you witness and in the serving the church 🙂