These communities come together to gain efficiencies and to accomplish certain predetermined objectives. There are also benefits of friendships and the security of community that make these communities attractive for people of all ages. They are so efficient young people are able to retire from the grind of the money system. Jesus said. “do not build your house on sand”. He was talking about working for money since its value is like shifting sand. Getting off the grid is the way out of this system for many Christians. Living and working together and taking care of each other is how the Kingdom of God is designed.

Intentional communities are not to be confused with the communes of the past. Each family owns and has full control over their property. Where people collaborate is in the reaching the “intention” of the community. This not unlike a company however the objective is not for profit at any and all costs which is typical for many companies. Intentional communities which use christian values prioritize all the needs of a family and share both the responsibility and the rewards of their intentionality (work).

The Forerunner Project is in the process of building an intentional community with a focus on sustainable homes and mission outreach in Costa Rica. The community is looking for land in an area of Costa Rica which has been designated by National Geographic as having the best weather in the world. The community will use leading-edge sustainable house construction for this climate and make its own electricity and grow its own food. Local students will be trained in the skills of growing organic food and building alternative housing. The Forerunner Living and Learning Center will also promote cultural exchanges and present music and cultural events. More information about this opportunity to grow and give is available here: (coming soon). In the meantime leave a comment and someone will get back to you shortly.

Throughout the history of the church we there have been many many examples of communal living. The early church lived communally, by eating together daily. They lived in separate homes but daily gathered together to share their food and lives. The monks of the early church lived communally and it was very very efficient. In America today, communal living is frowned upon as being cultish. However, community living is a manifestation of the Body of Christ. It also has some significant benefits. When people live together and help one another, it is highly efficient, both in human cost and financially. For example if a group of people bought a 25 acre plot of land and subdivided it for the benefit of the group to build their homes on, there would be significant efficiency to their working together.

If a group of people contracted with a farmer to produce all the food they needed, they would be able to purchase the food at below wholesale instead of double or triple that cost (retail). If a group with some skills and financial resources purchased a business or developed one for the mutual benefit of each other, they would be able to reap the benefits of that business which would be greater than investing their funds or working as a hireling.

Beyond just working and living together when we help and love one another putting others first there is synergy which happens. Synergy is the blessing and grace of God added to the efforts of the individuals. This is best demonstrated by the abilities of work horses. One horse can pull about 12,000 lbs of weight, but two horses working together can pull not 24,000 lbs as expected but 32,000 lbs of weight. There is a 25% increase in their ability and that is synergy. It is our mission to awaken the Church to the benefits of community, and the synergistic benefits of community and unity in the reaching out to the Lost.

In the coming years more and more people are going to “fall through the cracks of our society” with continued globalization it is apparent that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The “baby boom” generation is retiring and many with inadequate financial ability to live with dignity. The church will be challenged to assist both Body members and the world. Community living is the answer. Through community, unity and the synergy (grace of God) found therein, the church will be able to play a significant part in helping people and winning them to Christ in the years to come.

The wilderness has been taught on by other believers. The Dark “Night of The Soul” – by St. John of The Cross (1400′s) outlines the nature of the Wilderness. “Victory In The Wilderness” by John Brevere (1996) is a modern example of a prophetic voice proclaiming the season of the Wilderness for the Church. God’s purging and testing can not be avoided, if we are to crucify our hearts with Christ. The wilderness process is the defined systematic way God puts to death the flesh in our lives and frees us from its tyranny so we can walk in the Spirit. John 15 1-8 says we must abide in Jesus and thereby become fruitful. If we do not become fruitful we will be cut off. The wilderness is an important principle for every believer to understand. Without understanding it, it is easy to run aground on unbelief, idolatry, devoted things and impure motives. Only that which Christ does through us will stand the test of His fire. He will test the quality of our work to we wood, hay or pure gold to adorn the new temple of the Lord. “A Journey In The Wilderness – Becoming Fruitful In The Kingdom” is a prophetic word of warning and understanding for the church. More on the wilderness – www.ajourneyinthewilderness.com

Some Personality Traits of a Forerunner

• Highly value being guided by the Holy Spirit
• Non-conformers in lifestyle or some other aspect of their life
• Don’t value belonging and often avoid it. They are seen by others as outsiders
• Have been or are being prepared for powerful ministry through a prolonged wilderness experience
• Have made significant personal sacrifices for the Gospel
• Have been persecuted for their revelation of the Kingdom
• Not afraid to confront duplicity and sin even when there are personal costs
• Focused on fulfilling their call and purpose in Christ
• Love and pursue the truth of God
• Not afraid of change
• They are adventurous
• Many forerunners are gifted communicators (teachers, musicians, broadcasters, artists, authors, journalists, filmmakers)

Forerunners are early adopters
Forerunners recognize the need for change and adopt it quickly. They work for change through teaching, writing, and demonstration. Martin Luther, John Wesley, and Charles Finney were among the most well known Forerunners. Each of these men played a role in God’s reformation of the Church. Many unknown men of God, however, recognized, supported and taught the reformation message which spread it throughout the whole Body of Christ. Forerunners see the path and are quick to evaluate, adopt and intregrate new revelation into their lives and ministry.

There are three forerunners identified as such in the Scriptures; Elijah, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ who was “The” forerunner. There were many more who did the ministry of a forerunner. John the Baptist proclaimed a “preparation” before the coming of Jesus’ ministry. Forerunners are concerned with preparation. Malachi 4:5 asserts that God will send Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord. Many scholars believe that the Lord will prepare His Bride for His return with a company of forerunners who will prepare and “make straight” the way of the Lord before His triumphant reunion with His bride, the Church. These forerunner ministers will participate in bringing about the reformation and restoration of the Church.

A Forerunner Ministry:

The Forerunner Army
God is raising up an army of forerunners who will prepare the way of the Lord. The Forerunner Ministry is a catalyst in the coming together of this army into one trained and effective unit that will pull down every high place and lift up every low place and make a (high)way for the Lord. (Isa. 10:3-5) Then all Flesh will see the Glory (Jesus) of the Lord.

If a church or person feels they are lacking in power, then to begin to use the group’s gifts more effectively will bring about the power (grace) of God in their midst. Each person’s giftings are for this reason very important for the church. However, we have only given lip service to the development and nurturing of the five fold ministry, and giftedness within the Body of Christ. Our Churches are not structured to provide adequate mentoring or development of the grace of God within each Body. If we really understand giftedness and the interdependent nature of the five fold ministry and the value that has for the work of the church, we would quickly make changes. We would invest everything in the “mining” of those talents and abilities which will by grace bear eternal fruit for the Kingdom of God. The grace of God is the way we were saved and the grace of God flowing through the Body of Christ is the way the lost will be saved.

Every human is gifted with talents and abilities which when they are inspired, sharpened through use and nurtured, can transformation every area of our world. Never has their been a time in history where we have needed the reformation and wisdom of inspired men and women to reform our institutions. We must alleviate poverty, needless suffering and disease. We must take a stand for justice and equality, and push the boundaries of knowledge and understanding to new heights. Everyone of us is positioned to make a contribution to making our world what we image it to be, and beyond!

As stewards of the Earth it is our responsibility and destiny to manage its resources and develop its potential. As forerunners of the age-to-come it is our pleasure to create, reform and to set new benchmarks for standards in every area of our world starting with government, education, religion, entertainment, media, the arts, science and business. It is with wisdom we can transform every area we touch, though creativity, integrity, and the pursuit of excellence. We must reform what exists and discover what does not.

Every purpose we undertake will have challenges that require our mental, emotional and spiritual strength. Every objective has its difficulties which we must learn to let transform us rather than defeat us. They are to teach us and make us into the people we need to be to accomplish the purpose we set out to achieve. It is in the valleys when we can not see our objective that we gain or lose our dream. It is in these moments we must strengthen ourselves and believe we have the resources to overcome every obstacle. If we can do this, we can overcome anything. Our choices in crisis will determine our success. We therefore must learn to overcome doubt, disappointment and feelings of defeat. When we do, there is nothing which will be impossible for us.

The Forerunner ministry is focused on bring understanding and warnings not to rebel against the Lord’s purging work. The work of a forerunner is to proclaim the season of preparation of the Lord and to make known His ways of preparing His people. Our Preparation For Ministry is about God building godly character in us. Godly character is the preparation He is doing because it is godly character which will cause us to be able to be obedient the Holy Spirit. By being obedient to the Holy Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the Flesh, but fulfill our destiny in Christ.

We are commanded (John 15:1-8) to become fruitful in the Kingdom or we will be cut off. God’s preparation for ministry is not an option. Every christian who is willing to follow Christ is being prepared whether they know it or not. The forerunner ministry is called to help the church better understand and respond to God’s preparation process.

Prophecy is ministry inspired by God that will in the end result, encourage, exhort, admonish or point out direction for a church or an individual. It is through the giftings of God, which is the grace of God, that the needs of a great harvest shall be met. The prophetic teaching is a practical structure which can make each church highly efficient at meeting the diverse needs of a post modern, multi cultured society.

A Journey In The Wilderness, (the new book by author Paul K. Weigel) is a prophetic teaching, proclaiming that this is the season of preparation of the church and outlining the ways God prepares His people. The promised land for the church is to have the flesh crucified and to be free to walk obedient to the Holy Spirit. It is walking in the Holy Spirit that we will not fulfill the lusts of the Flesh and do the powerful and eternal work of God. This is what it means to be a living sacrifice. To worship God with the most precious offering you can give – your life. This brings glory to God and will result in the building up of much treasure in heaven. For us it is the essence of the true Abundant Life – to do the will of the Father. For more information about how you can find your promised land and find out more about the Forerunner Ministry. For more infromation about the promised land and the process of entering into your personal destiny read “A Jounrey In The Wilderness”.

Martin Luther’s reformation in the early 1500′s was a turning point for all believers back to Christ. It was a major reformation. Throughout church history the Holy Spirit has shaped and reshaped the church. Today we are again are on the verge of a reformation of the Church of enormous scale. We stand on the edge of a reformation which will transform the church AND its members. It will not be perpetrated by one man as was the case with Martin Luther, but through many “reformers” by the Holy Spirit. These forerunner prophets and apostles will reshape the way we perceive and “do” church. No longer will it be that we are just waiting for the Lord to return but we will be dedicated to the conquest of the whole earth. This is not conquest in the terms of this world, but in Kingdom of God terms. The raising up of a army of Prophets and Apostles (reformers) will bring reformation to the church and reshape it to better do the work it is called to do. Home churches and grassroots (unorganized) missions efforts will arise without seeming organization or structure. The Holy Spirit will bring by His direction “Holy Ghost chaos”. The greater the Lordship of the Holy Spirit the more unorganized the church will become. His organization will appear to be chaos to those who do not understand His ways. But the Church will emerge spotless and victorious.