How I See It

By Ray Lowe

I met Terry Virgo just over 30 years ago. Of course at that time there was no Newfrontiers but Terry was gaining a reputation for helping and serving those in the Christian ministry who were looking to build a New Testament type of church, especially within the House Church movement. I was the full-time pastor of what was then known as Biggin Hill Baptist Church. I will always remember that first meeting as just before I arrived at Terry and Wendy’s home in Seaford, Joel, their young son (now lead elder of Church of Christ the King in Brighton, UK), had let off the handbrake of David Holden’s car and crashed it into a lamp post!

For me, meeting Terry was a life-changing experience. I was deeply convinced myself that it was possible to establish a church on New Testament principles rather than tradition but at that time I had met few who shared that view. I remember long walks along the clifftop around Seaford sharing our different thoughts on church and ministry.

I’d also found a friend, something every young pastor needs. It wasn’t long before Terry began to serve us at Biggin Hill which was such an encouragement for both me and the church.

Over the next few years, Terry invited me to serve with him and others in what was the first team. The highlight of these years was travelling with Terry to places like Spain, the USA and Mexico when he was invited to speak. These trips helped me tremendously. I learnt by observation, wise counsel and sometimes correction, lessons I could never have got from a text book.

I believe these trips were to help shape me for my future ministry. The verse of Scripture which influenced me most was 1 Corinthians 4:17, ‘I am sending you Timothy who will remind you of my ways in Christ.’ I have always been happy to represent Terry in his apostolic sphere as I travelled often with a team of men to Mexico, Hungary and other regions both at home and abroad.

Biggin Hill Church was built very much as a ‘functional body’ rather than around my gifting, so I was easily released to serve the growing number of churches in Newfrontiers, especially in Mexico whose people and churches became a great delight to me.

Today, some 30 or so years later and at 68 years of age, I am still going strong, weaker in body but not in spirit. My belief and passion are still in seeing the church fulfil all her potential. I give much of my time serving my ‘spiritual sons’, at home and abroad, to raise up and release their sons into ministry.

Since my Bible College days, church history has been of great interest and a passion for me, so whenever and wherever I am always happy to get my lecture notes out. The Bible Weeks at the Downs and Stoneleigh, and TOAM in Brighton have all given many opportunities for venting my passion.

At the present time I am based at Hope Church, Orpington/Bromley and serve a number of churches pastored in the main by some of my oldest and closest friends.

As to the future, I tend to pace myself, enjoy life and my family, and endeavour to persuade that little golf ball to go straighter and longer!

I thank God for the day I met Terry Virgo and all the other guys and girls whose friendship I have enjoyed for more than 30 years. I have no regrets.

Another early companion and colleague was Ray Lowe. We initially travelled together to Spain where some of our earliest overseas involvements began. Later we went to Mexico where Ray developed a vital role to the important El Camino church in Guadalajara. His regular visits helped to establish a growing sphere of influence in Mexico where John and Flor Evans, and Oscar and Bibi Suarez became key leaders.

All who know Ray appreciate his rich distinctiveness. He brings joy and passion to all that he does. He hates dead religion with almost as much zeal as the Apostle Paul did, and he has a particularly unique ability to inspire men to rise to their full potential and to fulfil their calling. Many men would see him as their very special friend and thank God for him.

His fascination with church history has served us magnificently as a movement. Sadly many charismatic movements act and speak as though the church had only been invented in the last decade or so and that the newest, latest fad should be pursued with reckless abandon. Ray’s frequent seminars on church history have helped us to keep our feet on the ground, and to have a wiser perspective and longer view of God’s ways.

Like many, I thank God for Ray’s friendship and I am so grateful he is on my side and has been frequently at my side.

As Ray helped to establish the ground work for our involvement in Mexico, he was eager to establish a Mexican leader. What he found was a magnificent couple whose testimony is that, though their skins come from the States and they may look North American, their hearts are truly Mexican.

They have served the Lord in Mexico since 1985 and, together with their four sons, they are more at home in Spanish than in English.

Now, as the number of Mexican churches grows, Lee and his team are increasingly stirring the churches to missional mode with the goal not only of planting more churches across Mexico but also of looking south into the vast South American sub-continent, where John and Flor Evans (left) have moved to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to plant a new church. Other doors are opening in Peru and Bolivia.

How I See It

By Ray Lowe

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