How I See It

By Edward Buria

Who we are

Newfrontiers is not a denomination, but a composition of very precious people drawn from all races, colours, tribes, languages and nations. A people who have encountered the grace of God and have had their lives transformed. A people that are passionate about seeing congregations of believers everywhere as healthy New Testament local churches that fill our world with the glory of God just like the waters cover the sea. A people on a mission together around the world.

A great foundation has been established

We are what we are because of the foundation that has been established, which is able to handle our present and the future. Our history begins with a dear and humble man, Terry Virgo, who was called, envisioned and anointed by God to advance the message of grace and the restoration of the church to New Testament values. Terry’s faith in God, and the desire of seeing the church established on New Testament values, gave him total security that helped him invite other men of like mind on board, forming teams of men with different giftings as shown in Ephesians 4:11.

Fridah and I encountered Terry and the Restoration values in the mid 80s during the Downs Bible Weeks. To be precise, we attended what was nicknamed the ‘drowns’ in 1985 (non-stop rain!). We fell in love with what Terry and his team were teaching. We came back to Kenya so fired up and started to plant churches across our nation with clear New Testament marks/values and filled with the grace of God. It has been amazing seeing the goodness and faithfulness of God upon our lives, as in 1985 we only had three churches; as at 2011 we have over 190 churches in Kenya and an ever-growing and visible ministry in East and Central Africa that is looking upon me for apostolic leadership.

Watching a bright and great future

By the grace of God, we have been able to walk and take on board our young people – creating a great army for our God for the years to come! We have a generation ready to move on with a passion, zeal, clarity and commitment to all that God has shown us and commissioned us to. I see our young people stepping out of comfort zones to go into the nations to reach the unreached with the gospel of the kingdom! To plant churches in places we do not have churches! To love and empower the poor! I see many young apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists raised within our ranks who will always make sure that the future has a church.

God has graced me to be a father to many. I desire to be a true and sincere father to many in Africa (especially the sphere in which I am providing apostolic oversight) and beyond. I remain so passionate about us having good apostolic leadership, faithful stewardship and a desire of finishing strong. In a nutshell, our future is so bright and guaranteed for the following reasons:

The foundation that has been established
Our continued commitment to Scripture and the Spirit
Our willingness to honour, respect and allow others within the family with different giftings, talents and anointing to serve freely for the encouragement, growth and well-being of the believers
Our clear vision, values and global missions
Raising, training and multiplication of apostolic teams in different spheres for apostolic leadership as we continue to make Jesus famous now and forever!

We first met Edward in 1985 at our Downs Bible Weeks (1979-1988) and subsequently at Stoneleigh. When Simon and Lindsey moved to South Africa it became possible to become fully identified with them and many from England have had the joy of being with Edward and Fridah and their family in their church in Meru.

Edward is a remarkable leader who has seen phenomenal growth in terms of evangelisation and church planting throughout Kenya. He has raised up many leaders and is greatly respected across the nation.

His regular television broadcasts bring him high visibility in the nation, and his commitment is not simply to plant churches but also to help rebuild lives by encouraging many into their own business ventures. His own skills, faith and guidance come to bear and release people into the potential for building a whole new life. Indeed, the region in which Edward and Fridah live has been phenomenally transformed by their presence.

Their annual conferences gather many hundreds from all over Kenya, and Edward’s influence is already overlapping into adjoining nations where contacts are being made and churches are being planted.

Edward is a phenomenal father figure to a huge family of believers who love him dearly. His wife Fridah has been given extraordinary business skills and together they are a formidable couple for the glory of God. It is such a joy and privilege to be joined to them and to see the fruit of their ministry in lives being lived in the full impact of the kingdom of God.

Kenya is a nation which endures great suffering and hardship. Edward has demonstrated not only enormous compassion but also practical skills in bringing help and hope to many.

Against the backdrop of the ravages of AIDS and the uncertainty caused by political intrigue, Africa desperately needs godly fathers to whom people can look. Edward is such a man.

How I See It

By Edward Buria

Who we are

A great foundation has been established

Watching a bright and great future

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