Closing Down New Wine Magazine - November 1986

This editorial marked the closing of New Wine Magazine. It has yet to be published on the website but here is the transcript of the historic statement.

A Special Announcement by Charles Simpson - Chairman of the Board of Integrity Communications.

In the October issue of New Wine Magazine, the board of directors announced that as of December the magazine would be discontinued. We stressed that the decision was the result of prayer and counsel and what we sincerely believed to be the leading of the Holy Spirit. In this issue we want to put the decision in the context of the Lord's leadership for the future. Bible teachers know the truth of John 12:24; "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies it bears much fruit" (NAS).

God's purpose is not the death of something but rather multiplied life.

The teachers who have worked together to produce New Wine for years came to a place where we had to obey God in this matter before we could get to a new degree of fruitfulness. We have been poised to take this difficult step on previous occasions but this time we knew it was the Lord. We want to be even more fruitful.

While the October announcement may have brought you some sadness or even wonder to some of you, I hope this annoucement will bring peace and rejoicing. The four of us remain in good relationship and will continue to address issues together. We simply felt God did not want us to form a denomination or try to centrally control the great variety of ministries among us. We further felt that God was calling us to cooperate with emerging ministry groups.

We believe that decentralization will make room for the release of new ministry and power.

The four of us are meeting again this month to dicuss these and other matters pertaining to our ongoing fellowship. There is no "split up" here. We are sincerely seeking to obey the Lord and release our gifts to His Body.

Bob Mumford.

Bob Mumford and his wife Judy live in San Rafael, California. He has a great call to address the Church and nation. His ministry base is also in San Rafael. Life Changers is an organizational instrument that Bob has used in previous years to distribute his teachings. Plumbline, his personal ministry letter and his Recommended Tapes can be obtained from Life Changers. In addition to these ministries Bob is constructing a seminar for business, professional and spiritual leaders for a more comprehensive view of the kingdom of God. He will also continue to fulfill his inner burden to share Kingdom content and supernatural power with Third World leaders. Those of you who want to express your personal support or give financially to this ministry God has given him can write to the address in San Rafael.

Ern Baxter.

Ern and Ruth Baxter live in San Diego, California. Ern continues to travel and minister to conferences and churches. In his words, "For many years I have been attracted to the relationship of Timothy to Paul in the New Testament and through these years I have formed and taught Timothy classes in those places where I spend an extended amount of time".

Ern has formed a concern called Timothy Distribution Company. It is desirous of publishing the wealth of materials Ern has produced over the years. Ern is busy editing and preparing these materials. He and I continue to share a pastoral relationship as we have for the last ten years.

Ern has a profound preaching and teaching ministry. He is a preacher's preacher. It is important that the taped and printed records of his ministry be preserved and propagated.

You can send your inquiries and expressions of support to Ern in California.

Don Basham.

Don and Alice Basham are in Cleveland, Ohio. For several years Don served as the editor of New Wine Magazine and since 1982 he has been the chief editorial consultant. He has written a regular column called "The Way I See It". Don has been a mainstay in New Wine since it's inception. Don has a wonderful gift of writing. He authored "Face Up with a Miracle" which sold almost half a million copies. He has written numerous other books including his newly released "Lead Us Not into Temptation", "Perils of a Purple Plymouth" and "When You Pass Through the Fire" are scheduled for release in March and the winter of next year respectively. Don will continue his column, "The Way I See It" through a monthly newsletter entitled "Don Basham's Insights". He plans to continue to teach and minister publicly on commitment, covenant, Christian family and spiritual warfare.

Since 1978 Integrity Communications has published New Wine, Tape of the Month and numerous other ministries here.

The cessation of New Wine is not a cessation of ministry. We are poised to harvest years of sowing.

The local ministry has taken many thousands of dollars annually from other areas of service to sow into New Wine Magazine.

Now God has said, "Discontinue New Wine Magazine".

Charles Simpson.

Beginning in January I will publish a bimonthly magazine called "Christian Conquest". Our byline will be "equipping you for action". We will contue to bring timely Bible teaching and aim it at enabling you to act on it. Knowledge or relationship without purpose is not enough. We will present teaching with purpose. Our first issue will be on righteousness as a weapon for spiritual conquest. All of you who receive New Wine will receive Christian Conquest as a way of fulfilling your subscription and our commitment to you.

In addition to Christian Conquest we will continue to publish "Vino Nuevo" which goes into many Latin nations. And we will continue to Tape of the Month which features several teachers including Bob Mumford, Ern Baxter and Don Basham. Tape of the Month will offer never-before-released messages that are timely for God's people. Hosanna! Music continues to be blessed by God and will remain a vital part of our ministry. We will also continue my radio broadcast "Challenge - with Charles Simpson" and hold rallies across America. In addition I will continue to write. My new book on leadership is now released through Servant Publications. It is entitled "The Challenge to Care".

One of the ministries about which I am most excited is International Team Ministries. Through International Team Ministries, Integrity Communications helps churches send teams to evangelize and to build churches in other nations. Recently I prayed with and commissioned forty-eight people to such ministries in several nations. All of these were under the leadership of Paul Petrie who heads International Team Ministries. Christian Conquest will not only teach and equip, it will keep you informed on developments in these ministries that advance the kingdom of God.

Our desire in this announcement is to tell you what we believe God is saying and doing through us.

We all sense a new release to multiplied ministry. The New Wine seed is dying and leaving a rich deposit. New life is coming forth. The other teachers and I stand together in this.

We also want to remain sensitive to you. You have looked to us as leaders. We do not want to betray your trust in times of change. The Apostle Paul exhorted the Thessalonian Christians not to be disturbed or shaken from their composure, either by a spirit or a message or even a letter from him. We do not want to disturb or distress you. Most of all we want to challenge you to become involved in our worldwid mission.

The entire Church is being forced into an agonizing reappraisal of it's purpose and goals. The Holy Spirit and world movements will force us into another great awakening. Indeed it is here. The awakening will result in a re-discovery of God's world agenda.

We all need your daily prayers and support. Those of us at Integrity Communincations have a tremendous challenge in starting this new publication and continuing other ministries. Please pray with us, write to us and stand by us financially.

In Christ.