I have received this letter from Darrel Rundus, the founder and president of the great news network, GNN. They are no longer going to be running evangelism boot camps, nor sponsoring local leaders. Although I have discontinued my membership with them, it is still a bit saddening.

Seed Sowers, Local Leaders and supporters of GNN,

Over the past several months, I have labored over what I knew would be one of the most important decisions of my life. Not because of the impact it would have on my life but because of the way I felt it would affect all of you, my friends and faithful members of GNN. After many months of prayer, fasting and consultation from other Godly men, I have made the extremely difficult decision to shut down the network part of GNN. GNN will remain a ministry, we will continue to produce resources that we hope will be a blessing to the body, I will continue to do speaking engagements and work with various ministries like Cruise for a Cause. However, effective immediately, we will no longer be facilitating the network of Local Leaders, hosting boot camps, doing City Invasion, releasing the Empowered DVD or maintaining the message board.

While I know this news may come as a shock to many of you, please know this is not a choice I made impulsively, lightly, in haste or due to any sin issues. For many months especially December, the feeling that God was moving me in a new direction continued to intensify. This was inexplicable to me since I so dearly love and care for all of you and the network. Thinking this feeling may just be the enemy trying to discourage me, I persisted. I hired Chris Owen to be the new GNN GM, we sponsored NOC, prepared and paid for a booth, rolled out IPOD evangelism and started the task of getting background checks done on the Local Leaders. All done in an effort to please God by persevering even though I couldn’t shake the feeling that my job was done and it was time to move on to something new. Wanting to follow the path He laid down before me, I took some time to pray, fast and reflect with my wife while we sought God’s will and direction for our lives. During the course of considering all things, I repeatedly cried out to God, “What will become of them?” The only thing holding me back from making this decision was the thought of what would become of all of you and the labor of love we all share.

Well as God would have it, a few days after Christmas I called Chris and Pastor Camp to let them know I had finally made up my mind once and for all. In an effort to leave myself no course of retreat the day after New Year’s I decided to call Ray Comfort to give him the news. A few minutes into the conversation Ray said, “Darrel” (In his New Zealand accent) “You have to call EZ and tell him what you just told me.” I asked “Why?” He replied, “The timing of your decision is incredible.” So, a few minutes later I called EZ and left him a voice mail. I was curious what my choice to shut down the network could possibly have to do with WOTM since I had made no mention of this to anyone over there including Ray. While waiting for EZ to return my call I said a simple prayer. Within minutes, I get and E-mail from a curious seed sower asking me if I was aware of a new ministry WOTM/LW’s is starting called “The Ambassador’s Alliance” that is being headed up by Tony Miano (Who’s a wonderful Brother in the Lord). He included a link to Tony’s blog and as soon as I read it, a smile came to my face as I was overwhelmed with the peace that surpasses all understanding. Instantly I realized that God was creating a new network and doing it directly through the man (Ray) and the ministry (LW’s) we all know and love so much. In an instant my anguish was wiped away as I realized that there would continue to be a place where like-minded believers can surround themselves with others who are serious about seeking and saving the lost. A place to attend training camps where people get out of their comfort zone and learn to actively and effectively share their faith. Within one small span of time I went from being broken over the impact my decision was going to have on all of you, to feeling elated as God’s plan was being revealed. The thought of reconciliation and restoration was soon brought to my heart and mind as I continued to praise God for his grace, his love and his perfect timing.

Since I couldn’t reach EZ I called Ray back and confirmed what I had read. I must confess, if this would had happened six or more months ago, I may have been hurt or taken back by it. However, God does work all things together for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose and this time it was instant and obvious. To know that all along God had already been preparing Tony Miano to lead this new Alliance while pulling me away from GNN’s network and the EBC’s is astonishing and put simply, an answered prayer. In fact, after speaking with EZ later in the day, I soon realized that the same day I decided to call Ray, was Tony Miano’s first day on the job as the Director of this new division of Living Waters. The timing of this entire thing was simply remarkable. When I consider how two different ministries with a common cause in Christ were independently praying and seeking God for wisdom and direction over the course of several months, and how God made a way to continue the work and time it so one can pick up where the other left off, leaves me once again standing in awe of the amazing and mighty God we serve.

In closing, please know everything I did as the leader of GNN, I did because I love the Lord, I love you and I love the lost. I have always tried my best to do whatever I felt God would have me do to reach the lost and help others to do the same; this decision will not change that. While I may not lead a mega ministry, I will continue to minister to the needs of others. I will always be a nobody, telling everybody, about somebody who can save anybody. The thoughts of how we corporately prayed, wept, witnessed and fought the good fight of faith will never be far from my heart and mind. When I reflect on all that God has so graciously allowed me to be a part of, I have nothing but gratitude towards Him, warm feelings in my heart for all of you, fond memories of all the boot camps and endless testimonials about all the miraculous things we’ve seen God do. I love you all and consider myself extremely fortunate to have been given an opportunity to serve Him by serving all of you. It has been an amazing ride and I don’t regret one minute of it.

I am sure many of you will have various questions about this latest turn of events and how it may impact you. In an effort to help all of you answer whatever questions you may have, we will be leaving up the Q & A section of the message board for a couple months to help during the transition. Please post all your questions in the forum on the GNN message board entitled “GNN Closing Questions”. We will do our best to promptly respond to all reasonable questions. Keep in mind both Chris and I will be out of town all next week so please be patient while waiting for a response. Any and all questions about the new Ambassador’s Alliance should be sent directly to Tony Miano from Living Waters (tony@livingwaters.com).

I leave you with this scripture from the first chapter of Colossians: 3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— 5the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.

Darrel Rundus - AKA “The General”

Let us pray the Lord will continue to send workers for the Harvest!