Paul Luckraft interviews Neil Turner, author of 'End-time Survivor' (reviewed in Prophecy Today last year). Neil runs the Omega Programme, which teaches believers how to live well in these significant days.

Neil's intriguing comment that his book took 25 years to research and five years to write made me want to find out what had inspired him and kept him going during this long process. As he shared his story with me, I learnt how much God was behind this lifelong passion and realised the truth that, in Neil's own words, "life is lived forwards but understood backwards."

Earlier Years

Neil did not have the advantage of a Christian upbringing but when, aged 14, his brother invited him to an evangelistic meeting in the aftermath of the UK Festival of Light, he experienced a strong conversion. During his teens he grew in his new-found faith through youth groups and church fellowships, though his time at school was less successful. After poor A Level results he realised that university was not for him so instead he sought out a career in industry.

Neil's story is one of faith and God-driven passion through which he has learned that "life is lived forwards but understood backwards."

Aged 19 he went to work for British Aerospace and was trained in project management. His working life gave him the opportunity to develop his skills in this area over a period of 20 years - skills which God would use later - but by the end of this time he was feeling unhappy. He had reached a ceiling and a change of direction seemed desirable.

Going Deeper in Scripture

Also during this period of his life he was offered the chance to lead a fellowship in his native North West, which he did for a handful of years. In this role the demands of teaching the Bible on a regular basis provided the impetus to study the scriptures in more depth. The prophetic aspects in particular began to attract his attention. He learnt extensively through the ministries of renowned Bible teachers such as Derek Prince and David Pawson, and he also decided he needed a personal mentor to help him at this time. Keith Mason, founder of the Creative Word Bible College, Rochdale, took on this role and has been a wise guide and friend from that point on.

Neil realised that he was not cut out to be a pastor, so this was not an option for him once he felt uncertain about his current job. Instead, when he resigned in 1999 he joined Marconi Management College, which brought him to the Midlands where he now lives. However, after just one year in this new job he was made redundant, aged 40. That year was an intense learning curve, profitable but short. It was over almost before it had begun. What next?

Living on God's Expense Account

It was then that God stepped in and directed him to set up his own business in project management training. At first this was successful and kept Neil very busy. Then the work dried up. Financially this became extremely challenging. Neil shared how that at one point he was down to his last pound and he felt utterly helpless. He can recall even now the despair at being brought so low, especially when he felt he had been obeying God's call. However, he can also testify that "God brings you to the end of your strength to bring you into his."

Eventually work built up again and Neil found that God's promises do hold. His faith had been strengthened through adversity. He confesses that he can now go forward knowing that "if I'm on my Father's business, I'm on his expense account." Life is indeed understood backwards.

Adversity shows us that God's promises do hold and we can walk forward in faith.

Neil's book 'End Time Survivor'The Book Takes Shape

During all this Neil was continuing his studies, especially in prophetic areas. His approach was to set himself small personal projects. Eventually he studied the book of Revelation, looking for the patterns that God had put there. While not ignoring what he could learn from others he was determined to build up his own potential and seek out truth using the skills God had been giving him over the preceding part of his life.

Eventually it became clear to Neil that these small studies could be developed into something bigger, and the idea of a book took shape. He began to map out what it should look like, forming an outline and some of the sections. Once he had this in place he found a greater motivation for more study. Seeking God, he received more and more insights, sometimes being woken in the night to be instructed by the Holy Spirit.

At first he was effectively writing for his own benefit, to convince himself what was true and what was not. His style evolved to match this. Essentially he was not approaching this so much as a writer but as a project manager. In fact, it dawned on him that he was actually doing project management on his own project! From small beginnings and over a period of 25 years, a book was beginning to emerge. His eventual aim was to "create the most comprehensive account of end-time prophecy available".

The Omega Programme

The problem of publishing was a particularly tricky one. No-one was interested and at this point such disappointments could easily have dispirited Neil once more. But he had learnt to trust God and so he persisted. With help from others he realised the best way forward was to publish his work as an e-book and to be able to print on demand, a valid option for a first-time author unknown to the publishing world.

But again it was a difficult process. Only a few copies were sold. However, this was not to be the end. The book was essentially a course in print form, a handbook which contained modules rather than chapters. So why not deliver it as a course, especially as Neil had been trained to do just this?!

It became clear to Neil that all his small studies could be developed into something bigger – and as the outline of his book took shape, so his motivation to study grew.

Thus the Omega Programme was established, and in 2014 Neil began to take people through a series of modules based upon the book. Once again Keith Mason acted as mentor and overseer, and sensibly Neil also set up what he calls a council of reference - a small group of people to whom he is accountable.

This is now how Neil sees his material should be shared, with the book backing up his training modules. As a trainer Neil wants to see behavioural change in those he teaches. Regarding the end-times that means preparation and survival. Is the Church ready? What should it believe and do differently?

Why Stop There?

What next for Neil? He continues to work very successfully as a trainer in the secular world. Clearly his heart is in the Omega programme and helping people understand what the Bible says is coming upon the world as the end of the age approaches.

Will he write another book? Maybe, but more likely he will seek to extend what he is already doing, perhaps by training others to deliver the material. Training the trainers sounds just up his street!

Whatever the future, he knows that God will always have more for him. Neil would sum up his journey as God repeatedly telling him to keep going. Time and again God said "Why stop there?" And that is the message he would share to encourage others. Whatever you are doing, take it further. Keep moving forwards. You may only understand it later but always look for more. There is always a way ahead with God, even if brick walls appear and obstacles obstruct. Never settle. Seek the next level. And keep asking yourself, "Why stop there?"

Click here for more information about the Omega Programme. Our review of Neil's book 'End-Time Survivor' can be found here (includes purchase details).