ARC News

Help Prepare the Atmosphere

2015-07-31T09:31:00.002-07:00

Atmosphere matters. There is an atmosphere that can help us thrive and flourish as followers of Christ. But there is also an environment that can weaken and eventually quench our passion, our faith, and even our relationship with the Lord. The richness of what’s in the air is the thing I hear about most following ARC national gatherings. For instance, after our gatherings last year in San Diego and Minneapolis people told me things like, “The atmosphere in the room was so sweet.” “There air was rich with a tangible sense of God’s presence.” There just always seems to be something special in the air when we make time to gather together in the same place, at the same time, with each other and the Holy Spirit. Atmosphere matters.

You can help prepare the atmosphere for this year’s ARC Midwest Gathering. You can help by praying that the Lord prepare the hearts of each person who will be attending to hear and receive whatever it is God has in store for them. Praying for each keynote speaker, worship leader, workshop presenter, and leaders of our experiential learning opportunities will also be key for what God has in store for us this year.

Another way you can help prepare the atmosphere for the gathering this year is by adding fasting to your prayers. There is something about fasting that has an impact in us and in the lives of others. Ask the Lord if He would have you fast along with praying, and if you hear Him telling you to do so, ask Him how that fast would look for you. What should you fast, how long should you fast? Should you fast for a morning, an afternoon, an entire day? Just ask the Lord. He’ll tell you.

Another very helpful thing you can do to prepare the atmosphere is by registering early. Register now for the gathering, and encourage others to do so also. It really helps those of us in charge of the many details that go into planning this event, and as we get word out that registrations are coming in it can help fill the air with a sense of expectancy. There is something exciting about knowing you are going to be part of a larger group.

How else could you help us prepare the atmosphere for this year’s Midwest Gathering? As ideas come to mind that you think would be good to pass on to others, email them to me at: safeplacemb@gmail.com. Thanks for helping us get ready for this year’s gathering. We know that when we make the commitment to gather together in the same room, at the same time, with each other and the Holy Spirit good things happen; God-things happen. Atmosphere matters.

First Ever Youth Track for the ARC Midwest Gathering (By Corey Paxton)

2015-05-02T07:59:00.001-07:00

We are excited to announce our first-ever Youth Track for the 2015 ARC Midwest Gathering. Corey Paxton and a group of ARC youth pastors are planning and leading this event. Corey is a member of the ARC national leadership team and serves as Associate Pastor for Youth and Family ministries at First Lutheran Church in White Bear Lake, MN. Corey writes the following:

“We are excited to invite teens to be a part of this year's ARC Midwest gathering. Over the past year, a network of youth pastors have been meeting to dream of helping teens experience a bigger Kingdom community through the ARC. We are excited to invite senior high students into the beginning of this network this August as we are making plans to continue to connect throughout the year.

Teens are invited to come join with the adults for all of the evening sessions as well as connecting with other teens Friday and Saturday morning and afternoon through breakout sessions, mission projects, and fellowship times around meals to help them grow in Christ and build community together. On Saturday afternoon, we will spend some time hanging out at a lake and cooking out before coming back for the evening session.”

If you are a youth pastor or volunteer youth leader interested in bringing teens, please contact Corey Paxton at: coreypaxton@gmail.com.

Terri Anderson Ordination By Eric Bluhm

2015-03-04T08:23:00.001-08:00

As Midwest Representative for the Alliance of Renewal Churches, it was my honor and privilege to represent the ARC at the Ordination and Installation of Terri Anderson, longtime member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fridley, Minnesota, and graduate of The Master's Institute Seminary (MI).

I knew Terry as a student at MI. She is serving as Community Life Pastor now at Redeemer. For her ordination, I was joined as a guest by Rev. Kendra Diehl, Director of Spiritual and Character Formation at The Master's Institute. Led by Senior Pastor Dr. David Glesne, and along with the other pastoral staff at Redeemer; John Niewald, Jason DeShaw, Harley Schmidt, and Dave Heinrich, the congregation had plenty of pastors in vestments to celebrate the occasion. What a sweet time! Congratulations Pastor Anderson! We are so glad to have you as part of our band of brothers and sisters in the ARC!

Chris Dahl Joins the ARC

2015-01-14T17:11:00.000-08:00

We are excited to announce that Pastor Chris Dahl has joined the ARC. We asked Chris to share with us a little bit about himself and his family for this edition of the ARC E-Newsletter. Chris writes:

“I'm a husband to my wonderful wife, Kelly; father to Joshua (3) and Isaac (16 months); and Discipleship Pastor at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Altoona since March of 2013. Being in youth ministry and camping ministry for many years leading up to this call, it's been so evident that God continues to shape and mold me into a leader that comes alongside people in their everyday lives to see themselves as everyday followers and missionaries for the Gospel. I work with our children, youth, and care ministry teams to live out being a Jesus centered community that is on mission daily. I truly believe that God calls wonderfully ordinary people to do extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God through the empowering of His Holy Spirit. Through being a student at The Master's Institute over the past several years, I've come to know the ARC through the incredible people who are part of it. I feel incredibly blessed to be in a network of believers that is led by the Spirit, focused on prayer, fixed on Jesus, has great leadership, and desires for people to know and experience the incredible love of Christ. I'm excited to follow Jesus together with others in the ARC!”

Welcome aboard the ARC, Chris!

The 2014 ARC Midwest Gathering

2015-01-14T17:01:00.001-08:00

“Don’t take the ARC for granted. I would love to have this kind of atmosphere and these kinds of relationships in the group I’m a part of.”

So said one leader who attended the 2014 Midwest ARC Gathering in early November. Leaders and members of ARC and LCMC churches made up one of the best-attended Midwest gatherings in years. They came from across the United States, from Canada, and as far away as Bolivia.

Sweet, peaceful, gentle yet powerful—these were oft-repeated adjectives used to describe what people experienced in the atmosphere at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fridley, MN. The air was filled with the sweet, peaceful, gentle, yet powerful presence of God as the Lord soaked us with his love and power. His presence was tangible as we worshipped and prayed together, as our speakers and workshop presenters instructed and exhorted us, and as we sat with one another nurturing existing relationships and building new ones.

Keynote speakers Greg Boyd, Grace Johnson, and Danny Mullins were off the charts good. Worship leaders Chris Barrett and Joel Bidderman didn’t just lead us in worship, they and their teams did worship and invited us to join in. And our workshop presents helped practically equip us in ways that we could go home and practically impact people with God’s scandalous love. Some words of testimony sent to me after the Gathering included the following:

Pastor Cory Illingworth of Celebration Lutheran Church in Regina, Saskatchewan sent me a note following the gathering and in it he wrote: “The theme for the Midwest Gathering was Scandalous Love. I knew what the theme was about. What I did not expect to experience at the Gathering was the love I would feel from the people of the ARC. I have attended countless retreats, gatherings, conferences and seminars for those who are in ministry. I have never attended a gathering where I saw so much love for ‘one another’.”

Steve Perkins, pastor of Northgate Church in Ramsey, MN wrote: "The Midwest Gathering was a Spirit-filled fusion of word and worship. I left encouraged and ready to take on the world!" Pastor Grace Johnson from Hope Church in Glendale, AZ said: “The ARC gathering is a place where normal people with normal issues gather. There are no ‘pastors,’ ‘international speakers,’ and ‘church-goers.’ There are just human beings who want to encounter more of Jesus.” Omar Herrea who came all the way from Santa Cruz, Bolivia echoed Grace’s sentiments when he told us that one thing he liked about our network is that there “are no heroes, just ordinary people.”

It was particularly interesting to receive Omar’s testimony as we had already been prayerfully considering hosting two gatherings again next summer, one in the Southwest and one in the Midwest on the theme Ordinary People, Extraordinary God. The Southwest Gathering is scheduled for July 16-18 in Huntington Beach, CA and the Midwest Gathering will be held on August 13-15 in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. A teen track will be included for both of these events.

I would encourage every ARC leader to put these events on your own personal calendar, and begin making plans now to bring leaders from your congregation and congregational members. If you do, you will probably be taking home a different group of people. They’ll have the same names, but they won’t be the same. They’ll go home with a healthy disrespect for the impossible because they’ll know more clearly than ever that though we are but an ordinary people, we love and serve and extraordinary God.

Winter ARC Life Together Days

2014-11-28T11:12:00.000-08:00

The ARC Life Together Days this past Fall were all filled with unhurried times of worship, powerful prayer and prophetic ministry, and life-giving rather than life-draining relationships. Thanks to Mary Ann Herzan, Paul Sorensen, and Joe Johnson—spiritual father and mothers of our faith family who shared with us and ministered to us.

Our plan is to host three Winter Life Together Days for ARC leaders. The Arizona Life Together Day will be on Thursday, January 15th at Wonderful Mercy Church in Gilbert, AZ. Pastor Tom Brashears will be with us to share on the topic, “Having the Difficult Conversation.” This is something we all run into and Tom’s sharing will help equip us to be more effective in those conversations.

The SoCal Life Together Day is tentatively scheduled for February 24th and will be held at Penasquitos Lutheran Church in San Diego, CA. We hope to have Pastor John Niewald with us from Redeemer Lutheran in Fridley, MN. John has a powerful testimony and teaching to share regarding connecting others with God’s love in times of loss. Again, this a very relevant, practical, and powerful teaching that can help equip us all to be more effective in those relationships and ministry situations that involve loss.

The Minnesota Life Together Day is scheduled for Thursday, February 5th. We have yet to confirm the location or who may be speaking at this event, but rest assured the worship, and prayer and prophetic ministry will be off the charts. It certainly was at our Fall Minnesota Life Together Day.

Put these dates on your calendars now and plan on joining us for the Winter ARC Life Together Days.

Prayer Garden Dedicated at Wonderful Mercy Church

2014-11-28T10:21:00.001-08:00

Wonderful Mercy is an ARC church in Gilbert, AZ (the Phoenix area) led by Pastor Graeme Sellers, and for the sake of full disclosure Debi’s and my home congregation. We love being part of a church that seeks to embody the mission and core values of the ARC. The atmosphere Wonderful Mercy seeks to create and sustain certainly is a safe place for the dangerous kind.

The mission God has given us here is to “Raise up ordinary people to be extraordinary followers of Jesus by loving them, training them in the Word of God, and equipping them to do the ministry of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.” In order to carry out this mission we have identified a set of core values that guide and influence all that we do. One of our core values is being a House of Prayer. Our core value statement puts it this way: “We are committed to prayer saturating every part of the individual and corporate life in our church, consumed with passion for intimacy with Christ and a habitation for His glory.”

This core value has taken on physical form in the building of a prayer garden at Wonderful Mercy that is open to the public. The project was envisioned years ago, was bathed in prayer, withstood numerous obstacles, and now, has become a reality. Wonderful Mercy members, leaders from other churches, and civic and state leaders gathered for the dedication in October. I asked Graeme Sellers to share with us about the prayer garden and the dedication. He writes:

“We at Wonderful Mercy Church are rejoicing! After years of faithful, sacrificial giving by members of our faith community, we have completed construction of our Prayer Garden. This project includes the Prayer Garden itself, landscaping the remainder of our property, additional parking on the west wide, and creating a new west side entrance to our building.

Some may ask, ‘Why a Prayer Garden?’ In Isaiah, when God announces the new thing He is doing, He describes it this way: ‘I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.’ The Lord’s declaration is unmistakable: I’m taking what’s barren and making it fruitful. I’m bringing rivers of My life to dry, dusty places.

We believe the Prayer Garden aligns precisely with this expression of God’s heart. Specifically, we believe that what is at stake is the spiritual irrigation of Gilbert, and beyond. Through the prayer and worship that rises up like a fragrant offering from the Prayer Garden, God will release rivers of His life—into our community and into the world. Moreover, the Prayer Garden goes to the heart of our identity as a church. We know God has called us to be a house of prayer, a people who are experiencing God deeply and personally as we seek His heart, cry out to Him, and see transformation as we unite in fervent intercession. Once we know our identity we must walk in it; the Prayer Garden is one way that we will consistently and faithfully walk in the identity God has given us.”

You can catch a glimpse of the Prayer Garden in the accompanying photos. Pictured in one of the photos is Arizona Congressman Matt Salmon from the U.S. House of Representatives, District 5 who was one of the speakers for the Prayer Garden dedication, along with the mayor of Gilbert, and Cheryl and Hal Sacks, directors for Bridge Builders International.

Introducing New Dawn Ministries

2014-11-28T10:02:00.003-08:00

The ministry of Jesus continues in the world today through the churches and ministries in Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC), all of us empowered by the same Holy Spirit who empowered Jesus. As a result, the gospel is being proclaimed, healing is taking place, people are being impacted with God’s love and power, and captives are being set free. It is with the latter in mind that we want to introduce you to the work of New Dawn Ministries, lead by ARC member, Kurt Koestler. We asked Kurt to tell us about New Dawn and he writes the following:

“The mission of New Dawn is to set captives free in Christ’s name; to represent a safe place for the vulnerable, wounded and oppressed; to serve and minister in a spirit of unity, humility, love & compassion (1 Peter 3:8). New Dawn (NDM) is a healing ministry called to serve the body of Christ through safe, gentle, deliverance prayer. We deal with issues of victimization, trauma, generational iniquity and personal sin that may open doors to spiritual wounding. We also address the deeper areas of oppression that occur based on the scriptural truths and results of curse and breaking of God’s laws. NDM ministers primarily through individual prayer, teaching, discipleship, and equipping Christian leaders in these areas of ministry. We never cease to be amazed at the love, power and lengths our Lord will go to bring freedom to his people. The greatest blessing and measure of healing, however, comes through life-changing encounter with Jesus. He truly is mighty to save in every way!”

To learn more about New Dawn Ministries and meet Kurt Koestler, check out their website www.newdawnministries.net, email them at info@newdawnministries.net, or call 651-330-1913.

ARC Team Ministers Grace for Shame Seminar in Minnesota

2014-10-25T08:04:00.002-07:00

In October, an ARC team led by National Leadership Team member Robert Walter ministered at Bridgewood Community church in Blaine, Minnesota. Robert, who recently founded a new ministry—On God’s Trail—led a seminar titled Grace for Shame. In addition to the seminar presentation, he and other team members facilitated inner healing prayer appointments where many people were impacted by God’s manifest presence, love, and power. Asked how the seminar went, one staff member said she could sum it up it two words: Joy unleashed. That is what those who attended the seminar saw and experienced.

In the seminar Robert unpacked the toxicity of shame and how cultivating joy in our lives overcomes shame and in fact releases more joy. In a description of the seminar, he writes:

“Where would we be without the grace of God? Nowhere. Running the race of faith often doesn’t seem to be getting us any closer to God. It feels like someone keeps moving the finish line. In this seminar we explore a dimension of grace that is often left out of the story of the Gospel. And we’ll see how recent discoveries in brain science confirm what the Bible has been saying all along about the source of our strength. With stories, scriptures and small group sharing, people are helped to take a giant step forward on the journey of faith.”

Sharon Franta, an associate pastor at Bridgewood shared: “The effects of shame are toxic and no one is immune. In our communities, lives, and churches, shame doesn’t allow us to see all that we are in Christ Jesus, Instead, it focuses us on what we don’t have or how we are not measuring up. In this seminar, we learned how to begin addressing this epidemic. We were able to see God move through the teaching, prayer ministry and worship to undo what shame had done. It was a powerful and grace-filled message from the One who created us to live with abundance and joy.”

Seminars and teams such as this are one of the many resources the ARC has to offer you and your congregation. If you would be interested in bringing Robert in to teach and minister on this topic you can contact him at: ongodstrail@gmail.com. If you have need of another team or focus of teaching for your congregation, contact ARC Director Mike Bradley at: safeplacemb@gmail.com

You can find Robert Walter's website at: www.ongodstrail.com

ARC Team Ministers at a Spiritual Renewal Weekend in Canada

2014-10-25T07:42:00.000-07:00

God effecting a shift in the atmosphere for good; people receiving a gift of repentance from the Lord toward one another and a desire to be set free from sin; numerous prayers for the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit; prophetic words of encouragement; relationships being reconciled; equipping in moving in the gift of prophecy in a responsible manner and training in praying for others for the baptism of the Holy Spirit; and prayers for a wide variety of needs in their lives or in the lives of people they know and love. All this and more marked the Spiritual Renewal Weekend at Celebration Lutheran Church in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The ARC sent a team comprised of Fred Thoni and Mike Bradley to be with and serve the leaders and people of Celebration on October 3rd through 5th. Members of the congregation and visitors from the community attended the renewal weekend, which was comprised of keynote sessions and workshops, personal prayer appointments with church staff members, worship, personal prayer and prophetic ministry following the keynotes sessions, and divine appointments over coffee, tea, or meals shared together.

A gifted young adult worship team led by Nick Kelm filled the atmosphere with harp and bowl worship. On Saturday morning, Fred taught two workshops, one on “A Responsible Use Of the Gift of Prophecy,” and the second on, “Praying for Being Baptized in the Spirit.” Mike shared keynote sessions on “Don’t Settle For Less,” “Everyday Encounters,” and “What’s In The Air Makes A Difference” during the weekend.

When asked his thoughts on the weekend, lead pastor Cory Illingworth said: “After having Mike and Fred here I have had a smile on my face that just hasn’t been there for a while. These two faithful servants of the Lord were such a rich blessing to our staff, our congregation, and me. Mike spoke three times while he was with us and all three times the laughter and joy in our sanctuary was refreshing. He spoke with honesty and sincerity, and shared biblical truth. Fred did two teaching sessions with us on Saturday morning. He was so filled with the Holy Spirit’s presence. If you are looking for an incredible resource to facilitate a renewal weekend at your church, then you need look no further then Mike Bradley as a main speaker and Fred Thoni as a great resource in teaching on the Holy Spirit. They were a gift to a weary shepherd who needed a fresh wind at the right time.”

Looking back on the weekend Fred said: “God’s message of his Scandalous Love of God, the topic for the weekend at Celebration seemed truly relevant and extremely timely for Celebration. It was so touching to see how the Father poured out his love and grace on the staff members. The anointing of the Holy Spirit was powerfully tangible during the ministry times each evening and Sunday morning. It was obvious that God was moving as so many times tears were flowing down the faces of these precious brothers’ and sisters’ faces.”

It was a great time with a wonderful group of God’s people. We are very thankful to have a congregation such as Celebration a part of the ARC network. If you would like an ARC Ministry Team to come to your church, contact ARC Director Mike Bradley at: safeplacemb@gmail.com.

Calvary Has a New Senior Pastor

2014-09-20T05:08:00.005-07:00

By Eric Bluhm, ARC National Leadership Team Member

I had the distinct honor and privilege to represent the ARC as Calvary Church in Omaha, Nebraska installed their new Senior Pastor, TW Norman, September 7th, 2014. “TW”, as he is called, has been on staff with long time Pastor Noel Peterson for about 3 ½ years and is now stepping into the lead pastor role for a new season in the life of Calvary as a congregation.

Calvary is a warm, inviting, multi-generational spirit-filled congregation. Before the service began numerous people in the congregation recognized I was a visitor and warmly greeted me. The worship, led by TW's wife Tina, was a great mix of traditional hymns and very spirited contemporary worship. During the greeting time I was given a prophetic scripture for myself, and not for the first time found someone had been praying for me before I came. What a sweet atmosphere!

After leading TW and the congregation to formalize their commitment to one another before the Lord, a very large number of congregants joined me in the front to lay hands on and pray over TW with heartfelt prayers and prophetic words. Then TW preached (and I mean preached) a sermon as part of a series, “Who are you?”, and the particular message for the day was on “You are Forgiven.” It was one of the finest words regarding our identity in Jesus, and on dealing with condemnation in our lives I have yet heard. Two people came forward to give their life to the Lord in response, and many others were prayed for where they were by the congregation for ministry to break free of condemnation in their lives. It was a wonderful, powerful service!

Afterward there was a spaghetti dinner with many staying to fellowship well into the early afternoon. Calvary is off to a good start in this new season with TW as their new Senior Pastor. Congratulations TW and Calvary!

Don’t Forget to Join Us For The ARC Midwest Gathering and The ARC Fall Life Together Days

2014-09-20T05:05:00.000-07:00

Don’t forget to join us for the ARC Midwest Gathering and our Fall Life Together Days. The Gathering will be hosted by Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fridley (St. Paul), MN on November 6-8. You can register by going to the home page of the ARC at www.arcusa.org and find details under the “Events” link on that same home page.

Don’t forget our upcoming Life Together Days which will be hosted in three regions of the country this Fall. Our purpose for gathering is to provide a safe place where you as ARC leaders and friends of the ARC can meet as peers in an intentional manner to share life together in an atmosphere that is safe. In these times we are able to grow in authentic relationship with one another, worship together in freedom and in an unhurried and relaxed manner, and receive teaching and personal prayer-prophetic ministry that encourage and equip us.

Because we want these gatherings to be a safe place for you as leaders, please remember that these meetings are for staff level leaders only, and for your spouses. The times for this fall’s Life Together Days are 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The dates and locations are:

Minnesota – Thursday, September 25th at Bridgewood Community Church in Blaine.
Arizona – Elevate Coffee Shop in Glendale on Thursday, October 9th
California – Radiant Church in Huntington Beach on Tuesday, October 14th

ARC Leader Launches New Website and eBook

2014-09-20T04:56:00.002-07:00

I am very excited to announce the launching of a new website by ARC leader Robert Walter. Robert is a member of our National Leadership Team and a dear friend. A few years ago he and I were talking about a writing project on shame and grace he submitted while studying at Fuller Theological Seminary. As he shared about it his passion for the topic was obvious. Something reignited that day for Robert and he began to give renewed attention to this important area of ministry. Now, based on his research on this life-transforming topic, Robert has launched a new website and written an eBook entitled Why Do I Still Feel Bad? I asked Robert to tell us about this new website, eBook, and ministry. He writes the following:

“Too many people are hacking their way through the jungle of life. Too many people are
living half the lives they were meant to live. Some get lost along the way; many get discouraged. Others are burdened by troubles; some are hobbled by the past. Many just give up. It doesn’t need to be that way. Like many Christians, I’ve been trying to explore what it means to live the abundant life Jesus promised. This search began over thirty years ago. Along the way I’ve discovered an often-overlooked issue that seems to be one of the major obstacles to a fulfilled life.

For years I put off writing about this obstacle because I wasn’t sure I really understood it or could provide a solution. But whenever I taught about it, people were intrigued and asked for more. So I started research to learn what the Bible, neuroscience, spirituality and discipleship had to say. It was about that time that Mike Bradley invited me to teach a class on the subject at The Master’s Institute Seminary. This gave me the impetus to dig in to it and wrestle with my questions. The result was the class called ‘Shame and Grace’ that I taught for the first time in September 2011.

After taking the seminar one pastor wrote: ‘It's rare to participate in a class that can do an equally good job of feeding your own soul and equipping you for soul care to others at the same time. This seminar is nourishing, refreshing, equipping, and empowering all at the same time.’ Because of this kind of response, and a little nudge from the Holy Spirit and dear friends, I sensed that God wanted me to write a book and blog 1) to help others who were stuck in their walk get moving again and 2) to equip pastors and counselors to help others step into their destiny.

So I recently launched a new website where folks can explore issues of discipleship, spirituality, brain science and emotional wholeness. The goal is to help ordinary people (and pastors - they’re not ordinary are they?) experience the riches of God’s grace and run the race marked out for them. You can access the website and get my new eBook Why Do I Still Feel Bad at www.ongodstrail.com. For the time being the eBook is available for free.”

As Director for the ARC I cannot commend Robert and his work highly enough. I encourage you all to go to his website, sign up to follow his blog, and download his eBook. I did and am being blessed, encouraged, and equipped as a result. Thanks Robert for all your hours of research and writing that is going to bless us all!

Derek Luptak Ordained

2014-08-27T10:38:00.001-07:00

We are happy to announce that Derek Luptak was ordained on July 27th at Grace Church in Show Low, AZ. Derek serves as the youth pastor for Grace and graduated in May from The Master’s Institute Seminary. ARC Director, Mike Bradley, represented the ARC at the ordination and gave the message. Grace Church lead pastor, Gary Wingate, led the service.

Looking back on this special day Derek writes: “My ordination day was both a culmination and a new beginning in this journey that began 17 years ago when I first experienced the transforming love of Jesus. I am thankful to be ordained into this particular network of believers. Whenever I get to interact with other ARC members, be it a Life Together Day or an Annual Gathering, I know that I will be with people who are not trying to tame God. I am honored to be a member of a network of people so passionate to extend God's Kingdom in this day and age. I am honored to be a representative of this body in the mountains of Northeastern Arizona. I am deeply grateful to Mike Bradley and the faculty at The Master's Institute for coming alongside me when I needed encouragement and training in righteousness. God has used the people of the ARC to speak into my life in deep and powerful ways. I am excited to see what God has planned for us all!”

We are very excited to welcome Derek to the ranks of ordained pastors in the ARC. He is a wonderful example of the many young leaders we have been blessed with who are emotionally, relationally, and spiritually whole and extremely gifted by the Lord. Derek’s wife, Amanda, is a gifted leader in her own right, particularly in the area of children’s ministry. God’s continued favor be upon you Amanda and Derek.

Together We Are A Force To Be Reckoned With: The ARC Fall Life Together Days

2014-08-27T10:37:00.001-07:00

Together we are a force to be reckoned with! I have always believed this is one of the strengths we have in the ARC. Our influence is not based on any one person or personality, but rather on our being a band of authentic brothers and sisters on mission together. Toward that end, one of the strategies we use in the ARC to develop and nurture our relationships are our Life Together Days.

Because we believe that together we are a force to be reckoned with these are times of coming together are important and worth making the effort to attend. I am not unaware that for some of you attending these days requires an additional investment of time to drive to get to wherever we are meeting. However, when those times of life come up that you need others to be standing with you and having your back, it will have been well worth it.

The purpose for the ARC’s Life Together Days is to provide a safe place where ARC leaders and friends of the ARC can meet as peers in an intentional manner to share life together. In these times we are able to grow in authentic relationship with one another, worship together in freedom and in an unhurried and relaxed manner, and receive teaching and personal prayer-prophetic ministry that encourage and equip us.

Because we want these gatherings to be a safe place for you as leaders, please remember that these meetings are for staff level leaders only, and for your spouses. We have found in the past that having members of your congregations attend can place you as leaders, or other leaders in attendance, in uncomfortable positions due to the sensitive, leadership discussions we may be engaging in. Therefore, for your own sake and the sake of others please honor this request.

The times for this fall’s Life Together Days are 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The dates and locations are:

Minnesota – Thursday, September 25th at Bridgewood Community Church in Blaine.
Arizona – Elevate Coffee Shop in Glendale on Thursday, October 9th
California – Radiant Church in Huntington Beach on Tuesday, October 14th

The Passing of ARC Pastor, Walter Enquist

2014-08-27T10:36:00.001-07:00

We are saddened to let you know of the passing of ARC Pastor, Walter Enquist. Walt was the pastor for Christ the Messiah Church in Jacksonville, FL and was much beloved by his family, friends, and congregation. His son, Teddy, told me that Walt suffered a sudden heart attack on August 17th, only a few days after having had what appeared to be successful gall bladder surgery.

A going home celebration was held on Saturday, August 23rd. Knowing Walt and his great faith in Jesus and his love for God, that is exactly what it would be—a celebration of his life, his ministry, and his going to what he understood to be his true home with the Lord. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that all memorial contributions be made to Christ the Messiah Church. The address is 7576 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32217.

Please keep Nadira and her family in prayer. If you would, announce Walt’s homegoing in your congregations and pray prayers of thanks for him and his leadership, and for Nadira and the family. Thank you for doing this!

Mike Bradley, ARC Director

Sharon Franta Ordained!

2014-08-01T08:51:00.004-07:00

There was a celebration on June 28th as Sharon Franta was added to the ranks of ordained pastors in the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC). This was an especially sweet day for me personally, having worked with Sharon at The Master’s Institute (MI) since 2004, watching her graduate from the seminary along the way, and having mentored and worked with her husband, Scott, in MI’s School of Ministry program. It has been a privilege to be witness to the journey of faith the two of them have been taking with the Lord these past ten years, seeing an increasing Christ-like transformation in their lives, all brought to fullness on this special day.

Sharon’s ordination was celebrated at Bridgewood Community Church where she has joined the pastoral team as an associate pastor. Sharon is a great addition to an already all-star line up of a team that includes lead pastor, Brendon Fairley, associates Mark Spencer and Diane Stores, worship leader, Matt Schurr, and youth pastors, Morgan Sanders and Mark Zamora.

I asked Sharon to reflect back on her ordination day and the journey along the way. She writes: “The journey to not settle for less and to go after all that God has for you can be a road paved with difficult and challenging moments. Doubt, fear, pride, anxiety—you name yours— hover over the stronger, underlying core belief that you are on the right path. When you dig deep, this core is what keeps you going; that you know you are doing your best to stay the course."

Mike Bradley, Eric Bluhm, Joy Frenette, and Brendon Fairley played key roles along with my husband Scott and 3 of our adult children, my friends and the Bridgewood Church Community. God has landed me in a sweet place with sweet people. In response, I pondered how I could express my gratefulness to God and everyone who has walked with me and is for me. How do you say thank you to someone who saved, changed, and/or influenced your life? For me, I resolved that the best way I know how is to go out and do the same for others. To live a life that honors those who have poured into mine; to pass it on. I am honored to be serving at Bridgewood Community Church and every other place God provides a divine moment to extend his grace, his light and his love.”

We in the ARC are blessed to add a gifted sister in Christ such as Sharon to the ranks of ordained pastors in this little band of brothers and sisters who are on mission together. Welcome, Sharon! We’re glad you’re with us!

The Ordination Celebration on June 28th was a sweet place to be with God. The time was right. The place was right. I was surrounded by people who called out in me what I sometimes couldn't see. It was a celebration of God's work in my journey and his call on my life to keep going.

The 2014 ARC Southwest Gathering

2014-08-01T08:38:00.008-07:00

Finn, Gabriel, Peter, and Xan were among the hundreds who came together for the 2014 ARC Southwest Gathering, Scandalous Love. None of the four were over twelve years old, but there they were, worshipping God with all their hearts on a Saturday night as Chris Barrett and his off-the-charts young adult team led us in worship. The four boys sat right behind Graeme Sellers and me in the sanctuary of Penasquitos Lutheran Church in San Deigo. We elbowed each other to make certain the other caught a glimpse of the boys who were focused on nothing other than the Lord. Then, God did it. He downloaded a prophetic word for each of the four boys.

With the parents permission Graeme called the four boys forward and spoke prophetically over them. Each word for each boy seemed spot on, and both the parents and the boys’ pastor, Sean Kelly, confirmed as much. People flooded to the front of the sanctuary to surround the boys and pray for them. Then, Sweet Papa Joe Johnson asked the boys if they would pray over us. They did. Oh my, did those boys pray over us. It was marvelous, powerful, and prophetic.

The presence of Peter, Gabriel, Finn, and Xan in itself may have been a prophetic word to the Alliance of Renewal Churches in multiple ways. First, God may just be recalibrating our sights on not only equipping young adult leaders, but also young leaders who are children. Second, it may have confirmed a conversation we had recently begun about adding a children’s track to the ARC Southwest Gathering for next year.

Relationships: We always emphasize the importance of paying attention to relationships at ARC Gatherings, and this year was no different. Only this year it seemed like the relationship time people spent with each other was upgraded in some way. That was the testimony of a number of people who have attend multiple gatherings over the years. There was a relational energy and electricity in the air.
Looking around at people engaging with one another, one ARC leader said, “We could see the fruit of the ARC being intentional about providing opportunity to build relationships. It truly was a time of knowing that we are running as a band of brothers and sisters.” Another person wrote, “The ARC Southwest Gathering felt like a family reunion, except everyone in this family shows unconditional love to each other (whether they know you or not). What a blast! God massaged his love into my heart even more deeply.”

Of particular note was the way God broke in on some relationships and ministered forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation where the relationships had been strained, some even broken. That wasn’t on the script for the Gathering, it wasn’t in the schedule, but its evidence of what we already know to be true—if we in the ARC will be faithful to gather in the same place at the same time with the Lord and one another, good things, God things will happen.

Lifting of Weariness: One of the things we experience every Gathering are leaders who come beat up, broken, and weary. That’s what life and ministry can do to us at times. Some don’t even feel like attending, but they do. One leader who came that way this year said, “The ARC Gathering was just what I needed. Honestly, I came carrying a lot of burdens from the demands and busyness of ministry in the last year. My relationship with the Lord was re-calibrated through the time I to talk and laugh with friends, and soak in the Lord's presence in worship and prayer without ‘doing anything.' Through the worship experiences and prayer time, the Lord began melting away much of the pressure I was feeling and put my focus directly back on him so I could see the joy and freedom he wants me to live with. I'd encourage every leader to make time in your busy life to come so you can just be loved by Jesus and see what he wants to say to you.”

The Atmosphere: One of our core values in the ARC is that atmosphere matters. What’s in the air emotionally, relationally, and spiritually makes a difference. One person spoke of the atmosphere of this year’s Gathering in this way: “What I love about the ARC is the atmosphere—there is no posturing or pretense, no sense of competition or comparison among the pastors and leaders. We don't have to take ourselves too seriously in order to take God seriously. I was impacted and reminded of the central character of God: love as defined by Jesus’ self-sacrificing death on the cross—so simple, but something that is easy to forget in the real world of life and ministry.” The atmosphere at the Gathering this year was rich with a tangible sense of God’s presence, so much so that we are still hearing from people about how it is already impacting their daily lives back home. Atmosphere matters.

Worship: The worship teams led by Chris Barrett, Armen Babyan, and Bob Mabry were absolutely off the charts. They led us all into times of unhurried, passionate worship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As we gathered morning and night to worship together, the Lord broke in and manifested his presence in a variety of ways. He spoke prophetic words to young and old alike. He performed works of healing for broken bodies, emotions, and relationships. And the Lord set captives free, freeing a number of people in a number of different ways.

Chris and Armen’s teams were both comprised of young adults who were not only gifted musically, but had the hearts of worshippers. The team led by Bob included his wife, Tara, Danny Mullins, Dr. Lin from Hope in Long Beach, and Greg Boyd on drums. They brought the relaxed, peaceful acoustical style that Bob brings wherever he leads worship, a style many have come to love over the years. Each team brought something good to the table.

Keynote Speakers and Workshop Presenters: “Greg Boyd, Grace Johnson and Danny Mullins brought truth and challenge in their teachings. Even to call them teachings seems inadequate. There was an anointing that challenged and transformed me. I am expecting that as I process their words, I will be brought to a new place, both personally and in my ministry.” So said one of the ARC leaders at this year’s Gathering. Larry Gomez, a lay leader at Hope Community Church in Long Beach, CA wrote: “I was very surprised at how much impact the gathering in general, and the teachings and worship sessions had on me. Greg Boyd was amazing by the way!!! It wasn’t until Sunday morning when I updated my congregation on what happened at the Gathering that I began to understand.”

It seemed that all three keynote speakers brought exactly what people needed to hear. “Grace Johnson took us exactly where we needed to grow,” wrote one person. “Danny Mullins helped me connect with God’s love in a way I hadn’t in a long time,” wrote another. One person said of Greg Boyd, “I was pleasantly surprised with Greg’s vulnerability, offering his personal struggles with judging others and then providing biblical answers to help us break those judgmental patterns, replacing them by loving others upfront.” Then this same person recounted one of the best lines of the entire Gathering as they remembered a quote from Greg about the ARC: "What I love about the ARC is you care about biblical truth...but you're not buttheads about it!" Any thoughts on making this the official tagline on our website, anyone?

Each keynote speaker and workshop presenter brought more than merely an informational download this year. They brought truth that will transform. Having heard them already, its exciting for me as director for the ARC to look forward and anticipate how people are going to be impacted and blessed at this year’s Midwest Gathering on November 6-8 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in the St. Paul area.
Prayer Ministry: As usual, prayer ministry was breaking out all over the place during the Gathering. Of course we had prayer teams up front, but people were also praying with one another in the pews, they were praying with one another outside the church, and they were praying with one another back in their homes and in their hotels. There was prayer everywhere.

Teen Track: PLC Youth Pastor, Danny Scarborough, and a team of youth leaders did another outstanding job of planning and hosting a teen track for the event. They invited ARC leaders Brendon Fairley and Danny Mullins to join them to share with the teens about what God had laid on their hearts for them. Teens came from as far away as Florida and Minnesota to be at this year’s gathering, along with youth groups from Arizona and California. We are so grateful to Danny and his leadership that made this all possible.

Hosting Church: Once again, Jane Joseph and her team of volunteers from Penasquitos Lutheran Church did an outstanding job in hosting the ARC Gathering. Attention to detail, servant-heart attitudes, and a truly welcoming spirit characterized the hospitality team Jane organized and led. So many unseen details go into making it possible for an event like this to take place. And it is the work of a group like Jane and her team that help create the space where we can all gather together at the same time in the same place with one another and the Lord. Their work truly made it possible for so many of us to hear what God said to us and to experience what he did in us. Thank you Jane and PLC Hospitality team!

The Midwest Gathering: This is just a snapshot of what happened at this year’s ARC Southwest Gathering. There is so much more that happened, so many lives were impacted by God’s love and power. And we’re looking forward with a heightened sense of expectancy to what God will want to say and do at the Midwest Gathering. We’ll gather on November 6-8 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fridley (St. Paul area), Minnesota. You can register now by clicking HERE. Information on the Gathering will be under the “Events” link on our home page, including a list of available hotels for those coming in from out of town. For those planning to attend, if you register before October 10th you can register for the early-bird registration fee. So save yourselves $30 by registering early. We hope to see you there!

What the ARC Provides Leaders and Congregations

2014-06-04T13:10:00.001-07:00

By Mike Bradley

ARC Director

When individual leaders, or leaders of congregation are considering joining the Alliance of Renewal Churches, a question they often ask is: What does the ARC have to offer leaders and congregations? Good question. Following is an excerpt from An Introduction to the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC) which lists just some of what the ARC provides.

A unique spiritual DNA and identity

A spiritual DNA that embraces the evangelical, charismatic, and sacramental streams of the Christian Faith

A place where the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit is celebrated, not merely tolerated

A place where our historic Reformation roots provide stability as we minister in an ever-changing cultural scene

A network focused on and committed to kingdom advancement

An atmosphere beneficial for kingdom ministry and mission

An atmosphere rich with a tangible sense of God’s presence

An atmosphere filled with a healthy disregard for the impossible and a refusal to settle for less than all God has for us

An atmosphere filled with an experience of the non-negotiable values God has given the ARC

An atmosphere of freedom to dream and create what is received in revelation from the Lord

An atmosphere of congregational freedom to decide on matters of adiaphora[1]

An atmosphere that is a safe place for spirit-led risk-taking

Authentic relationships that are safe

Relationships in which we do not have to wear a mask and be someone we’re not

Relationships in which you can be real with no fear of being discarded or slimed by toxic shame

Relationships in which you can bring things long hidden into the light of God’s healing combination of grace and truth

Relationships with brothers and sisters who will pick us up and help carry us through seasons of life that are challenging, discouraging, and painful

Relationships that can help us guard against becoming isolated and self-absorbed

Being part of a band of brothers and sisters on mission together

· A band of brothers and sisters who help one another stay equipped and focused on the mission at hand

· A band of brothers and sisters who recognize courage has a relational element to it. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder, giving courage to one another as we engage in the great cosmic conflict of our age

· A band of brothers and sisters who know that together we are a force to be reckoned with

Personal care, encouragement, and support for pastors and other leaders

Life Together Day gatherings for relationship building, ministry to one another, and teachings that further equip us for ministry and mission

Life Together Groups for intentional, ongoing discipleship, support, and encouragement of one another as leaders

Annual regional gatherings providing a place and time for ARC pastors and leaders to meet, begin new relationships, and nurture already existing relationships

Retreats for pastors and other leaders to provide opportunity to nurture relationships with one another; worship the Lord; and have fun together

Personal prayer, prophetic, and inner healing ministries

Periodic visits to leaders and congregations by the Director, ARC Leadership Team members, and other appointed leaders in the ARC for care-giving, relationship building, and teaching

Ongoing relationship-building and prayer support

Friendship-based safeguards and accountability for leaders

Professional and Leadership training for pastors and other leaders

Professional training topics taught in the context of retreats for pastors and leaders

Professional training seminars offered around the country in congregational contexts

A working relationship with The Master’s Institute Seminary and MI School of Ministry

The chance to be part of something more

We can do more together as a team than we can as any one gifted individual or congregation

Ministry in the kingdom of God is not a solo endeavor; it is experienced and expressed best in community

Being together brings a fresh set of eyes and a larger perspective on the work of God in and through local pastors and congregations

Annual gatherings for all ARC members (not just leaders) where we are being filled with the Holy Spirit; receiving strategic guidance from God; being encouraged through personal prophetic prayer ministry; and being practically equipped for ministry

Training for members of congregations

The ARC provides teams who can provide training for members of congregations in a variety of ministry skills:

o The ARC DNA: Integrating the core values God has given us into our lives and congregations

o Building Healthy Leaders

o Sharing Your Story

o Developing Prayer Ministry Teams

o Immanuel Prayer – a model for inner healing prayer

o Spiritual Direction

o Responsible Prophetic Ministry

o Prayer for the Filling of the Holy Spirit

o Healing Prayer Ministry – physical, emotional, relational and spiritual

o Being a Safe Place for the Dangerous Kind

o Being a Safe Place for Spiritual Gifts

o Shame and Grace

o Evangelism and Discipleship Training

o Leadership for the Kingdom of God

o Team Ministry

o Strategic and Revelatory Planning

o Daring to Dream

o Conflict Management

o Worship Leadership

o The Management of Ministry

o Financial Freedom

o Sexual Fulfillment in Marriage

o And more

Prayer support

From a prayer team for the ARC

Through training and support resources for intercessory and personal prayer ministry

Intentional focus and commitment to growing whole and healthy leaders

• The ARC will be intentional in helping her leaders grow more whole and health emotionally, relationally, and spiritually

• Some of the ways we do this are through:

o Inner healing prayer training and appointments

o Appointments with Spiritual Directors

o Helping connect ARC leaders to trustworthy counseling resources

o Fellowship in the context of leaders who share the same commitment and are growing themselves toward more emotional, relational, and spiritual health and wholeness

Intentional focus and commitment to support and encourage young leaders; and leaders of the young - children, youth, and young adult ministries

• The ARC is committed to supporting, encouraging, and equipping young leaders

• The ARC is committed to supporting the leaders of young people.

• Toward that end the ARC will:

o Provide regular gatherings for leaders of young people in the ARC to meet one another, grow in relationship with one another, and meet and be blessed by more experienced ministers

o Help encourage and network the leaders of young people to network for shared ministry and mission

Ministry Share Connections

• The ARC helps to network congregations with one another for sharing of experience and expertise in ministry areas such as children’s youth and young adult ministry; men and women’s ministry; missions; and more. In addition, the ARC will help host ministry events such as:

o Regional men’s retreats

o Regional women’s retreats

o Regional youth retreats

o Mission trips

Coaching and Consultation Resources

Church Planting

Strategic Plan consultations

General consultations as request

Conflict resolution and management

Call Committee consultation and support

Other resources

A pension plan for those who do not have one of their own

Networking for job placement, helping connect churches who need staff-level personnel with ARC members who are open to moving to another church and locale

[1] Those matters the Bible neither commands nor prohibits, things which are not of eternal consequence, and about which Christians may disagree; cf. Romans 14:1ff.

Living Waters Christian Fellowship Joins the ARC

2014-04-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

We want to welcome Living Waters Christian Fellowship to the ARC! Living Waters was formed out of the need a group of people shared to experience Holy Spirit empowered ministry. The group found a place to begin meeting and out of this meeting Living Waters Christian Fellowship was formed, and Joel Swedberg was called to be their pastor.

In its brief history, Living Waters has sent members on short term mission trips to Africa and the Philippines, hosted guest teachers from around the world, run the Alpha program twice, run a fund raiser for the local food shelf, and had a free (as in giveaway) garage sale for the community of Wavery, MN, where it is located. They continue to seek out the needs of their community so they can find their niche for ministering the love of God locally.

Living Waters chose to join the ARC because they don’t want to be an isolated church body. They want to be part of the larger Body of Christ in the world, giving and receiving help and encouragement from others who are seeking to follow the New Testament faith in Jesus. They view the ARC as a band of brothers and sisters who are traveling the same journey as they are.

Welcome, Living Waters Christian Fellowship, to the Alliance of Renewal Churches!

New Book from ARC Leader Danny Mullins

2014-03-14T07:39:00.001-07:00

ARC leader, Danny Mullins, has published a new book. Darkness to Light, is the story of one man’s courageous journey out of a dark season of life toward healing and wholeness. It is the story of Danny’s refusal to settle for less than all God has for him. This book is refreshing because it is written in such a vulnerable and transparent manner. The insights Danny shares from Psalm 27 are hope-filled and life-giving for those who are in a season of life that lacks both.

ARC National Leadership Team member, Graeme Sellers, writes of Danny’s book, “This book is Danny’s public account of how bitter experiences pushed him toward wholeness. The greatest value of this book lies in its bald, matter-of-fact narration of the dark places of our inner lives and the lunatic self-management of our emotional prisons…Here, in the straightforward description of these bleak and life-stealing conditions, is to be found much of the greatness of this book. It is a warm and human challenge of our inability to fix ourselves, and a hope-filled declaration of the innate kindness of God in doing for us what we cannot possibly do for ourselves.”

Order your copy of Darkness to Light on amazon.com. Then order a copy for someone you know who may benefit from the hope and life it shares.

“Now is the time of my favor and my people will walk in it.”

2014-03-14T07:30:00.001-07:00

By Mike Bradley, ARC Director

Dear ARC Leaders,

I want to share a prophetic word with you that I believe is from the Lord for the entire ARC network this year, a word not merely to be heard but to be lived into. Please read it, test it, and then let me know what you think.

Now is the time of My favor and My people will walk in it.

This is the word from the Lord we are hearing in my home church, Wonderful Mercy, and which Hope Community Church is hearing in Long Beach, CA. As I’ve listened to this word being declared and preached in both locations, I am convinced it is a word from the Lord to all of us in the Alliance of Renewal Churches. As this word has been declared and proclaimed, it has also been accompanied by a focus of ministry for every ARC leader and Church to be intentional in serving the world—locally and trans-locally.

Thus, the connection is that as we move intentionally in serving the world we are going to experience an increase of God's favor upon our lives as individuals and as churches.

Test this. Weigh it. And if you believe this is a word of the Lord, act on it.

We are doing that here in Arizona at Wonderful Mercy Church and Bob Mabry and Hope Community are doing so in Long Beach, CA. It is a word that is influencing our preaching and teaching, our worship and prayer, and strategic initiatives which both churches are launching this year.

As Director of the ARC, I believe this is a word for the entire network. Please take it seriously. Last year we shared a word from the Lord concerning improbable provision. Where leaders took it seriously they and their members reported testimonies of having experienced it, and some continue to experience it.

I encourage you to visit the websites of both Wonderful Mercy (www.wonderfulmercy.org) and Hope Community Church (www.hopecclb.org) and listen to the sermons Graeme and Bob have preached on the theme of favor.

Now is the time of My favor and my people will walk in it as they serve the world.

May you hear whatever God has to say to you in and through this word.

In God’s unshakable and extravagant love,

Mike

Mike Bradley

Director, Alliance of Renewal Churches

safeplacemb@gmail.com

New CD Release!

2014-02-13T09:27:00.002-08:00

Recently a new music CD has been released and ARC leader, Jonathan Miller is one of the artists who helped develop the CD and is featured on it. Jonathan is the Director of Music Ministry for Living Water Church in Elk Grove, CA. He and fellow worship leader, Cody Bren formed a band called One Last Request. The sounds of One Last Request come from the shared heart and soul of Jonathan and Cody to see the bigger body of Christ coming together regardless of denominational differences. ARC Director Mike Bradley asked Jonathan to share about this release with us. Jonathan writes:

"Greetings ARC Churches, from Elk Grove, CA! I wanted to share an exciting ministry that my partner and I are starting for the hopes of giving glory to God, reminding believers of the hope we have in Christ, and spreading the good news to the lost. Our band's name, ‘One Last Request,’ is based on one of the last requests Jesus had of His Father when praying for the disciples and the future church in John 17. Jesus prays ‘for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.’

"The purpose and mission of One Last Request is to proclaim the gospel to the world, that God has sent Jesus for the redemption of "those who will believe" (John 17:20), and calls His followers to live in unity. This message is evident through the music of this album, from the very ‘Intro’ instrumental that metaphorically implies the unity of two different guys on their two guitars playing as one, to the very hope and promise that is found in the newness of life after great loss in ‘The Last Day.’Musically, the band will take you through a variety of acoustic, folk, alternative, and indie sounds, based off of influences such as Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Jars of Clay, Shane and Shane, John Mayer and James Taylor. Listeners will not be disappointed by the heartfelt lyrics, the easy-listening and singable melodies, the uniqueness of the compositions, and the encouragement received through the spiritual journey the album has to offer.

In Christ, Jonathan Miller"

Email onelastrequestband@gmail.com for ordering and booking information.

Or, visit www.cdbaby.com/cd/onelastrequest and iTunes for downloads.

As director for the ARC I encourage you all to check this cd out and order a copy of it. Let’s support the creative artists God has given us in the ARC!

Ordination and Installation for Connie Randall!

2014-02-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

Radiant Church, member of the ARC and LCMC, is located in Huntington Beach, CA. Members of Radiant and friends from other ARC and LCMC churches in the area gathered in November to celebrate the ordination and installation of Camille (Connie) Randall. The service was held at Hope Lutheran Church in Westminster, CA. Connie will be on staff with Rev. Jeremy A. King, Senior Pastor, at Radiant Church as their Associate Pastor of Care and Connection. Connie recently received her Masters of Divinity Degree from The Master’s Institute.

“This is an affirmation of 40 years of the pastoral call on Connie’s life, as she begins the next unwritten chapter which is going to leave us breathless,” said ARC Director, Mike Bradley, in his sermon for this service. Welcome aboard, Connie. We are blessed to having you join this band of brother and sister pastors in the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC); and to be on a mission together with you.

Pictured in the photo are pastors from ARC, LCMC, ELCA, and NALC who were in attendance celebrating Pastor’s Connie’s Ordination and installation.

81-Year Old ARC Member with Vision!

2014-02-13T09:05:00.004-08:00

by Mike Bradley, Director of the ARC

Jack Aamot is a member of the Alliance of Renewal Churches. He is a pastor and longtime missionary to Southern Brazil; and, he was one of my favorite teachers in the Bible school I attended. One year we brought him to Trinity Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dakota where I was the youth pastor to teach on “Evangelizing the Baptized.” Two of our church council members ended up surrendering their lives to Jesus as Savior and Lord. Jack is 80-yeaers old and going strong. He lives in a senior high rise of apartments called 7500 York Place in Edina, MN. As I visited with Jack recently he shared with me the passion he has for a vision God has given him. As Jack shared I thought to myself, “I want to be like Jack when I grow up.” Should I ever be 81 years old, I hope I am still passionately in love with Jesus and fueled by a new vision for ministry. I asked Jack to share with us, and here is what he writes:

     "When I retired some 16 years ago, I still had many opportunities to go out and preach, lead retreats, do bible studies, and more. But as my wife, Ruth, and I have grown older we have found it more difficult to travel. Can you believe that? In fact, we had done ministry in Brazil for 14 years after retirement; counseling, preaching, leading retreats, and visiting our daughter and family there. But with Ruth’s advanced vision loss and my aches and pains, we have given that up. What do to?
     "The desire to be used of God to reach others for Christ was still a strong desire within us. We had both experienced God’s call to the mission field earlier – Ruth at age 5 and I at age 18. We found each other and spent our first 14 years as missionaries in Brazil. Then, serving congregations in Van Nuys, CA; Minneapolis, MN; and Bloomington, MN. Then I served with Lutheran Evangelistic Movement (LEM) before retiring in 1997. We moved into a cooperative in Edina, MN with 330 apartments and 400-plus residents. We felt God telling us that this was to be our place of ministry. At first we remained quite active in the church we had joined, but slowly have pulled back and followed the call God gave us to minister here at 7500 York (the name of the cooperative). We started a small group for sharing, bible study, and prayer in our apartment home; then a second group also in our apartment. These groups prayed for opportunities to reach out and God gave us the vision of a group on each floor (there are 9 floors). A couple and a 99-year old man in our first group offered to lead a group on the third floor (we were on the first floor). The cooperative then built an Assisted Living addition to our building and we now have an additional 80-plus individuals connected to us. So, we started a small group there and another group on the fourth floor here. We then saw a need for a worship experience, so, on the third Sunday evening of each month we meet in the social room at York Place for worship. There has also been opportunity for Ruth to lead a once a month “sing along” at the assisted living facility and for me to preach.
      "Our goal is two-fold: First, to challenge, encourage, and equip the believers here to live as Christians, sharing their stories of Jesus with others in the daily routine of living in this “small town” atmosphere. Second, to share the gospel of a personal relationship with Jesus so others can live out their years with an assurance of going to heaven when they die. Remember, in our community we are all aware of being closer to our death than ever before. So God has given us a calling and a mission at ages 77 and 81. He still has a purpose for our lives beyond praying for our children and grandchildren. May God grant each of you the joy of a purpose and mission regardless of where He has sent you, whatever your situation and your surroundings.”

Thanks,Jack, for your living witness of love for the Lord, for the lost, and a passion for God’s vision and mission in your life.