The mission God has given the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC) is to be a network committed to creating and sustaining an emotional, relational, and spiritual atmosphere beneficial for kingdom relationships, transformation, and mission that souls might be saved, disciples made, and whole and healthy leaders developed. In the following article, ARC Pastor, Dan Clites speaks out on how he and his congregation are working to change the atmosphere, not only in their church but also in their community.

Ask someone to define "climate change" and you'll get all sorts of responses, ranging from air temperatures heating up, to water levels going down. But ask someone to define "spiritual climate change" and they might be stumped. More and more, Rejoice! Church is believing in the power of prayer to change the spiritual climate of our local marketplace: our homes, neighborhoods, businesses, governmental agencies, schools and churches. We are practicing, "Prayer Evangelism," where the folks are talking to God about their neighbors before they talk to their neighbors about God.

Our city of Northfield, Minnesota is trapped by its disobedience to the Lord. We have bickering within the city council chambers and community committees constantly fighting over money and city services. Our schools purposefully dis-invite Christianity, while divorce is breaking up families and drug abuse is leading young adults to suicide.  With two colleges, we also have the gods of intellectualism and pluralism rearing their dark heads into conversations, even infecting our churches with universalism.

The old paradigm was if you wanted to see change to any of the above, you had to vote-in a new politician, pass new laws, or pour in more money. That's been proven ineffective on a consistent basis, leading to discouragement and apathy. To conquer that darkness, Rejoice! Church has been practicing Prayer Evangelism, taking the God's light into where darkness is entrenched. In other words, we are taking the mission of the church out of the church building and shining it into the marketplace by adopting and praying throughout all the streets of our city.

We are receiving our directions from Jesus as he spoke into his disciples in Luke 10.  He first instructs his 72 followers to implement four steps into a daily lifestyle of evangelism: 1) bless and speak peace over every place they go, 2) build trustworthy relationships, 3) be open to meeting people's felt needs, 4) and then, and only then, declare the kingdom of God has drawn near. By following God's way, we are already seeing breakthroughs!

For example, a pharmacist by the name of Rob, who owns and operates his own business, walks and prays around his business block almost every day. It’s a neighborhood that includes a local hangout for edgy teens, called The Key. It is a dark place in many ways.  Yet Rob prays blessing and speaks peace in Jesus' name, seeking to change the spiritual climate in his area of influence. One day a teenager broke Rob's business sign. Instead of getting angry, Rob went to The Key to establish a trustworthy relationship with the teens. It eventually led to ministry moments. Rob hasn't mentioned Jesus or the kingdom of God yet, but doors are being open to intentionally do so. It will happen because Rob has won the trust of the Board for The Key, and they view Rob as a great neighbor. He is a neighbor in the light of Jesus who is welcomed into The Key because the spiritual climate of the neighborhood is being changed!

This is just one example of what is happening in Northfield these days because members of an ARC congregation are intentionally taking Jesus at his word when he says he is giving us the keys of the kingdom to walk over darkness and set captives free by the power of his authority. Let me encourage you to teach and impart the same Holy Spirit power into your congregations and areas of influence. 

If you live in Minnesota, there is a great tool for organizing street prayer adoption throughout our whole state. Simply go to BlessMN.org and register yourself as a street adopter. Check out the Sub Group category as well. Perhaps you can organize others from your church, work place or club to pray walk. Adopt the street you live on, or the street your business sits on, or the street that hosts your schools or governmental agencies. The goal is to change the spiritual climate of the whole state. If you're not living in Minnesota, how about considering putting together such a website for your city? 

The faith effort is simple, but extremely effective in bringing kingdom unity to a community. Pray Luke 10 throughout your city, then expect "spiritual climate change!"

Dan Clites is the lead pastor of Rejoice! Church, Northfield-Dundas, Minnesota. He also serves on the Minnesota Transformation Network, promoting BlessMN.org throughout the state.  Prayer Evangelism is the teaching of Ed Silvoso and Harvest Evangelism.  See TransformOurWorld.org and register to adopt your street if you live outside of Minnesota. 

Be aware. Divine appointments. Atmospheric shifting keynote message. Personal prayer and prophetic ministry. Creating and nurturing relationships. Impromptu preaching opportunities. All this and more made up a recent trip to Ethiopia for ARC leaders Graeme Sellers and Mike Bradley. Mike and Graeme were invited to attend the 2012 Missions Conference and Theological Convention (pictured above) for the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY). Mekane Yesus (the house or place of God) is a network of 5.8 million charismatic Lutherans. Most of what God did during the trip was not on the published schedule, but was on God’s schedule.

In the weeks prior to leaving for Ethiopia, Graeme, Mike, and a team of intercessors were praying for the trip. Two things in particular stood out during these prayer times. First, there was a word to be aware of divine appointments not merely during the events in Ethiopia, but also as we traveled. The second turned out to be a prophetic picture come to life.

It began the first night as we flew to In Washington D.C. We met Yalda, a non-practicing Muslim who was our waitress at a restaurant we stopped in for a meal. As we visited with her we asked if we could pray for her and she immediately told us about her mother, Nazifa, suffering from uterine cancer. She welcomed prayer for her Mom and for herself right there, right then. We continue to pray for Yalda and Nazifa, that God’s purposes might be accomplished in their lives.

Our first day in Ethiopia included a trip to the grounds of the EECMY seminary where we met and were asked to pray over the team that was organizing the missions conference. The event would attract more than 12,000 attendees over the next two days, with many people coming to faith in Jesus Christ. As we prayed, God gave prophetic words through us to the five conference organizers; words which had a visible impact on each of them

At a dinner hosted by the Speaker of the House of the Ethiopian Parliament, we shared a meal with a young pastor and his wife whose church, part of the new apostolic reformation movement, is making serious inroads with young adults. God gave life-breathing words to this couple through Mike and Graeme, and as a result they were invited to minister at the 2,000 member church the following Sunday.

We returned home with some new relationships, and with some already existing relationships having been deepened for us personally, and for the ARC and MI organizationally. God created some new relationships for us with leaders in the EECMY, and in the North American Lutheran Church (NALC), which was represented by Bishop John Bradosky, and General Secretary Mark Chavez. We enjoyed our time with both of them as well as with other pastors from the NALC in attendance. We were also blessed to spend time with Mark Vander Tuig, Kip Tyler, John Waak (pictured above praying with Graeme), and other leaders from Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC).

Be aware. Divine appointments. Personal prayer and prophetic ministry. Atmospheric shifting keynote message. Creating and nurturing relationships. This was our trip to Ethiopia. Thank you all for your prayers. Let’s continue to pray and see how God might use this trip and these relationships in carrying out His purposes for the ARC and MI.

1.    Hotel Huntington Beach – (3 Miles)
$89 +Tax · Indoor Pool · Free Internet · Simple Continental Breakfast · Shuttle Services to the Pier · Close to Food, Shopping, Movies
Reservation must be made by June 8th to get the “ARC12” group rate
714-891-0123  · 7667 Center Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 www.hotelhb.com

2.    Extended Stay America – (0.7 Miles)

3.    Travel Lodge Sunset Beach - Sunset Beach (3.8 Miles)

 Three Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC) pastors are having the opportunity to influence people in their communities through hosting local radio shows.

            Pastor Bob Blayter of Wonderful Mercy Church in Gilbert, AZ (the Phoenix area) host a show called The Money Team. Its on www.blogtalkradio.com on Wednesdays from 9 to 9:30 AM Pacific Time. Bob discusses financial issues from a biblical and practical perspective. He also mentions where he will be doing his Financially Free Seminars and other speaking engagements. Bob has been doing a radio show for over 6 months and recently switched to blog talk radio. 

            Dave Housholder of Robinwood Church in Huntington Beach, CA co-hosts a show with Roger Marsh called The Bottom Line  on KBRT, am 740, in Los Angeles. They discuss a wide range of current events from a Christian perspective and interact with people who call in. The show is aired 3-5 p.m. Pacific time, 5-7 p.m. Central time. Dave and Roger reach approximately 17 million listeners in Southern California alone. Worldwide streaming of their radio show can be accessed at hhttp:/kbrt740.com.

            Mark Herringshaw, formerly with North Heights Lutheran Church in St. Paul, MN hosts a radio show on KNOF, Minneapolis. Mark’s show is on Monday through Friday, 3-7 p.m. Central time. The format is contemporary praise and worship with brief spoken clips (prayer, scripture, devotional quotes, and short stories) between every other song.

            Its exciting to know ARC leaders are having the opportunity to influence such a broad spectrum of people through their involvement in radio. Please keep Bob, Dave, and Mark in your prayers, that the Holy Spirit might use them to speak messages of life to the hearts of listeners.

                                   

The Apostle Paul writes, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” This is an important exhortation as we live at a time when, as one ARC leader puts it, “a war is being waged for our hearts and our minds.” Being a “people under the word” is a key to victory in this war. In this opening session, ARC National Leadership Team member, Graeme Sellers, will cast the vision of what it means to be a people under the word who are letting the word of Christ dwell in them richly; and call us to be a people who are making a home for the Word, knowing that whatever fills us, controls us. This message is an important one if we are to be known as a network where God’s people are making a home for the Word and living under the Word.

A new religious pluralism defines the modern religious world; and in this world truth is viewed as being relative, with each individual holding the authority to determine what is or is not, truth. In this context we do not want to be arrogant or ignorant or ethnocentric or neurotic or even be seen as such, and yet we believe that somehow, the Bible is our final authority. What do we mean by biblical authority? Why is it important for life and ministry? What do we need to know about the postmodern world in relation to maintaining biblical authority that will enable us to bring God’s healing combination of grace and truth to bear on peoples’ lives? In this session, Dr. David Glesne will show us there is a confident way and place to stand in our day that we all might experience the reality of Jesus’ words, “You will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”

We are living in a time in which we often read more books about God’s Word than we read God’s Word itself. The result can be a growth in knowledge about God, but not necessarily growing to be more like Him. In short, we can be spiritually dehydrated and thus hindered in growing in our relationship with the Lord, and in partnering more effectively in His mission in the world. In this session Mike Bradley, Director of the ARC, will share his passion that the Lord make the ARC a soul winning and discipleship making network, and how this is connected to being a “people under the word.” He will exhort and encourage us individually and corporately to be saturated in the Word of God for transformation and mission. Mike will call us to be followers of Jesus Christ who are being so saturated in the Word of God that we are being transformed to think, speak, and act more like the living Word; and be empowered for every member ministry in the world, wherever God sends us.

It is always exciting to hear what God says and see what He does when we commit ourselves to gather in the same place at the same time in the presence of the Lord. In this session, Joel Bidderman and Friends will lead us in a refreshing time of soaking together in the presence of the Lord, ministering to Him and worshipping Him even as Paul, Barnabas and others did in Acts 13. What a privilege it is to minister to the Lord. How refreshing it is to soak in His presence. How encouraging it is when we hear Him speak a fresh word of direction or hope. How reviving it is when we experience a fresh touch of His freedom and love. Come join us as we soak in worship and the word.

The Holy Habit of Daily Devotions

Nathan Hoff, ARC Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church-San Pedro, CA

Lectio Divina

Bill Gaultiere, Director, Soul Shepherding, Irvine, CA

The word of God is living and active. It restores broken souls, it renews tired spirits, it guides us in God’s good path -- if we listen with soft hearts and live it out. Sadly, we often read the Bible too quickly, trying to get through it or get our sermon finished. In this workshop Bill will mentor us in Lectio Divina, an ancient art and discipline for praying a Bible passage to hear God’s voice. Come to learn the Biblical foundation for Lectio Divina and to get a vision for how you can use this practice in sermon preparation or leading groups in your church. Come to be refreshed by an experience of the Word of God breathing life into your soul.

Rules of the Game

Jeremy King, ARC Pastor, Radiant Church-Garden Grove, CA

Reading the Bible is essential for following Jesus. Most Christians would agree on that. However, unless we consider how we read the Bible, we may find ourselves ill-equipped for engaging with real people in the real world. How we read and talk about the Holy Scriptures will deeply affect how we represent Jesus to our friends, neighbors, and family. In this workshop we will discover, and practice together, practical tools for reading, interpreting, and applying the Bible in a responsible manner. We will also work on a foundational understanding of the origins of the Scriptures, how to evaluate and select bible translations, and how to appropriately read and apply from each of the literary genres found in the Bible. 

Trusting God’s Promises in His Word

Tom Brashears, Lead Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Irvine, CA; and Board Member for The Master’s Institute

The Power of a Word of Testimony

Heidi McClure, ARC Administrator and MI School of Ministry Assistant

Our testimonies are one of the most powerful things about us. Although people can try to argue about the authenticity of Christianity’s claims, no one can argue with what Christ has done on a personal level in someone’s life. An anonymous person once said, “A man with a testimony is never at the mercy of a man with an argument.” Testimonies are a great way to reach the lost, the broken, and the hurting. In this workshop we will learn more about why it is on God’s heart for us to be sharing our testimonies, how to effectively write and share a testimony, and how to incorporate testimonies into your ministry.

Teaching the Bible

Dave Housholder, ARC Pastor, Robinwood Church, Huntington Beach, CA

People don't bring their Bibles! They don't read them daily! Biblical illiteracy is on the rise! This seminar will give you clear steps on how to solve these and other problems. In this workshop, Dave will help us focus on creating a Bible culture in our churches through modeling and promotion. We will also focus on which kinds of Bible teaching lead to a more participatory Bible culture. Be sure to bring your Bible to the session.

Reaching Non-Christians with the Word of God

Dave Housholder, ARC Pastor, Robinwood Church, Huntington Beach, CA

We want the ARC to be known as a network God is using as a soul-winning, discipleship-making network. So, its important for us to ask questions such as: What intentional efforts are we making at reaching non-Christians? How many teen and adult baptisms did we have last year? Many of you may have tried the Alpha Course, but it can be hard to maintain a critical mass in a smaller church. Pastor Dave Housholder and the team at Robinwood Church have developed The Blackberry Bush as one strategy for reaching out to non-Christians. They have five tables full of participants every semester and have been able to assimilate dozens of new people into the congregation: socially, spiritually, and catechetically. Come hear what it is all about in this breakout session and see if it might not be of help to you in your cultural context, or, spur some fresh ideas which you can take home and work with you team to develop strategies which uniquely fit your context and geographic region.