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 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

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!