• 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

• 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

• 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




Ministry Share Connections

• 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

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.

              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.

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.

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.

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



Mike

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!

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.

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.