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

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.

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!

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! 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