We are excited to welcome Nathan Hoff to the Alliance of Renewal Churches. Nathan is senior pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro, CA and a member of the Board of Directors for Lutheran Renewal.

Nathan writes, “The Lord has been teaching me that thanksgiving is a fruit of true humility. Thanksgiving also severs the entitlement nerve that runs so strongly in me. ‘Thank you’ says ‘you have given me something that I didn't necessarily deserve.’ So I'm thankful! Thankful to introduce myself to a network that looks good on paper, but better in person. I'm thankful for good leadership in the ARC from the beginning days to today.

I'm thankful for my wife of 15 years, Joy (again much more than I deserve). She and I are grateful to parent 4 kids (Christian, Annika, Samuel, and Peter). I am thankful to serve as pastor at Trinity Lutheran in San Pedro, California. We have been at Trinity for 6 years. Trinity is giving thanks to God for 90 years of His faithfulness this fall. We are grateful for our past, and all that God is up to in the present, but also that He is leading us into a hopeful future here in the Harbor area of Los Angeles.

I thankful to join the ARC because I realized that ARC folks are the folks that I love to be with, minister with, and call when I'm in a bind and need prayer, support, or guidance. I love that the ARC values relationship.”

ARC members, you can meet Nathan at the ARC Midwest Gathering in St. Paul, MN on Oct 26-28. Welcome to the ARC, Nathan!

We are excited to welcome Corey Paxton to membership in the Alliance of Renewal Churches. Corey lives in Roanoke, VA with his wife Danielle and three little girls-- Hannah, Shilloah, and Norah-- serving as the Youth and Young Adult Minister of St. John Lutheran Church (LCMC). Corey also created and directs “Epic: Experiencing Passion in Christ”: a week of mission, discipleship, and adventure for teenagers in the Roanoke Valley. Before coming to the Lutheran Church, Corey served on Young Life staff and then as volunteer staff with Mosaic in Los Angeles while earning a dual master’s degree in Theology and Cross Cultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is currently finishing his MDIV with the Master’s Institute Seminary and is excited to join the ARC to connect with a band of brothers and sisters passionate about Jesus and His mission in the world.

Please add Corey to your prayer list, and you can look forward to meeting him at the ARC Midwest Gathering in St. Paul, MN on Oct 26-28. Welcome to the ARC, Corey!

We are excited to welcome Rev. Dawn Lundgren as the newest member of the ARC! Dawn is pastor of Cornerstone Church in Walker, MN, founder of Sundawn Ministries, and a graduate of The Master’s Institute Seminary. She and her husband Ed, will be married 53 years this July and have five grown children, nine grandchildren & four great-grandchildren. Wow! Talk about being fruitful and multiplying.

Following a devastating diagnosis of the onset of early Alzheimer’s Disease in 1983, Dawn retired to their home and began searching for God’s will in her life through His Word. In 1984 she experienced a “Damascus Road” encounter with the Living Lord, was touched, healed and commissioned on a path that eventually lead to an International ministry in 17 countries, plus conferences, seminars and worship services in many churches in the U.S.

In 2008 the Lord called her to become the pastor of a small, struggling church in northern Minnesota. With the support, love and prayers of many ministry friends and leaders, the church is growing, thriving and recently purchased the building they have been renting! Dawn writes: “I have chosen to become a contributing member of ARC partially because of my deep respect for the founders and leaders of this organization. After attending the 2010 Conference in St. Paul, and observing the number of passionate men and women of like minds and hearts, I was strongly moved to become a contributing part of this lively, inspiring and dedicated group of followers of the Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Welcome to the ARC, Dawn. We are excited to add you to our growing number in this band of brothers and sisters who want to kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight.

We are excited to welcome Ryan Kowlessar to membership in the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC). Ryan is serving as Campus Pastor and Mission Developer in Hastings, MN for Community of Hope Lutheran Church (CoH). Ryan came on board officially as staff in the Spring of 2010 but has been part of the CoH faith community since its early stages. A graduate of The Master's Institute Seminary, Ryan didn't know he would enter into the realm of church planting until half way through the program. That particular call was later affirmed after meeting his wife Renée, a Luther Seminary graduate, during his second year at an LCMC conference where they both were sitting in on a church-planting seminar. They now live in Hastings where they plan to develop the second campus for CoH and are expecting their first child in the Spring of 2011. They both enjoy camping and the outdoors together. Ryan has been known to say that if he was not in church work, he would be aspiring to be the next Survivorman. Ryan is enthused to be part of The ARC and its ministry. He hopes to develop life-long friends and partnerships in Kingdom Ministry. Ryan hopes to add to the conversation of church planting and mission developing within The ARC and would love to see ARC plants in the near future.

We are excited to welcome Brendon and Shanna Fairley to the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC). Brendon is the director of youth ministries at Penasquitos Lutheran Church (PLC) in San Diego, CA. A self-described third generation PK (pastor’s kid), Brendon received his BA in Biblical Studies from Eastern University, began studies toward his MDiv at Fuller Seminary and is completing his MDiv through The Master’s Institute Seminary as part of their distance-learning program. Shanna is a second grade teacher at a Christian school in central San Diego.

Brendon writes: “Hi all! My name is Brendon Fairley and I am the director of youth ministries at Penasquitos Lutheran Church (PLC) in San Diego. I have served at PLC for the past three and a half years and it has been a wonderful ride. God is doing amazing things amongst our youth. It has been my call to help equip our students for life in Christ, moving them beyond the decision to accept Him as Lord and Savior and into an intimate relationship with Him. Both Shanna and I have been extremely blessed by our time with the ARC and the powerful things God has been doing. It is our desire to continue to participate with what God is doing and what He wants to do in and through the people of the ARC. We are excited to play our role in this wonderful ministry.”

Welcome to the ARC, Brendon and Shanna!

We are excited to welcome Communitas to the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC) network. Communitas is a young adult community, which began five years ago. Started by a group of young adults, this community meets in the home of Paul and Karen Anderson (Paul is the founder of the ARC and Director for Lutheran Renewal). At first the group met every three weeks, then every other week, and now meets every week. From the start Paul and Karen wanted to give away ministry more than doing it, so they said to the young adults, “Whatever we do you can do. You have what it takes.” Paul and Karen believed in them—and we have been doing the ministry ever since.

The young adults lead the meetings, do most of the teaching, and do the ministry. A leadership team of eight guys and gals give oversight; and an action team of twelve help with service and ministry opportunities. Communitas loves having retreats at North Heights or at the Ranch (Paul & Karen’s home). They also have a prayer meeting on Monday morning, outreaches from time to time on Friday night, and many other social and ministry events. Teams often travel with Paul & Karen to do ministry stateside and abroad.

Communitas has missionaries serving in the Twin Cities as well as in other lands, including Thailand, Tanzania and India. Many serve in ministry positions here and around the country. The vision is to raise up and release young adults into their destiny in Christ.

Paul writes, “We have enjoyed having ARC leaders speak at Communitas, including Mike Bradley, Kevin McClure, Mark Herringshaw, Robert Walter, Fred Thoni, & Dave Housholder. ARC leaders and pastors are clearly friends of Communitas, and we were friends of the ARC even before we joined. Now we are not jus friends—we are family. Our participation at ARC Gatherings has shown us that we are certainly the same DNA. We appreciate the vision and direction of the ARC and thank the leadership for including us.”

Welcome to the ARC, Communitas!

We are excited to welcome Bob Rognlien to the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC). Bob lives in Torrance, CA (outside of Los Angeles) with his wife of nearly 25 years, Pam. They have two sons, Bobby and Luke, both of whom are currently in college. Bob writes, “Jesus is the foundation of my life and my family is at the center of what the Spirit is building on that foundation. I serve as Lead Pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, a dynamic life-changing community of multiplying disciples who are on mission together for the sake of God’s Kingdom.”

In addition to his local ministry, God has called Bob to a wider ministry of writing, speaking, and training leaders. He has published two books on Experiential Worship, spoken extensively at ministry conferences around the world, and now work with Mike Breen and 3D Ministries as the West Coast Director of Transformation Communities. Bob’s focus is training church leaders to develop a discipling culture where they can empower others to form missional communities that bring the Kingdom to the world. He is currently writing a book on living as empowered missional disciples, which is titled “A Jesus Shaped Life.”

Bob says, “I decided to join the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC) as an expression of my commitment to seek the power and direction of the Holy Spirit in all I do and to recognize the many relational connections I already have with members of the ARC. I believe and have experienced that nothing I can do for God will ultimately matter unless it is done in submission to the power and presence of his Spirit. I look forward to sharing the joy of ministry with members of the ARC, receiving the many gifts this family has to strengthen me, and offering up the things God has put into my hands in the hope it will further the cause of Jesus’ Kingdom. To him be the glory and to us the joy!”

Welcome to the ARC, Bob and Pam!

We are excited to welcome Pastor Julie Samuelson into membership in the Alliance of Renewal Churches. Julie is serving as the Youth and Young Adult Pastor at Lutheran Church of the Master (LCM) in Brooklyn Center, MN; a congregation whose lead pastor is Morris Vaagenes. Julie teaches confirmation, leads youth events and facilitates a young adult service called “Heart Core.” A recent graduate of The Master’s Institute (MI) Seminary, Julie and her husband Brad live in Pine City, MN and have two adult sons.

Julie writes: “ARC was my choice because I have seen the leaders in action. They are emotionally and spiritually whole people that lead with grace. They enjoy serving the God's kingdom by not taking themselves too seriously as they follow Jesus radically. ARC leaders are the ones I want to be encouraged, inspired and supported by. Thanks for welcoming me to the family!”

Welcome to the ARC, Julie. We’re excited to have you on board!

We are excited to welcome Jon Anderson as a new member of the ARC. Jon serves as pastor for Church of the Living Word in Hampton, Iowa. He and his wife, Chris, have been married for 23 years. They have three children, Joshua, 19; Rebekah, 17 and Noah, 13. Jon writes, “I am choosing to join the ARC because they are unashamed at their desperate reliance on the Holy Spirit, they put their money where their mouth is in regard to living out the gospel in practical matters of mission and ministry and I just plain like many of the guys that are already a part of the ARC.”

Church of the Living Word began on January 1, 2006 meeting in the local movie theater and enjoying the generosity of another local body of believers, using their facilities on Wednesday nights. In October of 2009, they purchased a 22K square foot facility on approximately 5 acres of land for $1 from the local school district. Since then God has been filling up the space with Bridge of Hope (a mission to single moms), a Christian pre-school that found itself homeless this fall and the alternative high school classroom for the public school. They have tried to focus on missions from the get-go, sending folks to Cambodia, Seirra Leone, Mississippi, Mexico, Botswanna, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana and Togo.

Jon will be attending the Midwest ARC Gathering in October. Look to meet him there and get to know him. Welcome to the ARC, Jon!

We are excited to welcome Ivan Sagal into the ARC. Ivan and his wife, Sandy, have three married daughters and four grandchildren, ages two through seven. They have shared an adventure following the Lord, which has included a variety of ministry opportunities.

They lived in a Christian community, Daystar Ministries, the first ten years of their marriage where they discipled new believers, helped the needy, which included people off the street and those in the occult. They also founded a non-denominational church in St Paul, MN, Lamb of God. Ivan and Sandy were part of Youth With a Mission, YWAM, staff two separate times. The first was in the middle to the late 1980's near Chetek, Wisconsin where they helped develop a 10-week Summer of Service outreach to Israel. The second time was from 1997 to 2008. They staffed a Leadership Training School in Trinidad, Colorado under Floyd McClung, and both taught and led YWAM Schools of Intercession, Worship, and Spiritual Warfare in the USA, Canada, and Norway. Both Sandy and Ivan have been on the International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem, board and Bridges for Peace board. In the late 1980's they planted a church in Hilliard, Ohio under Pastor Bob Swanger, Sr and also served on staff of the International Leadership Training Institute founded by Dr. Bob Heil.

Ivan writes, “I have been in approximately twenty-five nations helping build churches, teaching seminars for pastors, leading conferences on intercession, serving in prophetic ministry, and specific prayer assignments.
I am looking forward to fellowship with other members of the ARC as well as returning to my roots. It will be a joy for me to use my past experiences to serve in whatever capacity God leads in spreading the gospel. Sandy and I look forward to getting to know you and being part of this expression of the body of Christ.”

Welcome to the ARC, Ivan!