ARC Conference

I just got back from my first trip to the ARC Conference in Birmingham, AL. I went into the trip with not knowing what to expect, but came away blessed, encouraged, and better equipped to reach students in Wilmington! I wanted to list each speaker and write one or two things they said that resonated with me:

• Chris Hodge (Church of the Highlands, Birmingham, AL):: Anytime you try and take territory for Jesus, there will be a fight on your hands. Satan takes this very personally. When you snatch people out of hell, Satan takes offense. When we take new territory, there are 5 Kings we’ll have to defeat: 1). The King of Demonic Attack, 2). The King of Rejection, 3). The King of Loneliness, 4). The King of Temptation, 5). The King of Discouragement.

• Greg Surratt (Seacoast Church, Charleston, SC):: In a recent survey of unchurched people, they were asked what would attract them to church, and the #1 response was to be able to “experience” God. Every Sunday, attenders of Seacoast have a chance to experience God by nailing sins to a cross, lighting a candle to let the light of Christ in their life, and take communion. Greg asked us, “In your church, where do people encounter God?”

• Dino Rizzo (Healing Place Church, Baton Rouge, LA):: Four things that a church must always be about: 4). Have relational-servanthood leadership, 3). Acknowledge and honor when others are doing great things, 2). Protect our personal passion and intimacy with Jesus, 1). Enjoy our life–ALL OF IT!

• Brian Houston-session 1 (Hillsong Church, Sydney, Australia):: When we move forward to what God has in our future, we have to go through and past the once-upon-a-times. If you want to reach young people, you have to have a youthful spirit. When you become older, you lose your sight and hearing. A sign of becoming spiritually old is you don’t see and hear God like you use to. Don’t just be young while you’re young, but decide to stay young and have a youthful spirit (like Moses).

• Brian Houston- session 2:: 1). What do you have in your hand?- In the Old Testament, the hand was related to authority (Moses’ staff). God can take what’s in our hand, and give us authority. 2). What do you have in your house?- What area do you have the greatest need? What’s in your house that you can use? Leaders are often blinded to whats in their house because we only focus on what we don’t have. Great churches aren’t built on the gifts and talents of few, they are built on the sacrifices of many. 3) What do you have in your sphere?- What can you use to make a difference? In terms of influence, we underestimate how God can use what’s in our sphere.

To read more in depth notes from each session, check out Jeff’ blog.