The vision of ARC is to see a thriving church in every community, reaching people with the message of Jesus. Although the current state of our world may have caused our methods to change, we are committed to seeing the Church thrive through every situation because Jesus and the local Church are the hope of the world.
There is no greater calling than to serve broken humanity. Our job is to minister life to those who are hurting. People needed Jesus before COVID-19, and they certainly need Him now. People need healing in their bodies; their families need restoring; they have financial troubles. The world needs the Church to be strong and united to help bring healing.
Instead of focusing on all the things we can’t do during this season, let’s think about the opportunities.
There are millions of people, at home, on their phones and computers, looking for hope. This may be the opportunity for someone who has never stepped inside the church doors to try church for the first time. Or the chance for someone who gave up on church, to try one last time. They may be in your city, or they may be thousands of miles away. What a unique opportunity we have to bring the life-changing message of Jesus to a hurting world like never before.
Not only do we want to help you maintain your church during this season, but we want it to thrive. ARC Family, we are praying for you, and we’re here to help provide resources and support for you and your church. We want you to know that you are not alone. We learned early on, pastors need resources and relationships. The phrase, “Don’t do ministry alone,” has never been more true than today. Even if we are physically apart, we don’t want you to feel isolated in ministry. Family takes care of family, and we want to help resource and connect you in any way that we can.
When the COVID-19 situation began, the ARC Family stepped up immediately to provide resources for local churches. We were able to connect pastors whose venue had closed with churches who had a permanent facility to meet. Churches offered their studio space for others to film weekend services. Pastors rallied together in communities and formed creative solutions to serve the people in their cities. Churches became clinics and food banks. Pastors began sharing their knowledge and experience and coached others through online webinars. ARC Meetups moved to online meetups for pastors to gather and connect regionally. And the ARC Family was able to resource those churches who were in the greatest financial need.
These are precisely the characteristics that make up ARC’s Family Values. We are so honored to be able to lead alongside so many of you who exemplify these values daily.
Love. We love because He first loved us.
Give. We are generous with our resources.
Unite. We gather to advance the Kingdom.
Serve. We strive to meet the needs of the community.
Honor. We value the past and celebrate the future.
Believe. We have confidence in the calling.
Dream. We have a vision for what’s to come.
The Church is united like never before. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to join the Unite 714 movement at unite714.com. Pastors, leaders, churches, and individuals from around the globe are joining together—with one heart, one voice, and one prayer—to see the spread of COVID-19 halted, lives healed, hardships mitigated, people come to Christ, and an outpouring of God’s Spirit.
God promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14, that when we humble ourselves, unite in prayer and seek His face, He will hear us, He will speak, He will forgive, and He will heal our lands. Thousands of churches are joining in one united prayer during church services and praying the same prayer at 7:14 each morning and night.
As we believe for healing in our land, the mission of ARC continues. We are continuing to help new and existing churches thrive by providing leaders with relationship, resource, and opportunity. This includes church planters. We have recently crossed the mark of 900 churches planted with ARC. This milestone is a huge accomplishment for us as an organization. We are so grateful for what God has done in ccommunities around the world. Our founder, Billy Hornsby, would be proud of who we are. But he would tell us to, ‘push on,’ because there is more work to do! Church planters are still working, training, and planning to launch churches this fall or early next year. They need your prayers and your support.
We don’t know what to expect in the coming months or exactly what our world will look like, but we do know that the world needs Jesus. These local churches will reach people who have never been reached. We believe every community deserves to have a life-giving church. We want to see lives changed, needs met, families restored, people healed, and communities transformed.
Thank you for being a part of our family. We are on this journey together. We’ll take it day by day, but we’re excited about the future of ARC and the future of the local Church.
We don’t know what to expect in the coming months or exactly what our world will look like, but we do know that the world needs Jesus.
These local churches will reach people who have never been reached. We believe every community deserves to have a life-giving church. We want to see lives changed, needs met, families restored, people healed, and communities transformed.
Thank you for being a part of our family. We are on this journey together. We’ll take it day by day, but we’re excited about the future of ARC and the future of the local Church.
DINO RIZZO
Executive Director, ARC
