“Just a word to say how much I and my staff enjoyed the conference this year. It was awesome and really confirmed our direction and fired up everyone on the team. I look forward to getting to download all the workshops and listening to the them all when they are available. Thanks for asking me to be a part of the ARC it is a blessing to me and my church.”

Timmy and his family are dear friends of mine and to many other ARC pastors. The church was vibrant in worship and very relational. Timmy and Jana thanks for your hospitality and the work you are doing in Olathe.

In those early days God brought Dino Rizzo, my brother Scott, Rick Bezet, and Chris Hodges together with Greg and I to ask, “What if?” Now, “what if” has become “what now?” After 59 new church plants and the possibility of 30 this year, we are asking God for His direction for the future. We still believe that we will plant 2000 churches by 2020 and that ARC churches will have a huge impact on world missions. So, pray with us and believe with us for the great things that God wants to do through ARC. I also want to thank the ARC Leam Team for all that they do to make church planting on this scale a reality. Thanks to:

• Stovall Weems
• Rob Ketterling
• Matt Fry
• Randy Bezet
• Rick Bezet
• Scott Hornsby
• Chris Hodges
• Greg Surratt
• Dino Rizzo
• John Sibeling
• Joe Champion

Scott and Tech Team

Ronnie and Gayle Bennett

Scott, Buck Hornsby, Hank Henagan, Ronnie Bennett

At Bluff Creek

While in Birmingham we had the chance to be in the Easter services with Pastor Chris Hodges at Church of the Highlands. What an experience! Over 11,000 people packed out all of their services and campuses. Pastor Chris and Tammy shared on the importance of what Christ did by being raised from the dead…giving us hope for a new life from all that holds us back. The resurrection of Jesus is the basis for our new life in God…free from all that was death to us. Also, John Larson, Brad Parsley and the COH band and choir lead us in fantastic worship. John did a special song that was brilliant. Way to go John.

A great week with family and the family of God…can’t beat that!

Sunday evening I met with Jeremy Jacoby and Mark Larson with the Lutheran Church in the area. They have become dear friends over the past couple of year. Jeremy has launched a Lutheran Church in this same area and is having amazing results. Mark is the Regional director of mission for the LCMS and is planting churches all over the region in the years to come. Mike Ware of Victory Church, a life-long friend was also there on Sunday evening. Mike pastors an explosive church in the Denver area.

I had the chance to visit with Tory Forina and his wife Elisabeth, Rob and Becca Ketterling and get reports on all that God is doing with them. ARC is blessed to have this group in our midst as examples of courage and commitment to the success of the local church. Thanks to the Lord for all of you.

While in Baton Rouge we had the opportunity to visit Bethany World Prayer Center and the “Remnant Conference.” Pastor Larry Stockstill shared his heart for bringing pastors back to the holiness of God through repentance. The meeting was great and for me a time to reflect on God’s call on my life to live honorably before Him. I saw many friends and fellow pastors there. One highlight was to spend time with my long time friend Hank Henagan.

Stovall has done an incredible job building a dynamic life-giving church in this sunny city in northern Florida. The energy in the services, the intensity with which the people worship and the “all out” pace that the Celebration team serves is incredible. It was fantastic!

We also had the privilege to see “Watoto” from Kampala, Uganda. This is a choir made up of AIDS orphans from Uganda that have been adopted by this mission. My heart was stirred for missions all over again as they sang with all their heart “I am not forgotten, God knows my
name.” Incredible.

Thanks Stovall and Kerri for a weekend we will never forget.

Billy