Alliance of Renewal Churches


The Alliance of Renewal Churches is a network of leaders and churches committed to creating and sustaining an atmosphere beneficial for kingdom relationships, transformation and mission so that souls may be saved, disciples made, and whole and healthy leaders developed.
The Alliance of Renewal Churches embraces the evangelical, charismatic, and sacramental streams of the Christian Faith. Members of the ARC celebrate, not merely tolerate, the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. The network is kingdom-driven while appreciating a shared Lutheran heritage. Growing in safe-place authentic relationships is a critical value in the ARC. Leaders in the ARC relate to one another as a band of brothers and sisters who are on mission together.
The group assumes a conservative, Lutheran theological base, but is not issues-oriented. Congregations and/or individual church leaders can join. Congregations can retain membership in other groups while belonging to the ARC or they can belong exclusively to the ARC.
The ARC grew out of the charismatic revival in the mainline churches and its several dozen churches are focused mostly in the Midwest and the California/Arizona region. It has a strong relationship with the Master's Institute Seminary. The largest churches in the ARC are Hosanna! and North Heights in Minnesota and Penasquitos Lutheran in San Diego.
The movement has annual gatherings; rotating between the Southwest and the Midwest.
Worship in ARC churches tends to be very expressive and uninhibited and the messages tend to be followed by "ministry time" where those attending the service can come forward for personal prayer.