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Learn What Happened On The Brazil '08 Trip - Take A "Leap of Faith" With Phil & Kay Casto
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New Guidelines Approved For The UMC - Upcoming International Ministry Plans
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ARC Coordinator Retreat Update - POWERUP! For Renewal Events
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New Brochure Being Developed - Enrichment Opportunities At Aldersgate '08
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| Brazil 2008 Resulted In Changed Lives And Renewed Church TOP |
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The Life in the Spirit ministry in Brazil is very different from that in The United States. Churches in Brazil have the same range of spiritual life as churches in the USA. Both events, Praise the Lord, yield the same results.
This year was the third consecutive year of ARM ministry in two different Episcopal Regions (annual conference) of the Methodist Church of Brazil. Both events this year took place in local churches. Each church was among the largest in membership in the Region. The Methodist system in Brazil appoints District Superintendents to pastor these churches. Because of that, attendance to both events included some pastors from the district and impacted their churches in a variety of ways. In Juiz de Fora there were more than 100 people there during one of the ministry segments from a single local church.
As many as a total of 750 people participated during the trip. The attendance at sessions ranged from about 150 on the low end to about 400 at the top. The Brazil schedule includes sessions on Sunday morning as the last teaching session of the event. Sunday night is the main worship service for most churches in Brazil. This serves as a wonderful conclusion to ministry and touches many more people than actually attend the LISS.
Another difference from the USA is the inclusion of prayer ministry after EACH teaching and testimony by team members. In order to fit all this into a weekend, the schedule includes only the 11 Ministry Gifts of the Holy Spirit and a teaching on the Holy Spirit as the Promise of the Father. A variety of "prayer ministry" experiences are applied as directed by the Holy Spirit in discerning the specific needs of the people attending. There is constant prayer for new manna for each time of prayer ministry.
Following is a testimony from a team member about the Life in the Spirit weekend at the Pilares Church. "We encountered some real resistance when we went in for the first night. As we began on Saturday morning, that same "dull" feeling was there, very oppressive. Suddenly, as we began to pray and minister to people, the WIND of the Spirit BLEW into that place - blew out the dullness - and blew IN a fresh, powerful, sweet presence of the Holy Spirit. From that moment on, every person in that place acted as though they were travelers in the desert who had just discovered an oasis with a deep well of cold, refreshing water! They could not get enough! We shared the Word and testified and prayed - had them pray - and God moved so powerfully. Their faces were literally GLOWING by Saturday night and the pastor was dancing for joy. Many were baptized in the Holy Spirit and countless people received a special blessing."
If you desire to increase the ministry of the Holy Spirit in your local church, please contact Dr. Frank Billman in the ARM office for how a LISS can change your church.
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| Leap Of Faith With Phil & Kay Casto TOP |
 My wife and I were recently asked to take "a Leap of Faith" in coordinating a Lay Witness Mission in Hendersonville, TN which is approximately 425 miles from our home in West Virginia. Any good coordinator knows one of the first things you do after accepting a mission is to put together a list of names of team members whose witness you feel would be relevant to the church. In this case a church wanting to recover from a division, among other problems. The next step would be a pre-mission visit to meet committee chairs and work out logistics for the mission, and finally to call on those team members to witness what would benefit the church. 
In reality, we had a list of potential team members provided by ARM and just a little over a month to plan the mission and, because of the Easter holiday, no time for a pre-mission visit. So our leap of faith became a "giant jump in the direction of the Holy Spirit and then to hold on for dear life." Through prayer, we selected names from the list of potential team members. Ultimately, God narrowed the list down to what turned out to be exactly the right number of team members.
The Holy Spirit was already at the church when we arrived Friday afternoon and stayed with the team throughout the weekend. Coordinators and team members pray to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, but many times are leaning on what we know and can control. Since only the Holy Spirit knew the testimonies, we were totally dependent on Him. As a result, as the General Chairperson put it, the testimonies had to have been from God because of the impact on the church. The pastor reported that following the mission the  healing had begun and the church was moving forward.
To coordinate a mission without knowing most of the team members ahead of time, along with no pre-mission visit, requires stepping out in faith. Was there anxiety and stress? Yes. Were there feelings of helplessness? Yes. Were we scared a little? Yes. Would we do it again or suggest other coordinators do it? ABSOLUTELY!! God re-affirmed that He is in control and will use our efforts in an awesome way.
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| New Guidelines Approved For The UMC And Charismatic Movement TOP |
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 When the United Methodist General Conference recently met in Fort Worth, TX they approved a new set of revised Guidelines for the United Methodist Church and the Charismatic Movement. The General Conference is the only body that can speak for and set policy for the entire United Methodist Church.
In 1976, at the rise of the Charismatic movement, a resolution was sent to General Conference to provide guidelines for pastors, district superintendents, bishops and lay people in understanding and working with the Charismatic movement. These guidelines were written with the recognition that many United Methodists would call themselves "charismatic" or they would work with charismatics. The 1976 General Conference approved those guidelines and they became our church's official policy regarding the charismatic movement.
It was a good document that stated that the United Methodist Church, unlike some other denominations, even some other Wesleyan denominations, recognizes speaking in tongues and other manifestations and gifts of the Holy Spirit as valid for today. It shows that the United Methodist Church holds to its heritage of Methodists believing in and expecting the supernatural manifestation of the power of God among us. It called for those who speak in tongues to love those who don't. And it called for those who don't speak in tongues to love those who do. That is still good advice!
That same resolution appeared in the 1996 and 2000 Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church. The resolution was presented again to the 2004 General Conference where the delegates decided that since this was still a 1976 document, parts of it were getting dated and it should be updated for the 21st century. They referred it back to the General Board of Discipleship to be revised and updated and returned to the 2008 General Conference.
The General Board of Discipleship turned to ARM, an affiliate through the Upper Room section, to do major work on the revision. ARM's revision was sent back to the GBOD and the GBOD sent it back to this year's General Conference where it was approved overwhelmingly. That is now the new statement of the official position of our church on the Charismatic movement. It will appear in the 2008 Book of Resolutions upon publication.
If you would like to read the resolution you may do so on the ARM website at http://www.aldersgaterenewal.org/
background/guidelinesnew.html or the ARM office can send you a copy.
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| International Ministry Plans TOP |
In a separate article in this newsletter Harry Burger reports on a Life in the Spirit team that just returned from Brazil. Kirk and Karin Nystrom are leading a Lay Witness team to the Ukraine in October.
Garen Smith is working with Charlie Hanak of Ambassadors for Christ International to bring a Life in the Spirit and Lord Teach Us to Pray team to Peru next Spring, and Frank Billman is working with Pastor Devi Bhujel, District Superintendent of the newly formed United Methodist Church in Nepal, to bring a Life in the Spirit and Lord Teach Us to Pray team to Kathmandu next Spring.
Aldersgate Renewal Ministries has begun a new working relationship with the Mission Society to provide free family Aldersgate Conference scholarships to their missionaries who will be in the United States during the conference. We see this as an opportunity to encourage and empower missionaries but we also hope that they will then invite us to send a team to their mission area to minister. We received word of the first acceptance of one of these scholarships by one of their missionary families who have been serving in Paraguay.
If you are interested in finding out more about ARM's International Ministries contact Frank Billman, ARM's International Ministries coordinator at 1-877-857-9372 or fbillman@AldersgateRenewal.org.
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| Coordinator Retreat Held At The ARC TOP |
 Our first ever retreat for Coordinators of Lay Witness Mission, Venture in Discipleship, Lord Teach Us to Pray, Pathways to a Praying Church, Life in the Spirit Seminar, and Worship in Spirit and Truth was held at the Aldersgate Renewal Center in Goodlettsville April 18-20. Twenty-seven coordinators and two potential Lay Witness Coordinators attended the retreat.
There were times of sharing and fellowship, inspiration and prayer, anointing and commissioning, information and Holy Communion. The evaluation forms received from the coordinators were very positive. They especially appreciated learning more about what the other ARM local church renewal events involve.
The newly revised and updated Lay Witness Mission / Venture in Discipleship Coordinator's manuals were distributed to those coordinators present.
Ron Lowery, District Superintendent, spoke to the group highlighting his support for ARM, Lay Witness Missions, and ARM's prayer ministries. This excellent message is available on CD from the ARM office and can be shared with other District Superintendents and pastors.
There will be a Renewal Team Coordinator's Retreat scheduled for 2009. Watch future issues of the newsletter for more information.
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| PowerUP! Conference TOP |
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 The Power-Up training conference for potential team members and coordinators of all of ARM's local church renewal events will be held at the Aldersgate Renewal Center in Goodlettsville October 10-12. If you have been trained in one of our renewal events, this is a great opportunity to get trained to serve as a team member of another event. That would mean more possible opportunities to share! Watch the website for opportunities to register and ask for our free Power-Up brochure!
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New Brochure Being Developed TOP
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| Back in 1974 the General Board of Discipleship produced a manual for coordinators of Lay Witness Mission and Venture in Discipleship. With the input and insight of 10 current coordinators, this manual is being revised and updated. It should be available at the Coordinator Retreat in April. This manual will be a valuable tool for new coordinators. |
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Coordinator Luncheon To Be Held At Aldersgate '08 TOP
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 There will be a luncheon for all Coordinators at Aldersgate '08 in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday July 3rd at Noon. The cost is $8 for Coordinators and $16 for guests. Reservations must be made through the ARM office. This is another opportunity for fellowship and information sharing.
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Enrichment Opportunities At Aldersgate '08 TOP
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Aldersgate ’08 in Columbus, Ohio, July 2-6, provides great opportunities for renewal team members to be filled, inspired and set on fire to go out and serve our Lord more effectively! J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma magazine will be one of the keynote speakers and will also lead an equipping session on Overcoming the Spirit of Religion.
Here is just a sampling of some of the other great offerings available this year at the buffet of spiritual food at Aldersgate: Understanding the Gifts of the Holy Spirit by Claudia Steigler; Experience the Baptism of the Holy Spirit by Scott Kelso; Discover the Joy of Spirit Empowered Perseverance by Rose Booker Jones; Blessing and Curses—Living the Blessings and Canceling the Curses by Richard Rhodes; The Pathway to Increased Anointing by Scott McDermott; Understanding the Gift of Intercession by Margie Burger; and Re-Digging the Supernatural Wells of Methodism by Dr. Frank Billman. Come and be filled! You can register on our website at www.AldersgateRenewal.org or by calling 1-877-857-9372 toll free.
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