News

Arise Review Roadmap Release Statement
2022-06-12

Over the past eight weeks as a church we have heard stories of many experiences, and had many conversations, and shed many tears. We have had to grapple with the truth—that as a church we have not fully reflected the love and acceptance that Christ instructed us to demonstrate.

In light of the recent resignations of John and Gillian Cameron, and Brent Cameron, the Arise Board acknowledges the range of emotions and uncertainty experienced by staff, campus pastors, and members of the congregation. We also understand the questions these changes raise about leadership, structure, and the future of Arise.

The review processes are still underway, and it is important that there continues to be time and space for people to be heard. We appreciate, however, the desire for more clarity around the timeframe over the review and the pathway forward. This Arise Review Roadmap is an attempt to provide more certainty, clarity, and accountability over the next period of time.

This Review Roadmap is intended to be a transparent and consultative process, and so it is important that key recommendations made as a result of the reviews receive feedback and input from the Arise congregation before they are implemented. It is our desire that Arise becomes a church more fully reflective of what Christ intended; a safe and welcoming place that is shaped by the Gospel and the gifts and callings of the people who call it their home.

This Review Roadmap must be a Spirit-led process, so by its nature it will be an organic and adaptive process. There is a need for time spent in prayer and reflection and to take on wise counsel. For these reasons, aspects of the Review Roadmap’s structure, process, scope, and timing may need to change and adjust as it progresses. We expect that regular, ongoing updates will be provided to ensure transparency and accountability is maintained.

Our prayer is that over this time, those who have been hurt will find a pathway to healing and reconciliation. We are hopeful that Arise will become more of what we are called by God to be, a church that will authentically shine Christ’s light and love in a world that desperately needs the truth of the gospel message.

We are incredibly grateful for the patience and grace of the Arise congregation through this journey. We welcome your feedback and input about any part of this process through the FAQ channel on the Independent Review Roadmap page of the Arise website.

— The Arise Board.