Stories 2010

Stories 2010

I was not able to attend the Uprising last year. I did however get the DVD set and I was so blown away by it. Instantly a guy I went to high school with who is a pastor in Frankfort KY came to mind. I sent him the DVD set and he has been lit on fire for what God can do in a church who is truly after the lost. I am so excited to see what God has planned for them.

MATT HOVERTER

I have a softer & more responsive heart to what Christ is doing as a result of the Uprising. He’s longing for a church that is rising & falling with His heart, this is something I can give my life for…people longing to hear the message of hope.

AARON WAGNER

I saw Pastors deciding that they would leave their lights on, that they would open the blinds to lit the Light shine out into a darkening world. After every session I saw new determination in so many faces to be difference makers, not simply content to do things the way it had always been done, but to become relevant to their communities and to reach those far from God. Heaven gets to be more crowded now.

VIC MAHONEY

I am so encouraged after attending THE UPRISING, it really feels like a movement has begun! Pastors and Church Leaders from so many beautiful places near and far were inspired or reignited to shift or reorient their focus to what matters most to Jesus, His Lost Children. The Holy Spirit was richly present from the opening workshops on Wednesday until late into Thursday evening. I could sense the Beacons of Hope being lit as everyone was networking, sharing ideas and being encouraged by each other. Being an eyewitness to life transformation is the most fueling thing on earth and I witnessed hundreds of us be impacted in ways that will effect the lives of hundreds of thousands. Thank you Pete and Quest Community Church for lighting the way.

SHARON EVANS

I saw Jesus restore visions of pastors that He had planted months or years or decades ago and now reminded all of us of the amazing plans He has for us, for our churches, for our country, and for our world. I can’t wait to see the UPRISING be ignited and the hope of Jesus’ Love spread throughout the world.

BRAD VAN GENDEREN

It was a complete honor to serve so many pastor’s and church leaders at the Uprising Conference. The people I got to meet reminded me so much of who I was 10 years ago…someone who loved Jesus and His Bride, BUT knew that the church was called for something more than what my eyes had been witness to. At the Uprising, I saw faces and heard testimonies of restored hope, recovered dreams and momentum to save as many lost kids as possible with their one and only life and make the Acts 2 dream a reality in their church. I’m blown away by our collective unity to advance the kingdom not matter what the costs! What a gift to link arms together!

DANA FRAZIER

The Uprising was one of my favorite days of all time! The culture of redemption that Jesus has birthed at QCC was so irresistible and the teaching was so piercingly clear that 100’s & 100’s of pastors & leaders literally leaned in to be transformed by it. The unity of heart & purpose was overwhelming. And Jesus answered our prayers: doors were opened, hearts were broken & leaders were ignited to be about the thing Jesus gave His life to do – seek & save His lost kids. In a world that’s getting darker by the minute, I walked away from the Uprising with my heart overflowing with HOPE! The reports are streaming in of what Jesus is already doing in & through Uprising Churches – and I think it’s just the beginning. Thanks, Pastor Pete & QCC for saying yes & for not keeping this treasure to yourselves. Jesus’ generosity through you is changing the world.

SHARON CLEMENTS

Even after five years of living and serving in this redemptive culture, I have never gotten use to the love and authenticity that permeate this place. Jesus last prayer as a free man was that his followers be unified and He staked his reputation as God’s son on our unity and I saw that with crystal clarity in the Uprising. My heart was broken for what matters most, the only thing that matters beyond this world. Thanks Questers for loving so lavishly and living in unashamed redemption, I can’t begin to imagine the impact on the watching world.

MIKE SCHWARZ

God answered my prayers getting me to The Uprising. I had to work in the morning during the opening session and I was praying that Jesus would clear a path and get me to The Uprising as fast as possible. I was sitting in Court, as the opening session was starting, waiting for a potentially two or three hour wait as a Judge was calling the cases. My case was number 38 on the docket. I was praying, … “Jesus please get me to The Uprising and bless all that is going on back at The Uprising…” All of the sudden the Judge called my case first (not number 38 as it should have been on paper). I jumped up said good morning your Honor and took care of my client’s matter in about ten minutes instead of the two to three hours that it might have taken. I laughed and thanked God for answering my prayers and made it to The Uprising for the most important part of Pete’s opening talk. Next, Perry Noble’s session got me so fired up to lead everyone to Jesus that I was overwhelmed with joy. Then, the breakout sessions. I wanted to go to all of them and I probably would have missed the one I knew God called me to because I could not pick between so many God honoring topics. Now I have all the talks on CDs. Thank you so much for the opportunity to listen to all the sessions. I went to the session called beyond sobriety: building a redemptive recovery community. I am a recovering alcoholic and a leader at The Mat, Quest’s recovery ministry. I got the biggest gift to my heart in our session. Helen Musick, our transformation pastor at Quest and the leader of our session, started telling her personal story of how she entered into recovery from alcoholism. Next, Helen told us about when Pete gave her the gift of telling her story of alcoholism and recovery to our church on a Sunday morning. Well, that Sunday morning in 2002 was my first experience at Quest. A friend of mine invited me to Quest because he knew I would connect with Helen’s story and that I was seeking out a relationship with God. Here comes the fun part, Helen let me share my story, in our session, of how I came to Quest, accepted Jesus on February 9, 2003, and got to be on the launch team that started The Mat on June 10, 2005. Then, I sat down with such an overwhelming feeling of God’s love, I started crying. Helen then keeps talking about how hundreds of people have accepted Jesus at the Mat over five years and how people are finding freedom and recovery every week. She is encouraging churches to start and build a redemptive recovery community. Helen then tells us about how, six days earlier, a man named Levi came to The Mat and accepted Jesus. I got to be one of the four people, along with Helen, that carried Levi on a Mat to the feet of Jesus. Levi is in the session crying. Now, I am really crying. I can not believe how God uses us to bring His lost kids home everyday. I am so excited to hear what God has already done through people that attended The Uprising. What will Jesus do through us if we just agree with Him? Lets bring as many people to Jesus as we can until we see Him face to face.

BRYAN DALEY

I got a great vantage point helping lead worship. Watching pastors and church leaders, from around the country and globe, worship was life changing. Watching these leaders worship out of a true place of joy,helped grow my heart even more for worship and for the church. She is more beautiful than I could imagine.

JON HEADLEY

As someone who got to see Quest in it’s infant stages, it was mind blowing to see the evidence of Jesus’ favor on this place! As pastors and leaders flooded into our atrium, I was in awe of the things He’s done and is doing not only in this place, but in me! As I got to stand on stage and boldly ask for someone I love, He forged a new level of confidence in me as The Church cheers on and brings light to dark places! Can’t believe that THIS is the life I get to live!

JON TSANG

Completely blown away by all of the church leaders that came to The Uprising. Watching leaders huddle together, and taking all that they have seen and heard. Seeing leaders remembering why they got into Ministry in the first place was amazing to watch. I loved being apart of a movement that will bring the Acts 2 church to churches around the world. Thanks QCC!

TANYA PETERS

I am in awe of this culture of redemption at QCC! It has been such a gift to be an eyewitness to transformation in the lives of so many people around me through Jesus. At The Uprising, these changed lives were on display and I watched as hope became real for pastors and church leaders in their communities! The scope of this movement has yet to be seen. Thanks, QCC, for paving the way!

BARBARA HAMILTON

This was by far one of the BEST days of my life! I didn’t want the day to end…it felt like we were getting to live out Jesus’ prayer that the Church be ONE!! Personally, I experienced healing in my heart from places where I’d longed to see the Acts 2 dream thrive in churches close to home. I was so inspired by the speakers, the stories, and by the way conference attenders allowed it to really get to their hearts…impacting them in a way that this would be far more than just a ‘conference’, but understand that they are joining a movement…a “Search & Rescue” mission with Jesus for His lost kids! I cannot wait for “The Uprising 2011″, I’m telling every leader I know!!!!

SHARI BETH DALEY

I got the unbelievable privilege of serving the Pastors and Church Leaders that attended The Uprising. Never before have I seen such a clear example of what can happen in a single day when a Pastor hears the vision of what could be. Pete and Perry really captured the simplicity of what our lives can be about, making Jesus clear to people and building everything around this one thing! Pastors and leaders walked in discouraged and overwhelmed, and left full of vision and with hope that their church and ministry can really reach people for Christ. I have never been more in love with the Church, she was shining so brightly that day and really took my breath away. I will never be the same…what I saw on April 15th was just the beginning…and I feel so grateful to have been an eyewitness to something so close to the heart of Jesus.

MARY MARGARET EVANS

I felt the love of God & excitement to share that love the moment I walked in the door at Quest the morning of Uprising 2010. Although a migraine sadly shortened my day, I treasured the opportunity to worship with 900 servants whose heart was clearly to Serve Jesus & His Children, with the main focus on bringing Christ’s message to those who never heard it or no longer care to listen. May the Body of Christ continue to meet & not only Praise Jesus but brainstorm on how we can reach the lost in new & innovative ways. Especially during these tough economic times, people are searching for an anchor. May all churches continue to work together, being the hands & feet of Jesus, thus drawing the lost to the one true anchor – Jesus Christ. Thank you for all your hard work in making Uprising a successful annual event one can look forward to participating in again.

STACY, HILL N DALE CHRISTIAN

While serving on the registration team for The Uprising, I ran into several people that I had known while growing up. I was amazed to find out that they were starting a church in my hometown in Eastern Kentucky that would reach out and love all people to Christ – much like what we experience at Quest! I was so excited for what this could mean to my own family and so many others in an area where the focus can be about rules and religion instead of the inclusive, outreaching love of the Acts 2 church! When I had last seen most of these old friends, I had been in the middle of so much brokeness because of hard life circumstances and my own choices to sin. I wanted them to know what a difference Quest had made in my life and that Jesus could use them to rescue lost and broken people! I shared with them how my choices had led me into more brokeness, but that through a loving community I was rescued from fear and isolation and a life that was all about me. I also told them how my marriage had been restored, my husband and son had received Christ, and how we are now part of a loving community and get to be part of God’s plan to rescue his lost kids! It was truly a gift to me to allow God to use my story to help them understand how he could use their lives to impact eternity in Eastern Kentucky. But Jesus had even more of a gift for my husband and I as we learned that the pastor of this new church had actually been praying for, reaching out to, and inviting my husband’s brother to their church – AND THAT HE ACTUALLY CAME! We were blown away at how God was sending people to reach out to our family while we reached out to people in the place God had entrusted to us! I can’t wait to see how God uses Destination Church to reach out to my family and many others that desperately need his love and redemption!

KAY MCKENZIE

I am blown away by the beauty and power of the local church. Jesus entrusts us, in the middle of our messy sinful lives, to go out and tell the millions. That’s His plan and I will order my life around His calling. I am wrecked for anything else. I will never recover. The Church is beautiful! Thanks QCC!

JANET

I am a church planter, scheduled to launch in Christiansburg, VA with 3 previews this summer and weekly services 09.12.10. I was contacting some old friends in the area for practice space, and one of the guys has a brother who attends Quest. Wallace Huff ( a high school buddy of mine) found out I was planting in our hometown, and he called me the week before the Uprising regarding the conference. He was so excited he couldn’t even talk straight! (and he is a doctor) Needless to say, he told me about the Uprising, and I needed to come. Divine appointment no less. I cleared my schedule and made the 7 hour journey to KY. All I can say is WOW! It was so awesome- the inspiration, the stories, the tips, the training- it was awesome. It was so nice to hear from real people (especially Pete and Perry) who have been down this road! To see Quest in action, to see it as a church for the lost, only further ignited my passion for people who are lost without Christ! I was amazed at the volunteers and how they poured into me and my worship leader. They took off from work, served us, and made it possible for us to learn. I have since hooked up with Wallace’s brother, who is on fire for this church to o(he got his inspiration from a Quest visit) and he is joining our launch team and is going to be on our worship team! I had no idea what God had in store for our trip- and I got way more than I ever dreamed or imagined. I freak out a bit thinking- what if? What if I would have said no and not gone? I am so thankful for the conference, and look forward to next year. This is what it is about- churches being Kingdom focused- and reaching beyond their 4 walls. We will do the same- we will be a light in our community and help all of the other churches to reach out. it is time to stop doing church for the ‘insiders’ and go after the ones who will go into eternity without Christ. I cannot bear that thought. Thank you quest- I am ready to charge hell with my water pistol! BTW, I got a free dinner out of Wallace!

SCOTT OBENCHAIN, BLUE RIDGE CHURCH

Thank you for putting on a great church conference. I came away with three things that are remarkable about Quest that we need to develop in our congregation. First, there is an amazing OPENESS to share problems, hurts, sins and needs. When people hear others sharing about dark places, they know it is OK to share theirs. This is what should happen in church, but rarely does. It was inspiring. Second, EVERYONE at Quest is a soul-winner! The DNA of the congregation is to bring people to Christ…not just the paid staff. The members “get it” that their privilege is to make disciples. The COMMITMENT LEVEL of the members is remarkable. They connect what they are doing with how it makes disciples, and that motivates them to excellence. We have already bought ten tickets to Uprising 2011 and plan to bring most of our leadership. See you then.

JOHN KEARNS, CHRIST HARBOR UNITED METHODIST

As a member at Quest, I had the opportunity to see the dreams of many of our leaders, starting with our Pastor, Pete Hise, fulfilled as principles and teachings that God has laid on the heart of Pete have begun to be spread into the Church-at-large. Those principles which have become common place, “tattooed” on our bodies, are becoming pubic knowledge. How amazing to see those priorities of God now become the values of other advancing churches, both those starting and those shifting back to the main thing. I will not forget this first Uprising conference as I was privileged to witness the fervency with which our like-minded churches embraced having hearts broken for the lost and having a determination to let God, in the person of Jesus, make seismic shifts in our hearts and lives to bring new passion and urgency to the dissemination of the gospel.

DAVID BURANDT

A few family members live an attend a church in Owen County. Recently their church voted in a new pastor. The new pastor attended the Uprising, and his first day was the Sunday after the Uprising. There was an uprising in their church that Sunday as fifteen people heard clearly who Jesus was, and prayed to receive him.

HEATHER PERRY

The Uprising was amazing, my heart is so excited for the Church!! I just got a new picture of how the Acts 2 Church is still alive and going strong. I got to see people living in a culture of redemption and it gives me hope for my family; the Church is the only thing that will rescue them, not doing good things, not the government, and not their accomplishments- I Trust the Church that much!!

SHANNAH

As I walked into the Uprising I saw a real church in real action and fueled by love. It was like the passion of what a the Acts 2 Church looked like was infused into the people at Quest for the Uprising. As I was thinking this I realized that I was at my Church and that this vision was in me and there was about to be a chance that this vision that I get to see could be seen by every one else. As pastors walked in and there was a full day of vision, fun and the real fact that we get to be here and do this washed all over me. I have been running as hard and as fast as my legs would allow me to tell any one about Jesus any way I could. After the Uprising I can see that I can take my time and focus on the direct vision and be concise in my conversations, tweets and emails to the real fact that Jesus came here for us to live in a real place of redemption and an eternity with Him. There was never a place like this before Jesus came and we get to tell every one. Amazing. Thanks Quest for being my church and for being every one else’s church also.

TIM SAVAGE

I’m a student at Asbury Seminary and I must say I found the Uprising to be spectacular. I felt (and feel) more empowered to reach people including the hardest to reach (family members). I came away more excited about what Jesus is doing in our midst than I have ever been. Thank y’all and keep up the Good Work!

JOHN LEEK

Its simple really. I was a lost, lonely, insecure, broken, and sinful person with misguided ideas of God as a cold and distant creator. Questers and their love for Jesus shined light into my life until I received that light for myself realizing that God’s love for me could renew me daily as I trusted Him with my heart. Now, I am still sinful and broken, but I am also forgiven. I am a woman who is not afraid to admit I’m in need of a savior and his name is Jesus. The most beautiful name that has ever existed. For as He was broken for me, died a heinous death…for me….and rose so that…I could be free… It is now my mission to show others that love which has changed my life so that they might too…have an uprising story to tell:)

MARIA ROBERTS

Thank you Uprising Team for investing into my ministry today. My wife, worship pastor and youth pastor were changed!! You ALL did a tremendous job. I am the pastor of a church we planted in Shepherdsville, KY in 2003. We have had our share of ups and downs. Over the last year, I have struggled with discouragement, disillusion, and depression. Like Pete said today, I have, for the first time in 16 years of ministry questioned my calling, ministry and place this year. I can sincerely say that I felt God do a seismic shift in my heart today. I believe that our ministry @ New Hope does matter and our recalibration back to our core belief that lost people matter to God and therefore matter to us will be the fuel to re-fire our light. Thank you for the passionate simplicity of the grace gospel Quest put on display. Please pray for our team and me as I lead our church on this great adventure of rediscovering the heartbeat of God for our church, in our context, for His glory and seeing that in our community, the lost truly get found!! I am thankful we have found a church we can lock arms with and learn and be stretched by… Working with you for HIM!

PASTOR NATHAN SCHROEDER

We brought our leadership team to Uprising yesterday and had a truly amazing experience. We are a small church in London that has been through a lot of changes. God blessed us with our new pastor, Doug, a little over a year ago. He is a wonderful man of God who has an incredible vision for our church. I came to Uprising, not quite knowing what to expect. Maybe a few good tips I could take back and apply to my ministry. But God had a plan when he brought us yesterday. I can’t hardly put into words the power that Uprising had on our small team. We have been praying for so long for God to move in our church and community. Our team works very hard to create powerful drama, worship experiences, and video. We have an amazing group of leaders that love the Lord. But, what we were missing is what we witnessed yesterday at Quest. From the moment we pulled up to the parking lot, to the time we left….the love you all feel for your church, each other, and God….it’s irresistible and so evident. From simply talking to the volunteers, I could see how much love and joy surrounds your church. It was truly inspiring. The speakers, Pete, Perry, and all the break-out speakers….wow. As I looked down the row where my teammates sat, I saw God moving in their hearts. I saw laughter, tears, and I saw a fire stirring in their hearts that I’ve never seen before. We talked all through dinner, all the way home to London, and even at our church when we got home. We are all on fire for what we want to do in our church and community! We want to love on each other and spread that love to everyone that walks through our doors! We all have a greater sense of purpose after yesterday. I just can’t tell you enough how much Uprising affected our group. We’re just a group of about 10 people from a small church, averaging about 60-70 attenders. But, we all have a heart for God and a heart for the people in our church and community. Our hearts did literally break yesterday and we realized what we have to do now. I just want to thank Quest so much for what you’ve done for us. Pete, the ministry teams, all the volunteers, are an inspiration and testament to what God can do. We have been awakened, unified, and set on fire for what God has called us to do! With hearts wide open and vulnerable, we are ready to dive in a make the difference that only we can do. Thank you again, for an incredible experience. We couldn’t have asked for anything more and it was exactly what we needed. I will forever be grateful to each of you. God Bless,

AMANDA

My heart was renewed and put on fire for His lost kids! While at the Uprising I got the opportunity to see my youth pastor and that brought me so much joy to watch him take in the experience. God showed His face so brightly at the Uprising. I went back from work after experiencing God in a new profound way and shared His heart with five patients and His words does not go out in vain Amen! I saw my husband a new Christian come ALIVE! God is doing the impossible in the middle of a hopeless work place and shining His bright light of HOPE! Thank you Pete for sharing God’s vision with us. “In This World We are Different” I give Thanks to God for the special gift of the UPRISING!

SARAH HALL