Thursday was remarkable. We’ve had an incredible response from people around the country, and we’re floored by what God has started. I wish you could see the surveys and the tweets being sent my way. When a pastor’s heart is ignited…watch out!

We are humbled. This was way bigger than just a conference…

Praying right now for almost 900 pastors and leaders who headed home challenged, stretched, and I hope…inspired. Keep praying that the beacons stay lit. Cheering you on!

Read more at www.petehise.com

As I’ve taken some time to reflect, I wanted to share with you some of my personal highlights from the day (in no particular order)…

1. Hundreds of Questers served as volunteers for The Uprising, and you guys were REMARKABLE. You went all out. One of the top comments we’ve received from pastors was how clear it is that our volunteers know they’re already living in the Uprising, and how gorgeously they served out of the overflow of what we live in all the time. I couldn’t agree more. Thank you!

2. This was our first year hosting The Uprising and we had no idea what to expect. When more than 860 pastors and leaders stepped forward to join us, we were blown away. We asked the LORD to bring us the people He determined…and you CAME! Really thankful for His blessing.

3. I loved seeing our new facility do what it was made to do. So many people (including Perry Noble, Pete Wilson & Shaun King) pulled me aside to tell me how much they loved the facility and what a great place it is to do ministry. I agree. Seeing groups huddling up, discussing what they learned…people spending time with Jesus and with each other out on the plaza, under the portico, in the landing, by the fireplaces…it was great. (If you need any reason push through to be faithful to fulfill your Imagine2 Commitment, you saw it at the Uprising!)

4. The worship and the arts were great. I particularly loved This is Our God which kind of became a theme song of the conference. We taught it in the first session and by the last session, the whole room was blaring it out. God really anointed it.

5. I loved meeting pastors and their teams. Our team loved cheering on people who went all out to get here to help their churches step forward and make a difference in this dark world. I especially loved the guest reception Wednesday night and the senior and lead pastor dessert on Thursday. In one conversation, I was talking with pastors from Kenya and Peru. I was blown away, and it reminded me of the scope of what we’re doing. This is a God-sized endeavor!

6. I was ridiculously proud of Quest staffers…Sharon, Justin, Helen, Billy, Dave, Amber, Brad and Jim. Your workshops and breakouts were great. You live in constant awe of what God is doing in this place and you went all out to help Uprisers see it for themselves – just unbelievable! Thank you for pouring your lives into God’s Acts 2 dream here and helping others see it and experience it for themselves. I’ll sit and listen to you guys teach any day of the week!

7. Thanks to our guest speakers and presenters Perry Noble, Shaun King & Pete Wilson who hit it out of the park. Perry was funny (as always), and he did an amazing job leading us from the main stage. Pete’s authenticity and heart-feltness was evident in every conversation. And Shaun’s optimism and focus on small churches and social media breathed hope into so many pastors. I’m so grateful for all of these guys. They are real friends and partners in ministry, and they were blown away to be here. Their teams fell in love with what God is doing here…and with Questers. They’re still processing what they saw and experienced – what we live in all the time, but never want to get used to. I loved that these guys and hundreds of other pastors and leaders got to experience this incredible community for themselves! Really in awe.

8. Among my private highlights of the day were the constant conversations I was in with pastors who were wrecked. Over and over again I heard pastors telling me, “We will not do it the same. We have got to reconsider the way we do church.” Go for it. It’s time for an Uprising! Not minor tweaks or adjustments. God has more for your lives, hearts and ministries. Almost every pastor I spoke to mentioned stories, baptisms, and/or the Pendletons. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. Over and over again they asked me, “Where in the world do you get stories like these?” (Questers, they really are gorgeous, and…they’re all over the place. Pastors and leaders really were catching the vision of the Uprising through you! Thank you!)

9. A huge thanks to our Uprising Leadership Team. This team of volunteers and staff members sat with me from the beginning and met with me for hours nearly every week for six months. I loved going through the hundreds and hundreds of surveys with you after the conference. They were so outstanding that they looked rigged. Way to go, leaders! (And thanks for your kind words, pastors!)

10. Probably the thing I loved most from the whole day was lighting the beacon and looking out at faces of men and women of God who want to serve and see the church become. You guys listened like there was a test. Your hearts were soft…sometimes you mouths dropped open…your eyes lit up. And you received the word that it’s not too late…we can do this together. We can light the beacon. You just believed it. (Praying for you like you can’t imagine, Uprisers!)

Read more at www.petehise.com

We are just 3 days away from The Uprising! Anticipation is growing as we get closer to the day. How will Jesus show up when leaders from all over the country gather to ask Him to reawaken the revolutionary spirit with which the Church was started to reach the world for the cause of Christ through creating loving cultures of redemption? We are about to find out!

Three days out, we wanted to remind you of a 10 important, great things you don’t want to forget as you get ready or consider coming:

1.  Don’t forget to register your spot! Keep an eye out for exciting opportunities to win prizes this week and don’t forget that every registrant is entered to win the iPad!

2.  Take a look at all of the great Pre-Conference Workshops and consider coming a day early! Great workshops by Shaun King, the Quest Lead Team and more. Get an extra day for just $10!

3.  Get a taste of the culture of redemption God has birthed at Quest by joining us for Baptism at 7 pm the night before The Uprising. Then stick around for a special reception with Pastor Pete.

4.  Senior Pastors- remember your spouse comes free! Make it a getaway!

5.  Church Planters- don’t forget you qualiy for a special discounted rate!

6.  We have some fun surprises for the day of, we’re just saying… You want to be there!

7.  Don’t forget to book your hotel if you haven’t already, rooms are going fast! Be sure to ask for The Uprising rate!

8.  We have a great list of Exhibitors that you won’t want to miss! Come hear more about Mercy Ministries, Compassion, Fellowship Technologies and other great ministries that can partner with your church!

9.  Got 5 people in your group signed up to come? We will pay for the 6th person!

10.  Over 700 church leaders and pastors will be gathering for The Uprising and we would love for you to be there too! You are wanted and needed more than you know. If there is anything we can help with, please don’t hesitate to email us at 411@theuprising.net

We can’t wait to meet you! See you soon, and spread the word- The Uprising is coming!

Next Thursday, April 15th, pastors and leaders from all over the country will converge in Lexington, Kentucky for The Uprising. We’ll spend one day together asking God to ignite us and equip us to reach our communities for Christ. I’m convinced that what God wants to do in us is way beyond the ordinary, and I wanted to make sure you know there’s still room for you! Registrations are still flyin’ in and there’s still time to sign up and join the 700+ already attending.Don’t miss it!

I’m gettin’ so pumped I can hardly sleep!

Sign up today. I can’t WAIT!

Pete Hise

Get more real time updates and thoughts from Pete Hise by checking out his blog at www.petehise.com or following him on Twitter (@petehise)

We thought that you might want to take a minute to hear from some other leaders and get their perspective on what they are looking forward to as we get close to The Uprising.  Whether you are still weighing out coming or bringing other team members, or you are just asking Jesus to get your heart ready for all He has for you, don’t just take our word for it, The Uprising is coming and you are wanted and needed!

What others are saying:

Cheering you on,

The Uprising Team

Check out the full list of speakers and presenters at The Uprising, coming April 15th!

Want to help spread the word?  Retweet or Facebook one of the following!

The Uprising is coming- April 15th! One attendee will walk away with an iPad! Register now at   www.TheUprising.net

Join me for #TheUprising on April 15th and you could win an iPad! www.TheUprising.net

1. Book Your Hotel Room

If you haven’t done so already, you’ll want to reserve a hotel room for your time here as soon as possible. Spaces are filling up quick in Lexington due to other citywide events, so take action now.  Visit the link below for a list of hotels near Quest and make sure to mention The Uprising to receive a discounted rate for your room.

http://theuprising.net/logistics/travel/

2) Check out the Pre-Conference Sessions

There’s still space to attend our pre-conference sessions beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14th.  With topics like “Creating Irresistible Worship Experiences, “Beyond Sobriety: Building a Redemptive Recovery Community,” and “Helping Over-Churched People Find Jesus,” the pre-conference sessions will be a gift to your team and make your Uprising experience unforgettable!

The cost for pre-conference is just $10!  Register here for pre-conference:

http://theuprising.eventbrite.com/

3) Don’t Miss The Baptism Service

If you’re arriving in town on Wednesday night or are within driving distance, make plans with your team to attend a special midweek baptism service on April 14th at 7:00pm at Quest. You’ll hear stories from real people who’ve been transformed by the love of Jesus and see the impact a local church committed to reaching “unconvinced people” can really make. Also, plan to stick around after baptism for a special reception with Pastor Pete Hise – open to all attendees of The Uprising.

Okay, we have one more thing.

Special Note: Please email us at 411@theuprising.net if you have any questions or conference-related needs (including special dietary needs for lunch). We would love the opportunity to serve you and your church!

16 days and counting… we’ll see you soon!

Third Day & Pete Hise on The Uprising from theUprising on Vimeo.

We took a minute to talk with Pastor Rubeis to learn a little bit more about him and why he was interested in coming to The Uprising…

How did you hear about The Uprising?

As a part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, I came across it on our denomination’s website and decided to look into it further.

Tell us a little bit about your church and what God is doing in Erie, PA?

I am the Senior Pastor of East Lake Road Alliance Church in Erie, PA and have been there for 9 years. We are a relatively small church of about 200 people but God is moving and we recently had the opportunity to hire a youth minister and outreach person.

What excited you the most about The Uprising?

Having heard that over 10,000 people have come to Jesus in 10 years at Quest Community Church, I am eager to hear more about what we can learn about evangelism, follow up and outreach. I look forward to learning more about what it looks like to develop people, disciples, into a lifestyle of being sold out followers of Jesus as well as how to develop leaders in an environment like that.