ARC wraps 2026 conference season in Pretoria

The Association of Related Churches closed its 2026 conference calendar with a two-day event in Pretoria, South Africa, on Sept. 2-3. The gathering drew church leaders from across Africa and beyond for leadership training, worship sessions and ministry networking.

Why it matters: - ARC’s final 2026 conference underscored the organization’s growing footprint in Africa. - The Pretoria event focused on leadership development, practical ministry tools and relationship-building for pastors and church planters. - ARC says it has helped launch more than 1,200 churches worldwide, making its conference network a key part of its church-planting model.

What happened: - The Association of Related Churches hosted ARC Conference Africa on Sept. 2-3, 2026, in Pretoria, South Africa. - Church leaders from across Africa joined pastors and speakers from around the world. - The event served as ARC’s final conference of 2026.

The details: - Conference sessions included Leading for the Long Haul, The Emotionally Intelligent Leader, How to Lead Without Losing Your Soul, Leading Worship & Production, Leading Through Change, Resilience – The Leadership Edge, Creative, Worship & Production, and Leading the Next Generation. - John Wyatt of Celebration Church in Florida spoke about self-awareness as a leadership skill. - Shaun Nepstad, lead pastor at Fellowship Church in California, discussed how leaders can keep vision clear and teams united through growth, transition and difficult decisions. - Holly Wagner, speaker, author and co-founder of Oasis Church in California, led an exclusive session for lead and senior pastors on navigating growth, setbacks and change. - Hillsong Africa led a session on creativity, worship and production. - Maritha Grové hosted the session, which focused on building collaborative creative team cultures. - Registration included coffee, snacks and lunch on both days. - Attendees arranged their own breakfast, dinner and accommodation. - Nearby lodging options listed for attendees included Menlyn Boutique Hotel, Time Square Hotel, The Capital Menlyn Maine, Alpine Attitude Boutique Hotel and Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Pretoria Menlyn. - The conference schedule began Wednesday, Sept. 2, with registration and coffee at 9 a.m., a main session at 10 a.m., lunch at 1 p.m., afternoon programming, a 4:30 p.m. hangout/after party and an evening main session at 6:30 p.m. - Programming continued Thursday, Sept. 3, with the conference ending around 3 p.m. - ARC said networking and relationship-building were core parts of the conference experience. - The event was designed for church leaders preparing to plant new churches as well as pastors and teams leading established or growing congregations.

Between the lines: - The session lineup leaned heavily toward leadership resilience, emotional health and team culture, suggesting ARC is emphasizing long-term sustainability as much as church growth. - The mix of African and international speakers points to ARC’s effort to connect local ministry leaders with broader networks and practices. - The South Africa conference also signals that ARC is treating Africa as a central region in its church-planting strategy.

What's next: - ARC directed attendees and interested leaders to its South Africa conference page. - The organization also pointed readers to ARC conferences around the world. - ARC is expected to continue using its conference platform to train leaders, support church planters and expand its network globally.

The bottom line: - ARC closed 2026 by using its Pretoria conference to reinforce a simple message: church growth, leadership health and strong relationships are inseparable.**