ArkHaven is a reference to the Ark of the Covenant and to Noah's Ark.  Both of these Arks were places of God's promise, protection, and provision.  The ultimate and future goal of ArkHaven Ministries is to form a Christian community—a haven for end-time ministry purposes.  

The original name was Ark-Ten, but God allowed me to change it to a more understandable name—ArkHaven.  When the Lord first told me the name I mistakenly assumed that "ark" was an abbreviation for Arkansas, and that "ten" was a  colloquialisms for "town," or Arkansas Town.

But the Holy Spirit quickly corrected me.  He said that this community is an "Ark" as in Noah's Ark and the Ark of the covenant, and that "ten" is the number 10.  I had to look up the number 10 in Bible symbolism to see what it means.  Ten implies completeness of order, nothing lacking and nothing over. It signifies that the cycle is complete and that everything is in its proper order. Thus ten represents the perfection of divine order.

When we combine the two words (ark + 10) we get this definition: God's place of provision protection and promise, nothing lacking, until completeness of order is seen.

 

The ultimate and future goal of ArkHaven Ministries is to form a totally self sufficient Christian community of intentional neighbors for end-time ministry purposes.

It is no coincidence that the Acts model lifestyle we see in the first century church is also the best preparation a Christian can make to sustain life and continue in ministry even in the hardest of times as well as in the best of times. 

 

As Christians in China and many other countries have found out, the church can suffer terrible tribulation today.  In fact there is more martyrdom and persecution in the world today than in any time in history.  And to think it can not happen in America is not realistic. 

2 Timothy 3:1  “But realize this, that in the last days
      difficult times will come.”

Also, a combination of natural disasters and man made disasters could throw our nation into desperate times.  Should we not be ready for such an eventuality?  Are you among the many whom God is leading in this way?

 

Green Island of Survival

 

The Lord impressed me to call North West Arkansas a "Green island of survival."

I believe there are other such green islands, but the Lord sent me to this specific one.  There have been many prophecies and visions that show this is indeed a green island of survival.  Such notables as Corry ten Boom and Nora Lamb had dramatic open visions while here that told them this is a divinely protected place.

Here is the story behind this map:  A friend of mine gave me a copy of this map close to 20 years ago.  A friend of his says five prophetic men (who did not know each other and had never met) where directed by the Holy Spirit to meet with each other at a hotel in Chicago.  After they arrived and discerned who the others were, they rented a room and began to discuss the things the Holy Spirit had directed them to share with each other. 

One of the things they discussed was divinely protected areas where Christians would go to not just survive when national disaster struck, but to save a lot of lives and to minister Christ to the refugees that would gather there at that time. 

They turned to the page on an Atlas map that shows the continental United States and each in turn drew a circle around an area the Holy Spirit had shown them to be a protected area. 

Keep in mind that this does not mean there are not more divinely protected areas in the USA, or that these circled areas are entirely accurate.  I can only attest to the one area I personally was shown, and that is the North West corner of Arkansas, an area much smaller that the area shown on the map.  The Holy Spirit called this divinely protected area "A Green Island of Survival."

CLICK HERE

to see maps showing the location of five "Green islands of survival," North West Arkansas being one of them.  The maps are big, so the screen will take a few seconds to come up.

 

 

The Acts Model for Sharing among Believers

 ³²And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.

 ³³And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.

 ³⁴For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales

 ³⁵and lay them at the apostles' feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.

 ³⁶Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),

 ³⁷and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.  (Acts 4)

 ¹But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,

 ²and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet.

 ³But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?

 ⁴"While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."

 ⁵And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.  (Acts 5)

The Acts model for Christian life style is very hard for our society to comprehend or accept ... in fact it is flat-out rejected by most of Christendom!  We cannot duplicate the first century Christians culture but we do have the teachings of Jesus that He expects us to make a part of our life style.  He set the precedent for the model we see in Acts 4: 32-37 and in 1 Corinthians 14: 20-40.

 

Instruction for the Church

 ²⁰Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

 ²¹In the Law it is written, "BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME," says the Lord.

 ²²So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe.

 ²³Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?

 ²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all;

 ²⁵the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.

 ²⁶What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation Let all things be done for edification.

 ²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret;

 ²⁸but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.

 ²⁹Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment.

 ³⁰But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent.

 ³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted;

 ³²and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;

 ³³for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

 ³⁴The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.

 ³⁵If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.

 ³⁶Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?

 ³⁷If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.

 ³⁸But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

 ³⁹Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

 ⁴⁰But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.   (Emphasis added)

We see the key to the Acts model for community and the church in Acts 5:4 where Peter said: "While (the land) remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." So, the congregation of believers could chose to sell their property and laid all or part of the money at the apostles feet.  The catch was that you could not lie to the Holy Spirit about what part of the money you are giving to the apostles.  So the Holy Spirit was backing the apostle's teaching, and as we know, the apostles were simply practicing what Jesus clearly taught them.

This self sufficient community will be a village of "intentional neighbors" where everyone is of one heart and soul, and everyone controls their own finances and affairs, but all things will be common property to us (Acts 4:32).  Common resources, common purpose and mutual service will be our way of life. 

Our purpose will be to go into local towns to minister Jesus Christ to all who are in need.  Our service will be to meet all the needs within our community by serving each other.  There will be a diversity of ministries, professions, skills and crafts present. 

 

Self Sufficiency

 

We anticipate that we will need our own utilities, food source, housing, and everything else needed to sustain a healthy life style.  Why?  Because we anticipate that the economy will collapse to such a degree that only those who are ready for such a time with a totally self sufficient community (reminiscent of the Amish life style) will be able to not only survive, but be able to take in refugees and meet their physical and spiritual needs. 

We each will give of our services without charge.  All of us  will obligate ourselves to do our part to serve as unto Christ (Mat. 25:31-46).  That means that the farmers grow the food for all, the mechanics keep all the machinery operational, the doctors treat all the community, etc.  Money to finance every aspect of the community will come from people within and outside of the community who will operate business throughout the world.

How This Community Differs From Most

Most Christian communities function as a family that meets the needs of the family, has their own church on their property, and has one strong leader, and practices common purse economics.  They always have a business that supports the community family members.  They are susceptible to becoming an ingrown cultish group.

This is the vision behind the ministry name of ArkHaven.

 

What ArkHaven Is Not

 

ArkHaven is not a paramilitary armed camp of survivalists or a bunch of secluded, hiding pacifists.  Our protection will be divine or none at all.  Our prayer warriors will keep up a prayer hedge about us at all times.  The camp that is armed is depending on their own numbers, training, and equipment...the arm of the flesh.  But there is always some group out there that can outgun you.  It is God's way to offer a vision of long term provision and peace to a militant band of potential raiders as opposed to a bloody shoot out at OK Corral. 

ArkHaven is not Amish or Mennonite in its theology, even though their self sufficiency and community concepts will be very evident on the ArkHaven campus.  I like to point out that if you had asked an Amish farmer how he was faring the depression back in the 20's he would have asked, "What depression."  Someone within the community makes or grows everything needed within the community.  They are survivors, not survivalists. 

Survivalists (as a general rule) horde food and supplies and arm themselves to protect their stuff.  Survivors are able to peacefully bring themselves and others through good and bad times by growing and making everything they need on their own property.  They know how to be totally self sufficient while at the same time be totally dependant on God to lead and protect them.

ArkHaven will run much like a YWAM camp.  (That is an acronym for Youth With A Mission.  Youth With A Mission is an international movement of Christians from many denominations dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world.)  By that I mean we will equip our people to minister so that we can better reach out into the surrounding community to serve.  And like YWAM, we wont have a church that we expect our community to attend, but prefer to have our people go to churches of their choice in the nearby communities. 

 

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My testimony as to why we moved to north-west Arkansas from Illinois in 1985 is so unusual and so miraculous that you may have a hard time believing it.  

If you believe that God has moved you to North West Arkansas as well, our testimonies may confirm to each other that God did indeed move us here.

In 1982 the Lord began telling me to move my family to north-west Arkansas to start my end-time ministry.  He said He was opening the doors for me to become established there.  He told me this area was "a green island of survival,"  and He called the community concept "a community of intentional neighbors."

At the time I was a civilian employee at Scott Air Force base in Belleville, Illinois, serving as a computer programmer.  Our testimony of how God moved my family here from Belleville, IL is as inspiring as they get.  God put together a series of events that made the move come together in minute and miraculous detail. 

Here is our testimony.

On one of my trips to Arkansas in 1983 I felt led to stop at a real estate office.  I asked the agent if there was a small natural and organic farm for sale.  She told me all about a four acre Blueberry farm, but the information was useless to me at the time.  I felt foolish as I walked out of that office.

Then I felt led to go to Green Forest, Arkansas to see if a friend of mine still lived there.  He was a Chiropractor I knew back when we all went to church together in St. Louis years before.  Well, I found his clinic, and he invited me to spend the night so we could talk.  Over dinner I told him about the natural and organic Blueberry farm in Springdale that was for sale.  It turns out that he knew all about that farm.  The owners traded Blueberries for Chiropractic treatment, and they were Christians.  The next day I went to visit that farm, but this was just a far-fetched dream at the time. 

The only government job I could transfer to in my profession was at the Veteran’s Hospital in Fayetteville, so I filled out a job application there and went home.  A year later the Veterans Hospital in Fayetteville asked me to come for a job interview.  The interview went well, and before I could get home they had already called ahead and said I was accepted. 

I called the Blueberry farm to find that the owners had moved to Georgia and left a young couple to run the farm.  So I called the owner in Georgia.  He was glad to hear from me because the young couple had also accepted a new job, but in Kansas City. And his reporting date was August the 5th.  My reporting date at the VA Hospital was—you guessed it—on August the 5th as well.  For this reason I am convinced that God did in deed move us here. 

 

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