Serving those who serve.

Mission

Arrowhead saves ministries time and money on their conferences and events, so they can apply greater financial and personnel resources to achieving their mission objective of taking the Gospel to the end of the world. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Our Values

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the great and foremost commandment. And the second is like it, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." On these two commandments depend the whole Law and Prophets.

The foundation for our values is found in the Great Commandment as given by Jesus and recorded in Matthew 22:37–40: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” We understand that it is God’s grace working through the enabling of the Holy Spirit that allows us to live out this command of Jesus as well as the outworking of this command as expressed in the values stated below.

While we all play vital roles, we recognize that the effectiveness of our ability to serve comes from respecting and trusting one another and working together as a team. We are good listeners not only to our clients but also to one another.

Choose just the registration management tool, utilize our housing tool with your own ministry registration solution, or combine them into one, integrated tool, allowing you complete control over your hotel room blocks.

 All with whom we interact – fellow staff members, ministry partners, those in the hotel industry, vendors, etc. – can bank on what we say. In particular, when we have an issue with a fellow team member, we go first to that team member directly.

We offer the highest level of professionalism combined with a caring spirit.

We consolidate all of the hotel proposals into one detailed summary that will easily allow you to review, compare, and narrow down your options.

Once a short list is determined, we can work with the Hotels and local Convention Bureau’s (CVB’s) to arrange personalized in-person or virtual site inspections for an up close view of the cities and hotels under consideration. Depending on the size and scope of your program, we can often negotiate complimentary site rooms and travel for you.

We have a clear understanding of ministry. Our work results in ministry being enhanced. But we run Arrowhead using effective business methods so that we can make the greatest ministry impact over time.

We are committed to using the resources (financial, people, etc.) not only of our ministry partners but also for our own organization in ways that demonstrate good stewardship.

We are committed to providing the kind of atmosphere and resources that facilitate the growth of our employees, not just professionally but also personally, spiritually, socially, and intellectually. We do not see it as our responsibility to cause people to grow, but we do want to provide an environment that promotes and supports growth.

While we all play vital roles, we recognize that the effectiveness of our ability to serve comes from respecting and trusting one another and working together as a team. We are good listeners not only to our clients but also to one another.

 All with whom we interact – fellow staff members, ministry partners, those in the hotel industry, vendors, etc. – can bank on what we say. In particular, when we have an issue with a fellow team member, we go first to that team member directly.

We offer the highest level of professionalism combined with a caring spirit.

We interact with those in the hospitality industry in a Christ-honoring, caring, and highly professional manner. We do not take advantage of our insider position.

We have a clear understanding of ministry. Our work results in ministry being enhanced. But we run Arrowhead using effective business methods so that we can make the greatest ministry impact over time.

We are committed to using the resources (financial, people, etc.) not only of our ministry partners but also for our own organization in ways that demonstrate good stewardship.

1986

Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) creates Arrowhead Conferences & Events as a 501(c)(3) subsidiary for the purpose of facilitating Christian conferences throughout the world in order to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Planning conferences with Cru since 1973, national conference planner Enoch Williams is named as Arrowhead’s first president.

1996

In our 10th year, Arrowhead assists ministry partners in the planning of some of the largest Christian events of the time, including: 

  • National Network of Youth Ministries’ “Atlanta ‘96” for 15,000 youth ministers from over 100 denominations 
  • Promise Keepers’ Pastors Conference in Atlanta for 39,000 pastors 
  • Promise Keepers’ multiple stadium events attended by over 1.3 million men annually
1997

Arrowhead assists Promise Keepers with the largest ever Christian men’s gathering, “Stand in the Gap,” for 1.2 million men on the Mall in Washington D.C.

1998

Arrowhead launches our first online registration and housing tool to enhance services to our ministry partners.

1999

Arrowhead partners with Teen Mania in serving Acquire the Fire 1999, a gathering for 70,000 high school students at the Pontiac SilverDome, the largest teen event of its kind.

2000

Arrowhead partners with Choice Ministries in serving the Passion OneDay 2000 for 40,000 college students at Shelby Farms Park outside Memphis, the largest collegiate gathering of its kind.

2007

Arrowhead books in excess of 145,000 room nights and 500 events, including 140 Weekend to Remember marriage getaways attended by 90,000 people.

2011

Arrowhead reaches 25 years of service and celebrates in Orlando with over 150 ministry and hospitality partners from throughout the U.S.

2014

Arrowhead begins serving Lifeway, including 11 “Living Proof Live with Beth Moore” arena events for 75,000 attendees

2018

Enoch Williams retires after 32 years as president, and Cru names Scott Falk as Arrowhead’s second president.  

Under Scott’s leadership, our long-term vision is set to ensure sustainability through growth, care for our team, and process improvements.

2020

Arrowhead assists ministry partners in cancelling almost 400 events as a result of Covid-19.

Arrowhead focuses on technology that will equip us for the future.

2022

After over 35 years of ministry, Arrowhead launches our new brand, supporting our mission to advance the Gospel through our service to over 550 ministry partners.

Arrowhead enters into business travel, creating an internal travel department for Cru, our parent organization.

Arrowhead works to help the industry and our ministry partners with a return to meetings through adopting and implementing event safety standards.

1986
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2007
2011
2014
2018
2020
2022

Our Team

Cassandra Coleman

Account Specialist

Cassandra “Cassie” Coleman is a dynamic hospitality professional with over a decade of experience in the industry. Her journey began as a Front Desk Agent at Marriott Hotels, where she laid the foundation for her passion for hospitality. With unwavering dedication, Cassie pursued higher education, earning a degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She expanded her horizons by interning at a charming boutique hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and orchestrated memorable experiences. Cassie’s expertise extends to the corporate world, where she thrived as a National Sales Partner for Hilton Worldwide Sales, specializing in the Association and Religious market. She now uses her exceptional ability to transform opportunities into successes by partnering on opportunities between 10 or 50 room nights on peak. Beyond her thriving career, Cassie finds joy in life’s simple pleasures. When she’s not serving clients, you can find her immersed in quality family time, making delectable homemade ice cream, or letting loose on the dance floor. Cassie is happily married to her wonderful husband, Mario Coleman, and is the proud mother of her daughter A’Riya. Together, they call Bentonville, Arkansas, their home, nestled in the heart of an area known for giants like Walmart, Tyson, and JB Hunt. Cassie’s love for life and her strong commitment to doing things right really set her apart in the hospitality world.

Sheila Wendelburg, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Sheila has over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to working with Arrowhead, she worked with Hyatt Hotels for over a decade. She started her career as an event coordinator in Austin at a resort and spa and then moved to Indianapolis to join the sales team at Hyatt Regency Indianapolis. She began as a meeting connections sales manager booking and servicing groups and worked her way up to senior sales manager booking conventions and large conferences for national associations, non-profit groups, and sports teams. In 2012, she left the industry to raise her two young boys. After a few years, she missed the hospitality world and was excited for the opportunty to come back and combine her passion for planning conventions with ministry to work for Arrowhead.

Sheila and her husband Brian live in the suburbs of Indianapolis with their boys. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (Hook’em). Brian’s job in the corporate agriculture industry moved them from Texas to Indiana, but they still claim to be Southerners. In her free time, when she’s not shuttling kids to sports practices and school activities, Sheila likes to travel the world attending musical festivals, planning girls’ trips to the beach, exploring the outdoors with her kids, and working out.

Contact at sheila@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0229

Sonia Weaver, CFMP

Director of Account Management

Sonia joined the Arrowhead team in 2012. She has served in a variety of capacities, including directing the site-selection and contract negotiation process for Lifeway’s women’s arena events and helping develop new business initiatives to expand Arrowhead’s service to ministries.

Sonia attended Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL and spent a semester in Spain, studying at the University of Salamanca, before graduating in 1995. After graduation, she moved to Atlanta to look for a job with the 1996 summer Olympics and landed her first dream job with the Atlanta Convention and Visitor’s Bureau where she assisted with welcoming visitors and promoting the city for the Olympics. She then transitioned to trade show sales, and eventually moved into hotel sales with the Hyatt Regency Atlanta where she spent three years as a sales manager. She then decided to try the other side of conference planning and joined Resort Marketing Associates as an account executive, helping corporate clients with site selection, negotiation and on-site logistics. With Atlanta still her home, Sonia enjoys spending time with family, exploring new hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains, and a warm cup of coffee and good book.

Contact at sonia@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0220

Desirea Stewart, CHSP, CMP, CFMP

Account Specialist

Prior to joining Arrowhead, Desirea had her hospitality debut at the Holiday Inn Research Park in Huntsville, AL, where she started as an administrative assistant and worked her way into sales as both the catering and sales manager. She then joined an amazing team at the Von Braun Center, a convention center, also in Huntsville. It was here that she specialized in faith-based meetings for over a decade and where she was introduced to Arrowhead. She knew after working with Arrowhead on a city-wide event that one day she would be a part of the Arrowhead team. A few years later, in May of 2019, she made the transition and she says, “my family and I have been blessed ever since!”

Desirea and her husband of over 15 years, Brad, both Auburn University graduates (War Eagle) and their young son, Jackson, reside in rural Alabama on a cattle farm. Living on the farm has allowed for ample opportunities to create lasting memories. It is here that her passions thrive: love of animals, gardening, working cattle and just being outside in all of God’s beauty with her boys! Abundantly grateful for the ministry she has both within her home and her workplace, she strives to do her best to spread the goodness of HIS love.

Contact at Desirea@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0234

Becky Shurson, CFMP

Director of Operations

Becky joined Arrowhead in the 90’s in response to one of the few newspaper want-ads we’ve ever run, and she served FamilyLife with its “Weekend to Remember” marriage getaways for several years with our founder, Enoch Williams. She now devotes most of her time to operations, working to ensure our infrastructure is well-oiled.

Becky graduated from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, and worked the first third of her career at a law firm in Amarillo. She and her husband John moved from Southern California to Oregon in 2017 and quickly embraced both the local culture (Go Ducks!) and the stunning natural scenery. Their son, Lucas, lives in Minnesota where he attends a Lutheran seminary. Becky loves watching him preach online, and she spends a lot of her volunteer time on church polity, serving on boards of various ministries within her denomination.

Contact at becky@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0215

Lindsey Schnorr, CFMP

Account Specialist

When Lindsey joined the Arrowhead team, she was thrilled to combine her heart for ministry with the guest service and industry knowledge, skills, and experience she developed while making magic at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Lindsey is proud to have graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (Love & Honor!). Always ready for fun, you’ll frequently find her engaging in a friendly game of spikeball or pickleball, or building into the next generation of middle and high school girls (preferably while hanging in hammocks).

Contact at lindsey@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442.223.0233

Amanda Sands, CFMP

Administrative Assistant

Amanda joined Arrowhead in 2018 as an administrative assistant, bringing experience from a wide variety of industries. She is passionate about serving others and working behind the scenes to make sure the team shines. She gets giddy over a good spreadsheet and finds great joy in praying for our team and ministry partners. Amanda loves to learn and is always up for a new challenge.

Amanda and her husband Denning have two teenagers who they have been homeschooling for many years. She enjoys hiking, geocaching, and being ridiculously silly with her kids. She believes that life makes more sense when you sit on the front porch swing for a while.

Contact at amanda@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0240

Beth Piatt

Account Manager

Beth began her career in hospitality her junior year of college with Marriott International. She has over 15 years of experience working in the hotel industry, including roles as senior event manager at the Tampa Marriott Waterside and opening the JW Marriott Indianapolis Hotel as a senior sales account manager. She came to work for Arrowhead Conferences & Events in 2013, and liked that she could continue her relationship serving Cru from a different perspective. Since joining the Arrowhead team, Cru has been her primary ministry partner, assisting with any contracting and meeting planning needs for all size meetings and events.

Beth and her husband, who met while attending The Unversity of Notre Dame, live in Indianapolis with their 3 kids and love their neighborhood where their kids can walk to both school and church. Beth coaches and runs a girls lacrosse program called the Saints, and loves to coach her daughter. She enjoys traveling with her family to spend time with relatives in some of their favorite spots, including Bethany Beach, DE and Glen Arbor, MI.

Contact at beth@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0227

Jamie Kervin, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Jamie brings over 20 years of conference planning experience to her position at Arrowhead. Her previous experience as senior sales manager with Hilton Hotels and as event coordinator for the Presbyterian Church in America has provided her a variety of experiences to pull from as she guides other ministries toward successful events. Jamie’s particular passion is evaluating ministries’ overall conference budgets and finding ways to drastically cut their costs. She serves a variety of denominations and parachurch ministries, partnering with them in their conference planning efforts but donor events and city-wide conventions are where she really shines.

Jamie is a graduate of Berry College in Rome, Georgia with a degree in Public Relations. She and her jet-setting pilot husband, Brian, live in Auburn, Alabama with the love of their life, Oliver. When she isn’t running carpool to school or baseball practice, she’s hopping on a plane with her family, organizing or redecorating a room in her house, cooking, or reading.

Contact at jamie@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0222

Tommy Keown, CMP, CFMP

Account Manager

Tommy has over 40 years of experience in event planning. He served for 31 years at Lifeway Christian Resources in Nashville, TN, retiring as the senior lead event coordinator for all national events. Upon his retirement from Lifeway in 2013, he joined the Arrowhead team as an account manager. Tommy graduated from Louisiana College in Pineville, LA with a BS degree in music education and went on to pursue a Master of Church Music degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. He has also earned the CMP and CFMP certification. Through the years, he has served as a bi-vocational Minister of Music, church pianist, children’s choir leader, handbell director, and choir member.

Tommy is married to Sandi, a retired educator, and they have two married daughters, Katie and Mary-Wallace, two great sons-in-law, and the two smartest and cutest grandchildren in the world, Sam and Ellie Grace. In his spare time, Tommy enjoys playing the piano, reading, working in his flower beds, and working jigsaw puzzles, the latest one having over 2000 pieces. Tommy and Sandi also love to travel, having traveled to Europe five different times, as well as Alaska and the Caribbean. He has traveled to 49 of the 50 states.

Contact at tommy@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0223

Erin Ingler, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Erin began her career in the hosptiality industry in New York City. She worked as a sales assistant to coordinate the rooming requests for 24 professional baseball teams. With a move to Florida, her career excelled and she pursued working in hotel sales and was a Director of Sales for Marriott for close to 10 years. With starting a family, she found work life balance was difficult and joined Arrowhead and has enjoyed serving Cru for over 20 years.

Erin is married to Bill, a hotel general manager, and they have two beautiful daughters. It’s good their family has a passion to travel because Julia, her youngest, lived in Ireland for a year playing basketball and obtaining her masters. Kathryn, her oldest, completed her masters degree in Australia and now lives there full time.Traveling and spending time with family and friends is what Erin enjoys most in life, along with retail therapy.

Contact at erin@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0225

Gina Gonzalez

Online Registration Developer

Gina Gonzalez joined Arrowhead Conferences & Events as a part-time sales and administrative assistant in 2007 and in 2009 become a full-time staff member serving Arrowhead’s account managers and ministry partners with online registration and housing management. Since then she has built and managed over 425 registration sites and provided customer care to thousands of event registrants. Prior to working with Arrowhead Gina worked at Alvord Unified School District in Riverside, CA as an administrative clerk. She also served at her home church coordinating youth, children, single and marriage events while working as administrative assistant to the lead pastor for over five years.

Gina grew up in Southern California and lives in Riverside, CA with her husband Fernando. Married for over 27 years, they have an adult son named Jamie who married in 2018, giving them a beautiful daughter-in-love, Sable. Gina graduated from Phillips Junior College in Riverside, CA in 1993. Because she loves to study the Bible, in 2019 Gina obtained an associate’s degree in Biblical Studies from the Rock Bible College in San Bernardino, CA and currently serves the local body of Christ at Elevate Life Church in Riverside by leading pre-service prayer on Sundays and Wednesdays. She also teaches Sunday School for 1st-5th grade children and is a member of the California Branch of the National Day of Prayer.

Contact at gina@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0210

Alisa Glover

Group Travel Manager

Alisa brings over 20 years of ministry experience to the Arrowhead Team. She has served with World Changers and in the Global Ministries department of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia. In 2018, she began helping churches and ministries with travel logistics. Her passion is to help get people on the field to tell others about Jesus. Alisa is excited to join the Arrowhead team to launch a new travel initiative.

Alisa is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in Travel & Tourism and Communications. She is married to John and has four kids to keep life entertaining. When she’s not driving kids around, Alisa enjoys cooking, traveling and camping.

Contact at alisa@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0255

Emily French, MHR

Leadership Development and HR Representative

Emily came to Cru in January 2017 and began working in US LDHR (Leadership Development Human Resources). Within her first year at Cru she was asked to take on Arrowhead and our HR and Professional Development needs. Emily says often that working with Arrowhead has been one of the greatest joys and delights of her career at Cru. Emily has her masters in Human Relations with an emphasis on Organizational Development and she loves developing people.

Emily is a wife and mom of 3 boys: one Boy Scout and 2 basketball players. Watching her boys on the basketball court is one of her favorite things to do, along with watching her Boy Scout create a zip line in the front yard using the materials at hand. Emily also is a Music Minister at a Methodist church in her community and has been able to use her gift of music at Arrowhead staff retreats.

Contact at emily.french@cru.org

Scott Falk, CFMP

President

Scott Falk became president of Arrowhead Conferences & Events in January 2018 after more than 21 years with the organization. In his previous role of vice president, Scott provided leadership and direction to all Arrowhead account managers and associates, directed marketing efforts, and implemented new business strategies and technology advances. Before joining Arrowhead, Scott worked as a convention center director of Concordia University Chicago and as a director of Christian education at Pilgrim Lutheran Church and School in Santa Monica, CA. He is a graduate of Concordia University Chicago.

Scott and his wife Suzanne married in 1998, and they have six children with a 10-year age span from pre-teen to early adulthood. When not spending time with the family you will find him reading, going for long walks, and investing in real estate. Scott is currently a board member of the Garuna Foundation and is the current president of his home church in Vista, CA. He is a founding member of the Christian Meetings & Conventions Association (CMCA) and has also served on the advisory councils of the Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA), Rejuvenate (now Connect Faith) and InterContinental Hotels, as well as numerous convention and visitors bureau advisory boards.

Contact at scott@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0201

Joy Bobrink

Accounting & Operations Assistant

Joy has been with Arrowhead since 2012 and has worked in the accounting field for over 20 years. Joy and her husband Ted are grateful to have their combined 8 children and 7 grandchildren who all live locally.

Joy and Ted have 6 dogs and a pot belly pig named Fred Bacon, and they love spending time with family and friends. Joy also has a passion for photography and community theater.

Contact at joy@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0204

Rachel Aden, CMP, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Rachel has worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years, including serving on the Arrowhead team since 2007. Her journey started by attending a national Lutheran youth gathering in high school and being captivated by the logistics of it, which led her to pursue a career in the industry. She graduated summa cum laude from Kansas State University with her bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management and worked in sales, catering, and convention services for Hyatt and Hilton brand hotels. Rachel met Arrowhead’s president, Scott Falk, on a site visit and upon learning about the organization she felt a calling to utilize her skills and knowledge of the industry to live out her passion to serve ministries.

While with Arrowhead she earned her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Certified Faith-Based Meeting Professional (CFMP) certifications and has served on the Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA) Board of Directors. She also engages in speaking opportunities at industry conferences and serves on several advisory boards, including the Christian Meetings & Conventions Association (CMCA) Advisory Team. Her other hobbies include real estate investing, traveling, and exploring nature while off-roading with her husband, Justin.

Contact at rachel@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0230

Alissa Bush, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Alissa boasts 15 years of hotel experience prior to joining the Arrowhead team. Alissa began her career in hospitality as a junior in college at the University of Kentucky (Go Cats!) with Marriott International in the Food & Beverage department. After graduation, Alissa accepted a career opportunity with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts and moved to Indianapolis. Throughout her 10 years with the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, she held roles from Sales Administrative Assistant, Meeting Connections Sales/Service Manager, Sales and Senior Sales Manager. She then moved on to work in roles for 5 years as a Senior Sales & Senior Account Execuive for Marriott Place Indianapolis, a 1300 room multi-branded hotel cluster. Alissa specialized in the faith and “SMERF” markets and grew to love the missions and goals of the organizations she worked with. In 2015 Alissa joined the Arrowhead team after feeling the calling in her heart for more meaning in her career and to be more available for her young children.

Originally from Centerville, Ohio, Alissa now lives in the suburbs of Indianapolis, and her husband of over 18 years, Eric, is an engineer in the Aerospace Industry. Alissa is a mother of 2; she has a daughter who loves art, conservation and animals, and a son who loves math, basketball and baseball. Most of the time you can find Alissa taking her kids to gymnastics, soccer, basketball and travel baseball practices and games as well as leading her elementary school’s PTO. In her free time (what free time?) Alissa enjoys cooking, working out, running and learning about health and nutrution. She has a passion to spread the joys of a healthy lifestyle (inside and out) to increase life’s harvest!

Contact at alissa@arrowheadconferences.org

Tel:442-223-0226

Alissa Bush, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Rachel Aden, CMP, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Joy Bobrink

Accounting & Operations Assistant

Scott Falk, CFMP

President

Emily French, MHR

Leadership Development and HR Representative

Alisa Glover

Group Travel Manager

Gina Gonzalez

Online Registration Developer

Erin Ingler, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Tommy Keown, CMP, CFMP

Account Manager

Jamie Kervin, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Beth Piatt

Account Manager

Amanda Sands, CFMP

Administrative Assistant

Lindsey Schnorr, CFMP

Account Specialist

Becky Shurson, CFMP

Director of Operations

Desirea Stewart, CHSP, CMP, CFMP

Account Specialist

Sonia Weaver, CFMP

Director of Account Management

Sheila Wendelburg, CFMP

Senior Account Manager

Cassandra Coleman

Account Specialist

Ministry FAQs

Buying power – Due to the number of hotel rooms that we help ministries contract each year and our relationships with national sales managers for the major hotel chains, we give you buying power and resources that you wouldn’t have on your own.

Contracting process – We have developed a contract template that represents your ministry in a fair way and that is accepted by most national hotel brands. We realize there are a myriad of challenges and surprises that can occur throughout the contracting process, we know what to look for and what to ask for.

Ministry and industry knowledge – As a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization ourselves, we help bring the two different worlds of profit and non-profit together, making sure your unique ministry needs are understood by hotels. The hospitality industry is constantly evolving. Arrowhead keeps up with the business and financial trends, allowing us to support your organization effectively.

Trusted, available staff – Our meeting professionals have a range of experience in the hospitality industry as well as various ministries. Therefore, we can provide the best of both worlds.

No, in fact, using our services lowers your overall costs.  We are able to secure lower rates and concessions.

Arrowhead is funded by hotel commissions on guest rooms. Hotels budget for this cost as part of their annual operating expenses and the cost is not added to the room rate.

Arrowhead does not share in your miles, points, rewards, or perks. All benefits generated by your event stay with you or whomever you designate within your ministry.

Arrowhead, as a non-profit and a wholly owned subsidiary of Cru, is dedicated to helping planners hold the best possible events for ministries worldwide. There is no confusion in our minds; we work for you and for the advancement of the Kingdom. Arrowhead’s planners take great pleasure in securing the best room rates and best overall value for our ministry partners based on their individual needs.

We have a very defined role of assisting with the site selection and contracting process. We simply desire to assist you with the responsibility you’ve been given as the event planner of your ministry organization. You, as the meeting planner, will be recognized by the hotel as the event coordinator and signer of the contract. Our goal is to save your ministry time, money, and the exposure to contractual risk so that you are able to focus on the heart of the conference and the objectives that your ministry hopes to achieve.

Using our contracting services lowers your overall costs. Because of the large number of ministries we serve, we have greater leverage and are able to secure lower rates and concessions. We can obtain the best pricing and concessions due to the number of hotel rooms that we help ministries contract each year. With our relationships with national sales managers for the major hotel chains, we also give you buying power and resources that you wouldn’t have on your own.

It’s rare for an organization to have one, central planning department. Instead, each department is responsible for their own meetings and conferences. It’s common that one department planning a meeting doesn’t know that another department might be planning a meeting in that same location. By allowing Arrowhead to partner with your entire ministry, we track all of that information for you and can use that information to obtain better rates and better concessions.

Contact us today and an Arrowhead representative will partner with you for a successful event.

Buying power – Due to the number of hotel rooms that we help ministries contract each year and our relationships with national sales managers for the major hotel chains, we give you buying power and resources that you wouldn’t have on your own.

Contracting process – We have developed a contract template that represents your ministry in a fair way and that is accepted by most national hotel brands. We realize there are a myriad of challenges and surprises that can occur throughout the contracting process, we know what to look for and what to ask for.

Ministry and industry knowledge – As a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization ourselves, we help bring the two different worlds of profit and non-profit together, making sure your unique ministry needs are understood by hotels. The hospitality industry is constantly evolving. Arrowhead keeps up with the business and financial trends, allowing us to support your organization effectively.

Trusted, available staff – Our meeting professionals have a range of experience in the hospitality industry as well as various ministries. Therefore, we can provide the best of both worlds.

No, in fact, using our services lowers your overall costs.  We are able to secure lower rates and concessions.

Arrowhead is funded by hotel commissions on guest rooms. Hotels budget for this cost as part of their annual operating expenses and the cost is not added to the room rate.

Arrowhead does not share in your miles, points, rewards, or perks. All benefits generated by your event stay with you or whomever you designate within your ministry.

Arrowhead, as a non-profit and a wholly owned subsidiary of Cru, is dedicated to helping planners hold the best possible events for ministries worldwide. There is no confusion in our minds; we work for you and for the advancement of the Kingdom. Arrowhead’s planners take great pleasure in securing the best room rates and best overall value for our ministry partners based on their individual needs.

We have a very defined role of assisting with the site selection and contracting process. We simply desire to assist you with the responsibility you’ve been given as the event planner of your ministry organization. You, as the meeting planner, will be recognized by the hotel as the event coordinator and signer of the contract. Our goal is to save your ministry time, money, and the exposure to contractual risk so that you are able to focus on the heart of the conference and the objectives that your ministry hopes to achieve.

Using our contracting services lowers your overall costs. Because of the large number of ministries we serve, we have greater leverage and are able to secure lower rates and concessions. We can obtain the best pricing and concessions due to the number of hotel rooms that we help ministries contract each year. With our relationships with national sales managers for the major hotel chains, we also give you buying power and resources that you wouldn’t have on your own.

It’s rare for an organization to have one, central planning department. Instead, each department is responsible for their own meetings and conferences. It’s common that one department planning a meeting doesn’t know that another department might be planning a meeting in that same location. By allowing Arrowhead to partner with your entire ministry, we track all of that information for you and can use that information to obtain better rates and better concessions.

Contact us today and an Arrowhead representative will partner with you for a successful event.

Arrowhead In The News

Conferences

When Will We Meet Again

Conferences

Pandemic-Era Planning: Four Tips

Conferences

Connect Faith’s 2020 Memory Makers

Conferences

SETC Moves to Memphis for Annual Convention

Conferences

Trends in the Faith-Based Market

Conferences

Three Ethical Questions for Planners

Conferences

Welcome New President Scott Falk

Ministries We Serve

Our mission is the Great Commission. We partner with other ministries of all shapes and sizes with that same mission. God can use a boardroom of 10 people as much as He can use a stadium of 80,000. Therefore, we have structured our team to meet each of those particular needs. We have staff focused entirely on small meetings and conferences and others whose expertise is city-wide conventions or arena contracts. We understand small, limited service properties for conferences held in churches and five star resorts for fund development conferences. We have contracted city parks, stadiums and convention centers. No matter the size of your event or your budget, we are uniquely qualified to serve you.

Other non-profit ministry third parties
200
Hotel reward points received by Arrowhead
5000
Hotel commissions received individually
150

Industry Relationships FAQs

Although we are a non-profit ministry of Cru, the conferences division of Arrowhead operates solely from the commissions received from actualized hotel room nights. Our account managers are not personally commissioned and instead are salaried employees of Arrowhead.

Arrowhead is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry of Cru, and our sole mission is to serve the Christian ministry market. Our account managers are not independent contractors. We work holistically as a team and are salaried employees. We don’t personally benefit from the commissions received. Our account managers don’t accept any rewards points from contracted hotels. All benefits generated by an event stay with the ministry client. These distinctions flow out of our commitment to operating ethically and beyond reproach.

Arrowhead is first and foremost a ministry. We consider our work to be a part of our calling as Christians. Our mission is to save our ministry partners time and money so that they can apply more of their resources toward their goal of taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. In this, we are partnering with them in the Gospel.

We do, however, also greatly value and understand the importance of our partnerships within the hospitality industry.  It is our desire to conduct business in a way that is honoring to God and to our industry colleagues.  It is extremely important to us to always work professionally, with the highest level of integrity, and with excellence.

Arrowhead exists to serve the Christian ministry market. Our clients are predominantly Christian ministries, ministry-related associations, and church denominations. We assist ministries with board meetings, church retreats, smaller, single-hotel conferences and educational events, high-end donor events, and city-wide conventions and arena events.

Although we place a high value on relationships in the industry, we don’t have a preferred list of hotels. All of our ministry partners have different needs and we make every effort to match them with hotels that will best meet their goals. Large, local churches are sometimes a preferred meeting place and so we often contract limited-service properties near those venues. We regularly contract single-hotel conferences in full-service hotels in airport, urban, and suburban areas. Our clients who operate on the generosity of donors regularly hold donor events in high end, five-star resorts. And of course, our city-wide conventions and arena events are large-scale meetings that require the use of convention centers, arenas, stadiums, and surrounding convention hotels.

Our account managers are seasoned hospitality professionals with a combined 150+ years of experience in the industry. In addition to the longevity so many of us have with Arrowhead, our past experience also includes hotels, CVB’s, and conference centers. For this reason, you can always expect and trust that the RFP’s you receive from us are qualified, well researched, and thorough. We know the information you need to provide an accurate and complete bid and we work hard on the front end to help make your job as easy as possible.

Our team is supported by national sales representatives from all of the major brands and CVB associates throughout the country; therefore, our RFP’s always include a copy to those individuals. We place a high value on those relationships and strongly encourage you to lean into them to earn more of our business.

It helps to have really great facilities, at an affordable price, that will compliment the desired ministry outcome of the meeting. Beyond that, it’s all about relationships!  We know from experience that without really great relationships supporting them, really great facilities are just empty shells. That’s why, in an industry that is increasingly automated and remote, we still value relationships more than anything. We encourage you to get to know us and interact with us on more than a transactional basis. We genuinely care about you and the success of your organization.

We never want to stand in the way of our ministry partners’ interaction directly with the industry. Instead, we walk alongside them to ensure that they are recognized by the industry as the decision-makers, the event coordinators, and the on-site contacts. We highly encourage our ministry partners to attend FAM’s, trade shows, and educational events, and regularly share with them opportunities to connect with the industry. Our belief is that everyone benefits when our ministry partners know as much as we do, and we find that mutual relationship – holding our connection with them as a gift and with an open hand – has the amazing effect of strengthening relationships! All of that said, it is always helpful to be copied on emails in order to expedite communication, so please do keep us in the loop!

It might sound strange, but it’s not unusual for a hotel or CVB to refer a ministry directly to us. In many circumstances, doing so can save you a lot of time. In our pre-planning process with a ministry partner, we discuss budgets and alternate dates or room block patterns. We gather and maintain history and adjust room blocks to ensure that the rooms contracted are likely to be actualized resulting in an average pick-up percentage of almost 90%. Our complete and thorough RFP’s give you all of the information you need to determine the total financial impact of the potential piece of business. This takes this burden off of you and allows you to work directly with Arrowhead, a team of seasoned hospitality professionals.

Our team of 18 gathers once a year for an in-person staff meeting. We also take this opportunity to see a city and to get acquainted with its hotels, convention center, and other amenities. We would love the opportunity to bring our whole team to your destination for a first-hand experience of what it offers. Simply reach out via the Get Started box below and one of us will respond with our next staff meeting RFP.

In addition to our staff meeting, we occasionally host ministry partner events in various locations throughout the country. These are typically FAM opportunities just for our team and our ministry partners with some kind of education element included.

And of course, if your city is ever hosting a FAM be sure to let us know. We share the information amongst our team and with any ministry partners who may be considering your city for a future meeting.

This is one of our favorite things! We love to meet with you in person. Because we work remotely, unfortunately you can’t drop by our offices. But if you’re ever in one of our towns and want to meet for coffee or a meal, please let us know. We’ll do our best to be available.

In addition, you’ll find us represented  at these shows each year:  RCMA (Religious Conference Management Association) Emerge, CMCA (Christian Meetings and Conventions Association) Showcase, Connect Faith, IMEX America (Worldwide Exhibition for Incentive, Travel, Meetings and Events), PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association) Convening Leaders, and GBTA (Global Business Travel Association) Convention.