“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of LIGHT, it was the season of darkness. It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” This opening paragraph from Charles Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities is an apt description of our world today and in some ways it is an apt description of what some of you personally and some of the churches on our district have faced this year. Though several churches have faced great difficulties and trials this year, collectively as a team, the district has had a great year of growth.

It has been a great year of evangelism on our district. We have taken in 403 new Nazarenes this year. That is something to praise God for. Yet in the midst of victories, blessings and accomplishments, there have been challenges and prayer burdens to be carried. There have been battles to be fought and won for Christ. Remember you can’t have a victory without first having a battle. God has been victorious in winning many battles this year and just as He did on that first Easter morning, Christ has won the victory! Let’s praise His holy name.

Last year our theme was Each One Win One, Each One Start One, Each One Train One. I first heard this phrase from Dr. Bill Porter when I worked with him in New Zealand years ago. Many of you have started new classes and new ministries this year. You have led individuals to Christ and you are disciplining them faithfully.

Because of this, we have much to praise God for. We have had a year of growth in every area. Our Sunday School enrollment is 6,358, an all time high for our district, a plus 173 over last year. Our district Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International averaged 4,536 in attendance for the year. This is another all time high for the New Mexico district, and a plus 228 in attendance over last year. Let’s praise the Lord. Our morning worship average is 4,265 which is a plus 131 over last year, another all time high for our district. Our church membership grew to 5,503 members, with 403 new Nazarenes being a part of that growth. That is 342 more members this year than last year. That is a growth rate of 6.63%. Let’s praise God for this excellent rate of growth.

The past two years have been the greatest years in our history with the largest number of new Nazarenes taken into membership. Last year we took into membership 469 new Nazarenes and this year we took into membership 403 new Nazarenes for a two year total of 872 new Nazarenes. Let’s thank God for that.

Some of our churches have had great challenges in the area of finance this year. I could tell you stories of sacrifices made and miracles brought about by your faithful giving. Collectively as a district we are raising more funds than ever before. Last year our churches raised over $6,000,000 in total for all purposes for the very first time in our 95 year history. This year we have exceeded 6 million dollars in giving again. Praise the Lord for faithful stewardship in our churches.

Thirty six churches paid all their apportionments in full. Twenty one of our churches were “10% churches” that have paid 10% or more of their total raised for all purposes to world evangelism. Praise the Lord. Eighteen of our churches were NMI Award of Excellence churches.

General Superintendent’s Growth Award
Once again we have 4 churches and pastors that are recipients of the General Superintendent’s Growth Award. This is a significant achievement. Dr. Jerry Porter will present these awards to Reverend Tom Farley and the Alamogordo Church, Reverend Ken Yocom and the Hobbs Church, Reverend Randy Elftman and the Roswell Central Church and Reverend Mark Bane and the Sandia Church. Let’s praise God for the new souls represented by these awards.

We Praise God for Two New Starts
“Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that is at work in us. To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

He wants to do great things in our world today. He wants to help us make Christ-like disciples on the New Mexico district.

One of the greatest methods of evangelism is to start new churches. We are starting two “new starts” that I would like to take a moment to highlight.

Reverend Rudy and Amanda Guajardo are the new pastors of the Roswell Hispanic New Start known as Iglesia de la Vencindad del Nazareno. Reverend Arnie and Lana Leidy have just started the Edgewood Outreach in the East Mountain area a few weeks ago. We definitely praise God for these new starts.

Celebrating One Hundred Years of Holiness as
the Church of the Nazarene
We are less than four months away from celebrating one hundred years as a denomination on October 5, 2008. Each church on our district has centennial goals to achieve. All churches around the world will be celebrating on this day. Our heritage is something to praise God for.

Let’s Look to Our Future
What do we think God might want us to look like as a district 10 years from now? As I have prayed and sought the Lord’s will in this matter, I think He would be pleased if we doubled our membership in the next ten years. If we increase each of the next ten years by at least the same percentage of 6.63% that we grew this year we will have 11,596 members ten years from now. Is this possible? Yes, I believe that it is. If we will pray, evangelize, multiply churches and make Christ-like disciples across this great district, I believe this vision can be exceeded. Let’s be Christ-like disciples and let’s make other Christ-like disciples who make other Christ-like disciples. If we continue to do this until we die, or Jesus returns, we will hear Him say, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of heaven forever."

“To God Be the Glory Great Things He has done, is doing and will do.”
Dr. J. Fred Huff

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