link fall 2014
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The official news publication of the New Mexico Ministry Network.TRANSCRIPT
TM
Fall 2014
MINISTRY DIRECTORS:Royal RangersBart [email protected]
Girls MinistriesMary Helen [email protected]
Help us New Mexico by informing us of
ministry successes in your church and
community.Send your submission
Native American AreaCarlos [email protected]
AREA PRESBYTERS:
New Mexico Ministry Network 6640 Caminito Coors NW Albuquerque, NM 87120 (505) 899-5399 phone (505) 899-5859 fax [email protected] www.nmministry.net
Northeast AreaRandall [email protected]
East Central AreaLemuel [email protected]
Southwest AreaDavid [email protected]
Northwest Area Randy [email protected]
Women’s Ministries Becky [email protected]
Executive Administrator/ Chief Financial Officer Marcus [email protected]
Assistant Executive DirectorDavid Vistine
Student MinistriesJeral [email protected]
Men’s MinistriesShawn [email protected]
Network Pastor/ Executive Director Micheal Dickenson
Southeast Area Melvin [email protected]
West Central AreaBrenton [email protected]
EXECUTIVE PRESBYTERS:
NEW MEXICO MINISTRY NETWORK
Fall
2014
“For God so loved the world, that he have his only begot-ten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ev-erlasting life!” John 3:16 Do you remember the first time you realized the pow-erful and personal implica-tions of this truth in yourlife? It may or may not have been this specific verse, but do you remember your first enc-ounter with God’s love, and God’s gift, and the fact that God had made provision for you to experience the new birth and know everlasting life? At the recent Centennial Celebration of the Assemblies of God, General Superinten-dent George Wood introduced a new initiative for our fellowship called The Human Right. You can find more detailed informa-tion about this atwww.thehumanright.org. Very simply put, the focus of The Human Right is the right of every person in this whole world to know who Jesus is and to be given an opportunity to
receive Him. And, while we cel-ebrate the fact that our Assem-blies of God fellowship world-wide now has grown to over 67.5 million people, there are over 2 billion people who don’t have this basic human right of a per-sonal relationship with God. As we look to the days ahead for our churches and min-istries, the desire is to make The Human Right a clear focus and priority for every one of us. We’ll be hearing a lot more about it, but as I was introduced to this at the Centennial, it became clear to me that this is more than just another program. It is an initia-
tive, a challenge, a movement, an awakening, and a call for us all to connect to our responsibil-ities to make The Human Right our passion and focus. Jesus’ words just be-fore his ascension to go, and to preach, and to make disci-ples is still our directive today, and these instructions we know as The Great Commission cer-tainly align with this renewed focus on The Human Right. As we are challenged with this in the days ahead, I urge us
all to a renewed commitment to Jesus’ instructions, and to remember that this is what the church is all about. This re-minds us all “This is why we exist, and what we’re called to do!” It’s not about another program, or just another way to raise money for missions; it is the mission of the church! So as we consider God’s instructions to us regarding The Human Right, I pray that God will help us all to examine our personal lives and ministries, and our churches to make sure that we are indeed fulfilling what God calls us to do. So what does The Human Right mean to you in your com- munity and around the world? I sincerely hope you’ll ask this question as it relates to every ministry in your church, from your children to the oldest adults. And while it will obviously look different in each situation, it absolutely calls to us be aligned with God’s call, engaged in our communities, and reaching out in missions, both at home and abroad. The Human Right…it’s God’s call to us today. Let’s step up and make it happen, all across New Mexico and around the world!
It’s not about another program, or just another way to raise money for
missions; it is the mission of the church!
“”
NETWORK PASTOR MICHEAL DICKENSON
THEHUMAN RIGHT
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Fall 2014
CULTURE[kul-chur]
NounDefinition: 1. A particular form
or stage of civilization, as that of a certain nation or period. 2. The behaviors and beliefs char-acteristic of a particular social,
ethnic, or age group.
I know that you will know the answer to this question but I want to propose it anyway. What one word defines the following: rural, urban, Native American, oil-field, mining, farming and ranch-ing, government? You got it, the word ‘culture.’ With that being said, one of the joys of serving the New Mexico Ministry Network is being able to experience the varied cultures that are reflected in the Land of En-chantment. From metropolitan Albuquerque and its surrounding partners to the oilfield communi-ties of Lea County, the govern-ment communities of Los Alamos and Santa Fe, the Native American dominated northwest, the mostly agriculture-rural eastside, the min-ing and arts of Silver City, the com-munities that dot the landscape that follows I-25 and I-40 and so
much more. I could literally list every community individually and each community on that list would have its own unique cultural identi-ty. Our Lord has called us to impact these cultures with the Gospel. My journey in understand-ing the importance of culture be-gan when we were called to serve at Christian Life in Santa Fe in 1986. I found it somewhat odd that the Lord would put a confessing red-neck right in the middle of a very New Age, heavy Catholic culture. But He did and by His grace we thrived but it didn’t happen with-out struggles. God had to give me a heart for my community and my community’s culture. Assuming you are where God planted you, how do you feel about the community that the Lord has called you to and more impor-tant, how do you feel about your community’s culture? I am certain there are times that you wonder if you are a “fit.” If this is the case, let me share some counsel that I received from those who have pre-ceded me in the ministry journey. First, it would be of great benefit if you would INVESTIGATE your community’s culture. By that I mean have you checked out the 2010 Census stats for your com-munity? It is amazing how you see your community when you know the median age, the economical average, the ethnicity and so much more. There are numerous web-sites that will give you incredible info for your area. Also, how was the area settled? What drives the economy? What feeds the social cli-mate? What are the politics like?
INVESTIGATE. Second, INVADE. A num-ber of years ago I attended a confer-ence and Pastor Dave Crispin from Alamogordo was a key presenter. He made this statement taken from the scriptures describing the Jew-ish spies sent into the land. As you know Joshua and Caleb brought back a good report. Pastor Dave made this observation and it is worth sharing. “You must INVADE the place that you will eventually possess!” Wow, I still get excited when I think about it. What have you done lately to INVADE the community that God intends for you to possess with your ministry? This is a word of encouragement, don’t delay, God has a plan for you to build bridges into your commu-nity. Lastly, INFLUENCE. We have been called to INFLUENCE every culture that we encounter with the CULTURE OF CHRIST. I strongly believe that Jesus Christ died so that lives can be trans-formed. We have the GOOD NEWS and it is transformational. As we are made aware of everyday, the season is getting short and the Lord is coming soon! Let’s INVESTI-GATE, INVADE and INFLUENCE our communities and yes it’s culture with the CULTURE OF CHRIST.
PS. Has your community changed (I bet it has) and have you adapted your ministry models to address those changes or are you trying to influence a 2014 community with a thirty to forty year old strategy?
EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR MARCUS McCLAIN
CULTURE[kul-chur] –noun
02
Fall
2014
This month we celebrated the Centennial celebration of the Assemblies of God and it was a powerful and exciting time for all that attended. My heart was touched and renewed as we rehearsed the beginnings of the Assemblies of God and the stories of our early missionaries and their incredible hun-ger and commitment to Christ! The fire of the Spirit and the commitment of God’s peo-ple flamed the fires of revival, church planting and missions in our early beginning! As I lis-tened to the incredible sacrifice of not only our early pioneers but of our current missionaries and leaders that live in areas of the world where it is dangerous to be a Christian, little lone a Pastor or Missionary, my heart was challenged!
One of our speakers on the last night spoke about “Liv-ing Dead”! Living as a dead man to this world and self and living sacrificially for Christ! His mes-sage was penetrating and the au-dience was dead silent as the call came to lay down our life for the cause of Christ!
In essence what we heard was not new but goes back to the call of Christ who called the early disciples to follow him! Disciple-ship hasn’t changed! Jesus is still calling disciples because it is his plan for world evangelization! We are either a disciple or we are not! Every Christian is called and confronted with discipleship! No one can be a spiritual free loader because Jesus demands full and total commitment to himself!
He is either Lord of all or He is not Lord at all! A Disciple is one who fol-lows one’s teaching or a learner follower! He doesn’t just sit and learn, he obeys and practices the Lord’s teachings! Following Je-sus is not glamorous or as excit-ing as some would think. It is a life of self-denial and of devoting ourselves to Jesus Christ and his plan for our lives! Jesus demands all of our love and he will not let any one be a half-hearted disciple! It is all or nothing! As we left the Centennial Celebration there was a clear call to follow Jesus and make Him the center of our life and church! It was a clear call to live like our fore fathers who laid down their lives to plant the church in this nation and nations around the world. Af-ter one hundred years we enter into the fruit and harvest of that kind of discipleship and commit-ment! Lord help this generation to “Live Dead” like so many that have gone before us so our world can know you!
We are either a disciple or we are not!
Every Christian is calledand confronted with
discipleship!
“”
ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DAVID VISTINE
A CALL TODISCIPLESHIP
October isOctober is
Pastor Appreciation MonthPastor Appreciation Month Please take time to bless your pastors
and staff this month.
03
Fall 2014
NORTH TEXAS DISTRICTGUEST ARTICLESUPERINTENDENT: RICK DUBOSE
A D M I N I S T R A T I V E
NTD Resource Center / 2
Rick & Rita DuBoseSuperintendent
Many are trying to decide whether or not we should loosen our stand against drinking alcohol, based solely on what the scripture says or doesn’t say. While I agree that the Bible is the ultimate rule for the lives of believers and is the best way to govern our societies, I also believe that there are things that are not cov-ered in specificity but are covered by the law of sowing and reaping. While I can’t find a pure statement in the Bible that completely outlaws the consumption of alcohol I can say that the fruit of its use is a harvest no one wants.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that over 88,000 people die each year because of sickness or disease that can be directly related to the use of alcohol. The U.S. Library of Medicine says there are 1.2 million visits to local emergency rooms because of al-cohol, creating 7,459 unintended deaths, 28,696 murders, 19,347 suicides, and 10,228 deaths involving automobiles, and all at a cost to the U.S. economy of $223,500,000,000.00. What can’t be re-ported or even tracked is how many kids are abused by drunken parents or guard-ians and how many homes and lives are destroyed because of alcohol use.
Why would we want to bring this evil into the lives of believers? Many have come to us to be delivered from it and its results. Have we forgotten the teaching of Paul that we should not do anything (even if it is not a sin) if it could offend our brother? This is not a “can we” issue; it is a “should we” issue!
It’s like the generation that built the barricade between their town and the river that ran beside them. They built it
because it flooded and destroyed all they had spent their lives building. They said, “We can’t control the river and even though it’s nice to look at, it’s nice to have easy access to it, we never know when it’s going to flood. So let’s protect ourselves and our children by raising a standard so high that it can’t get to where we live.” Later, however, after that generation had passed away the children said, “What were our parents thinking? Why should we live behind such a high standard? If we take it down we will be able to see the beautiful river and enjoy all of its assets.” They did take it down and the river did flood, and they lost both what they and their parents had built!
The generation who did not come directly out of a sin-ravaged situation but out of a Christ-blessed home may not value the high standards of the past generation as they should, but that does not change the law of sowing and reaping. What we sow or allowed to be sown will produce its fruit and if we lower our standards someone’s children will pay for it!
Just as alcohol impaired the thinking of Herod when he com-manded the head of John the Baptist it continues to impair the thinking of people everywhere. It creates an atmosphere and opportunity for sin which ultimately produces death. Sin kills re-lationships, futures, and eternities. Why would we want anything in our lives that impairs our thinking and makes sin seem less deadly? The drinking of alcohol in itself may not be sin, but no one can deny that it creates an atmosphere for sin to operate.
As we consider this in the light of the law of sowing and reaping rather than simply as legal or illegal, we should look first at the fruit that comes from the activity, both good and bad, and take our stand either for or against, based on its potential results. This I know—once you plant the seed someone will have to deal with its fruit, and once you take down the standard some-one will have to deal with the flood! It is not just, “Can I do it and still go to heaven?” It is also, “If I open this door will my grand-children end up paying for it?”
So, in my opinion, we should not make room for drinking in the lives of the leaders or the culture of the Assemblies of God!
Pastor Rick
Do We Have Room for Alcohol in the
Assemblies of God?
04
Fall
2014
We are happy to announce Pastor Shawn Amburgey as the new Network Men’s Director. Pastor Shawn and his wife Lanessa serve as lead pastors for New Beginnings Fellowship in Los Alamos. Shawn can be contacted via email at [email protected] or on his cell phone at 505-363-2476.
NEW MENS DIRECTOR: SHAWN AMBURGEY
MINISTERIAL NEWS
NMMN NEWS
LICENSED: Michael BorrorTularosa Community Church
TRANSFERRED IN:Joseph Drinkard: Liscensed, Farmington OasisBailey Frye: Liscensed, Albuquerque HarvestMicah Frye: Liscensed, Albuquerque HarvestObad Galindo: Liscensed, Albuquerque Harvest EspanolWayne White: Liscensed, Las Cruces First
NEW MEXICO MINISTRY NETWORK
TEEN CHALLENGE BANQUET
Date:Time:Location:
September 26, 2014
7:00 pm
Sheraton Uptown2600 Louisiana Blvd.Albuquerque, NM 87110
Guest Speaker: Rev. Eddie Lee
Call now for Reservations! 505-281-8467$30 a ticket or $300 for a table of ten.05
Fall 2014
NMMN WOMEN’S CONFERENCE !SEPTEMBER 18-20, 2014!
CHRISTIAN LIFE!121 SIRINGO RD!
SANTA FE, NM!
FEATURED GUEST!RENAY WEST
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION !CALL BECKY @ 505-350-6998, !VISIT WWW.NMMINISTRY.NET, !
OR SEE YOUR LOCAL!WOMEN’S MINISTRIES COORDINATOR.
NMMN WOMEN’S CONFERENCESEPTEMBER 18-20
CHRISTIAN LIFE121 SIRINGO RD
SANTE FE, NM
FEATURED GUEST
RENAY WEST
06
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CALL BECKY @ 505-350-6998
VISIT WWW.NMMINISTRY.NETOR SEE YOUR LOCAL
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES COORDINATOR
“I WILL GIVE THEMA HEART TO KNOW ME”
(JEREMIAH 24:7, NIV)
WE HAD A FUN, RE-FRESHING TIME! Pictured above are the lovely women who attended our third an-nual Refresh Retreat for Min-istry Wives. Do you recognize anyone (they are in disguise to protect their identity!)? Because of the NMMN churches that give faithfully toward the Partnership for the Next Generation, we are able to invest in our min-istry wives and offer them a reduced cost to attend this much-needed Retreat. Marjorie Harris (pic-tured at top, third from
right) was the speaker for this event. She brought pow-erful words of encourage-ment to our soul as she was transparent about her own struggles and trials in life and taught about the Sover-eignty of our God! We MUST keep our eyes on God and not man or circumstances or tri-
als. Our perspective and trust in God changes everything! Ministry wives, find your place out of the spotlight; connect with other ministry wives; be inspired for your journey; and encourage oth-ers…join us at the next Refresh Retreat to be held July 23-25, 2015! New location TBD!
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES DIRECTOR BECKY DICKENSON
Girls just want to have fun!
REFRESHRETREAT
07
Fall 2014
Reach your world
Biblical FoundationsDevotional Life
Ac
ad
em
ic P
rog
ress
FUN
Pra
ctic
al Stru
ctu
re
Ministerial CredentialsBuild Character Mentorship
Powerful Teaching
Classes held the second Saturday of each month from 9:00am-1:30pm.
Contact Devonna Cummins at 505-899-5399 for more information.
Register online at nmministry.net
Contact Devonna Cummins at 505-899-5399 for more information.
Forms online at nmministry.net
New Mexico Ministry Network6640 Caminito Coors NWAlbuquerque, NM 87120
(505) 899-5399www.nmministry.net