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Partners in Ministry Newsletter
—September 2022—

““Love in Action,” what a great theme for a Men’s Retreat. I was a part of the Hoffmantown Men’s Retreat this last week up at Inlow Baptist Camp. The retreat focused on how we can put God’s love in action through forgiveness, in the marketplace and in our homes. The weather was wonderful, the camp in great shape, and the food was excellent. What a great place God has given New Mexico Baptists to use for camps and other events. Clay Pope and his staff do an excellent job of keeping the camp in good shape and ready for use. In the past I have used Inlow for deacon retreats and leadership retreats. I highly recommend Inlow if you need a place to retreat for yourself, your family, or groups from your church. You can contact Inlow at 505-384-2410 or via email at cpope@bcnm.com

I also had a great visit with Jay Leibold who is our campus minister at the University of New Mexico this last month. Jay is fairly new here but is doing a wonderful job serving the students at UNM. Jay has a great vision for the ministry at UNM and I hope you will find an opportunity to meet with him and see how you and your church can be part of the ministry to students at UNM. There are many ways you and your church can help with that ministry, and the most important is to keep them in prayer. You can contact Jay at 505-243-5401

I am also very involved with The Rock at Noonday, the day shelter here in Albuquerque, and meet regularly with Rick Devine, our new director. I have been the board chairman for the past three years and am very excited about the vision God has given Rick for the future ministry at The Rock. Many good things have already been happening, like the donation of computers and desks for an education room to help those who are homeless learn how to do resumes and be trained by volunteers who will teach them things that will help them move out of homelessness. There are many opportunities for churches and individuals to volunteer and support the ministry of the Rock. If you or your church would like to meet with Rick or have him speak at one of your events just give him a call at 505-220-6036, or if you would like to volunteer call Michelle at 505-246-8001 or email her at engage@therockabq.com

It was wonderful to celebrate First Baptist Cuba’s 75th Anniversary on August 21st. Pastor Dan and his wife Teresa Elizabeth love their church and have really embraced the community. Pray for them as they continue to reach out, not only to Cuba but on to the reservation as well.
If your church is coming up on an anniversary please let me know, we would love to celebrate with you. Remember that we are “Partner churches serving Christ together for HIS glory alone.” Your partnership is vital to all of us making an impact for Jesus Christ in our association and State. I pray that we can become stronger in our partnerships with one another for encouragement, strengthening and collaborating for ministries and missions.

Finally, our Central Baptist Association Annual Meeting is Thursday, October 6th at Del Norte Baptist Church. Registration is open now on the front page of our website. More information will be sent to you soon.

On behalf of Bethany and myself we want to say thank you for your support and encouragement as we serve you through Central Baptist Association.

—John

—2022 Central Baptist Association— —Annual Meeting—

The Central Baptist Association’s 2022 Annual Meeting will take place at Del Norte Baptist Church on October 6th. Registration is now open!

Click here to register or go to our website cbanm.org, the registration form is on the front page.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out. You can email bethany@cbanm.org or call the office at (505) 243-2707

—UNM Christian Challenge Update—

Over the summer here at Christian Challenge (BSU), we have been trying to meet new students at the weekly New Student Orientations (NSO) hosted by UNM. We would go set up our table, lay out our info cards, and entice students by handing out ice cold popsicles. By the end of the summer, we had gotten over 50 new students to sign up with us! Many of those contacts have been coming to our events, even many non-believers. Here are a few stories from this summer and our time being out on campus trying to connect with new students:

"While we were on campus for New Student Orientation, I met a young lady who said she is becoming increasingly “interested in religion.” She asked what we believe and I was able to share with her about the holy creator who made all of us, our rebellion against him, and the hope for forgiveness and reconciliation with him through Jesus.
She went on to ask me what I believe about abortion, and I was able to tell her that the same Jesus who offers us hope, cares deeply for women and for babies, and that while I think abortion is wrong, the hope that Jesus offers is for everyone, including women who have had abortions.
I was able to get her phone number, and we are trying to schedule a time to get coffee and talk some more about her questions about God and the Bible. Please pray that our schedules will work out, that she will be compelled to hear more about Jesus, and that one day she will put her hope in him." —Megan Fulcher, Associate Director

"At our second bible study of the summer, an incoming freshman guy came to check us out. I met him on campus at his NSO. He brought his girlfriend and another friend. This summer we are going through Phillipians and using a bible study method called COMAP. COMAP stands for Context, Observation, Meaning, Application, and Prayer. He was very involved, sharing what he was thinking and seeing in the text as we discussed as a large group. After we walked through the text, understood it, and applied it, we prayed for one another at the end. I spoke with him afterwards and he told me he had never been taught how to read the bible. He was thankful that we had met and that he was excited to be back next week. We went to Frontier the following week, swapped testimonies, and I believe he is hooked! I am in the process of setting up a dorm bible study for men within his dorm. Pray for him as he gets involved and sees his dorm as a mission field." —Jay Leibold, Director

—Feed the Kids Update—

Is your church looking for a way to get more involved in your community, your schools? Providing food bags for kids who go hungry on the weekends is a good way to start. No, it may not bring people to your church, but it may change the life of a child. You may never see their faces but God does. It may open the door to greater ministry opportunities and involvement with the school(s) in your area. If you want to give it a try, contact me—I’m happy to help you get started.

Matt. 25:42 & 45 “For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ....” “Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’”

Announcements & Updates

Pastorless churches
Monterey Baptist Church, Lindrith Baptist Church, El Buen Pastor

Replant churches
FBC Tijeras (pray for the church and the Replant Team), Mesa Valley Baptist

Ministries
Feed the Kids, Gateway—ADVANCE (NMSCL)

Church Plants
Anchor West, Vertical Barelas, Restore Church, Awaken Church, Casa de Oracion

New Partner Churches
Good News Ministries (African church, worships in Swahili)

Got something you want to promote? New updates? Events? Prayer requests? Let us know! Email bethany@cbanm.org if you would like us to add an update from your church to our newsletter!