The Apostolic Herald - Convention Special Issue 2023

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CONTENT

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR............................................................................................. 3 A FOCUSED LEADERSHIP: KEY TO SUCCESS.................................................................... 4 THE RETURN TO ANAHEIM, CONNECTING APOSTOLIC GENERATIONS!.............................. 21 WORKING WITH ALL DILIGENCE!................................................................................... 25 WE’RE CUTTING THROUGH THE RED TAPE! 6 NEW REAL ESTATE POLICIES......................... 29 FROM MOZAMBIQUE TO CHINA! REACHING NEW FRONTIERS......................................... 32 THE FIELDS ARE PLENTIFUL! SCHOOL OF PLANTERS........................................................ 38 INSPIRING TOMORROWS LEADERS................................................................................ 40 BUILDING THE CHURCH WITH VISIONARY LEADERSHIP.................................................. 42 UNTIL THE WHOLE WORD HEARS!.................................................................................. 47 THE HOPE OF A HELPING HAND!................................................................................... 48 NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE 2023 IS AROUND THE CORNER: LET’S BUILD TOGETHER!................................................................................................ 52 AN AWAKENING OF IMPACT!......................................................................................... 54 THE ROAD TO $3 MILLION!............................................................................................ 56 MEET THE NEW DISTRICT BISHOPS................................................................................. 60 CHURCH BUILDING MIRACLE........................................................................................ 62

APOSTOLIC HERALD - CONVENTION SPECIAL ISSUE 2023 Advisor: Bishop Felipe A. Salazar Editor: Bishop Armando Tamez Interim Editor Bishop Ismael Martín del Campo Editor’s Assistants: Minister Alex Tarin

Pastor Ismael Martín del Campo III Pastor Ben Pacheco Creative Director: Dominic A. Moschetti The Apostolic Herald is the Official Gazette of the Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus Attn: Herald 5401 Citrus Ave., Fontana, CA 92336 www.aaofcj.org | www.apostoliceducation.com pr@apostolicassembly.org You can contact us by phone at (909) 987-3013

To view back issues of The Apostolic Herald visit www.aaofcj.org and click on the link “Apostolic Publications” at the bottom of the webpage for library of back issues.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR To all the Apostolic readers of The Apostolic Herald, the official gazette of the Apostolic Assembly, we present this special edition of our magazine, prior to the 2023 Ministerial Convention and the National Conference of The Messengers of Peace.

We ask for your prayers for the prompt and complete recovery of health for Bishop Armando Tamez, the official editor of The Apostolic Herald, whom I am assisting in this current edition.

In 1982, I had the privilege of attending the General Convention in Anaheim, California, the first in this city known internationally.

The theme of 1982 was “JESUS ​​CHRIST: The Coming One!” The Convention in this city marked the beginning of a new era for the Apostolic Assembly, a time of growth in our congregations throughout the country. A time of spiritual revival and joyful spiritual celebrations. Thousands of believers received the baptism of the Holy Spirit at our fifteen conventions in Anaheim and thousands gave their lives to Jesus Christ at the more than fifty nights of conventions held between the years 1982 to 2012!

Bishop Ismael Martín del Campo Interim Editor, The Apostolic Herald

We pray that the return to Anaheim will be the beginning of a new era of revival and growth among our churches in the United States of America.

In this edition of Convention, we share a special article from our Bishop President on the importance of focused leadership, a brief report of the first workshop we held for District Secretaries, lots of excellent news about the growth of our churches in International Missions, a report from the Church Planters School, a report on the graduations of the International Apostolic Bible College and a report on the constant spiritual support initiatives of the Social Assistance Department. We also share articles from the three presidents of the national confederations among other articles.

Anaheim is known as “the city of kindness.” We hope to see in this convention “the goodness of God” as stated in Psalm 27:13 Bishop Ismael Martín del Campo, General Secretary, Interim Editor, The Apostolic Herald.

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Esteemed Bishops, Pastors, and members of the Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus, Paz de Cristo.

Since the beginning of this administration, it has been clear to all of the members of the General Board what the emphasis of our administration should be. Although God had been dealing with me personally, He had also been moving the in hearts of our General Board members some time before we were given the responsibilities that we now bear. The vision of the Board was on the mission.

I remember in our first General Board meeting that the announcement for our church, for the next four years 4

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would focus on the church’s mission, came as no surprise and was received with great joy. God had already set in the heart of the Board members that the mission of the church should be the focus of our administration. I belive the direction that this Board has taken, to refocus the church on its mission, is the will of God, and of that I am convinced. Every time I have had an opportunity to address the Pastors of our church, I have told them that “I feel a special call from the Lord to organize the church in such a way that the mission of the church becomes the main thing.” That focus, I believe, is concisely expressed in the phrase, BUILD THE CHURCH: MISSION. We have a vision for the Apostolic Assembly. It is that the Apostolic Assembly be a Apostolic Cellular Church that is healthy, growing, and Spirit-filled. As the General Board of the Apostolic Assembly has informed the Pastors of our Assembly at their District Conventions, this vision of the church has driven the decisions the General Board has made and will be making in the future.

The principal components of the vision statement are not new to us. These components have always been part of our identity and doctrine. What I do want to highlight is the necessity of working together to see the vision come to fruition. Together we will move the church to a better place. We understand that in order to accomplish the vision the leadership of the Church will have to unite as never before. President Ronald Reagan is quoted as saying, “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” We are greater together. What would otherwise be impossible for one man, or a small group of men, to do becomes possible when we all join in purpose. .

The Theme for the next four years is “BUILD THE CHURCH.” Throughout the four years of our administration, while focusing on the mission, we will emphasize the different elements of the mission that we consider essential.

They are:

• • • •

2023 BUILD THE CHURCH: MISSION. 2024 BUILD THE CHURCH: THE HOLY SPIRIT 2025 BUILD THE CHURCH: DOCTRINE 2026 BUILD THE CHURCH: HOLINESS

What we are doing in presenting these themes ahead of time is to give the leaders of the Assembly time to plan around the themes that we are presenting. The focus on the church’s mission will not change, it is our

“Together we will move the church to a better place.

We understand that in order to accomplish the vision the leadership of the Church will have to unite as never before.”

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mission. The sub-themes adjacent to the theme, “Build the Church” will serve to focus the church on different essential points we believe are important to the church’s well-being. We believe the church must be missional, it must be Spirit-filled, it must be doctrinal, and it must be holy to be healthy.

FOCUS: A HEALTHY APOSTOLIC CHURCH

Over the years, I have attempted to understand the necessary characteristics of a healthy Apostolic church. I have read books and articles, gone to seminars, and invested resources trying to define the essentials. What I have concluded is that Apostolic churches have at least four characteristics: the Mission, The presence of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles Doctrine, and Holiness.

We must focus on these four characteristics without ignoring other necessary elements. Let me elaborate.

1. FOCUS ON THE MISSION.

Matthew 28:19-20 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Our administration will focus on the mission of the church. Zig Ziglar, a popular motivational speaker, stated, “I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there, you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrant.” The mission is clear. Jesus allowed for no ambiguity regarding it.

What we need to do is focus on the mission and stay focused on the mission.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He spoke with the disciples of His redemptive mission. In His post-resurrection conversations with the disciples again, He spoke with his disciples of the Spirit-empowered mission of the church. In fact, for forty days, Luke informs us that Jesus, “. . . presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” The mission of the church was on Jesus’ mind during that period of time. The mission must have been the central piece of those sacred conversations.

That must be why after the Pentecostal infilling, they immediately began to evangelize.

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Throughout the Book of Acts, Apostolic leadership is key to the advancement of the church. The importance of Apostolic leadership cannot be understated.

Today in our organization, the importance of the leadership of the General Board, the District Bishops, the Elders, and the Local church Pastors cannot be overemphasized and must be fully engaged. The importance of having a healthy and focused leadership is essential to the plans Christ has for our church. Without a doubt there will be many institutional and administrative matters that will fight for our attention, but we must remain focused. As Mr. Ziggler said, “if you don’t…focus on a specific target and hold it there, then you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants”. The Bishops of the Apostolic Assembly must focus in planning and training their Pastoral Body to organize their local churches to evangelize, disciple, and work in small groups. We must maintain that focus.

Acts 6 records the time when the Apostles were tempted to give their attention to important tasks that were not the main thing. The work they were being called to do (serve tables) was not essential to their leadership roles. These tasks could be handled by other men, so they refused to have their focus diminished. They understood the importance of focusing on their mission as leaders of the church. The church needed for its leaders to be in communion with the Holy Spirit, and to be clear and convincing in their exposition of Scripture. So they dedicated themselves to prayer, and the Word of God. They refused to be distracted from their mission. Church leaders must be immoveable when it comes to the mission. This is our focus.

In the Second Pastoral Epistle to Timothy, Paul exhorted Timothy to remain

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focused. “No soldier in active service gets entangled in the affairs of civilian life; [he avoids them] so that he may please the one who enlisted him to serve.” The metaphor Paul uses makes the point that God is pleased if we focus singularly on what is important to Him. Paul understood that leaders can become unfocused. There will always be distractions, significant matters, in the best of cases, that require attention. But as Apostolic leaders, we cannot allow these ancillary distractions to become the main thing. We must keep the main thing (winning the lost and making disciples) the main thing.

If we are successful in doing this, then God will grow his church. We must strive to be focused.

THE STRATEGY OF JESUS

The Strategy of Jesus is the vision of the Apostolic Assembly. It is our response to the question, “How will we become a healthy, growing, Spiritfilled: Apostolic Cellular Church?” The Strategy of Jesus offers the tools and structures to accomplish that end because in includes three necessary components essential to realizing the vision statement: evangelism, discipleship, and small groups.

Since November of 2007, when the Strategy of Jesus was first introduced to the Pastors of the Apostolic Assembly by President Daniel Sanchez, this has been our strategy for church growth and health. I say this because everything a Christians need to flourish in their Christian life are found in the Strategy of Jesus. Knowing Christ, building healthy relationships, learning the Scriptures, personal accountability, Pastoral care, discipleship, the exercise of one’s gifts and talents, significant ministry opportunities, and many other gifts are all found in the Strategy that the church has embraced as its vision.

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The Apostolic Assembly is now in an important place. We are no longer a church that talks about the Strategy of Jesus theoretically. Presently, we have 16 years of experience working with the Strategy of Jesus. We are not in the same place we were 16 years ago. We now have churches of the Apostolic Assembly that are experiencing growth using the Strategy.

We have Districts that have transitioned to the Strategy and are growing, and we have national churches that have fully embraced the vision and are expanding the Kingdom of God. Truly we are not in the same place. We now have vast amounts of resources available to those who are interested in learning and we are continuing to update our material. We have given conferences throughout the United States and the world. For those who have committed to the vision, whether in the United States or elsewhere in the world, growing congregations are their reality. The Strategy of Jesus represent for the leaders of the Apostolic Assembly a growth opportunity. It has proven to be effective in growing our churches. The Strategy of Jesus will: 1) Mobilize the membership of the local church by offering every church member an opportunity to do significant work in the church.

2) Bring new souls to the church.

3) Offer the Pastors a proven system for evangelizing the lost and discipling new converts.

4) Creating leadership opportunities for the men.

5) Opening new ministry opportunities for the women of the church.

6) Focusing the youth on the mission.

These and many other opportunities have resulted from the vision our Church has adopted. I am asking all the Bishops of our Assembly to make the Strategy of Jesus a central piece of their administration.

We do not doubt that significant challenges are going to face those who commit to the vision of the Church. I expect challenges. We all should expect them. But our resolve must be firm. What we are looking for is Kingdom expansion. In the process of implementing the Strategy of Jesus we have adjusted the vision. First, we expanded it from seven to eight gears. Then we made it easier to understand by organizing it in purposes, and finally we simplified it. All this was done with the goal of having all of the Pastors of the Apostolic Assembly embrace it. Among other adjustments that this General Board is doing that is different is making the vision the center piece of our administration. We want to give it the place of importance it deserves so that it cannot be ignored. We are devising different strategies to encourage the

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implementation of the vision in every local church. We will be encouraging the Bishops and Pastors to join in the vision to make the Apostolic Assembly a healthy, growing, Spirit-filled, and Apostolic Cellular Church. Let’s BUILD THE CHURCH: MISSION.

2. FOCUS: THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Not only will the Church focus on the Mission of the Church, but we will also focus on the presence of the Holy Spirit. Everything the church does must be done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus taught his disciples that the presence of the Holy Spirit was essential in church life; particularly because the Holy Spirit is essential to the mission of the church. The battle for the souls of men is fought and won on a spiritual battlefield. There the presence of the Holy Ghost and the omnipotent Word is essential. Men who are dead in their sins cannot be brought to life through the exercise of mere human power or authority. The Holy Ghost is essential. All the supernatural work of God in the church necessitates believers filled with the Holy Ghost. The confirmation of the Gospel through signs and wonders requires the working of the Holy Spirit. From these and many other facts, we can conclude that the church’s effectiveness is wholly dependent on the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Because we are a Pentecostal Apostolic church, we need to focus the church on the multiple manifestations of the Holy Spirit. We need to expand the borders of our experiences. The Gifts of word of wisdom, word of knowledge, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, various kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues, should not be extraordinary experiences in our churches. They should be common in our congregations.

We need a healthy and balanced approach to pursuing and exercising these Gifts in their fullness. When we speak of the spiritual gifts, leaders become a little uneasy. The reason is that spiritual gifts, when misunderstood, can cause much confusion and disorder. Many of us are aware of the excesses, abuses or strange practices of those professing to be moving in the Spirit.

We have felt the embarrassment or uneasiness that unbiblical practices have caused.

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The responsibility for these awkward practice does not just lie with the practitioners. It also lies with the Pastor-teacher. We are the teachers and overseers of our congregations. Ultimately, we bear responsibility for the continuing practices that we consider strange. Ignorance is our enemy.

Instruction is where a genuine movement of the Spiritual gifts begins. We need to focus on a greater manifestation of the Spirit in our midst.

Recent reports about how many people are receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit in our congregations have caused me some concern. Many years ago, our churches kept track of how many people of the Apostolic Assembly were baptized in water and how many people were filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Those two records reflected the importance we placed on these practices. We kept record of those who were baptized in water and Spirit because we saw both as essential to salvation and the Christian life. We have continued to keep track of our water baptisms, but we have not all continued to keep track of those baptized in the Holy Spirit. That practice needs to be retaken. The numbers that have been reported from the local churches about the Holy Spirit baptisms is very concerning. There is a significant number of churches that are not seeing people filled with the Holy Ghost. We need to focus on the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church.

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3. FOCUS: THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE

Our administration will focus on Apostolic Doctrine. I remember some years ago talking to a Pastor friend of mine about the discussion that was taking place among the Pastors concerning the disciplines (holiness norms) of our church. In the middle of our conversation, he told me something that shook me a little. He stated, “the problem we are facing as a church was not a disciplines problem but a doctrinal one.” That was a surprising but enlightening comment. He continued saying that disciplines, though important, are not the greatest challenge in this generation.

The major issue confronting the church is a doctrinal one. Our youth are not being grounded in our doctrine, and that’s why it is easy for some of our congregants to move from Apostolic churches to churches that are doctrinally aberrant. The conversation left a deep impression on me.

In a relativistic culture, where truth is being challenged, the church needs to become more, not less, emphatic about our distinctive doctrines. We need to teach our people. We need to be clearer than ever before about who we are, what we believe, and why our faith and understanding of Scripture is biblical and coherent. We must also focus on producing academically and theological acceptable work on our doctrines. In our congregations sit, without doubt, the most educated Apostolic generation that has ever lived. That truth demands action. It demands a cogent response. We need as a church to deal with this reality biblically and academically. We need to focus on our Apostolic Doctrine.

4. FOCUS ON HOLINESS

Our administration will focus on the holiness of the church. The significance of holiness in the church will never change. We are a holiness church.

Contrary to a distaste for the word “holiness” in Christian circles, the truth

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is that holiness is a beautiful norm. Modesty is beautiful. Everything that is biblical must be sustained. Regarding our disciplines, we must not fall under the illusion that dropping our standards will cause our churches to grow.

That is not true. Leadership makes churches grow, not standards. We are glad for the standards we have been given. We will not change them. We may need to explain them in a more convincing and persuasive way, but we will not change them. Explaining our standards clearly and intelligently is a responsibility we have to this generation. The truth is that there are great arguments, rationale, and wisdom behind the norms of our church. We are a holiness church and are grateful for it.

5. FOCUS ON HEALTHY PASTORS AND CHURCHES – ANTIOCH CHURCHES. HEALTHY PASTORS

Our church will focus on the health of our Pastors. Congregations can only progress as far as its Pastor does. Healthy Pastors make for healthy congregations. In his book, “Leading Your Church to Growth,” Wagner makes the statement, “The principle argument of this book is that if churches are going to maximize their growth potential they need pastors who are strong leaders…it is a rule. If your church is not growing and you wonder why, take a close look at the roles of the pastor”. Doctor Wagner, rightly brings to light one of the central challenges of the church, having an empowered leadership.

If the hands of the leaders are strong, the church will be strong. Strategies for church growth will never be more effective than the effectiveness of the leader who is charged with implementing them. Under the administration of Bishop Daniel Sanchez, the church attempted to bring pastoral health to the forefront. Our administration will attempt to do the same.

How will we promote pastoral health? We will encourage leaders at every level of the church’s structure to become discipling leaders. We will start by encouraging the following: 1) Building caring relationships. Pastors are sheep. They need to know that their leaders care. Genuine concern is like the oil that lubricates the bearings on a vehicle and gives the car mobility.

Take away the oil and the joints will freeze up quickly and immobilize the car. Love makes all the difference. 2) teaching and training the leadership on how to fulfill their roles successfully. Sometimes pastors run out of ideas.

They don’t know what to do next in order to realize their dreams. They need fresh ideas, practical training, and mentorship. 3) We will promote pastoral

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health by utilizing or creating support systems among the Pastors. Those who are running a little ahead of the others or have grown larger churches than others should share their insights with their fellow Pastors. At the other end, Pastors must learn to be learners for life. They must be taught to be open to change and discipleship. Finally, 4) We will encourage leaders at every level to hold each other accountable for the work they do.

To make this a reality, leaders at every level of our organization must adjust the understanding of their leadership roles and become engaged in being part of the solution. In other words, the General Board, Bishops, Elders, and Pastors will have to become actively engaged in building each other up. Building the leadership of the church will result in BUILDING THE CHURCH. We cannot continue to be a congregation of leaders. We must become discipling leaders. Jesus taught us that discipleship is always done in relationship. “No relationship – no discipleship, no discipleship – no growth…” Discipleship is our commission. “Go and make disciples” is the motto that must drive our leadership decisions and choices. This is what Jesus commanded.

HEALTHY CHURCHES

Our administration will focus on nurturing successful churches. We envision an Assembly where small, medium, and large churches are growing. We believe that every church has the potential for growth. We believe that churches that are effectively discipling believers and expanding the Kingdom are successful churches. Discipleship is the key. Commitment to the Great Commission is the key. Discipleship and a commitment to enlarging the Kingdom of God are primary markers of a healthy church. By “growing the Kingdom”, we mean much more than a commitment to grow the local church alone. By “growing the kingdom” we mean local churches that are committed to reaching their communities and beyond their communities, reaching their counties, then their states, their nation and ultimately the world with the Apostolic message. We are dreaming of church leaders, at every level of the organization, that are committed to getting the Apostolic message to the world.

I think eventually we must define what a successful church is. To fully answer that

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question, we are going to engage in many honest and transparent theological discussions. Still, I think that a successful church is characterized by at least two actions: discipleship and commissioning disciples. In other words, I think that success is not defined by size. It can be one marker, but the Scriptures never define successful churches by size. That idea is an unbiblical one.

Did the Church of Jerusalem grow into multiplied thousands? Yes. But their success was not defined by their numbers alone; it was defined by their commitment to the Great Commission. Their numbers spoke of the effectiveness of the Gospel and of their commitment to making disciples.

Jerusalem became a mega-church because of the power of the Gospel message and the commitment the disciples of Jerusalem had to the Great Commission. But there was an essential element missing in their church, a mission’s mindset. Although they were a discipling church, they were not a sending church. They were growing by leaps and bounds, but they missed the scope of the Commission which, according to Jesus, was the world.

The command was, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” This they were not realizing. How did God remedy this situation?

He scattered the mega-church. He did this because in the plan of God reaching the world is more important than growing large local churches.

Even when the church of Jerusalem had grown to tens of thousands, yet the greater priority was the mission.

It took persecution to scatter the church to the world. The Great Commission could never have been fulfilled by the mindset that prevailed in Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem church was too encased in their Jewish culture and boundaries.

It is interesting to see how Jesus managed the first megachurch. He allowed it to grow then allowed it to be broken up into small congregations. He scattered them into all the surrounding communities. That is not to say that Christ is opposed to large church congregations, he is not. Large Churches play an important role in the evangelization of the world. The reason Jesus allowed the mega-church to be scattered was for the furtherance of the Gospel. I wonder what would happen if Christians lost their admiration for large churches and simply committed themselves to fulfilling the mission of making disciples.

The church of Antioch enhanced the Jerusalem model for church growth. They added to the discipleship paradigm a sending paradigm. In the Book of Acts,

“

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“No relationship – no discipleship, no discipleship – no growth…” Discipleship is our commission. “Go and make disciples” is the motto that must drive our leadership decisions and choices. This is what Jesus commanded.

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chapter 11, we find a group of Christians that were fleeing the persecution of Jerusalem and establishing the church in Antioch. There the leaders of the church sent Barnabas to find Saul who had been recently converted and was a skilled teacher. When Barnabas found Saul, he brought him to Antioch to teach and disciple the new converts in the faith. The Antioch church was a discipling church. They put great emphasis on teaching the saints. But they did not stop there. After some time, chapter 13 of the Book of Acts records that the Holy Spirit spoke and told them to send Barnabas and Saul for a work that He had for them to do. At that point, the church leaders laid their

hands on Barnabas and Saul, two of their brightest leaders, and sent them out to preach to the Gentiles. This was Paul’s first missionary journey. The church at Antioch is important because it became the first church in the New Testament Book of Acts that intentionally sent missionaries to fulfill the Great Commission. Successful churches are “sending churches.”

Churches large or small that only gather, but do not send qualified men into the mission field, are missing an essential element of the Great Commission.

In that they are not being successful. Small churches, as well as large churches, that do not have effective discipleship strategies and sending strategies are not fully successful churches in the biblical sense of the term. The goal is to fill the Earth with His glory, and not just certain localities. Unsuccessful churches are churches that try to retain members at all costs by chasing after the elusive ideal of leading a large local church; an ideal that they may never reach

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because of their leadership limitations. Healthy churches are congregations that support missions. Both large and small churches can be ideal churches if they are committed to discipleship and expanding the Kingdom of God. Let’s redefine success. Let’s put the focus where it should be. Let’s change that standard to a biblical one. Our administration is committed to helping Pastors build successful churches.

THE GENERAL BOARD IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR CHURCH

The General Board is going to implement four aids to support the leadership of our Bishops: Provide mentorship; Train our leaders; Provide counseling; and Evaluate our progress.

1. DISTRICT MENTORS

Every Bishop will be assigned a mentor. This practice was established by Bishop John Fortino during his administration. The General Board members will be available to the District Bishops anytime they need advice or counsel.

The mentors will be just a phone call away. Bishops, I am encouraging you to seek the advice and wisdom of your mentors when you need their guidance.

The mentors will be calling the District Bishops at least once a month to make themselves available in case there is anything you need. Whenever there is a legal question, we are making Attorney Jorge Montes available to you. Call him if you have any questions or need advice. This is particularly important. Any time a Bishop and his District Board handle a legal matter, we have to think that in terms of the worst-case scenario. We have to assume it could go to court.

2. SCHOOL OF BISHOPS

We are going to establish a School of Bishops. This school will focus on the needs of the Bishops as leaders, administrators, and managers of the Apostolic Assembly. We will also focus on teaching the Bishops to be effective Pastors of the Pastors in their Districts. These will be given through Zoom and will not be more than 1 to 2 hours in length. Part of the time we have together as Bishops will be dedicated to instruction, and the other half of the time will be spent on questions, concerns, or issues that need resolution.

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3. MINISTERIAL COUNSELING

We are offering professional assistance to Bishops and Pastors in need of counseling. Leadership comes with many challenges. Pastors facing challenges need counsel. The counsel they need can be personal or related to their role as a leader. Seeking counsel can be threatening, because the person a Pastor goes to receive counsel, is also the person that has the authority to take their employment. This results in Pastors not dealing with issues that threaten their marriages, their families, or that are affecting their ministries.

So, we have developed a ministry for Pastors to seek non-threatening, strictly confidential counseling.

Too often, those needing counseling simply learn to hide the challenge they are facing until it is too late with usually disastrous results.

The counseling Pastors receive can be related to matters other than relational problems. It will also be available to leaders that need professional advice or analysis. The General Board is committed to offering resources that will result in healthy Pastors and that will make our Bishops leadership successful.

4. EVALUATIONS

First, we are going to implement a uniform process for evaluating the work of the leadership of the church. The General Board, the District leadership, the Sector Elders, and finally the local church Pastors, will pass through an evaluation process. We will begin with the General Board. The General Board will be evaluated by a group of Pastors and Bishops in the month of February of every year. The evaluation reports the Commission produces will be presented at the Joint Bishops Meeting in March of every year. A process for evaluating the work of the Bishops, Elders, and Pastors will be forthcoming.

Why are evaluations necessary? Accountability and transparency are Biblical principles and necessary for church growth.

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A DEPENDENT MISSIONAL CHURCH

Matthew 16:18-19 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

In Matthew 16:18-19 Jesus stated two important truths that every Christian leader must understand. First, in verse 18, Jesus said that He was the foundation upon which the church would be built. He is the central figure of this text. He is the Petra. This text focuses on the centrality of Christ.

Second, in verse 19, Peter, is given great authority in God’s strategy for world evangelization. In that text Peter is given the keys of the Kingdom and authority to bind and loose. This verse focuses on the importance of Apostolic leadership. Here Peter is the central figure. Essentially, Jesus said that the church would be built upon Him, He is central. And healthy Apostolic leadership would also play a crucial role in building the church. He as the foundation would be steadfast and unmovable. Peter, on the other hand, would have to be built up to realize his potential in Christ.

It did not take Peter very long to display his smallness. In the verses immediately following Peter’s revelatory declaration “thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” Peter is found rebuking Jesus for speaking to his disciples about the cross. “Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men,” was Jesus’ response to Peter’s manifest smallness. Great authority is for the mature. Yes, at that point in his life Peter was small and unstable, but he was also a necessary stone. God’s providential plan was not to make someone great out of Peter. His plan was to make Peter completely dependent on Christ. It is only in this posture that the great authority Christ invested in Peter could be released to its full potential and the church be built.

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The great truths that we must take from these verses are that the leaders of the Apostolic Assembly must always look to Jesus the builder. Dependance on Christ must be the echo that reverberates through our ministries time and again. Our dependance on Him must be total. We must go to Him constantly until we are filled with the authority of God to carry out the mission He’s given us. Our plans and strategies must never supplant the builder. They must be implemented upon a total reliance on the Holy Spirit.

CONCLUSION

It’s been said that “Fruitful people are ordinary people who focus on only a few things.” That is what we hope to do. In this address I have tried to lay out for this Joint Bishops Meeting a mental picture of how I see the church and the things we need to focus on to see that dream become a reality. I’ll end the message by outlining how I see the church.

I see the Apostolic Assembly as a healthy, growing, Spirit-filled, and Apostolic Cellular Church.

I see the Pastors and Bishops of the Apostolic Assembly as healthy men that are passionately committed, singularly focused on seeing their people grow, and their communities reached with the Apostolic message. I see the churches of the Apostolic Assembly effectively engaged in discipling their members and sending good men and women to expand the Kingdom. I see every man, woman, and young person of the Apostolic Assembly involved in small group ministry winning their generation for Christ. I see the Apostolic Assembly growing.

Solomon said, “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.” This is the focus we will try to maintain until we see the things God has intended for his church come to pass.

In Christ, Bishop Felipe A. Salazar General Pastor AAFCJ

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THE RETURN TO ANAHEIM, CONNECTING APOSTOLIC GENERATIONS!

By Pastor Ismael Martín del Campo III, Emmanuel Los Angeles Church The Anaheim Convention Center has been the site where the Apostolic Assembly has had the greatest number of its conventions. Fifteen conventions have been held there, to be exact, beginning in 1982 up to the last one held there in 2012. After eleven years the Apostolic Assembly is returning to this familiar location, to once again lift up the name of the master builder, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our purpose in returning to Anaheim should be much more than just taking a stroll down memory lane, or touring around to see what has changed, or even, maybe the temptation may come, to complain of how things were done back in the day. Psalm 102:18 gives us a spiritual purpose for the memory of the people of God: “This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.” A whole generation of Apostolics have never come to Anaheim, probably don’t see the connection between Anaheim and Convention. If we should do anything though, dear veteran convention attendee, it should be that we tell of the things we experienced and we lived, that the youth and the new members of our church may praise the Name of the Lord in the year 2023.

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The first time the Apostolic Assembly hosted a General Convention at the Anaheim Convention Center was from June 28 to July 3, 1982, that is fortyone years ago. At that time the president of the church was Bishop Baldemar Rodriguez, who was reelected that same year to lead the church for another four years. The theme of that convention was “JESUS CHRIST, the Coming One,” an affirmation of one of the key distinctive Apostolic doctrines, our shared belief in the imminent return of Jesus Christ. The convention’s theme was representative of the church’s general emphasis on preaching on the end times during that decade. The Apostolic Assembly was roughly half its size at that time, around 25,000 members in 400 churches. After this first convention in 1982, the Messengers of Peace would go on to host their National Youth Convention in Anaheim the following years, these conventions eventually were better attended than even the General Convention itself. Anaheim defined what the Convention meant for many generations; twenty percent

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of our General Conventions have been in Anaheim. Convention was held in Anaheim in the years: 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012.

Anaheim represents the shift that took place already beginning in the seventies. For the first forty years of the church’s existence, from 1925 until 1970, convention was a time when doctrine and church disciplines were debated and settled, a time when revivals would last until after midnight.

Sometimes brothers and sisters would camp or stay with hermanos and hermanas in that city, hotels typically weren’t reserved. However, as the Apostolic Assembly has grown, the professional production value has only improved our worship services, entire hotels have been set apart for the vast number of conventioneers, and we pastors have increasingly dedicated more time toward improving the general management of the church through our legislative meetings, all this to bring a greater number of people into the church. And certainly, we can say, the Lord has wrought miracles, signs, and wonders among us these last forty. Anaheim epitomizes professionalism, and the sheer number of members that the church has today.

So, as we return to this familiar location, we can experience what the Israelites must have felt when they would return to Gilgal, that place where the people of Israel lifted a monument of stones at the site where they crossed the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. We all come to gather, brothers, sisters, pastors, and bishops, to declare, Ebenezer: Thus far the Lord has helped us. Yet those stones in Gilgal, are only a prophecy to him who is the Chief Cornerstone, and we who are but the little stones joined to the Rock of Eternity. From Anaheim, an Ebenezer of the Apostolic Assembly, the Church calls out in worship to the Rock of Ages, “Build the Church!”

will be written for the “ This generation to come, That a people yet

“

to be created may praise the Lord.

Psalm 102:18

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WORKING WITH ALL DILIGENCE! 2023 GENERAL SECRETARY WORKSHOP

By Pastor Ben Pacheco, General Secretary Administrator The General Secretary Department had the honor of hosting the first-ever virtual/in-person workshop for all the District/Regional Secretaries on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, in the city of Rancho Cucamonga, CA. The theme of the workshop was “Working with All Diligence.”

The topics presented were covered in 20-minute increments and divided into six sessions. We had the privilege of having President Felipe Salazar share an opening devotional emphasizing the importance of good record-keeping.

Our General Secretary, Bishop Ismael Martín del Campo, addressed the importance of working with diligence within the guidelines of our constitutional duties. He also addressed the Constitutional requirements and administration transition of responsibilities. Pastor Ben Pacheco, the General Secretariat Administrator, shared a conference on the significance of being diligent in district records and reports. This session elaborated on good record-keeping and the consequences of improperly doing so.

Brother Carlos Banuelos spoke about updating the corporate office with district forms and keeping everyone working together.

Pastor Ismael Martin del Campo III explained how to properly take minutes for the various types of meetings that must be documented. He provided a template that each could follow to create uniformity in minute taking.

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Pastor Alex Santos shared an excellent conference on guarding our hearts, emphasizing diligence in our spiritual health. His time as the General Secretary Administrator gave him valuable insight, which he shared with the group.

Minister Gabriel Gonzalez, the Real Estate Administrator, explained the six new policies designed to help our churches in Real Estate matters. He also explained the constitutional process for loans and leases, highlighting the importance of diligence in handling all real estate matters.

Bishop Martin del Campo also explained the constitutional judgment process and the need to diligently follow it to avoid any grievances. His conference brought clarity to some of the misunderstandings that can occur.

Pastor Pacheco explained the importance of diligently protecting our church properties, members, and assets. This included the additional coverage our churches should have. We also had the privilege of having Mr. Matthew Pahde from Church Asset Management share some of the coverage recommendations for our churches, along with answering an array of questions from those in attendance.

Each session was followed up with a time for questions and answers to allow each participant to fully grasp the presented content.

There was a total of 42 attendees, including 9 District Bishops and 2 Regional Elders, and we even had one district treasurer attend. A post-workshop survey was conducted to better gauge the impact of the event. We had many outstanding reviews; here are some of them.

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“First of all, I would like to congratulate the General Secretary and his dynamic team on this arduous work to improve the district secretaries’ work and help us do it with more excellence. “ “Very useful and important information. Excellent Job!” “We are learning a lot - thanks for all the advice.”

“This event has really helped me out. I really didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing as the district secretary. But now I have clarity and feel equipped to do what is required.”

The event was so successful that by majority vote, those in attendance requested a follow-up 2-day event. This has been programmed for the month of April 2024. We are excited to see a group of motivated pastors excited to serve the church with excellence.

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WE’RE CUTTING THROUGH THE RED TAPE! 6 NEW REAL ESTATE POLICIES

By Minister Gabriel Gonzalez, Real Estate Administrator The Real Estate Department is pleased to share six new policies that have been created and implemented in order to help our churches with their real estate transactions! These policies align with our vision as a department to provide quality service and education to our pastors by improving our methods, growing our resources, and simplifying our business processes.

The General Board of Directors has reviewed and unanimously approved these policies to be added to the Real Estate Handbook. Additionally, these policies were presented to the Joint Bishops’ Meeting in September, 2023.

1.

LANDLORD LEASES AND SUBLEASES – Any landlord lease or sublease will no longer require the resolution process. Instead, Pastor’s will fill out the Lessor Agreement Form (found on our website www.aarealestate. org), which will document the details of the lease and provide the department with the renter’s proof of insurance.

This policy is designed for churches who are leasing out their space to another church or entity. Previously, a resolution was required to approve this type of arrangement. However, since this type of transaction acts as a source of income from the local church, we have waived the responsibility to acquire a resolution for approval. Instead, the pastor can provide the department with the document and proof of insurance.

2.

MONTH-TO-MONTH LEASES – these types of leases can be written contracts with the Pastor’s signature, as long as the Pastor submits a copy of the month-to-month contract to the Real Estate Department for review and approval before signing. Additionally, month-to-month leases can extend beyond 12 months, if this is the preferred leasing arrangement.

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Previously, churches could not have a written contract for month-to-month leases because of the Constitutional requirement for a General Board Member to sign the rental contract. However, due to the minimal liability and risk (less than 30 days), the General Board has agreed to allow churches to enter into month-to-month agreements, as long as the Real Estate Department reviews and verifies the agreements first.

3.

LEASE RENEWALS – for any lease renewal, meaning that the church will stay at the property of the original lease, a church will only be required to submit the updated lease agreement, proof of financial capacity, and a 1-page Lease Renewal Resolution Form indicating the will of the church to continue to lease the property. This must be submitted to the District first, and then the General Board for final approval. This simplified version of the resolution can only apply to the Lease Renewals.

The difference in this simplified version of a lease resolution and the standardized version of the lease resolution is that the simplified version requires less documentation, since the lease will be ongoing at the same location. This makes the renewal process simpler and faster to process for churches who usually have a 30-day renewal period. More information about this can be found on our website, www.aarealestate.org.

4.

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LEASES – the financial requirements for qualifying for a lease will allow a church to take on a maximum lease payment of 60% of their 2 year income history. This means that if a church averages an income of $100,000.00 over the last two years, that the maximum lease payment they can afford would be $60,000.00 annually, or $5,000.00 monthly.

This is a more feasible threshold for many churches, as the previous threshold was 50%, meaning that previously a church could not take on more than 50% of their annual income.

5.

CHURCH & PASTORAL HISTORY – previously, there was a requirement for pastors to write a letter to the General Board indicating the church’s and pastor’s personal history. However, we found this requirement to be a bit complicated and usually misunderstood. Therefore, by agreement of the General Board, this requirement was removed for all resolutions.

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6.

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LOANS & MORTGAGES – the Real Estate Department will use the Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) calculations, in compliance with lender regulations, to establish a more formal risk assessment on all loans and mortgages. This method considers both the income and expenses of a local congregation and helps us better determine a church’s eligibility to borrow money and their viability to pay off the potential loan.

Previously, the Real Estate Department only required a minimum of 65% Loanto-Value (LTV) ratio and maximum of 30% of the three year average annual income. While these calculations were in alignment with lender regulations, they missed the variable components of calculating true net income and a church’s actual risk in assuming a loan. This new method will help us to better assist churches with a comprehensive financial analysis and ensure that Pastors have a better understanding of their financial capacity to borrow money. This method also further aligns us with lender regulations on our churches.

We understand that many of these processes and transactions can be overwhelming to comprehend.

However, our team is here to assist and guide you in every real estate transaction! You can also find more resources on our website www.aarealestate. org.

You may email our team with any questions at realestate@ apostolicassembly.org or call us during business hours at 909-987-3013.

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FROM MOZAMBIQUE TO CHINA! REACHING NEW FRONTIERS

By Bishop Steve Moran, Secretary of International Missions “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the deserts and streams in the infertile land.”

Isaiah 43:19 It is with great joy that we share the “new things” that God is doing throughout the world with the focus of BUILDING THE CHURCH: MISSION. A special thanks to the Ladies Auxiliary President, Sister Georgia Vasquez and her board for the great effort made in promoting elevated giving this year. As never before we need your support as God is opening new doors throughout the world.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL MISSION FIELD:

JUNE:

In the country of Ecuador, convention was celebrated where you could see the development of the work under the leadership of Missionary Jesus and Camela Martinez. The second graduation was conducted in Guayaquil, Ecuador of the IABC in a glorious spirit where 15 received their diplomas of either Associates or Bacheller in theology. On Sunday a Friend’s Day was celebrated in the city of Balzar where the altar was filled with those that wanted to give their lives to the Lord.

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JULY:

In this month we went to Corpus Christi, Texas where 800 Dorcas came from all over the United States and the Mission field to celebrate the activity of Heart, Soul, and mind. In this same activity the 50th Anniversary of Flor Azul as celebrated. The ladies in a very distinguished manner united in the Spirit of Building the Church where many souls were brought that experienced a special encounter with the Lord. We want to thank Sister Georgia Vasquez, the National Board and the rest of the team for carrying out this activity with excellence. Our International Bishop Felipe Salazar challenged every sister to become involved in the Mission of Building the Church by means of evangelism and discipleship though small groups using the Strategy of Jesus which they accepted with enthusiasm and commitment.

In Mozambique, Africa in Mozambique, Africa a glorious pastoral congress was celebrated where 60 pastors from all over the country for a special leadership as well in the Strategy of Jesus. Before this great event we went to small village where about 20 were baptized int eh name of Jesus! At the congress the National Board of Mozambique was formally established with Bishop Sergio Comparato received the responsibility as Bishop President.

SEPTEMBER:

The Mission of Building the Church throughout the world took another step in that after much preparation both to learn the language and to obtain the residence visa, Missionary Jhonatán Coitiño and his wife Lucia were formally installed as our missionaries in the city of Munich, Germany.

Thank God for the efforts of Flor Azul and the annual walkathon, it was possible to obtain the most appropriate transportation to ride around the city by purchasing two German brand bicycles. They have already started making contacts and recently held their first Friendship Group.

Let us pray that may be the beginning of a great harvest in Germany.

In San José, Costa Rica, Presiding Bishop Fidel Sánchez, and his Board of Directors carried out a spiritual pastoral retreat together with their wives where God ministered in a direct and intimate way to the pastors, strengthening and training them through beautiful conferences given by Bishop Fernando Pérez, Presiding Bishop Simón Ortega of Panama, Sr. Teresa Moran and yours truly.

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OCTOBER:

In the Caribbean region, what was the XIV convention was held in the Dominican Republic where about 500 brothers attended in a beautiful spiritual family atmosphere full of the glory of God. The focus was on Building the Church throughout all the provinces of the Dominican Republic.

In 1979, through a visit to Pakistan by Bishop Daniel Jauhall and Bishop Adán López, the beginnings of the work were established there. For different reasons, contact with our brothers was lost until Evangelist José Almaraz was recently commissioned to look for President Bishop Gil, and was able to achieve that contact, thank God! Having reconnected with our brothers, a seminar was organized where about 250 pastors, most of them Trinitarians, attended to receive the teachings of oneness through Bishop Joe Prado, Bishop Andy López, Evangelist José Almaraz, Minister John Gil and yours truly. We also had outdoor services where more than 500 people attended each night. To the glory of God, on Sunday a great harvest of 41 baptisms was celebrated, 40 filled with the Holy Spirit, Glory to God! During the services there were at least 92 healings, in the effort to continue building the church throughout the world. Pakistan for Christ and Christ for Pakistan.

At the end of the month a glorious convention was held in Argentina recognizing the history of the work from its beginning 70 years ago in the Luna Park coliseum with a capacity of 6,000. Brothers came from all over for this special celebration. This was an electoral convention where Presiding Bishop Alberto Ahrens was re-elected.

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SPECIAL PROJECTS: ORPHANAGE/SCHOOL IN KENYA:

We thank God for everyone who has joined us in this project regarding the construction of this orphanage and school. Since the water has now been connected, we are hoping that we will be able to make more progress.

Once again, we invite you to be a donor in making this project a reality. We need just 250 people who can donate $1000 and we can have it built by the end of this year. Please help us reach this historic goal!

In Europe we had a successful zoom meeting with a Pastor from Hungary who wishes to be under the covering of the Apostolic Assembly. Pray that God puts everything in order.

We have a possibility to work in the Philippines through the family of Joe Villareal who began with his family to build a house, where he has held services.

God performed miracles in healing a dead hand of a man and revived him.

Furthermore, one who had tuberculosis was healed. They brought coverings which all the women wore with great joy.

In South Africa it has already been projected to be able to celebrate the inauguration in the month of February 2024.

In Japan, Evangelist Serrato has gone to explore the possibility of setting up a work. We have some contacts already so pray that it becomes a reality to establish a place to share the Apostolic Message.

In India, we thank God that Bishop Sion was saved from death, who suffered a very serious accident where the angel of the Lord protected him. Let us pray for a complete recovery. In the face of the entire church, it continues to expand throughout the country.

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In Thailand, Missionary Montree is about to go to China to minister to 30 pastors who have received the revelation of baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Pray that we have our first baptisms in China!

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, it was possible to buy land for only $1,500. It continues to grow throughout the country now from 100 to more than 200 works.

A special thank you to our Regional Supervisors for their work of excellence: Bishop Víctor Prado of North America, Bishop John Mark Almaraz of the Caribbean, Bishop Fernando Pérez of the Central, Bishop Rubén Kisiel of the Southern Cone, Bishop Joe Aguilar of Europe, Bishop Joe Prado of Asia, and Bishop Duncan Ndegwa of Africa. There is a great move of God in evangelization and forgiveness through the Strategy of Jesus.

We would like to thank National President Georgia Vasquez, Dr. Ruth Crutchfield and Sister Rebeca De Leon for promoting the Flor Azul project with great care. We send a heartfelt thank you from the mission field to every child, intermediate, youth, male, and female, Pastor and the churches that have worked so hard to reach this 3 million goal!

2023 MEXICO CONVENTION ARENA COLISEO, UNIVERSIDAD DE GUADALAJARA

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2023 ARGENTINA CONVENTION LUNA PARK COLISEUM

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THE FIELDS ARE PLENTIFUL! SCHOOL OF PLANTERS

By Bishop Francisco Quezada, Secretary of National Missions Praise the Lord!

I thank God for this opportunity to present this report on the School of Planters. The event took place in Fontana, CA, on September 21, 22 and 23 of this year.

Where 37 ministers attended, willing to plant new works in our country.

It is a privilege to serve alongside such a special team of teachers and collaborators. Coordinating the event was Elder Jonathan Quezada, and Minister Christian González, who collaborated in the administrative tasks.

The teachers who taught were Bishop Armando Tamez, Bishop Elías Páez, Bishop David Martínez, Pastor Jimmy Morales, Pastor Silas Girón, Elder Carlos Orona and Pastor Israel Carlos.

The classes taught were the following: · Strategy of Jesus for Planters · World Cellular Movement. · Natural Development of the Church. · The Birth of Churches. · A Church with Purpose. · Spiritual Warfare. · Spiritual Authority. · Future Corporate and Constitutional Responsibilities. · How to Plant a Cell-Work? · The ABC’s starting a Cell Church. · Personal Evangelism. “How to Form the Character of an Evangelist.” · The Ideal Help · The Wife as Intercessor

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Based on the 2023 theme: “BUILD THE CHURCH: MISSION” Matthew 16:18, we present the Mission Statement: “The Department of National Missions is committed to bringing the good news to all states, where there is no presence of the Assembly Apostolic in the United States. Also, in supervising the Regions under his charge and establishing new works, through the vision of The Strategy of Jesus.”

The School of Planters is under the vision of our President Felipe Salazar, for the growth of the Apostolic Assembly. We work in collaboration with the National Strategy of Jesus Committee. The purpose is: The Planting of 300 new works in the nation, in the next 4 years. We can reach 1000 churches and works, with the help of God and the support of each District and Region. The purpose is that each District or Region sends at least 2 ministers; with the approval and blessing of the Bishops and Pastors. With the understanding that, upon graduating from the School of Planters, they will be willing to go out to plant new works, in their Districts or Regions.

The new planters will be given mentorship, starting on October 31, 2023.

The purpose is to provide a follow-up, advise, teach, and support the work of the planters. The mentors will be the teachers who participated in the School of Planters. This mentorship will be carried out monthly.

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INSPIRING TOMORROW’S LEADERS INTERNATIONAL APOSTOLIC BIBLE COLLEGE Dr. Janae E. Quezada, IABC Dean The International Apostolic Bible College under the leadership of Bishop Secretary Armando Tamez along with the team of Administrators, Dean, and Bible College Directors, are working arduously to form an Apostolic Academic Culture at each campus. A learning culture that holds the Doctrine of Christ as the center of all that it does and teaches. A learning culture that holds the mission as the objected learning outcome of every course/event. Lastly, a learning culture that values prayer and discipline.

We are grateful to report that in the year 2023, the International Apostolic Bible College celebrated 23 campus graduations throughout the United States of America with a total of 623 graduates. Internationally, we celebrated 6 graduations with 302 graduates in total.

Each graduation is a reminder of students that have sacrificed and worked hard to pursue their education while working, raising families, and serving in their local churches. Most importantly, it is a reminder of students who have dedicated the last two or four years to growing spiritually, in the Apostolic Doctrine, and to be able to use their education for the kingdom of God. We congratulate each and every graduate as well as their families who made adjustments, and sacrifices of time or finances. These celebrations were for you all as well. We are thankful to all of the IABC Campus staff of administrators, treasurers, secretaries and instructors who poured into every student and for all of their hard work in ensuring that each student grows and succeeds in their academic journey to be better prepared for the good works the Lord has commissioned us all to accomplish.

As a department, we pray that all that these students have learned will now be used to bless their homes, their ministries, their local churches and communities.

Learning does not end with these graduation ceremonies. Growth does not end here, and serving does not end here. These diplomas are simply a symbol of the beginning of what you will do for the kingdom of God and for His mission. We truly believe that this achievement is for a purpose far greater than themselves, it is for the mission of Christ. Just as the scripture reminds us; “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,

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for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

II Timothy 3:16-17

It is the Word of God that corrects us, instructs us and teaches us what is necessary in order to be “complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This confirms that education must lead to action, and action that is good and profitable for the Kingdom of God. It is the goal for all students who pass through the IABC programs not only study the Word, but are convicted, and challenged to put their education to use for His Mission and to expand His kingdom.

Congratulations once again to all of the graduates of 2023 and to each IABC campus for these victories. Please help us pray for each of them to continue their learning endeavors and most importantly, to begin putting their education into action. *If you or anyone you know is interested in pursuing your Associates of Theological Studies or Bachelors of Theological Studies through the International Apostolic Bible College. Please contact the Christian Education Department for more information or visit our website at www.apostoliceducation.com.

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BUILDING THE CHURCH WITH VISIONARY LEADERSHIP

JOINT BISHOPS’ MEETING: SEPTEMBER 2023

By Bishop Ismael Martín del Campo, General Secretary Vision and Leadership were the focal points for this past Joint Bishops Meeting. The General Board hosted the Joint Bishops Meeting in the city of Pomona, California, from Tuesday, September 12, to Thursday, September 14. The Joint Bishops Meeting is scheduled twice a year and the General Board, the District Bishops, the Regional Bishops, and the Presidents of the National Apostolic Assemblies abroad gather to pray, to study the Word of God, for training and to make decisions for the good of the church. Meetings are scheduled in the months of March and September. The September meeting typically focuses on studying proposals that affect the Constitution and to present and approve the Apostolic Assembly’s budget.

On this occasion, the wives of the bishops were also invited and were given conferences by Sister Rose Salazar, the First Lady, and the rest of the wives of the General Board Members. The sisters were greatly edified with several conferences and activities. The wives, like the bishops, were assigned a mentor from the General Board, and would sit with their mentors at lunch time for edification and fellowship.

“IF YOUR PRESENCE DOES NOT GO WITH ME” Tuesday, September 14

The meeting began early on Tuesday with Bishop Armando Tamez leading the bishops in prayer. Bishop Jose Gutierrez grounded the day’s meeting with a message based on Exodus 33:15, calling the meeting to guard and seek above all things the Presence of God. President Felipe Salazar received the message on behalf of the meeting, mentioning that the Law represents death, but like

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with Moses on Sinai, the Law and the God of Grace produces life. Several administrative issues were presented that day. Bishop Andy Provencio, the General Treasurer, presented the 2024 budget of the Apostolic Assembly and its departments. After discussion, the bishops unanimously approved it.

Bishop Ismael Martin del Campo, the General Secretary, presented the 2024 Calendar and the new 2023 edition of the Real Estate Manual. The Bishop and later the President emphasized that the 2024 calendar incorporated the Jesus Strategy cycles to focus the churches on the task of building the church.

FOCUSED 360 DEGREES LEADERSHIP Wednesday, September 15

On Wednesday Bishop Steve Moran led the meeting in prayer, that morning the Bishops were joined by their wives to hear the Presidential Message.

The General Pastor addressed the meeting. With the new District Bishops present and several new national Presidents as well, President Salazar cast his vision: “An Apostolic, cellular, growing, healthy church full of the Holy Spirit.” He introduced the several measures his administration was initiating to support this vision. Additionally, he called the leaders of our Assembly to foster healthy churches and that the General Board would also be supporting them in expanding the church’s vision. To this end, he introduced the focus for Wednesday which was training on 360 degree leadership. Bishops

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Omar Arzate, Misael Gurrola, Mario Mata and Samuel Rojas, gave in-depth conferences, respectively, on leading upward, leading horizontally, leading downward and leading in the middle. This day of leadership instruction culminated with a conference from Bishop Daniel Sanchez, a former president of Apostolic Assembly. He preached a biblically rich message entitled “Oh Man of God,” inspired in 1 Timothy 6:11-13, where he expounded the meanings in the New Testament of a Bishop, Pastor and Elder. Afterwards, the bishops engaged in discussion on several other pertinent church matters.

“HOW CAN WE RAISE ARCHIPPUS?” Thursday, September 16

The bishops gathered the last day and were led in prayer by Bishop Francisco Quezada. Bishop Benjamin Andrade was invited to deliver the Word of God that day and his message was based on the New Testament Christian Archippus. He identified how Archippus was a strong believer in Philippians 2 but is being exhorted in Colossians 4:17 by the Apostle Paul. The Bishop noted that Paul focused his leadership on persons and on ministries, and

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for this reason Paul personally involved himself with his letter in the life of Archippus. Afterwards, Bishop Martin del Campo presented the Growth Track metric by which all pastors are reporting how many people were baptized, month to month. He reported 1,857 baptisms for the year 2023 from the districts that had reported, and that 1,953 baptisms were left to reach the 7% growth goal established by the President. Bishops Moran, Quezada, Tamez and Rojas gave presentations on behalf of their departments. Finally the day ended with reports from two commissions: The English Commission and the Ministries of Women Commission. The wives of the bishops joined the bishops for the last report.

After the conclusion of the meeting the General Board hosted an outdoor banquet for the bishops and their wives. This was a blessed time of fellowship for the bishops and their wives. Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez delivered the keynote speech and recounted how the Lord had healed miraculously. The next meeting will be held in March but agreement behind the vision could be heard from the bishops individually and throughout the whole program of the meeting.

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UNTIL THE WHOLE WORD HEARS! ABBA - VIDEO PRODUCTION STUDIO We are so honored and grateful to God and our General Board for taking a step of faith in opening the Apostolic Biblical Broadcast Association (ABBA).

In a day and age when a strong online presence is no longer a luxury but a necessity, we are proud to say that in 2023 we have been able to step up and meet that need by introducing our beautiful Apostolic Organization to the global internet platform.

With Brother Dominic Moschetti as the Video Production Manager and Brother Caesar Perez as the AV Production Coordinator, in less than one year, the ABBA Production Studio has gone from a simple vision to a bustling and essential part of our efforts to propagate the Apostolic message! For years our brethren have had to seek online anointed leadership content elsewhere, or have been left to wonder, “What exactly does our Apostolic Assembly do?”

Now, with shows like The Access and LeaderShift, we have been able to produce content for the edification of the body of Christ through an Apostolic lens and provide never-before-seen access to some of the inner workings of the Assembly as well as many of our different leaders and ministries! With the promotional content for the General Board and the National Auxiliaries in the hands of ABBA Production Studio, it has been a very busy year!

We are proud to have added Sister Christi Perez as our Account Executive to help the team continue producing more amazing content!

As we look to 2024, we are excited to not only have new interviews to air, but also new shows to present! There will be something for everyone so stay tuned and keep us in your prayers. You can find millions of religious and inspiring videos online, but there is nothing like anointed Apostolic content made for Apostolics, by Apostolics!

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THE HOPE OF A HELPING HAND!

THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

By Bishop Samuel Rojas, Secretary of Social Assistance

DSA COMMITTEE

At our September 2023 Joint Bishops’ meeting, we introduced our Department of Social Assistance Committee. We thank these men and women for their commitment to these important ministries.

As the department moves forward, we will be adding a few additional ministries that will serve all our Apostolic families. The mission of the department is clear: Be a helping hand to the orphans, widows and those that are in need!

SIS. EDNA ROJAS, GLENDALE, AZ: Embracing Hope International, Fierce Little Hearts, Widows Oil, Extending a Hand to Orphans PASTOR ALEX SANTOS, PORTLAND, OR: Emmaus Ministry, Man to Man Ministry PASTOR MARTIN CALDERON, RIVERSIDE, CA: Multimedia, Promotions, Open Hands Relief, NADM (National Apostolic Deaf Ministry) EVANGELIST ISMAEL MONTOYA, COSTA MESA, CA: Christian Brigades, Scholarship Program SIS. SARAHI MONTOYA, COSTA MESA, CA: Christian Brigades, Scholarship Program DR. JOEL DOMINGUEZ, FONTANA, CA: The Bridge Counseling Program EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CALEB GONZALEZ, PASADENA, CA: Retired Pastors Assistance, Widow’s assistance, General Assistance

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DEAF MINISTRY

We want to thank Minister Joe and Sister Priscilla Lopez for accepting our invitation to continue as our national deaf ministry coordinators (NADM) National Apostolic Deaf Ministry). Our first conference was held on September 8-9, 2023, at Riverside Apostolic Church in California. Many of our hearing-impaired brothers and sisters participated and the conference was a great success! Please visit our DSA booth at the upcoming MOP National Conference in Anaheim, CA (November 22-26, 2023). If you are interested in being part of this ministry, please contact Minister Joe and Sister Priscilla Lopez.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Department of Social Assistance would like to thank Minister Manny and Sister Tamara Pulido for their outstanding work as scholarship coordinators the last few years. We sincerely appreciate their efforts and coordination of this beautiful program. We are excited to announce our new coordinators for the 2022-2026 administration period, Evangelist Ismael and Sister Sarahi Montoya. We look forward to continuing this important program under the direction of the DSA. The program continues for graduate, undergraduate and vocational students. We want to thank all our applicants that mailed in their application on time. We are currently processing applications.

Scholarship winners will be announced at the convention on November 24, 2023 in Anaheim, CA.

BRIDGE COUNSELING PROGRAM

The DSA believes that every pastor and his family should function in a state of good spiritual, emotional and physical health. We know that pastors and their families are under much stress and need an occasional outlet or simply Praise the Lord! We pray that you and your family are doing well together with your family. The purpose of this letter is to inform you that our president Felipe Salazar and the general board are organizing a relief effort for our brethren in Guerrero, Mexico. As you know, the area has recently suffered much damage and disaster due to hurricane Otis last week. We are asking every church to donate so we can coordinate relief supplies, food, and other items to be sent to the area churches that were affected by this disaster. You can send the funds to: We sincerely thank you for your contribution to this relief effort. It is during these moments when the body of Christ joins together, and we help those in need. May God bless you and the church you lead abundantly.

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just time for someone to counsel them or hear their concerns from a biblical and phycological perspective. The Apostolic Assembly, under the direction of our President Felipe A. Salazar and the General Board of Directors knows that when a pastor and his family are healthy, they will be more effective in ministry and calling. This ministry, under the direction of Dr. Joel Dominguez made its presentation to the JBM on September 14, 2023, and was approved by the General Board to begin helping any pastor or his family that needs help or counsel. The program is fully functional as of September 2023 and is now open to receive calls from our pastors, pastors’ wives, or pastors’ children.

Important Note: This is a fully CONFIDENTIAL program that will guard the privacy of every pastoral family under Dr. Dominguez’ professional care.

EMBRACING HOPE

Our Embracing Hope team under the mentorship of Sister Edna Rojas and the direction of Sister Belinda Escobedo, Sister Dee Correa, Sister Cynthia Guzman and Sister Josefa Rivas continues to bless thousands of people internationally and around the world. We thank every district bishop and district coordinator for their efforts in promoting, funding, and praying over this important ministry. We know that many friends and family that are currently battling terminal illnesses have felt God’s strength and peace during their process. We invite you to tune in every Saturday to our Facebook Live program at Abrazando Esperanza Internacional at 4:00PM (Pacific Time) to hear the powerful testimonies of God’s healing and restoration! Please keep this ministry in your prayers as we serve our church and communities!

IN LOVING MEMORY

Below is the list of our brethren that have gone to be with the Lord and now rest of their labor. We honor the lives of these men and women, who faithfully served and finished their race well. May God strengthen every family during this difficult time. Our sincere condolences to all the families and churches affected by the loss of these great leaders.

OMAR SALAZAR, GILBERT BALDERAS SR., ELVIRA CONTRERAS, CARMEN CASTILLO, ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ,

RALEIGH, NC CUTLER, CA SAN DIEGO, CA SAN JOSE, CA LOS ANGELES, CA

To honor the memory of a beloved Pastor or Pastor’s Wife, please contact The Department of Social Assistance of the Apostolic Assembly.

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NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE 2023 IS AROUND THE CORNER: LET’S BUILD TOGETHER!

By Dr. Oswaldo Moreno, National Messengers of Peace President After months of preparation, we are excited for our upcoming National Youth Conference 2023 in Anaheim, California. We are excited for this year’s conference with the theme of Building Together. As we unite with the vision of our Bishop President, we believe every member, especially our Messengers of Peace, plays a critical role in being missional and building the church. Our morning sessions are aimed to equip our Messengers of Peace, parents (mothers and fathers), ministers, and pastors in innovative ways to build the church together. Saturday’s morning sessions will also include innovative and tailored ways to build our apostolic youth for the Kingdom of God. Additionally, our evening worship celebrations will highlight how the Messengers of Peace unites with the General Board of our beloved Apostolic Assembly by having MOP Board members and General Board members speak at our evening service.

With limited seating of 7,000 seats in our arena and record-breaking hotel room blocks, we remind every attendee to register now for this event. Every member who will be taking a seat in our arena will be asked to register for $40. Children and junior programs will have a separate program. Given the limited seating, we are excited to have our evening worship service with a full 360 experience via a center stage. The time is now to register and secure your attendance for this historic event.

We believe November 23-25, 2023, will be a historic time for our Apostolic Assembly and our National Messengers of Peace, as we will unite together – from one generation to another – being missional and Building Together the Kingdom of God. Keep us in prayer and come expecting a powerful move of God. Most importantly, let’s all unite to build the church together.

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AN AWAKENING OF IMPACT!

By Minister Michael Garcia, National Men’s President MEN OF IMPACT, this is not just a name for a conference, nor was it a phrase coined so it would sound catchy. Men of Impact is a prophetic declaration for every Apostolic Man that spans all generations of men within the Apostolic Assembly. Like every prophetic utterance that has ever been spoken, the power of this prophetic phrase brings about an awakening in the Apostolic Man who embraces and receives this word to rise to the stature of the Man required to truly make an Impact. Every man is a leader.

The Impact that is caused by such a man reverberates through every area and every person that he comes into contact with: his marriage, his family, his coworkers, his neighbors, his friendship group, his church, his community, and his country.

For this reason, the National Apostolic Men’s Ministry carries out a conference designed and suited to minister specifically to every man. The Men of Impact Conference stirs, awakens, provokes, empowers, and encourages every man to lead.

This year, by the grace of God, we were able to hold two Men of Impact Conferences: Dallas, Texas, and Union City, California. Both of these conferences were a huge blessing to the hundreds of men who attended.

Without a doubt, they went back to their homes, ready to make an impact.

We are ending the year with a powerful Men’s Conference at our National Convention in Anaheim on Friday, November 24, at 8:00 AM. We invite every Apostolic Man to come and be a part of this impactful event.

“E v e r y M a n i s a L e a d e r.”

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For 2024 we are having three Men of Impact Conferences.

Men of Impact LEAD Conference - February 22-24 Dallas, Texas Men of Impact East Coast Conference - May 23-25 Men of Impact West Coast Conference - October 3-5 Come and be a part of the impactful movement amongst our Apostolic Men that is happening now.

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THE ROAD TO

$3 MILLION!

By Sister Georgia Vasquez, National Dorcas President Praise the Lord fellow co-laborers of the Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus!

It is with great humility and respect that we share some insights regarding the exciting work the Ladies Auxiliary has witnessed in the past few months despite the transition and newness that surrounds us. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the “Flor Azul” project and many celebrations have already occurred within our 26 districts. We take this moment to honor sis. Lita Alvarez whom in her desire to make a difference in the life of one missionary, inadvertently laid the groundwork for a fully functioning fund for international missions!

The Confederation Board launched the 50th anniversary campaign during our 2023 Leadership Summit which happened in January and that has served as a central theme for this year’s fundraising efforts. We were very excited to model a “blue carpet” event where the work of our predecessors continues to be honored. It is crucial to acknowledge beautiful women in honorary Confederation seasons for they have built a foundation and set the pace for past and current and future impactful kingdom work. Their dedication and commitment have had devastating effects to the kingdom of darkness and has facilitated global missionary work by promoting and expanding the Flor Azul project. This expansion, which is salvific in nature, has literally been a resource by which thousands of people have come to Christ and have made their profession of faith by receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit and by public declaration of faith through water baptism in the precious name of Jesus!

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This year is quite an interesting one as we have many newly elected General Board members, Bishops, and Federation Leaders. District convention celebrations concluded with the swearing in of Federation leaders who were re-elected or were newly elected and are now in the process of defining their new leadership role. Our honorary federation leaders are starting new and exciting ministry journeys and transition continues. However, one thing we have learned to do during transitional phases of leadership is to keep things moving!

In the first chapter of the book of Acts, we find Luke the physician telling Theophilus all that Jesus did and all he taught during his post resurrection appearances. Interesting point to note is that the Great Commission, was given during one such appearance in where Jesus was giving final instructions to his disciples before being glorified. In other words, Jesus continued to lead and kept things moving during that transitional phase of His earthly ministry. In keeping things moving, The Dorcas Confederation Board meets

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through virtual means with the Federation leaders on a monthly basis and often during the week through social media platforms. We share our goals, concerns, our victories, our joys and also our prayer requests during our monthly meetings. We gather Monday through Friday through social media to pray for our leaders and our missionaries worldwide. Other times, the Confederation Board takes on a pedagogical approach to teach our Federation co-laborers biblical leadership principles. Why must we mention this? Because fundraising endeavors do not happen in a vacuum.

There is a relational component to fundraising for the Flor Azul project that this current administration and the previous one sought and continues to seek and develop. Apostolic Assembly Dorcas care about being aligned with the Great Commission and the Building of the Church. Before we present a plan of action for fundraising, we want to ensure there is a relational basis platform from where we can operate, and we do so under delegated spiritual authority. We will not always carry the distinctive titles bestowed upon us by the grace of God made known through the women’s votes; however, our relationship as the body of Christ, as mothers, mentors, sisters, aunts, and friends will remain long after our terms end. It is in this environment that a culture of respect and generosity is fomented and perpetuated. The evidence is in the beautiful relationships that have been established and

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enjoyed and as a bonus, we witness elevated financial results. The “Dollar a Day for Missions” burden that honorary International Missions Secretary, Bishop Andy Provencio experienced is now our own. However, in 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the newly elected Confederation Board challenged the ladies to elevate their giving to $2 a day. The challenge was accepted then and continues to be accepted now! I must say, there are complete families, including messengers of peace that also participate in sowing a seed and the return for our brethren has been nothing short of miraculous!

Our 26 districts, our national Dorcas ministries and some national mission fields in the United States have worked arduously and prayerfully to raise funds in diverse and creative ways because the vision to Build the Church must continue to advance. That means we hold rummage sales, virtual purse auctions, food sales, family fun picnic fundraisers, our district services, and our annual Flor Azul Walkathon. Even after experiencing a global pandemic, the Dorcas have stayed the course, have pushed through and three years later, we have witnessed record breaking numbers! Last year the goal was $2.500,000. However, upon taking the $2 a day challenge, we surpassed our goal by raising an unprecedented $2,630 808.32! This year, our goal is $3,000.000 and we look forward to celebrating God’s faithfulness collaboratively. We declare that the Dorcas continue to be strong and fruitful.

“Be ye strong therefore and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.”

2 Chronicles 15:7 (KJV)

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MEET THE NEW DISTRICT BISHOPS 2023 has been a transitional year for many of our districts. We congratulate all the newly elected District Bishop Supervisors, and we pray God’s blessings over their administration.

District Arizona Central East Coast Central Texas Great Lakes Los Angeles Mid America Midwest New Mexico North East Coast North Central CA Northern Golden Valley Oregon South Texas Southern CA Washington State West Texas

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Bishop Taking of Office Bishop Eduardo Iglesias May 6, 2023 Bishop Celso Franco July 8, 2023 Bishop Faustino Garza September 2, 2023 Bishop Daniel Jimenez July 8, 2023 Bishop Misael Gurrola May 6, 2023 Bishop Jaime Haro August 12, 2023 Bishop Roberto Flores June 24, 2023 Bishop Matthew Garcia May 27, 2023 Bishop Eliseo Lopez August 26, 2023 Bishop Moises Ruiz July 15, 2023 Bishop Abner Arias August 26, 2023 Bishop Moises Carrillo July 29, 2023 Bishop Rogelio Anzaldua Jr. August 12, 2023 Bishop Mario Alas April 22, 2023 Bishop Jaime Gonzalez July 8, 2023 Bishop Jorge Marioni August 12, 2023

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CHURCH BUILDING MIRACLE

By Pastor Israel Carlos Fountain of Life Church was founded on October 31, 1999, by Pastor Israel Carlos and three families. Over the years Fountain of Life has grown to over 350 members.

Although, the church grew numerically, we always lacked having our own church building. We rented for over 23 years and moved from church building to church building, usually a store front commercial building. For many years we paid $7000.00 in rent on our previous building, all the while seeking to have a place to call our own.

Over the years we began to save money for a church building, doing fundraisers and pro templo pledges.

Eventually, we were able to save $730,000 and deposited $307,000 into Apostolic Mutual where we were able to receive good interest profit.

In June of 2023, a church property became available in Moreno Valley which is very rare for our city. The asking price was almost 3.4 million dollars. The church began to pray for this property.

There was an overwhelming response of other pastors interested in this property.

But the sellers decided to sell it through an auction (probably to get more money). At this point it became an all cash only offer. The pastor inquired about this property, and he was told only serious offers and that it was expected to be sold for over 1.4 million plus a 5% auction fee, which had to be paid within a month after the sale of the building. We only had $730,000, nevertheless the church went by faith. The pastor applied for an Apostolic Mutual Loan and was approved for $250,000. That took us to $950,000 available for the bidding in the auction.

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From 24 years of leasing to a promise realized Fountain of Life Apostolic Church Moreno Valley, California

The pastor registered by faith for the bidding with the intent of bidding a million dollars for the property, even though we were short even for that by $20,000 plus the 5% fee. It was difficult to get the approval to bid but with the help of God and Bishop Martin del Campo, the General Board was gracious to approve to bid a million dollars, understanding that it was very, very long shot opportunity to be able to win the bid. After four long days of bidding, the last half hour was intense. The church representative was bidding, and the pastor was at the church praying and members praying wherever they were. Another bidder eventually put a bid for $850,000, we put a bid for $900,000, someone else put a bid for $950,000 and in the last few minutes we put a bid for $1 million. To our surprise we were the last and highest bidders, it was a miracle! We got the building for one million dollars, saving more than $400,000. The pastor raised the other $70,000 in one month and we paid it off! We thank Pastor Eddie Campa of Apostolic Mutual and his very professional and helpful staff for all the guidance and walking us through the process. We are so happy with our church building and we give all glory to God!

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