General Superintendent
Max Edwards
September 10, 2024
As you know, over these last few months I’ve been writing about the core values of the local church that we see evidently displayed in the early pages of the book of Acts. The earliest believers in the Lordship and resurrection of Christ were truly transformed persons that stood out in sharp contrast to the hedonistic world around them.
Over the last six weeks, Judy and I have been in the company of lots of folks who very much want to model themselves after those early disciples. We’ve been in three of our five Global Conferences just in the last month-and-a-half.
Six weeks ago we were in Mexico, worshipping with our EMC family from all across northern Mexico. One service we were blessed to be a part of had us singing worship songs in 4 different languages. It was heavenly!! Our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters came together with specific goals in mind, which were to strengthen and encourage one another, and to glorify the name of Jesus Christ. The presence of the Holy Spirit was evident, and the fellowship was sweet. La presencia del Espíritu Santo era evidente y la comunión dulce! We witnessed the core values of connecting, study, and worship.
Four weeks ago we were in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, meeting with our precious partners who are passionate about spreading the Gospel across the Southern reaches of the African continent. The joy of the Lord was so present among these folks who live a much more simple life than we do, often full of hardships. The values of ministry, evangelism, and worship were apparent, and we were there to celebrate the launching of a school of ministry that will forward the value of spiritual growth. The predominant language there is “iXohsa,” but we didn’t have to understand the words to feel the work of God among His precious peopole.
And then one week ago, we were in Canada with our CFAN brothers and sisters, on the culminating day of a youth camp that saw young people being baptized and sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit. The excitement was palpable, the music was upbeat, and the love was evident.
Over the next month, I’ll write a specific report about each of our five global conferences, with some stories to share from these last visits. We have some of the most sincere and precious people in our partner churches across the world, and sharing some recent experiences will be a great joy!
Have a great week! And may the Lord use each and every one of you to reflect the Love of Jesus to the people whom HE will place in your pathway.