I love a new calendar. The empty date boxes are just waiting for us to complete them with opportunities, events and special occasions. The blank spaces will be filled with meetings, appointments and schedules, also. Opportunities and Responsibilities fill our everyday lives. Some bring joy (birthdays, anniversaries, parties, graduations, family reunions) while others bring apprehension (doctor/dental appointments, school tests, meetings).

LIFE. 

Life happens. With the fun, come the facts. We always have a choice in how we view each day. Some people wake up and cheerfully say, “Good morning, Lord!” while others arise grumpily proclaiming, “Good Lord, it’s morning!” 

We have a great opportunity to live with this determination: “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Even when we are faced with difficult decisions, consequences not of our doing and problematic happenings, we can know God is with us. Just as we celebrated “Emmanuel” and Christmas last month, we can accept and be grateful for “God with us” and “Christ in us,” the hope of glory.

ARISE 2033.

The IPHC has designated the year 2033, which is the 2000th anniversary of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, God’s Only Son, as the year for us to have an IPHC presence (church, house church, satellite church, prayer group, Bible study) in 75% of all USA counties. For New Horizons Ministries, because we have churches in 4 states (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri & Oklahoma), and we share those states with other IPHC Conferences, we will look at the eastern Oklahoma counties and the Arkansas, Kansas & Missouri counties adjacent to the counties in which we presently have churches.

GO & TELL!

Using the directive approved at the 2018 NHM Quadrennial Conference, the NHM Executive Council secured the services and leadership of Rev. Josh Hannah, IPHC Healthy, Growing, Multiplying (HGM) Churches National Director for the past 2 years to assist all NHM churches in efforts to focus on “GO & TELL” and to equip our pastors and church leaders to work with our churches to become healthy, growing, multiplying churches reaching the lost and discipling the saints. In 2019 & 2020, we had two focus groups of NHM churches involved in this effort. On an average, those churches experienced 38% attendance and membership growth. This is great news for the Kingdom of God and NHM. In 2021, we will have our next group of churches and pastors involved using our NHM trained leaders.

This year will be a busy and involved one for NHM, for the IPHC, for the Kingdom of God, and for our world. May the year 2021 be a year of clear vision for NHM as we determine to reach our communities for Christ and produce healthy, growing, multiplying churches.