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Message
From The President: Steven L.
Armstrong 
We stand at the door of a new year in
this 21st Century and a new quadrennium in
African Methodism. There is something special about the
concept of “newness”. It is synonymous with
redesigned, refreshing, regenerating, renewing, restoring
and reviving. When I think of the “newness” of
this year and quadrennium in African Methodism, I think of
something that should be fresh, modern,
uncontaminated, unique, unspoiled, untouched, untried,
untrodden and unconventional. This New Year
transition, is a time when people are encouraged with a “new
slate” beginning. They are excited and often times motivated
about the idea of achieving goals they were unable to
accomplish the year before.
Year after year, people all over the world
resolve to change negative habits, improve negative economic
situations, get out of negative relationships, escape from
negative work environments, loose weight, and etc…. Year
after year, people all over the world fail in their
resolutions. WHY??!! The answer is quite simple.
Before ANY positive change comes about externally, it
must first begin internally. The true desire for positive
change must be rooted in the heart. One can not merely set
their mind for change. Once change is rooted in the heart,
it can then be processed in the mind, and then carried out
by the body through actions and attitude. It is that
heartfelt desire for a new thing, which transforms our minds
to a new level of thought and consciousness. Until that
takes place, nothing will ever change. That is why Paul
admonishes us that it is not enough just to confess with our
mouths that Jesus is Lord. The book called Romans tells us
that we must believe in our hearts that God raised Him from
the dead. Then, we must not only have a heart to change, but
possess the heart for change. I have experienced that many
people want change, but lack the heart (courage) to bring
about that change. Real change doesn’t come about easily, or
without a price.
As we go forward in ministry this new year and
quadrennium, let’s consider John the Baptist as a model.
John possessed the qualities of courage, conviction and
passion. The 3rd chapter of Luke outlines his
ministry. John was described thusly:
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough ways smooth;
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
This New Year and quadrennium, we need to be
that voice in the wilderness, crying out in opposition to
the injustices and inequities in our communities and places
of worship. We, in the body of Christ, must possess the
wherewithal to call a “spade” a “spade” and a “demon” a
“demon”. With the boldness of the Holy Spirit, John referred
to the so called leaders of the day as a “brood of vipers”,
all the while continuing on his mission. We must be the
voice, crying in the wilderness, even if it falls on deaf or
non accepting ears. We must, and we will.
John also models for us that we should be more
concerned with our mission, versus our image. John really
didn’t invest a lot of time in worrying about what people
thought or spoke about him. He was strictly concerned about
ministry, and he dared to be different. John lived in the
wilderness, he ate locust and wild honey, and he wore camel
hair clothes. John wasn’t “mainstream”, he broke from the
cultures, institutions and traditions of the times. He
hadn’t “sold out” for the status quo, so to speak. And the
Bible makes reference that people came from all over
Jerusalem and Judea to be baptized. John focused on the
mission; he didn’t focus on his image in the sight of man.
And guess what?! He still got results!!! As we move forward
in Lay ministry, let’s not focus on what others may or may
not say about us and our ministry. It really isn’t
important. Everyone will not appreciate what we are trying
to accomplish. John was a very polarizing personality, as
was Jesus Christ. You were either attracted to him, or
repelled by him! Some will…some won’t… so what…The bottom
line is that we must stay focused on our mission, monitor
the results, and change as required. We must, and we will.
And finally, John demonstrates to us, that our
convictions must be stronger than our critics. In the 3rd
chapter of Matthew, John the Baptist confronts his critics.
The Pharisees and Sadducees have come to disrupt the
program. Perhaps they came to try and discredit John, or
possibly try and intimidate him by their presence. But John
didn’t buckle; he stayed true to his purpose, and preached a
message of repentance to them as well. Critics will surface
from within our organization and from outside the group as
well. However, our convictions, based on His word, must
stand above our critics. They must, and they will.
In His Service,
Steven L. Armstrong,
President
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