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One of the things we like to do at Resurgence is equip, encourage, and pray for pastors and leaders in various churches around the world. This week we are glad to introduce you to Pastor Carlos Montoya and Blaze Christian Fellowship.

Blaze Christian Fellowship is located in what is arguably one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the United States: Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The story of Santa Fe is really a tale of two cities. On one hand, you have a city that is known for its beauty, culture, and diversity; on the other hand, it’s also a city known for its fatherlessness, poverty, and spiritual darkness. This tale sets the stage for God’s call of Pastor Carlos Montoya and the work of Blaze Christian Fellowship.

A new legacy

Born into a family steeped in religious traditions, Pastor Carlos’ grandparents began a new legacy when they abandoned their faith in dead religious rituals and came to faith in Jesus. Reflecting back on this time, Pastor Carlos recalls, “Some in the family felt a line had been crossed when my grandparents went so far as to say that God desired a personal relationship with everyone. They believed their transformation from religion to ‘their so-called relationship with Jesus’ was a symptom of my grandfather’s illness. He had been diagnosed with cancer.”

God would soon change these feelings of resentment and write a new story through the Montoya family.

After some time, Pastor Carlos’ mom and dad placed their faith in Jesus Christ, and Pastor Carlos eventually followed their example and surrendered his life to Jesus too. Through a series of providential events, Pastor Carlos began serving as a youth pastor for a church in the area. But it wasn’t until he suffered a horrific motocross accident, which required eight surgeries and nearly two years of rehabilitation, that God planted a dream in Pastor Carlos’ heart for what is now Blaze Christian Fellowship.

Pastor Carlos’ grandparents began a new legacy when they abandoned their faith in dead religious rituals and came to faith in Jesus.

Jesus is at work in Santa Fe

Pastor Carlos’ family, upbringing, and experiences prepared him and the church he leads for seeking and serving Santa Fe in Jesus’ name. “Many in our city are familiar with religion and spirituality, though few are familiar with the true gospel and power of Jesus Christ,” he says. “For that reason we thank God we are here, and we are grateful to have seen God’s grace at work in and through our church these past 10 years.”

Today people from strict religious backgrounds and those from godless families and broken homes are finding freedom, forgiveness, and redemption in Christ. God’s work in Santa Fe hasn’t been accomplished through fancy gimmicks and tricks, but through proclaiming and living out the gospel in and among the people of Sana Fe.

“Many in our city are familiar with religion and spirituality, though few are familiar with the true gospel and power of Jesus Christ.”

Join us in prayer for Blaze Christian Fellowship

Please pray with us for Blaze Christian Fellowship. Here’s how they asked us to pray:

1. Ministry space. “Pray for the successful funding and renovation of our building. We are running out of space in our current facility and need to expand and create more day-to-day ministry space.”

2. Leaders. “Pray for God to raise up more leaders in our church and city. Firstly, that men would be leaders of their homes and lovers of their families. Secondly, that they would join Jesus on mission to serve his Bride and to engage the lost of our city.”

3. Unity. “Pray for gospel partnership to continue to build in Northern New Mexico, and that there would be a spirit of unity and not division for the sake of making Jesus famous.”

4. Church plants. “Pray that we would see two church plants in the next two years. Pray also that more gospel-centered churches would continue to be planted throughout Northern New Mexico.”

5. Growth. “Pray for continued growth in our community groups, that they would continue to further the mission of spreading the gospel to our city.”

6. Evangelism. “Pray for our upcoming Good Friday and Easter services, that many people would meet Jesus and be radically transformed by the gospel.”