This photograph is a great icon—a group of believers saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, Primitive Methodist pastors and brothers and sisters from different generations and diverse nations: Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Colombia, and the United States, all gathered in 2024 at what was once the home of Lorenzo Anderson in Shalom Camp, Totonicapán, Guatemala. Yes, the home inhabited for years by the Anderson family, some of the primary developers of the Primitive Methodist Church in Guatemala, was now welcoming a group of visitors who never shared ministry with them, who perhaps may not be fully aware of all the work the Andersons developed, but who were there, in that house, because they are united by the same vision—a vision that is not earthly but heavenly: reaching souls for our Lord Jesus Christ through a word of faith and a holy life as an irrefutable testimony that the love of the Father and the Son dwells in our hearts.
The Andersons, like so many families of faith, were and are faithful believers who did what they had to do, and what they did has transcended beyond the limit of their own lives, impacting and leaving a legacy for many generations to come.
When we think of a periodical publication for the Primitive Methodist Churches—initially in the Americas, but with the vision of extending it worldwide—it is precisely in cases like that of Lorenzo Anderson and his family that our hearts find inspiration. WE MUST TRANSCEND. Primitive Methodism, as a faithful bearer of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is spreading further and further throughout the world and must extend even more for the sake of Sound Doctrine. For that to be possible, it is necessary to show both who we are and all that we do in every place where God has established us today, so that future generations may understand the responsibility they hold, see all these works, and want to imitate them; and so that we—today's Primitive Methodists—upon seeing what other Primitive Methodist congregations and conferences are doing in their countries, may rejoice with them, and that it may also be an encouragement to do more and better what we do. Likewise, it will allow us to broadly identify projects in which we can get involved, with the clear calling that, as one single body (the church), we together fulfill the Great Commission entrusted to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.
We invite you through these pages to learn what is happening in the Primitive Methodist Conferences in the Americas, and to be inspired in your own mission through the articles presented in each section of this, the inaugural edition of COMPA Magazine.
Returning to the Table and Sincere Conversation True pastoral care takes root in everyday closeness and in spaces where life is shared without haste. Visiting families in their homes and fostering small study groups allows us to listen to the real yearnings of the membership. When we prioritize personal encounters over overloaded agendas, we restore a clear sense of belonging and spiritual shelter to the congregation.
