More than 100 people gathered at New City Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico recently for MPower Live! Mercy staff traveled from Nashville, Tennessee and Monroe, Louisiana to lead this event. The workshop was presented by New Mexico for Mercy, an advocacy team made up of individuals in the state who champion freedom in Christ using resources from Mercy Multiplied.  

MPower training was created for those in the Body of Christ who want to offer effective help for people who are struggling and guide them toward true life transformation. The workshop emphasizes the importance of good boundaries for those in serving roles, and participants receive information and resources to help them guard their own physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health as they help others. MPower participants include church and ministry leaders and volunteers, as well as others who want to learn more about serving people well. 

Erin Gentry, who serves as Director of Resources and Training at Mercy Multiplied, was part of the team that traveled to Albuquerque to lead this workshop. She said the weekend was a fantastic experience. 

Our time in New Mexico hosting MPower was truly incredible. It was humbling to see so many people eager and excited to learn how to lead others to freedom in Christ. The excitement from the local team who brought us out was palpable, and their hospitality was overwhelming. During the workshop, it was amazing to see so many people deeply engaged.  

Leila Armstrong, who serves on the New Mexico for Mercy team, expressed surprise at how far people traveled to participate in MPower. “We had been working on this event for more than a year,” Armstrong said, “and it turned out so well. We didn’t even know many of the people who showed up for the workshop!” Most of those at the Albuquerque event were from New Mexico and surrounding states, but some came from as far away as Boston, Massachusetts.  

Gentry said that feedback received after the workshop was very good, and points toward positive long-term impact for this region. 

I’m confident the New Mexico community will greatly benefit from having so many individuals trained in how to love others well and support those going through tough times. We had between 5 and 10 churches from around the city represented, which was incredible to witness. This was a true cross-denominational effort! Many people expressed a desire to learn more about walking alongside fellow believers through mental health challenges, whether in a crisis or in general.  

A sample of survey responses collected immediately after the workshop illustrate the practical nature and positive impact of the MPower training. 

  • “It is life-changing no matter who you are or your role in life.”
  • “This workshop lays the foundation and equips a journey of healing and ministry to help others heal!”
  • “I had never heard practical steps for being open to hearing from God.”
  • “All leaders would benefit from this conference! This weekend has been life-changing.”
  • “The Gospel + the practical = discipleship. I’ve been through training on both “sides,” and this one combined them in a powerful way.”  

Several members of New Mexico for Mercy, the team that organized this event, are also members of Mercy’s Freedom Advocacy Network. This network serves those who want to impact their communities by sharing resources that help people find freedom in Christ. 

MPower content is available as an online course which is offered free of charge because of Mercy Multiplied’s community of generous donors. Contact [email protected] for additional information about MPower, the Freedom Advocacy Network, and other freedom resources offered by Mercy Multiplied.

Mercy’s Teaching Team for this event (L-R): Jen Otero, Melanie Wise, and James Mejias.

Melanie Wise, Senior Director of Outreach at Mercy Multiplied, welcomes workshop participants