OUR STORY
Foothills Fellowship is a non-denominational, Bible-believing and Bible-preaching church in Albuquerque, NM that began in 1974 as Agape Baptist Church in the Foothills of Albuquerque when veteran missionary to the Philippines, Dr. Don Benson and his wife, Alice, knelt on a vacant, cactus covered lot and prayed for the birth of a church in the growing northeast heights neighborhood. Agape Baptist Church first met in a home, then a pre-school and, finally, in their own building completed in 1976.
In the mid 1980's, the church changed its name to Foothills Fellowship. By the mid 1990's, the congregation outgrew the multiple-service capacity of its original facility and began seeking space solutions. In the Spring of 2001, we moved into our present facility on Tramway and Candelaria.
In 1992, we adopted an unreached people group in Southeast Asia where there were no known believers among the 2.4 million people. In 1995, two men (who happened to be brothers) gave their lives to Christ. Shortly thereafter, their entire families came to Christ, and now - after 25 years of prayer, financial support, and sending our own people to live and minister among these people - we have seen a church movement explode with now over 1000 home churches meeting regularly!
In 2005, we felt led by the Lord to adopt another unreached people group...this time in North Africa. We again sent people from our church to North Africa to live and serve these people. Today, there are 3 known believers among this people group numbering 2.5 million. We continue to pray, give, and send people to North Africa with the hope that one day we will see a church movement explode there as well.
In 2013, we responded to God's call on us to bring the good news of God's kingdom into the International District in Albuquerque. We partnered with with Escuela Luz del Mundo (ELM) or "Light of the World School" - a Christ- centered, community-based school in the East Central Avenue neighborhood, and we partnered with other organizations that are bringing the gospel of Jesus to this part of town. Some of our families have even moved there - which led ultimately to us planting a church in the neighborhood in 2017!
Today, we are still a sending church - but now, we are working to equip every member of Foothills Fellowship to "go and make disciples" with whomever God has placed in their neighborhood or network of family and friends. Our strategy consists of a "gathered/scattered" approach utilizing the discipleship vehicles of Sunday worship and Huddles. Click here to learn more.