New Mexico Doesn’t Have to Remain in Ruin

Today we have a special note from pastor Vince Torres, founder of the New Mexico chapter of Family Policy Alliance, which later became NM FAM.

“This past year, the men in our church studied the book of Nehemiah. As a pastor, the applications to the Church were obvious. But as someone deeply involved in politics and public policy in New Mexico, I couldn’t help but notice the parallels with our state today.

After years of rebellion against God, Jerusalem was invaded by the Babylonians. The city was conquered, the Temple destroyed, and the walls around Jerusalem were torn down and burned. Many were killed. Others were scattered or carried away into exile, and when Nehemiah arrived on the scene, the walls still lay in ruins, leaving the city exposed and buried beneath rubble.

What stood out to me most as we studied was that the broken walls exposed not only the enemies outside the city, but also the corruption within it.

In Nehemiah 5, some of the wealthy were exploiting and profiting from the suffering of their own people. In Chapter 6, leaders had become compromised through their ties to the enemy. And by Chapter 13, corruption had infiltrated even the spiritual leadership, as the priests literally made room for the enemy inside the Temple itself.This sounds all too familiar.

New Mexico has reached a place where many of our own ‘walls’ are broken. We see it in the crime, addiction, generational poverty, failing schools, economic stagnation, and hopelessness that hangs over so many communities. Like Jerusalem, much of our state feels exposed and weighed down by years of rubble. And if we’re honest, the decline has exposed not only outside opposition, but compromise and corruption within.

We all know of the outside forces pushing destructive ideologies and dangerous policies through our schools, media, and government institutions. But like Jerusalem, we also have political and institutional elites who have benefited from all the dysfunction. Some have literally built careers and influence on perpetuating government dependency, low expectations, and generational failure. Others have become entangled with the very forces working against them. And perhaps most troubling, some churches and spiritual leaders continue making room for ideas and movements that directly contradict the truths they claim to believe.

But thankfully, there are still rebuilders. And one reality is very clear in Nehemiah: rebuilding what’s been torn down always brings fierce resistance, especially from those who benefited from the destruction.The opposition fought Nehemiah at every turn because they knew what rebuilding meant. If Jerusalem was restored, they would lose their leverage and control. A rebuilt, thriving city threatened the very system that benefited them. And honestly, that’s how New Mexico feels today.

Those who benefit from our broken systems won’t give up power easily because reform threatens the institutions, careers, and political machines they built on our dependency and decline.

But New Mexico doesn’t have to remain in ruin.Rebuilding starts when people are willing to confront both the outside opposition and the internal corruption without losing sight of the work in front of them. That’s exactly what Nehemiah did. Despite all the threats and discouragement, he just kept building. And in the end, God did what many thought was impossible. The walls were rebuilt and the city prospered again.

One more thing…When I think about New Mexico’s future, my greatest concern isn’t ultimately the outside opposition, the corrupt politicians, or the compromised leaders.

It’s discouraged people.In Nehemiah 4, the people cry out in despair: “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.”I’ve said it for a long time: the terminal point for New Mexico is the moment our people stop believing things can change and simply accept the status quo as inevitable.

I’m not there. And you shouldn’t be either.

Yes, there’s rubble. Yes, the work is hard. And yes, the opposition is strong. But faithful people rebuilt before, and faithful people can rebuild again.So just keep building.

And remember: opposition doesn’t mean God’s not working. Very often, it’s the evidence He is.”

– Vince Torres