A Place to Call Home in Albuquerque's North Valley
Northdale Baptist Church sits on Osuna Road NW, near the intersection of Osuna Road and 2nd Street in the North Valley of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The congregation calls itself "a Place to Call Home" and describes itself as a Bible-believing, gospel-centered church where each person who walks through the doors is valued, respected, and included. The mission that drives the church is short enough to memorize: "We want people to know Christ and Grow in their understanding and relationship with Him." Everything else - the services, the small groups, the children's rooms, the outreach partnerships - flows from that single aim.
The 5 G's: Gospel, Gather, Grow, Give, Go
Northdale organizes its life around a simple framework the church calls the 5 G's. Gospel is the starting point: the good news of Jesus Christ, the message the church most wants every visitor to hear. Gather is the conviction that humans are created to worship the Creator, and that this is best done in person, not alone. Grow is the call to make disciples and to keep taking a next step in faith. Give rests on the church's motto that "saved people serve people," encouraging members to give of their time and resources. Go is the outward push - finding people, telling them about Jesus, and inviting them to church. The 5 G's show up everywhere on the church's communications, from the home page to the Next Steps program.
Sunday Mornings on Osuna Road
The Sunday rhythm at Northdale begins at 9:00 a.m. with "Getting to Know One Another," a casual pre-service gathering that gives people a chance to connect over coffee and conversation before the day gets going. At 9:30 a.m., the Bible Study Hour - Northdale's Sunday School - meets for age-appropriate teaching. The main Worship Service begins at 10:30 a.m. and runs about 60 minutes. Music blends contemporary songs with traditional hymns, and lyrics are projected on a screen so visitors can join in even if they are new to the songs. The pastor opens God's Word each week for a Bible message, and the church keeps copies of the Bible on hand for anyone who needs one. Visitors who prefer their phone can use a Bible app such as Bible.is; the church encourages everyone to follow along in whatever way works for them.
First-Time Visitors
Northdale wants guests to feel comfortable from the parking lot forward. Guest parking is reserved at the front entrance, and greeters are posted in the lobby ready to welcome newcomers, answer questions about the church's programs, and help connect them with others. Dress is entirely up to the individual - jeans, t-shirts, or formal attire are all welcome, and the church makes a point of saying that what someone wears does not matter. Children's programming is available during the regular services through the Children's Ministry, which provides a safe, fun environment for children to learn about God and experience His love while their parents attend the Worship Service and Bible Study Hour. After a visit or two, the church's Next Steps program walks newcomers through the next moves - joining a Growth Group, finding a ministry to serve in, or participating in church life - at whatever pace feels right.
The Music and Worship Team
Worship at Northdale is led by Joshua "Josh" Almanza, who has been part of the team since October 2015. Josh and his wife, Alice, have three married daughters, and the two of them are described as a couple whose love for the Lord "shines brightly" in everything they do. Their goal each Sunday is to lead the congregation into a space where everyone feels encouraged to praise, celebrate, and connect more deeply with their faith. The wider Music Ministry invites anyone with musical gifts to use them in worship, whether as a regular part of the team or in other expressions of service around the church.
Growth Groups: Small Gatherings Across the City
For those who want to go deeper than Sunday morning, Northdale runs Growth Groups that meet on various evenings throughout the week at homes and other locations across Albuquerque. These are intentionally small, intimate gatherings designed for discipleship and personal growth, and the church describes their mission in four points: addressing the needs of individuals, fostering Christian fellowship, teaching God's Word for disciple-making, and helping each person find their place in service. Growth Groups are the recommended next step after a first visit and the primary way members care for one another through the week.
Ministries for Every Age
Beyond the worship hour and the small groups, Northdale offers ministries tailored to the different stages of life in the congregation. The Children's Ministry provides a safe, fun environment for kids to learn about God and experience His love. The Youth Ministry engages teenagers in relevant discussions and activities designed to help them connect with God and with one another during the often-turbulent high school years. The Music Ministry equips individuals to share their musical gifts and glorify God through song, whether on the platform or behind the scenes. The Senior Adult Ministry values the wisdom and experience of older members, offering opportunities for fellowship, service, and continued spiritual growth that honor the place of seniors in the life of the church.
Community Outreach Across Albuquerque
Northdale's 5 G's vision moves the church outward through a steady stream of partnerships with organizations serving Albuquerque and the wider region. Members can get involved with Feed the Kids by donating funds, shopping for food items, or joining a packing team that prepares meals for children in need. The Rock at Noonday, a ministry to those experiencing homelessness, welcomes volunteers, prayer partners, and financial supporters from the church. Care Net, which supports pregnancy resource centers, receives material donations from Northdale and walkers for the annual Walk for Life. The Gideons International is supported through hosting guest speakers and special offerings that help distribute Bibles. Joy Junction, the largest homeless shelter in the state, receives material donations and prayer support from the congregation. Together these partnerships give members a range of ways to put the "Go" of the 5 G's into practice.
What Northdale Believes
The church holds to a traditional evangelical statement of faith rooted in Scripture. God eternally exists in three co-equal persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - who together are one God. The Bible is God's inspired Word to all people, written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, and is truth without any mixture of error. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless human life, offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of humanity by dying on the cross, rose again on the third day demonstrating His power over sin and death, ascended to Heaven, and will one day return to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, present in the world to convict of sin and righteousness, taking up permanent residence in the hearts of believers from the moment of salvation, and providing wisdom and guidance for godly living. All people were created in God's image for fellowship with Him, but became alienated from that relationship through sinful disobedience, and cannot restore the relationship through their own effort. Salvation is by grace through faith: the blood Jesus shed on the cross is the only basis for the forgiveness of sin, offered freely to all who place their trust in His death, burial, and resurrection. The Church is the body of Christ with Jesus as its head, and its purpose is to glorify God by loving Him and making Him known to the lost world. Eternal life is real and forever: those who trust Christ spend eternity with God in Heaven, while those who refuse Him are eternally separated from Him in Hell.
The church also teaches a simple way to receive that salvation, summed up as ABC: Admit that you are a sinner (Romans 3:23), Believe that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sin on the cross (Romans 5:8), and Confess that Jesus is Lord and call upon Him for salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Members of the church are happy to walk anyone through that process and celebrate with them when they take that step.
A New Chapter: Searching for the Next Pastor
Northdale is in a season of pastoral transition. The church has recently said farewell to Pastor Mike Hay, thanking him for his years of ministry and his contributions to the community. A Search Committee of dedicated members has been formed to pray through and identify the next senior pastor - a leader who shares the church's vision for spreading the Gospel, fostering spiritual growth, and serving the Albuquerque community with love and compassion. In the meantime, Sunday sermons are preached by a rotation of preachers and guest speakers, and the church invites members and friends to join in praying for the right leader to be raised up for this next chapter.
Plan a Visit
Northdale Baptist Church is located at 123 Osuna Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107, in the North Valley near the intersection with 2nd Street. Sunday mornings begin at 9:00 a.m., with the Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. Guests can call 505-345-2380, email info@northdale.church, or use the contact form on the church's site to let the team know they are coming. Anyone who wants to listen in before visiting can browse the church's sermon archive, which holds years of recorded messages from the preaching team.