This Is Eternal Life - Cubati

"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent…"  John 17:3

 

            The same day as my meeting in Patos I traveled to Cubati, half-way back to João Pessoa to visit with the three Christians that live in the sparsely populated city of 6,000.  I gave a Bible study to around 15 people on faith in Jesus.  We discussed what our belief in Jesus and His Word moves us to do in our lives.  I urged them to trust in Jesus and to believe that He is God's Son.

            Cubati is a small town with many different denominations and mixture of religious beliefs and teachings.  The group began asking questions about how faith in Jesus plays out in our everyday lives.  It is a wonderful thing to see interest and joy in learning about God's Son.

            Please pray that God, in His time, may give an opportunity to hear His truth to those seeking His Will in Cubati.

12 Noon In The City Of Patos

            That was the time set for us to meet.  I was nervous about meeting with the Brazilian evangelists from different congregations in the interior of the state.  We were, or better said, I wanted them to name a city that they would all begin focusing on to establish a new congregation or build-up a struggling one.

            The meeting a couple of weeks before was not an easy one.  Some of the men argued back and forth about how to spread God's Word.  It took them around 10 minutes to agree on a date for the next meeting.  I did not want them to be discouraged and do nothing after this meeting.

            I went as prepared as I could and asked God for His direction and blessing on these men and His church.  Time was short.  We had 2 ½ to 3 hours tops to decide on a city and a beginning strategy to execute until our next meeting in October. 

            Representatives from five different congregations were present.  The meeting went very smoothly.  God blessed us and His church. 

            Pombal, a city of just over 32,000 with only three Christians is the focus of these seven congregations evangelistic effort.  Our goal is to establish a congregation that can meet on its own without any outside help by August 2012.

            I was 30 minutes late for my 12 noon deadline.  I underestimated the volume of traffic on the road.  I know that I am underestimating what God can and will do because He is able to do more than I could ever ask or imagine.  This is an exciting time for the church in Paraíba.  Please pray that God may bless our efforts to spread His Word.

How Do You Work With Many Congregations To Evangelize An Entire State?

How Do You Work With Many Congregations To Evangelize An Entire State?

            P (Plan) OR (Organic) missões (missions) or Organic Missions Plan is the guideline that the churches in Paraíba are using to take the Gospel to the entire state of Paraíba. 

Some of the evangelists from congregations in Paraíba met over the weekend during the Great Supper but because time is short at such events, we set the date for a next meeting.  We plan to name and strategize the outreach of new cities and or the building up of smaller congregations.  Far too often we tend to see the limitations:  few men who are spiritually mature and few financial resources to help those who are proven to go live in these cities.  The challenges are not few but with each one our faith and trust in God grow.  This mission to save the world is God's; we are privileged to work in His field.  

Each congregation's representative will bring names of cities in Paraíba and explain why they chose them.  From there we will begin planning on how to reach one or two of these with God's Word. 

I am coordinating the congregations in the interior part of the state first.  Please pray that they may learn to work as one.  Our first meeting this year was pretty rough but they do want to work together and they do see the need to evangelize.  Thank God for that.

           

    We plan to meet every three months and discuss what has been done towards reaching these cities.  We do know that this is God's mission and we are His instruments, we are but workers throwing out the seed in all directions and seeing where the ground needs to be cleared.  Please pray for God to give the increase. 

           

    Please pray for God's direction and wisdom in reaching cities throughout the state.

The Great Supper

The Great Supper

            The Great Supper is a yearly coming together of all the congregations in Paraíba.  Over 200 people participated in this 16^th Great Supper, hosted by the João Pessoa church, 140 sleeping two nights at the church building, reflecting on the theme "Words that Edify".  Almost every member of the church in João Pessoa was involved in the preparation and service.  It was edifying to serve and encouraging, to see the joy on everyone's face.  Some said that they did not know if heaven had come down to earth or if we had ascended.  Although that is a gross exaggeration it was a great weekend with a time to talk, a time to learn, a time to serve and a time to edify.

            Everyone has gone home and began the work week.  Please pray that everyone will teach others what they saw and heard when the church spent time as one.  If the joy and love we felt was this great over a weekend in an imperfect world, just imagine what heaven will be like.  Let's not give up!  Keep on fighting until death!

Breaking Satan’s Hold On Lives

Breaking Satan's Hold On Lives

While in Cajazeiras I studied the Bible twice with two young boys, Anderson and Lucas, both 13 years old.  The week after I left they were both baptized.

Café had already been studying with them before I arrived and working with them through the Right Step program.  Café and Leila, his wife, have been working hard to advance God's Kingdom in Cajazeiras.  I am glad to have been able to spend time with this wonderful family, hopefully to have given them a little rest and encouragement while there.  It is a wonderful thing to be a part of what God is doing through His church.

            You are also a part of God's Word reaching these young boys and girls, their lives are being transformed by a closer relationship with the Lord of Lords.  Please pray for Anderson and Lucas (pictures below): they both have pretty hard day-to-day lives to face, but a huge weight has been taken off of them through the waters of baptism.