A Necessary Sacrifice

            I traveled to Patos, on Thursday and arrived back in João Pessoa the following Wednesday night.  Here is a summary of what happened:

• I went to teach a 15 hour class to the members on "Letters To Asia Minor" (Galatians, Ephisians and Colossians).  The class went well and was encouraging. 
• We visited several members of the church in Patos. 
• We also visited family members of Michel's co-workers who live in Patos and Santa Terezinha, a small town about 30 minutes outside of Patos.  Michel is a Christian who works at a Chinese restaurant in João Pessoa and he was on vacation. 
• We visited three families in Pombal, about an hour from Patos and held a worship service in the home of the two Christians (father and daughter) that live in this city of 60,000. 
• We drove another hour to Cajazeiras to visit the church and the evangelist that works with the Right Step Program (soccer school for young teenage boys). 
• We also passed through Sousa to visit the Dinosaur Valley Park, although interesting, I was not very impressed with the set-up.  I have driven by so many times and have never stopped.  I did this time because Michel was on vacation and I thought he might enjoy it.  There was some adventure.  Joe McKinney was stung by a red wasp, to which he is allergic.  We were unable to determine if the wasp was pre-historic or not but I think it is safe to say that I am older the red winged culprit.

            While in Patos we also had a PORmissões meeting.  This meeting was to be a follow-up meeting from August.  I learned of the churches dismotivation with beginning a congregation in Pombal because of the lack of influence that Ezequiel has on his own street.  I began the meeting by asking where we were with our plans, then moved into what difficulties are we facing, how can these difficulties be overcome, are we willing to do what is necessary to overcome them and then what do we do now.  After trying to show them that difficulties exist in everything and to move forward we need to decide if we are willing to sacrifice to overcome them, the men were once again motivated to continue with the plan to establish a congregation in Pombal. 

            Luciano, the evangelist in Patos, myself and Michel went to Pombal to talk with Ezequiel and motivate him.  We talked for a few minutes and then took him out to visit others.  He had one contact already set-up to visit.  We visited two other contacts that Ezequiel's daughter Jessica wanted us to meet.  Jessica's friends came to the worship service and seemed to be interested in learning more. 

            Please pray for these three cities, Patos, Pombal and Cajazeiras. 

·       Pray that God may stimulate the Christians to love their neighbors and share the Gospel with them;

·       Pray that the Christians in these cities may grow in maturity in Christ;

·       Pray that God may give us all wisdom to carry His message of salvation to the entire state of Paraíba by walking through the doors that He opens.

Time To Go

  

This last month and a half I have spent in João Pessoa.  I have not traveled to the interior but there is plenty to do here.  I taught a three week class to the members of the church on "Letters to Asia Minor" (Galatians, Ephesians & Colossians).  I am teaching Sunday School on "Contentment", looking at how Jesus, the apostles and the first Christians thought, taught and dealt with the material wealth that God entrusted to them.  We moved into a more personal and practical aspect this past Sunday and began working on our own personal budgets, living below our income to be able to serve more and not live in debt as so many do here.  I preached the Sunday after Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16) on how God told Moses what to do on this day, what the Jews do today and how Jesus fulfilled this day for all Christians and that the forgiveness we have in Christ is complete and forever as long as we remain faithful to Him.
     Now that my class is over, Sunday school is moving into the direction of working more closely with those who desire to live free of debt and serve God with what He has given them.  I will begin traveling again.  This week I am going to Patos to teach the same class on "Letters to Asia Minor" to evangelists and other members from different cities, meet with those involved in the PORmissões plan (reaching every city in the state with the Good News); we are working on establishing a congregation in the city of Pombal by August 2012, visit one or two other cities close by and go to Cajazeiras to meet with the evangelist living there. 
     Please pray for this trip, especially the PORmissões meeting; our planning and execution of the same. 

May God be praised for allowing us to serve Him.

The Process Of Coming To Christ

     Beliza is a wonderful teenager who was invited to a youth camp last year by Iago, a Christian who, has left the flock. She immediately made a lot of friends began attending some Church meetings and our Monday basketball games.   Iago's sister, Leylane, who is the wife of my brother-in-law, began studying the Bible with her.  After many months she decided to give her life to Christ.  Her mom, who I do not know very well, came to her baptism and cried saying that she had prayed for years for this day to come. To me, it is interesting that it took years of prayer, an invitation from lost sheep, a Christian camp, basketball, friendship, Bible study, and who knows what else to bring Beliza into the arms of Christ. I know that all these people and things were important, even the basketball, because it allowed us to spend quality time with her. You can learn a lot about a person while sitting on a bench. Truly it is hard to know all that God does to win us over and keep us close. Thank you Lord!

by David

Sitting At The Feet Of Jesus

Sitting At The Feet Of Jesus

            Seeing someone who finally understands what Jesus did and God's forgiveness given in baptism is one of the most profound joys that one can feel.  Seeing a Christian who understands a new truth in God's Word and wants to live it and tell others about that truth comes in at a close second. 

            S.E.A.R.A. (Servants Sent to Announce the Kingdom of Love) began as a training ministry for new and old Christians in the church who were already serving the body and would do even more with a greater knowledge of God's Word.  The first group formed seven able servants.  Two of those were Junior and Kátia who now live in Campina Grande as missionaries, sent by various congregations and individuals from all over Brazil.  Another, Fabiana, is married to one of the Brazilian evangelists working with the new church plant on the other side of town.

            A new S.E.A.R.A. group began about a year ago.  I have had the privilege of teaching these eager students for the past two Saturdays.  In October I will be teaching this same course in the city of Patos to the newly formed S.E.A.R.A. group in the interior of the state.

            Please pray for courage and boldness for the 11 students to share what they are learning about God's Word with others.  In these days when many do not want to hear about the Gospel, when many skip Sunday School to sleep a little longer these men and women are spending their entire Saturdays, like Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His every word.

Contentment: Is It Possible To Really Live Without It?

Contentment: Is It Possible To Really Live Without It?

            Joe McKinney and I are teaching the Sunday school class here in João Pessoa.  We are teaming up because both of us travel quite a bit so we cover one another's absences.  We began teaching on the subject of contentment the first Sunday of September.  I taught for three months on this subject almost two years ago. 

The reason I began studying this subject and decided that it needed to be taught to the church came from simply reading God's Word and asking the question; "Am I living this truth?".  Almost two and a half years ago, reading through the book of Acts, I came across a very familiar verse that I have used on many occasions, Acts 20:35.  The apostle Paul quotes Jesus as saying: "It is more blessed to give than it is to receive".  I stopped and thought about Jesus' words and began asking myself if I believed in what my Lord said.  After meditating for a few minutes I decided that I would be living a little different if I really practiced what Jesus said.  In other words I knew it was true but I did not feel comfortable saying that I really believed it.  If I did, then my life would be different than it was at the time.  I began studying and meditating on the "why?"  I came to the conclusion that I was not living contently with what God had given me.  During this study I realized that I probably was not the only one.  So I taught the church what Jesus lived and passed on to his disciples, how the early church dealt with and felt about money and tried to help them see that the amount of income you receive is not where the problem lies.  Your boss is not to blame for your financial anxieties but it is your discontentment with that which God has provided you.  I am not saying that it is wrong to try and get a raise, a better paying job, educate yourself for better pay but what I do see in God's Word is that we are to be content with what we have at the time we have it.  Be thankful and move on in contentment. 

After studying how Jesus and the early church lived and taught about finances I began working on budgeting with the church.  I first asked them how many of them had debts.  I believe every single person raised his or her hand and, even chuckling, said it would have been easier if you asked who does not have debt.  It is normal to live with debt.  Why not?  Everyone is doing it, right?  That was almost two years ago.  I bring up this subject again to the church here because it is of vital importance.  I am living a lot differently than I was when I began teaching the class so long ago, and Jesus knows what He is talking about, as always.  It is better to give than to receive.  Give and give contently.

This subject is an eye opener for a lot of people.  Not that they do not know the right way to manage their finances, but credit cards and debt have become the norm for them.  Here in Brazil the economy has been growing steadily for the past 17 years, sometimes slowly but still growing.  The middle class is growing, where a few years ago it was all but non-existent.  It is "easier" to buy cars, houses, nice clothes, and electronics.  It is "easier" because banks and stores are offering credit cards to just about anyone who has a pulse and is 18 years old. 

I'm sure a lot of this sounds very familiar to you, especially those who grew up in the 50's to early 80's.  You saw these changes taking place in the United States as well.  You are now on the other side.  The entire nation is feeling the pain now because so many people believed in the "easiness" of buying without having to save and be patient, not having to say "no" to their desires. 

The old saying that hind sight is 20/20 is correct in this situation.  Please pray that every Christian here and everywhere can live contently in every aspect of their lives, not just financially.