Have I explained our new ministry? We are in a new church plant. It is called Faith Baptist Church (Igreja Batista da Fé) and is on the north side of the city of Sorocaba. Our other churches (New Life, Calvary and Hope) are sending teams each Sunday to help with Junior church, song leading, special music and the like. This last Sunday at church Aline from Hope said to me that her husband Cristiano didn't know that we were working in the new church plant! I was a bit shocked with her statement but it made me wonder... "have I officially told anyone?" I thought that I had but if you are not aware, let me explain. This work is a bit different than our first two works. In those we were in a team of Americans planting a church in Brazil. This time we are still planting a church in Brazil but we are a part of a Brazilian team. Our coworker Alexandre is the team leader and also less than half my age. He came to Christ in 1999 at our Calvary work and then felt God's call to ministry and graduated from our Bible College in Curitiba in 200? (2005 I believe).
Back in early July he sent us an invitation while we (I) was still stewing about what the Lord would have us do when we got back to Brazil with our team in the transition of "Home Assignment". Wow, that was a long sentence. And I thought that it was just that, a long sentence, that I was looking at with our rapidly approaching return to Brazil. Alexandre's invitation was an option but in saying that "I'd pray about it" I didn't give the idea much hope.
Though I was initially reluctant to accept the invitation I now realize that this is where God wants us for now. We have seen several children, adults and teens make professions of faith in these last few weeks. The neighborhood is a rough one but our God is more than able to tame the ruffians. Just the other night while visiting one of our teen's parents, the father said, "This is no place to try and raise kids! If I get the chance I'm getting out of here!" Alexandre's confident reply reflected both his and our desire, "We're going to change this neighborhood!" Of course he meant that the Word of God has the power necessary to make that everlasting difference.
Faith Baptist started in March and we joined the effort in late August. We meet in a school building on Sunday afternoon from 4:00 to 5:00. On Sunday mornings we hand out tracts and invite kids and adults to come to a short game time/ Bible story time on the playground. So far we have been averaging 25 each week with several professions of faith. During the week we have "In House" prayer meeting. These times too have been special and have seen lives affected for the Savior.
Alexandre has key rings with little foam hearts (telling the wordless book story). After each story on Sunday morning we give our key chain to a boy or girl who paid attention and sat still. Two weeks ago I shared with Denis. He went home and shared the story with his mom Maria. Both she and her sister have come church two weeks in a row. Maria is a barber and I had her cut my hair last Friday. She shared about how excited Denis is about church and Bible club and how that he has her listen to the verses that he is memorizing! Praise the Lord. Pray for Maria, her husband Jose and Denis, and us too!
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