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I was thrilled to get coworker Shawn's latest " Monday Update " . He related how that a new church has started in Sorocaba! The picture shows a good group of believers from three of our churches gathering for the dedication service. My excitement came as I realized the location of that new church. It is the Habiteto ministry that the Lord allowed me to be a small part of about two years ago. Back then as Alexandre was just starting his ministry with children in that part of town there wasn't much support for his efforts. He had a good group of workers that helped him every week. My part was that of helper and van driver. Driving was critical because it allowed most of the workers to get to that remote part of town. Another blessing from Shawn's update was that the team has asked a young couple to consider the possibility of candidating at Hope. Pray with us that God will help them to follow His leading. That is Alexandre at the far right of the photo below. Please...

Working on a missions team has its wonderful benefits and God has allowed my family to do just that for a little over eleven years now. Needless to say we have learned a lot. In fact when God helped me to realize that He was calling me to the mission field it was because a visiting missionary, during his slide presentation, mentioned that he was going to work in Brazil as part of a team with his brother. I talked with him after his presentation that morning and now, eleven years later, am still a part of that team with Shawn and Donna Alexander and Ben and Dani Jacobs! Granted, the team has changed over those years but the goal has remained the same. We want to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ who reflect Him in every aspect of their lives with the goal of becoming disciple makers themselves (cp. 2 Timothy 2.2). One of the many advantages of team work is that we often find ourselves serving in different corners of the world simultaneously. Take today for example. Shawn is head...

Image by M.H.ick9s via Flickr Just these past two months we at FBC Lake Orion have lost some of our faithfuls. Three that come to mind when I think of "faithfulness" are Ed and Gerty Stewart and Fin Kennedy. These three saints had a great impact on my life. Fin was a part of my salvation experience. I told him just days before he went to glory, "I tell people that I was saved because of a 'Finnish handshake". He stared at with a puzzled look. I explained that it was because of his friendly greeting to my brother and his family so many years ago that my family became a part of First Baptist Church. It was about two and a half years later that I asked Jesus to be my Savior. With tears in his eyes he said, "I'm so glad that you shared that with me while I was still alive!" Gerty Stewart impacted my life when she started a youth choir. At the time she was in her 50s but she had a burden to see teens use their voices for the Lord. She lead the choir an...

It has been awhile since my last update and I know that for some of you that has been a nice respite, for others, who actually like getting something now and then, I know that it has been quite a vacuum of information. It seems that lately there has been nothing to write about. I can't call it writer's cramp because I don't write often enough to get a cramp. In fact I admire the writers who have a daily deadline and always seem to come through with substantive material. My writing once a week, however, is nothing like that. I believe that a weekly update is more than sufficient to satisfy the slightest inkling of interest from any caring soul and too much for those who consider my notes as spam. But lately... life has been a bit drab. Snow up to the nostrils doesn't help, though my family is liking the snow this year. Bone chilling temperatures are not much of an incentive to creative writing either. It seems to freeze already atrophying brain cells into a sluggish stup...

Just a couple of weeks ago Wednesday night a lady walked up to me at prayer meeting and said something like "My [husband] is going to KILL me. I need to go and get the letter that he wanted me to give to you!" and off she went in a hurry. I was talking to a friend when she came back and thrust an envelope into my hand. Examining the envelope and the writing on it I was a bit confused. It didn't look like the penmanship of an adult. As I looked at the lady I suddenly realized my error. I had confused names. I was thinking "husband" when I should have been thinking "son". I opened the envelope and was shocked with it's contents. Inside was a neatly written note, on a Christmas card, which read as follows: "Please use this money to help build your new church in Brazil. From: I.C.B." Inside the card was a $10 bill. As I stood there speechless a tear crept into my eye and a knot into my throat. Here was ten hard earned dollars from an eleven-y...

"Hard times" is a phrase we've heard much lately and seemingly rightly so. But, imagine being born in a stable, being destined to live in poverty and rejection, and then dying a criminal's death for crimes never committed. And then imagine the most wonderful Christmas gift in History wrapped up in this seemingly twisted scenario. Eternal Salvation is possible because of God's will demonstrated in the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ; hard and seemingly tragic times that purchased our liberty. We who have experienced this inestimable gift remember with joy the first time that we understood the significance of our need and His redeeming sacrifice. In these difficult days let us not forget to whom we belong, the price of ownership, and the security and joy we experience because of Jesus' hard times. We thank you for upholding our family in prayer and contributing financially so that we might be able to share this Good News in Brazil. Because of you ...

I hope that this day finds you giving thanks, as you do every day of the year, to the Father of lights (Js 1.17) who always gives good gifts. Isn't it wonderful that every day, for the child of God, is Thanksgiving... or at least should be. As we spend time with our loved ones today we will be reflecting on God's blessings during this difficult year. That sounds funny... blessings during a difficult year. But, it has been a difficult year and there have been innumerable blessings. One of our neatest blessings is that we will be together as a family for the first time since our family has grown to include two sons-in-law and three grandchildren. Fun stuff! And a real blessing with our international family. I pray that as you reflect on God's blessings that you too will be able to rejoice with us in what God is doing in your lives. -- Mike