The past two weeks have been busy!
Every Sunday I am presenting a series on Spiritual disciplines to the adult Sunday
School class at the Brazilian church in Newark. So far I have introduced the topic and discussed the importance of Bible reading.
This last Sunday I challenged the church to read the New Testament in three months. We've agreed together to read at least
three chapters per day. Doing so, we should read the New Testament in less than 90 days.
Last week I went to the Tuesday
night prayer meeting only to find that the fellow who was supposed to teach had something come up. While everyone sang a few
hymns I pulled together a lesson using my "idea notepad." We discussed the resurrection of the dead, a topic that I believe
is largely misunderstood even in Christian circles.
Last Sunday I not only taught Sunday School but also preached the
sermon. The message was on "The Myth of Redemptive Violence," and it seemed to be well-received.
Please join us in prayer
for the following concerns:
-- For spiritual renewal and revival in the congregations,
together with numerical growth.
-- For the church to find a new, better location
for the annual retreat in September. The place we usually rent in Pennsylvania is diminishing in quality and is no longer
large enough for all of us with our Hispanic brethren participating.
-- For
my family's financial situation. We still need to raise $600 so I can avoid going back to a second job.
-- For my plans to return to school in the fall for further job training so I'll be better able to support
my family in ministry.
-- For Christiane's naturalization process. Right now
she's studying, and any day they could notify her of the date of her citizenship tests and interview.
-- For Brazil as Carnaval begins this weekend there. It is treated as a cultural festival, but in reality it is an excuse for carnal indulgence and
debauchery. Please pray for churches holding retreats during this coming week and for Christians there to remain faithful
to their baptismal commitments (especially the youth).
-- For the advance of the Good News that Jesus is Lord both among Brazilian immigrants in
the U.S. and other countries as well as in Brazil.
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See
the prior BEM Update here, and the 2007 Summary Report for the mission work in Brazil here.
