Bits March

Raphael preached last week
on the family

I found a passion. Family difficulties are a problem here in Brasil as well as in the US. We hear of and counsel couples from our church in regards to their marital relationship as well as raising children. We started out the year structuring our messages and small groups around the Servant Leader’s certificate structure and after an Old Testament module we moved into talking about the Christian Family. We have great material, but I felt like it was missing something. Then God gave us the missing part right before the first message by way of song. 

I am now convinced that the gospel can radically change every Christian home. Of course it can, you say. But I am not convinced that we as Christians think about its implications too often. 

The Tupanatinga church meeting on their own

Meeting in Pesqueira

A peaceful place, without screaming, where smiles are abundant and conflicts resolved without feelings of anger; compassion, forgiveness, patience, mercy, grace, love. Is that a description of your home? It isn’t a description of mine necessarily, but it is closer to this now than it was 10 years ago. When we let the gospel settle in to our lives we realize that it changes us. As the gospel is effective it molds us into the image of Christ and this changes everything. As sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters we received inheritances. The legacy of our parents and grandparents passed on to us. Their tendencies became our tendencies, but their choices don’t have to be our choices. Yes of course, take the good stuff; and I am grateful for a lot of great character traits from my family and from Sarah’s family as well. But we can live that legacy or we can let the gospel transform that legacy even more into a Christlike character that will honor God.

Pastors united to pray for the city

These thoughts have been prevalent this month in which a new quarantine was put in place that hindered the great rhythm we have built up. The month of April already has a different quarantine in which we can meet on Sundays but not at our normal time. We feel this is an attack on what God is doing in our families. Pray that God will continue to do this work despite the difficulties! 

We made our first purchase (water boxes) for the construction in Tupanatinga. Now we need to hook up the energy and get the water running. We are also still waiting on a document which is inhibiting some other needed actions to take place. Pray for our CNPJ to come through!  

Grateful for your love and prayers! 

All for HIS glory,

David, Sarah and my bi-lingual firstborn who is learning sign language, and my birthday girl (next week on the 6th) who will be 8! 

Bits February

Hopping. For about 7 weeks in a row we have had a consistent attendance in the Arcoverde church. Before the pandemic that never happened; we would have high attendances but the next week would be low. Since the new year we have had visitors that have stayed and other visitors most weeks. One family is coming that were involved in 2014 in our first studies and have come once in a while, but have never been consistent. The husband is a soccer buddy, one of my first ones when coming to Arcoverde; he told me this week that he is very interested in coming frequently and he has shown that lately. He also brings his brother besides his family of four. It was neat this month having my mom here as well to be involved and see all that God is doing (but mostly to play with her grandkids).

In Tupanatinga on Friday we ran out of chairs and didn’t have much room left either even if we did have other chairs. It is a good thing we are already on that! We have bought land and will soon start construction. Both the Arcoverde church and Tupanatinga church are excited about building in Tupanatinga. 

This month we received a new colleague! We met Sarah Rogers when we went to the Servant Leaders’ Missions Academy in Germany. She came and visited us in Brazil for three weeks in June of 2019 and then raised support to come work with us for two years. Sarah and I have been helping her get settled this month and she starts language school on Monday. She then will work with English classes and in varying roles in the church plants. 

Sarah is doing a great job with counseling and will start her small groups back up this month. Our small groups are going to start out with Servant Leaders material on the Christian Family. Pray that our families will be strengthened! 

Speaking of Servant Leaders, the first class for the one year Bible fundamentals certificate is Old Testament and we did the module Saturday and Sunday. We had around twenty students, mostly from our own church and we learned, laughed and ate good food. 

The church in Tupanatinga is rallying to build the church. If you would like to help out, feel free to send in a gift with ABWE and mark it for church planting. We already have some funds in the account to get started, but not to finish. I asked our civil engineer in Tupanatinga to get me a total amount for the first phase, which will be the temple. My guess is that it will be around twenty thousand dollars. 

I don’t think that I can explain how blessed we have felt lately. In the middle of the pandemic, of difficulties on and off the field, we see God move in people’s lives, disciples being made, the lost being reached. We can’t believe how wonderful of a life we have. We appreciate your prayers and support that has sustained us and abundantly blessed us over the years. 

All for HIS glory,

David, Sarah and my star Old Testament student who knew practically all the answers, and my little tag queen who is tough to catch!