Bits Beyond Brazil August

We didn't get fired! Of course, we didn't expect to. This month we went to ABWE headquarters to have our board interview. This was our first interview with the board besides candidate class back in 2005 and 2007, so we were a little nervous. But the board is so very kind and gracious and everything went very well. We were also up north for the Missionary Enrichment conference. We enjoy seeing our Brazil family and ABWE world family so much. There seemed to be a fight at every meal as to who would hold Anna Claire.

While in Pennsylvania and Virginia (the conference was in Arlington) we were able to see cousins of Sarah and I. My cousin Melanie drove down and I was able to meet her family (she has four kids). Then we stayed at Sarah's cousins Mike and Maria and the two kids that Sarah used to hang out with during some summers, Hannah and Matthew. A big thanks to both for their effort in seeing us!

I am working on a blog for missions. We already have one for our family, but this one is called Trends in Biblical Missions and is intended to open conversation about how we can improve the missions system we now have in the US. I wrote today on Crucial Conversations and how it is easy to take the "sucker's choice" when it comes to having a conversation that is difficult. We like to take the easy way out, but we shouldn't. Pray that this blog can do something for God's glory as sometimes I get discouraged about these little projects I have. If you are interested in being involved in it, please email me.

We opened our accounts today and saw our Outfit and Passage account had doubled! We are now over a third of the way to our one time needed funds for returning to Brazil. These will go mainly towards a car and will also cover passage and moving funds. I checked tickets and found great prices for us for January, but we are looking for people to partner with us financially before we are able to buy tickets. 2 partners at 150/month, 3 partners at 100/month, and 4 partners at 50/month and 4 partners at 25/month should do the trick!  Would you pray about being one of these partners? If not a financial partner, the least you can do is come with us! We are still looking for ministry partners for the Brazilian Outback!

This month we head up to Michigan where we will get some family time as well as speak at a friend's (Jeff Selph) youth group. Jeff and I grew up together at Heritage Baptist and it is always neat to continue to serve together! I am also planning on going to Pennsylvania again later in the month for a two day conference for mobilization.

Thanks so much for your continued support of us. God bless you all!
All for HIS glory,
David, Sarah, the energetic runner that sometimes gets car sick and our little roller with a very cute smile.

Mission boards

A recent trend in missions is for missionaries to be sent out of their local church without a board. Very biblical, I like it. I wish sometimes we just had one church that is really behind us pushing hard, investing in our lives. But we don't, and I am in some ways glad. We go through ABWE, the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism. Yesterday we had our board interview in which the board loved and encouraged us. They made us know that they are behind us. I told them that we loved ABWE cause their structure kept us on the field.

You see, a mission board understands missionaries. Churches probably do to some degree, but it is not their specialty. ABWE specializes in training missionaries, taking care of missionaries, mobilizing missionaries, counseling missionaries and networking in missionary resources. When we had way too many bad boat rides and were ready to give up, our administrators told us we were not bad people for feeling that way. They told us they loved us and we were doing a good job. They told us to take breaks when we needed breaks. They loved us so much. 

ABWE does not take the place of our home church, it aids our home church. The home church is the sender and the board is the facilitator. When one is sent out of a home church with no board, they do not have the networking resources. ABWE has a structure all set up to help with accountability and support on the field. They are also able to get international health insurance at a group rate. They have developed high quality internationally friendly evangelism and discipleship material. They understand how different cultures work and how to prepare for the life of a missionary. 

Before we arrived on the field we were required to attend several training seminars. We were told what to expect. That understanding can save the life of a missionary who will face daunting cultural challenges. 

So yes, be a great home church; and sure, support them for 100%. But make sure that you are connected to the resources you need to make your missionary as successful as he can be.

July Update Email

People often ask us what we are supposed to do while we are in the states. Brazilians know about furlough and used the word vacation to describe what we are doing during this year of furlough. While vacation is part of it (we are in a cabin in the smokies with Sarah's family this week), it is a small part. Our goals are these:

1. Rest

2. Report to supporting churches and friends

3. Training for future ministry

4. Recruit for the Outback, Brazil and ABWE and missions!

5. Spend time with family and friends

6. Plan on the next step

7. Raise more support

While I much prefer the ministry in Brazil to home assignment, there is much value to what we are doing here. Of course, resting is biblical, as hard as that is to do sometimes. I was challenged by a Pastor last week to take rest more seriously as tough family circumstances have taught him that lesson lately.

We have spoke at several of our supporting churches as well as some non-supporting. This last month we went down to the Atlanta area with our good friends Mitch and Christa Norman and spoke to their youth group. We still have openings available if you would like to have us there. (We can't guarantee the cute ones of the family will be there as traveling has been slightly difficult). We also will report to the ABWE board on July 18. Pray we do alright and the girls behave!

This last month I was gone for two weeks up at ABWE in Harrisburg, PA for training in Good Soil courses.  I took both the OT and NT Roots of Faith courses which were really good. I am now certified (not necessarily qualified) to teach these courses and will hopefully be able to do that upon returning to Brazil. Should you be interested in these courses being given in Chattanooga, go ahead and contact me. I have thought about doing it, but it would be difficult, but I am willing to give it a try if there is some interest. You can follow this link www.goodsoil.com

to get more info on the courses.

We are spending time with Sarah's family right now and have seen my parents several times since arriving home. We also go up to Michigan next month for a week or so to spend time with them. 

We are in constant planning for our next step of going to the Outback. Right now I am reading Church Planting Movements by David Garrison and it is really catching my attention as far as planning goes. There is much strategy in church planting, as well as much prayer needed, which makes me happy to have you all by our side! You all are such a great blessing. 

We also have more support to raise! We are waiting on confirmation from one church about a significant difference. If that happens, we will be lacking about $850 a month in support. That is only 2 supporters at $150 a month, 3 supporters at $100 a month and 5 supporters at $50 a month. If you feel like you could be one of those, please let me know or just go straight to www.abwe.org/give and get it set up! We also are in need of about $25,000 of one time gifts in order to buy a car, plane tickets, and other moving expenses.  

Thanks for everything; we love you all!

All for HIS glory,

David, Sarah, the super-duper big sister helper to the full of smiles little bug 

Rescuing the Christian Image-Speech

The Christian image has obviously suffered lately. You could say the US is turning anti-Christian and it is partially our fault. Yes, Jesus said that they hated Him and so they will hate His followers as well, but some of that hate is because of our own sins. We can do better and should do better. But how?

One way is because of our speech. We just don't speak properly to others. The Bible speaks up on this issue to Christians. First of all, remember the golden rule. If you would not someone to talk to you with the tone you are using on them, then don't use it!

A soft answer turns away wrath. Such true words. How often have you yelled at someone and seen progress? Usually when my wife and I have a heated discussion, it just gets us madder. Not until one of us apologizes do we see much progress. When someone yells at you, or challenges your belief, a harsh answer will get you no where.

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edification, that it may minister grace to the hearers. Edification means to lift up. In a newer phrase, if you don't have anything good to say, don't say it. Encourage people.

Let your speech be seasoned with salt. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Care for people, everyone. People have feelings. Love them. Whenever you want to yell at someone, think about what they are going through. Walk a mile in their shoes and then walk with them another mile.




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Traditional Marriage Debate

-LGBT people are not ignorant.

-Supporters of traditional marriage are not ignorant.

-LGBT supporters are not stupid.

-Traditional marriage supporters are not stupid.

-We all get our bias from our values and when people do not live within our values, in this society, we think the other is both stupid and ignorant. 

-Everyone has feelings. 

-The prefix anti- cannot be trusted. Christians (in general) do not hate gays because they are “anti-gay marriage.” Many LGBT do not hate Jesus or the Bible.

-Christians have failed to love others as they should.

-Christians are hypocrites in the general sense of the word. We try to be perfect, be we aren’t, nor must we be to be Christians. That is the point of being a Christian. We don’t have to be perfect because we know someone who was perfect so that we don’t have to be. But most of us have honest intentions to try to live as Jesus would. 

-Christians are scared that our rights will be taken away. If gay-marriage is legalized, the next step for legislation (in our eyes) will be to close down or take away tax-exempt status for churches who will not perform these weddings because it is against their personal convictions. Things like this are already happening in school Bible clubs.

-In a Christian view of history, homosexuality has been a sign of a decrease in morality. In one Bible story, God destroyed a city in which it was the main sin. The book of Romans clearly shows the depravity of a society in which homosexuality is prevalent and the end result is that God gives that people over to themselves. God’s hand has been on the USA in its history and Christians do not want his hand of blessing taken away. (Not that this vote will be a determining factor, but is only a sign of where this country is morally). 

-Divisiveness is killing America

-Media cannot be trusted.

-This is a serious issue for LGBT because it is their identity as a human being.

-This is a serious issue for Christians because they feel their religious liberty is at stake and they do not want that liberty revoked. 

-The point of me writing this is so that when you do make your posts or statements or whatever we can be considerate of the other side. No matter how strong you feel, the solution to your problem is not going to come by hateful, inconsiderate speech. 

Service idea

In January we will be returning to Northeast Brazil to plant churches. In the meantime we are on furlough ministry, which means we travel to churches, look for speaking opportunities, see family and friends, rest, get more training, etc. When I was in Michigan I went to a couple of prayer services. They were great and when I came back down south I organized one here. On Friday someone else did a variation of the prayer service and it went well.

Then I started thinking about doing this same style of prayer service for normal church services. I have been listening to a Church planting movement class online and the Professor talked about key ingredients to a church planting movement. Some of those elements are prayer, indigenous bi-vocational leadership, and something that can be copied without outside resources.

The format of the prayer service is something like this: worship, 5-10 minute devotional, 15-20 minutes of prayer and then repeat all those. Time has flown in every one of these services I have been in and people have gone away blessed. There were various speakers and so it did not depend on one person's dynamic message. There is a huge focus on the Word, Worship and Prayer; specifically prayer. The prayer time promotes application to the message and can be divided up into large group prayers, popcorn praying, small groups, pairs, alone, etc...

So what if I use this format in starting churches in Brazil? I would immediately start using nationals in the service. They would learn to pray starting with simple phrases (which is probably what God prefers anyway) and they would learn to teach as well. They would not start out preaching 45 minute services, but rather would start out leading a prayer time, then move to teaching a short devotional, then being more involved, get more training, and then leading a service somewhere else as a national Pastor/leader.

We could do this service once a week, probably on a Sunday morning or night and include a meal together. So they could arrive at 10:30 in the morning, have lunch at 12 and continue until 1:30 or 2. Or a night service could start at 5:00, have service for an hour, then a snack/meal and finish around 8:30.

The service would cover different topics each week as well. In 3 hours there is time for 4-6 devotionals. So each week you could possibly have a salvation part, an OT story, and several different topics that would give them a variety. The prayer part really focuses on the application of the devotional as we ask God to help us put into practice a certain principle, worship God, confess sins, or learn to trust Him.

Time available on the weekends or during the week could be used for further training for your leaders or whoever was interested.

Revival- Why it could happen

In November I arrived back to the US from a 4 year term of missions in Brasil to what I thought would be a post-election depression that would worry me about the spiritual state of the union. How could God be working in our nation when things are so bad?

Since then I have been believing that the time is ripe for a revival and that the pieces are in place.

Passion- the college age kids have a lot of passion. Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio no doubt have part in this age group seeking God through vibrant worship. A Liberty convocation service where 8000 students worshiped God really inspired me. My youngest brother is that age and is searching diligently for God's power.

Doctrine- There are great seminaries and colleges doing a good job of equipping Pastors. Even music is starting to revolve more around doctrine.

 Christ centered preaching- Tim Keller is listened to by many preachers around the world and is a great example of how to point others to Christ through sermons.

 God's love- Christians are figuring out that God's word revolves much more around love than it does rules.

 The Holy Spirit- This new generation is seeking the Holy Spirit. Baptists are generally scared by the Holy Spirit because of the possibility of erroneous doctrine, but the college age kids want to see God's power worked out through His Spirit.

 "God's not dead; He's surely alive; He's living on the inside, roaring like a lion." Our God isn't going anywhere. He wins in the end. He is calling people and people groups to Himself and the church is excited about it. Missions movements are happening all over the world and will continue to happen as long as the church shows a passion to reach the lost.

 But I am not sure that we will see a revival until we are more serious about prayer. The hunger is growing, but we need more dependence on God through prayer.