Growth

Greetings!

This week will have been 4 months that we have been in Lagoa Santa! At times it feels like it was yesterday that we were in Clinton, SC working with a sweet group of kids and community. I think we are getting past the phase of feeling we are only on a long vacation to the realization of this being our residence and making it our home now. It has been great to see God in the little things of our life here and how we continue to be in awe of how he uses ordinary people, like us to work in the lives of people who desperately need Him.

Pastoral Team in front of property purchased.

The church continues to grow and develop into a strong group of believers who are serious about their walk with God and becoming disciples of Christ. We had a weekend retreat a couple of months ago where we defined the mission, vision and values that we wanted to be about in the church. It has been awesome to see that being implanted into the life of the church and how that translates to our walk with Christ outside of the church or church family. We had to go to two services on Sunday for lack of space in the church building on Sunday evenings(this is an answer to prayer from the last letter). We are averaging right around 130 adults and children in total on Sunday and having two services has opened up more space for new people and families that are coming to the church. Every Sunday we meet someone coming to the church for the first time and people that are returning and wanting to be involved in the life of the church.

The small groups (Life Groups) that we revamped these past months have grown and are almost ready to multiply into new groups. The mentality of many small groups in Brazil is that it is just another small church service where they come and listen to someone talk about the sermon that was delivered on Sunday. We are trying to change that mentality and make them understand that the fellowship and life lived together is what needs to happen.

We have been able to participate in two different church planting conferences this past month, one by the Presbyterian Church and one by the C&MA. It was encouraging to see old friends and church colleagues and also to be encouraged in what we are doing in Lagoa Santa and the strategy of multi-locations being used. Time with Fernando, the other Brazilian pastor, during these conferences was valuable in being able to share ideas with each other and encourage one another in what is happening here in Lagoa Santa.

I write all these praises, but don’t want you to feel that we are only having success here in Lagoa Santa. Ministry in Brazil, just like in any other country, is hard work. We have our share of people that need special care and that can be taxing on the team. Pray that we continue to grow together as a team, but also that we can know where to invest our time for the spread of the Gospel.

As a family, we see God leading us through trials in our lives and areas where we need to change. Berenice and I ask that you would continue to pray for Adam in his adapting with the culture and the language. Things are going well at school and he is going to a soccer school where he is learning the Brazilian passion of futebol! We see that he is happy, but reserved in talking with people.

Thank you for taking some time to read this. If you would like to receive our prayer letters, please let us know and we will add you to our group.


Prayer:
o Adam’s Portuguese switch to be turned on
o Building project
o Growth as a family

Praise:
o Life Groups
o Church bought property
o Two services and church growth