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Steve

Today is the kick off of the 103rd Annual Baptist State Convention here in São Paulo. 

They have a fine heritage here and we are excited about partnering together with them to see multiplying churches planted here in the mega-city of Sao Paulo. Tonight’s festivities included a celebration for the 80th anniversary of “Igreja Batista Boas Novas.”  They have been building a new sanctuary and had it finished “enough” for the celebration tonight, and praise the Lord, it was a packed house!

Also part of the celebration was a concert by Aline Barros, one of Brazil’s premier gospel artists.

Not only does she have a tremendous voice, but really is a gifted worship leader.  There is a lot of talent out there, but to find someone that can lead others in worship is worth it’s weight in gold.

What do you do when you have such a burden for one place and God calls you to another.  Well, as I heard from someone I highly respect today, “Your heart is big enough to have room for that original burden and have room left over for the new place as well.” 

That is so true.  As we’ve traveled around the world, there are, of course, places that have cried out to me of their need.  Spain is one of those places.  The scarcity of the true gospel and the hardness of hearts is a challenge that no one can take lightly.  I still pray for the Lord of the harvest to send workers there, and if God ever said to go back, I would.

But you see, now, the more we get to know Brazil and Brazilians, the more we sense the deep needs for the Gospel that exist here as well.  On the surface, the needs appear to be different, but as we go deeper, we see it’s that same need that only the Gospel can meet.  There are people here dying and going into eternity without Christ and it’s happening all around us.  The middle class of Sao Paulo, to whom we know the Lord has called us, is less than 2% evangelized.  That’s unfathomable. 

Of course, I know in reality, each of us senses this need, wherever we may find ourselves in the world; from Tucson to Chiapas, from Harrisonburg to Tampa, or from Brazil to Spain.  So, probably, the real question is, “What are we going to do about it?” 

We are in this world, but we are not of this world.  We are pilgrims passing through.  We are ambassadors here on this planet and we are in the ministry of reconciling all people of this planet to Christ. 

This makes it easy.  Do I only share Christ in Bakersfield or Mexico?  Absolutely not!  We share Christ wherever and whenever the opportunity arises.  In fact, we create opportunities.  We must.  You see, the answer lies in the fact that our hearts are big enough to have love for all people of this planet, not because of us, but because of God.  He gives us a mandate, the Great Commission to which we are to be obedient.  But more than that, He gives us that love for the lost that transcends anything we could possibly feel or muster on our own.  So is our heart big enough?  Yes, but only because God’s heart is. 

“God, give us your heart for reaching the lost with the Good News!”

I just began another journal, and every time I begin a new journal, I start out by writing 100 questions.  Questions about life, about God, about my goals, family, etc.  The first 25 or 30 questions are fairly easy, both to write and to answer.  The rest really cause me to dig deep, to ponder, to probe and to probe some more. 

I truly believe that one of the main differences in people and what they accomplish in life lies in the ability to ask good questions.  Robert Kennedy said the following in 1968, “Some men see things as they are and ask ‘Why?’ I dream things that never were and ask, ‘Why not?’"  I’ve always liked this particular quote.   There are things we don’t see because we ask the wrong questions.  Our minds focus on the ‘why?’ and not the ‘why not?’

We are looking to see hundreds if not thousands of multiplying churches planted in Sao Paulo.  What are the key questions that we must ask?  I believe they will be the ones that open our minds up to the possibilities that God has in store for this city.  He is not willing that any enter into a Christ-less eternity, and why should any of us settle for any less?

I dropped an excited Anna and Alexandra off at the Congonhas Airport here in Sao Paulo this afternoon.  They were on their way to MK Camp up in Brasilia (the capitol) with other missionary kids here in Brazil.  Our girls love going to camp and getting to catch a plane is just icing on the cake for them.

When I got home, I happened on our daughter’s blogs.  I was really encouraged by what I read and I just want to put a link to their blog here.  They can say so eloquently what camp and missions means to them, that I’ll just let you read it first hand.

The Girls Blog:  www.GirlsOnMission.com

Check it out.  There are also links to their other blogs and to the blogs of some of their friends. 

There is a good generation of kids out there.  They love the Lord as much as we did twenty or thirty years even though I didn’t think that could be possible, but it is.  And why would I doubt that.  Our God is great God.

It turned out to be a sensor that maintains pressure in the fuel system.  It’s  funny how something so small can create so many problems.  It’s kind of like the small things in our lives that keep us from honoring and serving God.  As Solomon said in Song 2:15, “It’s the little foxes that spoil the vines”. 

It’s funny how we tend to take care of the big issues in our lives and then overlook the small things that tend to make or break the effectiveness that we have with others. 

“Lord, is there anything that I’m missing or overlooking
because I think it is so small?”

Planned on going to the church down at the World Trade Center and then the car wouldn’t start!  We had checked out the route and had everything planned out.  Even the R$ 5.00 parking fee… We ended up having a little worship here at the house.

We have a really good mechanic that comes highly recommended.  I’ll have to get down there tomorrow.

I went out for coffee with a friend here in Sao Paulo, John Johnson.  I’ve really gotten to know John and appreciate him as a fellow co-laborer and brother in the Lord.  My only regret is that he and his family are heading back to the states.  The church they are going to will definitely be blessed.  I’ll miss him.  He’s been one of few people that has offered help and encouragement multiple times since we arrived here.

(That’s John in the photo with his wife Leyette.  The background WAS the green wall in our stairwell). 

I just pray that my Christianity is lived out among my peers and among my neighbors.  There are so many people with so many needs here in this city.‘ Lip service is cheap, and comes across as hypocritical.  Let’s be people that roll up our sleeves and get dirty so that God might be glorified.

“Lord, help me to see this world through your eyes and then reach out and make a difference.”

This hasn’t been fun.  We’ve had to make a lot of trips to pick up cement, plaster, tiles, paint, plumbing parts, etc.  And our car has been giving us a hard time.  It doesn’t want to start.  I’ve had to push start it a couple of times, but even that  doesn’t come easy.  The other day it took me about 45 minutes to get it going.

Anyway, today it did the same thing.  But hey, there was this long hill.  I got it rolling and tried to start it… all the way to the bottom.  Arrggg!  I had to walk home (Adrienne and I).  I called the mechanic…  He changed out the fuel pump.  Let’s see if that does the trick.

Once again, things tend to get complicated.  There are about 160 loose tiles that must be fastened down with a hot tar before moving to the sanding stage.  And, at R$ 1.00 a tile, this adds up.

We’re working on keeping the price down, so we’ll probably make some changes on the back end. 

The cost is still a third to a quarter of what it would be to tile this room, so we’re still in the ballpark.

When it’s done, come on over and check it out.  Bring your roller skates!