Different Culture, Same God

As we continued our ministry in Brazil, the Lord continued to do incredible things. We are so grateful for all that He accomplished. Here are the highlights from June and July:

Ministers Meeting- Uberlândia, Brazil

We traveled four hours by car to the city of Uberlândia where I spoke to a group of ministers from a variety of denominations about the topic of creating an evangelistic culture in our churches. Several thanked me for the message because it resonated with what God had been speaking to their hearts.

There were three people there that made the trip very special. Three years ago, I spoke at the same meeting and a young minister confessed to pornography addiction. Since then, he has gone through the Pure Life Brazil program and is now walking in freedom. He came to the meeting with his wife and six month old baby. He said, “Our child is a miracle. He wouldn’t be here today if God had not brought me into repentance since the last meeting.”

Another young man I immediately recognized because I had prayed with him a couple of years ago on the campus at Pure Life Brazil. At the time, he was very broken, and I remember him weeping and crying out to the Lord. Today, he is serving in ministry at a Christian university in Uberlândia and is marrying a Christian woman this fall!

A third young man I had not met before, but he had been through Pure Life Brazil a year ago. He shared his story with me and how the Portuguese version of Pile of Masks had been a huge breakthrough for him during that season. He wanted to thank me for the impact I had made on his life.

I was overwhelmed as we traveled back to Brasilia and grateful to get to see so much fruit from our ministry efforts in Brazil. 

Famílias Benditas Comunidade Cristã – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

We had a great services at Famílias Benditas Comunidade Cristã in Vicente Pires. It was Communion Sunday, so I shared a message about the significance of the Blood of Jesus and what it accomplishes for us, translated by our friend, Danilo. During worship, I felt that there was a young person who needed to commit their life to Christ. When I gave an altar call for salvation, several young people raised their hands signifying they wanted to give their life to Jesus. Glory to God! Afterwards, we took communion together and thanked the Lord for His sacrifice. It was a beautiful service!

Igreja Batista das Nações Online Meeting– Ceilândia, Brasilia

I had the privilege of speaking at an online English speaking service of Igreja Batista das Nações (Baptist Church for the Nations). I shared a message about the value of the human soul and encouraged the church to reflect on how important human souls are to the Lord. I left them with some practical points about praying for the harvest, giving towards missions and being willing to go wherever God sends them to bring the Gospel. We had time for questions afterwards, and people were grateful for the message.

Pure Life Ministries Brazil– Águas Lindas de Goiás, Brasilia

I had the privilege of ministering to the students of Pure Life Ministries Brazil. I spoke about the story of King Jehoshaphat, who turned to God in prayer, fasting, and worship, and experienced a mighty victory over his enemies. I related the principles to the battle that the men are experiencing and encouraged them to do what Jehoshaphat did. We also spent some time praying for the upcoming Pure Life Ministries Brazil conference together.

Afterwards, I had the privilege of presenting each of them with a FireBible in Portuguese (Thanks Kettering Assembly of God!) It was a great morning, and it’s been a blessing to see how God is transforming the lives of the men in the program.

Evangelism Team– Ceilândia, Brasilia

Our outreach with Familias Benditas was a very special time. We went to a location in another part of the city called Ceilândia. It is known for a large homeless population, so we brought some hygiene kits donated from a dentist in the congregation, as well as crackers, hot chocolate and Gospel literature.

We were amazed at how many people came to us once the word got out that we were offering free items. We had several very impactful conversations with people, prayed for many and distributed a lot of Roman’s Road cards and Gospel tracts. One man in particular stands out in my mind. He was backslidden and addicted to drugs. As we talked with him, he mentioned that he missed the feeling of worshipping God. One of our team members brought out a guitar, and we worshipped together. You could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. The man had tears running down his face. I felt that the Lord gave me a word to share with him, and I prayed for him as we embraced. I know that God was doing something special in his heart.

Please pray for all of the Gospel seed that was sown that night. 

Famílias Benditas Womens and Youth Events– Vicente Pires, Brasilia

Our family had the privilege of ministering in three different locations on the same evening. While I was ministering at a youth ministry in another part of the city, Abigail and Claire were helping lead worship for a youth event and Brittany was ministering to the women’s ministry from our church. She shared a message about sacrifice from the story of Abraham and Isaac. Several of the women commented that it was just what they needed to hear. It was a blessing for us as a family to all be involved in using our gifts for the Kingdom of God. 

Igreja de Cristo Dókimos– Gama, Brasilia

I was invited to speak to the youth of Igreja de Cristo Dókimos in Gama, a city just south of Brasilia. It was part of a conference about developing godly relationships. I spoke about how to regret-proof our lives, using the Apostle Paul’s story as an illustration. I also shared some of my own mistakes and encouraged them to allow God to guide their futures, especially when it comes to relationships. At the end, we had a time of prayer and many of the students experienced the conviction and encouragement of the Holy Spirit. The Lord moved in a powerful way. 

Snack Cart Evangelism Team – Dayton, Ohio

We are really grateful for what God did through the snack cart team. Our friend Tyler reported back that several women wanted to surrender their lives to Christ! They also met a man who is considering entering Whole Truth Ministries’ sober living program to get a fresh start. Many wanted prayer for healing and we are trusting God with the results. 

Pure Life Brazil Conference – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

The Pure Life Brazil Conference was a powerful weekend of ministry. It was their first conference and will become an annual event. Many people came from a variety of churches and cities came to seek the Lord and hear from His Word.

Brittany was a part of a panel answering questions for women and wives who have been impacted by sexual sin. She shared from her own story and gave wisdom that she has gleaned ministering to women over the years.

I was one of four speakers and I preached a message from the life of Joshua, encouraging people to live in intimacy, faith and obedience in our relationship with God. The altars were filled with people crying out to the Lord.

The worship, messages, fellowship and times of prayer were impactful. We were so grateful to have a chance to minister at the first conference. What a great work the Lord is doing through Pure Life’s program.

Imago Dei School – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

It was a blessing to be asked to speak for the Imago Dei Bible Study at Famílias Benditas Church. The topic was Christian character. I shared about the importance of discipleship, how God uses hardships to forge character in our lives and we talked about several passages that describe the type of character Christians are expected to develop. At the end, each table shared with one another about an area in their lives they need God to develop and we closed praying for one another. It was a great night.

I also had the privilege of speaking on four Wednesdays in July on the topic of evangelism. Each night, I talked on a different aspect of how to develop an evangelistic life. It included many Scriptural principles as well as real-life stories of how the journey has looked in my life.

During the last week, several people shared stories of how they had been inspired to share the love of Christ with people in their sphere of influence. One had a chance to minister to a surgeon that was helping her with a medical procedure. Another woman met a lady and had a long spiritual conversation about faith in Christ. Another family ended up helping their neighbors grandson get into a treatment facility for drug addiction. It was beautiful to see how those in the classes were practically applying the teaching to their every day lives.

Evangelism Team– Ceilândia, Brasilia

Our outreach to the homeless went great. Our church did a collection for clothing and blankets to provide because several people had requested them the last time we went out. We also brought crackers, hot chocolate, coffee and Romans Road cards to distribute. The needs that people have can be overwhelming, but many received prayer and seeds of the Gospel.

I saw one young man sitting on a curb a little distance away from us. A couple of us went to talk to him. I asked him his story, and he said very hesitantly, “I don’t talk about my story to people.” I said, “Ok, then let me tell you mine.” It was hard to read his expression as I was sharing. Afterwards I said, “You don’t have to share anything. We just came to tell you about the difference Jesus can make in your life.” He then said, “I want to share my story with you.” He opened up about his situation, and I was surprised at how transparent he was. We offered to pray with him to give his life to Jesus, but he was not willing. But we prayed for him and encouraged him to look to the Lord and consider the Gospel message we had shared.

It was a reminder that being willing to open up to others about our own past struggles can open up their hearts to us. Once this man realized we were normal people and we had no hidden motives, his countenance changed. We praise God for the seeds sown and ask everyone to continue to pray for all of those we encountered that night.

Igreja Batista das Nações – Ceilândia, Brasilia

We are really grateful for the opportunity we had to minister at Igreja Batista das Nações in the nearby city of Ceilândia. With Cíntia as my translator, I shared a message about maintaining our passion for God. I encouraged the people to seek the Lord, keep their hearts clean, and not allow weariness to hold them back in their Christian walk. At the end, several came forward for prayer, asking God to keep their fire lit. It was a beautiful service and we were blessed to make some new friends from the congregation

Youth Event – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

I had the privilege to minister to the youth of Familias Benditas. We had an event at the home of one of the church families. Everyone was invited to have a festive meal and I shared a challenge for the young people. I gave a one week challenge to be more evangelistic at their school with a worksheet of practical tips. Then, we prayed for the youth and had the youth pray for us. Several of them shared about what God was speaking to them that night. Abigail and Claire were part of the youth worship team as well.

One amazing testimony from that night came from a woman who was there. Although she is an adult, she took the challenge personally and decided to apply it. The next day, she felt the Holy Spirit tell her to share the Gospel with a woman who worked at a coffee shop at her workplace. She had assumed she was a believer because she often played worship music. However, after starting the conversation, the woman shared that she didn’t know Jesus personally. The woman from our church was able to lead her to Christ right there and the two were crying together at the coffee shop. Praise God for His leading and this woman’s obedience!

Famílias Benditas Comunidade Cristã – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

I’m so grateful for how the Holy Spirit moved at Famílias Benditas Comunidade Cristã. Before I preached, Abigail and Claire led the song “Give Me Jesus” in English and Portuguese. Then I shared a heavy message from the story of Lot’s family. I encouraged the church to evaluate how closely their lives are tied to the world system. When I gave a call for all who wanted to make a commitment to further consecrate their lives to the Lord, many came forward, some with all of their family members. We took some time to cry out to the Lord for His help. I’m so encouraged to see people responding to God’s call to go deeper. A couple of people reached out afterwards to let me know how much the message had impacted their lives.

We want to sincerely thank each of you who pray for us in general as well as for ministry events like these specifically. We often feel your prayers and having you come alongside us is a huge encouragement. Please continue to remember us as the Lord lays us on your hearts. God is moving in a special way!

The Spirit is Moving in Brazil!

The Lord has been opening doors and moving in a special way here in Brazil. In April and May, we had the opportunity to minister in multiple cities and several denominations. We also launched an evangelism team from our church. Here are the highlights from the last two months:

Snack Cart Evangelism – Dayton, OH

We had a team stateside take our snack cart out to share the Gospel on the streets of Dayton. They shared snacks and the love of Christ with many people. Many requested prayer, especially for peace in their lives. The outreach team also reported that a young man from a previous snack cart outreach has not only been sober for over a month but also gave his life to Jesus and was water baptized last Sunday. God is so good!

Women’s Event with Famílias Benditas – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

Brittany had the opportunity to share her testimony at a women’s meeting from our church. She shared some of the lessons she learned through our story. Several of the women shared about how they realized they need to let go of control so that God could have full control in their lives. It is amazing to see how God can take the biggest challenges in our lives and use them to minister to others. He has truly used our story for His glory in so many ways.

Famílias Benditas – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

We had a powerful service at Famílias Benditas. I spoke on the topic of anointing and encouraged the church to believe God for greater things and to live with a consciousness that God wants to use them. Afterwards, I gave a call for salvation and several came forward to dedicate their lives to Christ. Then, we anointed everyone with oil who wanted prayer. Several were touched in a significant way, and we trust the Lord stirred hearts that night.

ADCN (Assembleia de Deus Caldas Novas) – Caldas Novas, Goiás

We had the privilege of ministering with our good friends Pastor Junior and Gloria in Caldas Novas, a city about four hours drive from Brasilia. Abby and Claire led a couple of worship songs in Portuguese and I preached a message about the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We prayed for many after the message and believed God to touch them. It was a great service.

Igreja Batista Nacional – São Luís, Maranhão

I’m so grateful for an amazing ministry trip to northeast Brazil. This was my first time ministering in the city of São Luís, which is a large city located on an island on the ocean coast. I was invited by Pastor Arly to speak at two churches in the Igreja Batista Nacional de São Luís network.

Friday Night:

My first service was at the main campus on Friday night. I spoke about the power of Jesus’ blood. Afterwards, many came forward for prayer and we ministered at the altars to all who responded. It was a great night.

Saturday Night:

On Saturday evening, we had a service with many of the network churches in attendance. I spoke a message about the importance of God’s presence above all else. I shared about Moses’ intimate relationship with God and how we have the same access as believers today. At the end, we prayed for many people who were believing for a fresh touch from God. One young man asked to pray for salvation. Glory to God!

Sunday Morning:

On Sunday morning, I was invited to minister at Pastor Airton’s church in a different part of the city. We had a powerful time of worship and I preached a message about the fire of God that fell on the mountain when Elijah offered his sacrifice. The altars were filled and the presence of God was evident.

Afterwards, we went out to enjoy a meal at a local seafood restaurant. There was a woman outside begging for money. We stopped and I asked her if she needed prayer. She shared that she had been away from the Lord for a couple of years. We encouraged her to cry out to the Lord and spent some time in prayer with her.

Sunday Night:

That night, we had our final service at Pastor Arly’s church. I spoke about the anointing of the Holy Spirit and we anointed and prayed for almost everyone in the church. The prayer time was beautiful as individuals, couples and families came forward to dedicate themselves to the Lord and His service.

Monday:

On my flight to São Luís, I flew over terrain that looked very strange to me. When I landed, the Pastor told me it was the sand dunes of Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses. On the final day of the trip, they took me there. It was close to four hours away and we met some believers at a church that is connected to their network. We then had a tour guide take us into the dunes to enjoy the lagoons and scenery. It was like entering into another planet. I was grateful for the fellowship from several of their church members and the time to enjoy God’s creation.

Flying home, I was exhausted but grateful for how the Lord moved. God had His way in São Luís!

Central da Fé Assembliea de Deus – Samambaia, Brasilia

I was invited to speak at a gathering of pastors and church leaders for the Assembleia de Deus Independente network in Samambaia. I always enjoy the opportunities I have to speak to leaders, because I know that so much of what happens in churches is impacted by the spiritual health of those who lead. I shared my testimony and some practical wisdom that I learned about how to lead in a healthy way and avoid the pitfalls that are so prevalent in church ministry. Afterwards, several came forward to receive prayer for strength and empowerment for ministry. It was a blessed morning.

Famílias Benditas Evangelism Team – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

We took our first team out to the streets from Famílias Benditas on a Thursday night. We were encouraged that so many from the church had a desire to go out and evangelize. For some, it was the first time they had done something like this. We had our Romans Road cards translated into Portuguese and a sign that read, “Free Snacks and Prayer.” Teams went out into the park, to the local stores, a bus stop and the streets to offer free food and prayer. Many people received prayer and we had opportunity to share the Gospel and encourage them to seek the Lord and fully surrender to Him.

Several conversations stuck out to our team. I talked to a young man who was a nominal Christian. He reasoned that talking to God once in awhile was enough. I shared my personal story of when I was backslidden and told Him that the Lord is pursuing Him and wants his whole heart. One of our team members prayed for a lady who was experiencing demonic influence in her life. We pray that the Lord touched her that night. One team prayed for a person whose vehicle wouldn’t start, and the vehicle started up after they prayed! Many seeds of the Gospel were sown for the glory of God.

ICCR (Igreja Cristã de Confissão Reformada) – Gama, Brasilia

We had a great service with Pastor Cisero and the congregation of ICCR in Gama. I spoke about the need for all of us to remove distractions from our lives that keep us from pursuing God. You could sense the presence of God as we sought His face at the end of the message. Afterwards, we were invited to eat churrasco and some traditional northeastern cuisine. The students of Pure Life Ministries came to the service and I had some time to talk to them and pray for them. It was a blessed morning.

Famílias Benditas, Pentecost Sunday – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

We had a beautiful service at Famílias Benditas for Pentecost Sunday. Before I spoke, I had the privilege to present our pastors with a Portuguese Study Bible (donated by Kettering Assembly of God). They were very grateful for the gift. I spoke about developing a Pentecostal lifestyle, giving practical examples of how to incorporate the baptism of the Holy Spirit into our daily lives. Afterwards, many came forward crying out for more of God’s Spirit and there was a special sense of God’s presence in the room.

Famílias Benditas Evangelism Team – Vicente Pires, Brasilia

We had a fantastic outreach with our team from Famílias Benditas. We went to a local park with free waters, bananas and Gospel literature and sent teams around to share the Gospel. We had the opportunity to pray for many people, as well as share testimonies and the hope of Christ. We distributed Romans Road cards, and we saw people reading the literature after they encountered our teams.

One man didn’t seem very open to talking to the group. However, once the group started to walk away, he motioned to one of them and asked him to come speak with him. He then poured out his heart and shared about his distance from God. They spoke for a long time about faith in Christ.

One family in our group had their six-year old son with them. They were thrilled when he prayed for some other kids his age in the park for the first time. What an impact evangelism can have on the next generation! We are so grateful for all that the Lord accomplished. We closed in a beautiful time of prayer and worship in the park.

ICCR (Igreja Cristã de Confissão Reformada) – Taguatinga, Brasilia

We had an impactful service with Pastor Airton and our good friends at ICCR. I shared a message from the story of King Josiah. He was a righteous king who made a conscious decision to serve God with all his heart and soul. I shared several principles from his life about how we can live a similar life. After I preached, Abigail and Claire were invited to sing a song. They chose “Nada Além do Sangue” (a Brazilian worship song “Nothing but the Blood”). The presence of God was tangible as we sought the Lord together. It was a powerful morning.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for our ministry. God is moving in a special way and we often feel the prayers of His people. You are an integral part of this ministry, and we are grateful for you!

God’s Faithfulness Continues!

February marked a big transition month for our family and ministry. We spent the first couple of weeks ministering in the States and moved mid-February to Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. Amid the transition, God has continued to be so faithful to minister to many lives. Here are the highlights from February and March:

Miamisburg Assembly of God- Miamisburg, OH

We had a great service at our home church. It was bittersweet, as it was the last time speaking there until we get back from Brazil. Our church’s vision this year is “GO!” so I gave some practical instruction on sharing the love of Christ with others. Several people helped me act out different scenarios so that people could see what it looks like in real-life situations. At the end, Pastor Chuck prayed for our family to send us out. We are so grateful for a church family that loves our family so well. We had a friend from the church reach out to share about a great Gospel conversation she had at a nail salon that same day due to the service that morning! God is so faithful to open doors if we will be aware and willing to take a step of faith.

New Lebanon Correctional Institution – New Lebanon, OH

We had a powerful time of ministry with the inmates at Lebanon Correctional Institution. I led worship and preached to a group of about 50 men who chose to be in chapel. After a time of rich worship, I shared my testimony and a message based on the Israelites about how to live in freedom. When I gave the call to salvation, about seven men stood up to boldly surrender their lives to Jesus! Then several stuck around to ask for prayer for different needs in their lives. One young man in his thirties asked for prayer for his son and daughter. They were both under 10 years old and their father is serving a potential life sentence. He was one of the men who stood to give his life to Jesus. Despite the challenging and dark environment, the Spirit of God is moving in prisons and setting men free.

Bryan Assembly of God- Bryan, OH

We were so blessed to have the opportunity to minister with Pastor Sam and the great congregation of Bryan First Assembly of God. Brittany shared an update on our ministry and I spoke a message about keeping the fire of God in our lives burning brightly. We could sense the Spirit of God throughout the service. Several came up for prayer, asking God to keep their fire burning and I believe the Holy Spirit ministered to many.

Rock of Grace Church- Kinsman, OH

We are grateful for the opportunity we had to share about our ministry at Rock of Grace’s Kinsman campus. We enjoyed a rich time of worship and a timely Word from Pastor Will. It was a blessing to make some new friends from their awesome congregation. We also had a chance to hang out with them that evening for an outreach they held that included worship, fellowship, games, and an altar call for salvation. It was a blessing to see what God is doing in Kinsman, Ohio.

ClearView Church- Columbia Station, OH

We had a great weekend with Pastors Donovan and Sarah at ClearView Church. On Saturday, I had the opportunity to spend time with their family and hear the amazing story of how their boys started a soap company. Their products have been sent into many countries and have been a blessing to missionaries, orphans and many others. They gave Brittany and I some soap to bring to Brazil.

On Sunday, I ministered in two services. I shared about our testimony and gave a message with practical evangelism principles. This year, their church’s vision is for every family to reach another family for Christ. It was a blessing to tie into that vision. We prayed for several people in the services. One young man prayed to receive Christ, and God ministered to him in a powerful way!

Snack Cart Outreach- Downtown Dayton

We are so grateful for the ministry that took place in downtown Dayton. The team that took our cart out reported back that they had an amazing time of ministry. They were able to pray for many people for healing and other needs, as well as share the Gospel with all who would listen. There was a group of about fifteen teenage girls who wanted to be prayed for as a group before they got their snacks. They were even able to get one person checked into a treatment facility. A few weeks later, he gave his life to Christ and entered Whole Truth Ministries to be discipled! God is so good!

Evangelism Podcast with CEBI- Brasilia, Brazil

I had the privilege of sharing about evangelism on the podcast for SEBI (Sociedade de Estudos Bíblicos Interdisciplinares) here in Brazil. It was a joy to share about the believer’s responsibility to evangelize as well as the reward of partnering with God to see souls impacted by the Gospel. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity and look forward to hearing testimonies of those who put the concepts to practice. The link to the podcast is here for those who might be interested: youtube.com/live/OnO9UGsXkBU?si=O-KCXNkwjCs2pm8g

Pure Life Ministries Brazil

We had an amazing time in the presence of God with the students at Pure Life Ministries Brazil. I shared a message about not getting too close to the world from the story of Lot. When we prayed at the end, the presence of the Holy Spirit was strong and we spent time in prayer and worship. It was evident that the Spirit of God was working on men’s hearts. We were so grateful to have the opportunity to minister there. Afterwards, they cooked a delicious meal for us and we spent time in fellowship. They sent us home with ten giant avocados from the property. Not long after, they found a diamondback rattlesnake in an office on campus close to where we were ministering. We were so grateful for God’s protection and that no one was harmed by it.

Igreja Baptista Palavra E Vida – Taguatinga, Brazil

We were blessed to minister in Taguatinga at Igreja Baptista Palavra E Vida. I spoke at their church four years ago on my first trip to Brazil. It was a blessing to connect with Pastor Marcelo and his wife again. My good friend, Fred Geerman from Pure Life Ministries Brazil, was my translator. As it was the first weekend leading into Easter week, I spoke a message about the cross. I shared that many people came to celebrate Jesus on Palm Sunday, but none of them were willing to join Him at the cross. It can be the same in modern church culture. We love the celebration of Palm Sunday and the Resurrection. But between those events is a cross that Jesus expects us all to carry according to Luke 9. It was a heavy message, but I believe the Lord used it to challenge us all in our faith.

God has been so faithful to bless the speaking opportunities during these two months. Thank you to everyone who is supporting us through their prayer and finances. We could not do what God has called us to do without you!