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!
