Memorial Day

Memorial Day

On memorial day, we look back with thanksgiving on the sacrifices that were made to preserve our freedom. “Remember” is also a key verb in the theology of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Jews are repeatedly urged to remember God’s faithfulness in history. The same God who brought them out of Egypt would bring them into the land as he had promised. The NT letters urge believers to remember the cross and the resurrection: the same power that raised Jesus from the dead would help them in the midst of crises and persecution. Whatever challenges you might be facing on this memorial day, I thought the link below might be an encouragement to you:

http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm

Hitting the wall?

"For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord..." (Jer 29:11) We all should understand that truth, but when the plan is not clear in terms of the details or the timetable, its easy to get impatient! About now, according to our original plan for this home assignment, we should be making airplane reservations for our return to Brazil. God clearly has a different schedule in mind since the continued fall of the U.S. dollar has kept our support under 80% as of this writing. It is a daunting situation from our feeble human perspective. Many churches are struggling to meet budgets and to take care of their ministry commitments at home and abroad. So far the invitations for the fall are not pouring in. Lord, we know you have a plan for us. Would you mind letting us see just a bit more of it?

Bible Club Kids in São Paulo

I wanted to post one of the photos I received from Zenaide, one of my former students in the Baptist Seminary in São Paulo. She has a Bible Club ministry for children in a poor neighborhood of our city. This is the kind of "in the trenches" ministry that many of our students have reaching the unreached with the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus. Praise the Lord for what He is doing through faithful servants such as her in our corner of the world!

A great heart, a great mind...

The students I have been blessed to work with over the years come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Most have a similar sense that God has called them and a commitment to serve the Lord wherever he might lead them. Jean-Claude Dimbu is an unusual story and an especially gifted young man. He came to Brazil as a Catholic missionary from his home in the Congo. While here, he came to faith in Christ, and soon began studying with us at the Baptist Theological Seminary in São Paulo! During his time here he fell in love with a Brazilian and was married. He is probably the brightest student I have ever had - it seems he remembers everything he hears in class or reads. He is fluent in several languages and has a working knowledge of a couple more. After graduating from our undergraduate program in theology a family from the U.S. was so moved by his story that they decided to give a full scholarship for him to continue with a master's program! This is a young man who loves God passionately and has a brilliant mind. It will be exciting to see what God will do in him and through him!