We have our tickets!

God is in control! Our posts over the months reflected some despair as to whether or not we would be able to return to Brazil. We went on home assignment with about 80% support, and a year later we were down to 78%. The falling dollar was the culprit. A few months ago we had the idea of asking those interested in our ministries to prayerfully consider a 50 cent a day commitment for our next term--$15 a month for up to four years. The response has been humbling. Through contributions large and small, and the strengthening of US dollar over the last 3 months, our support level is approaching 99% and we have our airline tickets for our return to Brazil on January 16th. We do appreciate your prayers-there are a lot of logistical matters to take care of, especially Sarah's situation as she continues with her studies at PBU. Do pray as we return to the field as "empty nesters" for a season, and that we will be able to finish some responsibilities here over the next few weeks.

The "home drive!" (or, the drive home?)

We have been quiet in terms of posting for the last six weeks, but busy behind the scenes making the need known and challenging friends and acquaintances to consider becoming involved in this ministry. We have been encouraged. We put forth a challenge of "100 supporters in 100 days" who could contribute $15 monthly. God quickly showed us that he knows our need and that he can supply that need in the way he determines. For example we have two new supporters who are contributing $100 a month! Also, about twenty individuals have expressed their intention to join our support team at the $15 monthly level. It is humbling to see people willing to sacrifice in this difficult economic environment so that we can return to Brazil and the work God has given us there. The Lord knows our need, and we will still need to see a significant increase in pledges in order to buy our tickets and return to the field by the end of the year. Does God want us back in Brazil? Let's see what he will do over the next month to make our return possible!

September 2008 Prayer letter online!

Our newest prayer letter is now online at:
http://www.worldventure.com/Missionaries/Missionary-Directory/Missionary/Nash_Steven_Mary_Ann/Links/Downloads/Nash_Steven_PL_09_08.pdf
The link should work, but if it doesn't, copy and paste the address to your browser. The main theme is announcing our new challenge to discover 100 individual supports over the next 100 days. Actually we need about 90 more, since ten families have verbally indicated their intention to join our support team, praise the Lord! We appreciate your prayers as we seek to serve God. If he wants us back in Brazil we know that he will bring in the needed support. Let's see what God will do!

8 days, 8 new partners, and counting!

I have to admit I am a little astounded at how quickly God seems to be working. Since we first brought this new challenge of discovering 100 new partners in 100 days before God's throne and before his people, 8 individuals or couples have already indicated their desire to partner with us! The amazing thing to consider is that this is more individual supporters than have pledged support during this entire year of home assignment! We continue to ask God to confirm his direction by supplying this need through his people. Whether or not you can give, would you pray with us that God's will, his plan for us, and his perfect timing continue to be revealed to us?
Steve

100 Days, 100 Partners?

We are about 100 days away from our scheduled return to Brazil. It has been a good time for us to be in the US. My Dad's death has left me as the oldest son with some responsibilities in resolving some family matters that would have been difficult to address from Brazil. I do appreciate your prayers as I make a couple of trips down to Tennessee in the near future to deal with an on going family issue there. Its been good to be here this year also as Sarah finished her first year of college successfully, worked this summer, and helped at the food panty at the First Baptist Church in Toms River. Now as we look ahead we realize that we are in the final stretch of this home assignment, and the challenge before us is significant. Several of our supporting churches have made generous increases in their giving. The Lord has added a number of individuals to our support team as well. Even so, the declining value of the US dollar has our current deficit at about $1500 monthly. We are asking God, if it is His will for us to return to Brazil this year, that he supply 100 individual supporters in the next 100 days, willing to commit 50 cents a day, or $15 a month, to our support. This would allow us to return to Brazil fully supported for our next term. It is a huge challenge from our feeble human perspective, but nothing is too difficult for God. 100 new partners in 100 days, would you pray with us about this challenge?

Summer prayer letter online

Though the news is not "new" to those of you who follow this blog, our summer prayer letter in now online. One update is that our current support deficit has improved a bit since our last letter, but there is still a long way to go before we can return to Brazil. The PDF can be seen at http://www.worldventure.com/Missionaries/Missionary-Directory/Missionary/Nash_Steven_Mary_Ann/Links/Downloads/Nash_Steven_PL_07_08.pdf
If clicking on the link doesn't work, copy and paste the address to your browser and you're there! If you have difficulty with this address, you can go to our website at WorldVenture through the link to the right of this page and then click on "prayer letters" and then on the most recent link displayed. We think this "blog" offers great potential for dialog with our friends and supporters, so if you have any questions or observations, please feel free to respond.

On another matter, I do appreciate the words of encouragement and support that many have sent since the death of my father. There are still many details that fall to me as the oldest son to iron out, including a difficult family situation in Tennessee. I will probably need to make at least a couple of trips down there to resolve some issues, and do appreciate your prayers for wisdom and God's guidance.

A few thoughts...

I shared a short message at Pop's funeral. It was emotional, given the situation. I was able to share some thoughts and stories about him, how proud we were as kids (what could be cooler than having a Dad who was a policeman!), how hard he worked (providing for seven kids), how he did his best with us and took care of our mother when she was sick and dying. I know I didn't say everything I intended to, but at least what got out came from the heart. I also shared the message of our heavenly father, and the love he demonstrated in sending Jesus to die for our sins, and how, because of his sacrifice we can receive, by faith, the gift of eternal life. Several people indicated they were thankful for what I said, a couple even accepted gospel tracts. I appreciate your prayers that the seeds that were sown might take root in someone's life. I also appreciate prayers for my brothers.

Steve

Funeral Service

Today two of my brothers and I met with the funeral director in Old Bridge. We will be having the viewings for Pop on Friday, 2-4 and 7-9 PM, and then a short funeral service at 11 AM on Saturday. I appreciate your prayers as I try to share a few words at the funeral on Saturday. Pray that I will effectively share the Good News of salvation with those who are present.
Steve

Family News...

I just received a call from my brother in Tennessee that our dad, Boyd Nash, age 77, died at the hospital early this morning. We appreciate your prayers since there are a lot of details that will need to be taken care of in the next few days. His wish was to be buried in NJ where our mother and our brother Gary are also buried. A missionary friend from Brazil who visited him in the hospital did offer some hope that he was trusting in Christ, but only in eternity will we know for sure. Thank you for your prayers.
Steve

Where is the bottom?

I remember as a young boy going on a tour of a cave with my family. At one point the guide tossed a stone into an abyss alongside the path we were taking through the cavern. I don't remember how deep he said the hole was, but I do recall that it seemed to fall a long time before it stopped bouncing off the sides of the crevice and finally splashed in water in the darkness below. I don't want this blog to become a monthly report on the currency crisis facing missionaries, but where is the bottom already? I read a headline today that said the dollar has been almost level against the euro for the last three months. That is surely good news for American missionaries serving in Europe! However against the Brazilian Real the dollar has continued its decline, falling almost ten percent over the same period. Over the last four years about a 50% decline. For us, the frustration is that though we have gained some support, our annual support need is almost $2000 higher this month than it was last month, and we have actually dropped from 78% supported to 77%. We do appreciate your prayers for our family as we seek to follow the Lord.
your brother and co-worker,
Steve Nash

Feeling the heat?

There has been a lull in our posting to this blog over the last couple of weeks. We are in a heat wave here in the Northeast of the U.S., its been in the upper 90 degrees F. (over 35 C.) for several days. To say the least, we are feeling the heat! We are also feeling the heat a bit figuratively as we look at our calender and anticipate our scheduled return to Brazil before year end. Though we have seen some support increases and some new support pledges, the falling dollar has kept us under 80 percent of the amount we need to return to the field. One devotional reading I have been including in my morning prayer time reflected this week on the need for patience, and the assurance that God's plan will unfold in his way and in his time. One paraphrase of Habbakuk 2:3 reads, “These things I plan [for your life] won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place.” It does seem that God is teaching us to trust Him, to listen to Him, and to wait, patiently, for Him to reveal his plan in his time. Thank you for praying with us as we seek to serve him!
your brother and co-worker,
Steve

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!

Contact from the Seminary in Brazil

This week I exchanged e-mails with both the academic coordinator and the director of the Faculdade Teológica Batista de São Paulo, the São Paulo Baptist Theological Seminary (the main building is pictured here). The academic dean was wanting to know if I would be back for the Fall semester (actually Spring semester in Brazil, since we are in the southern hemisphere!). I had to tell them the news that, because of our support situation, we will not be returning on schedule. It is always encouraging to hear from our friends in Brazil, and to know that our contribution there to the ministry is important and appreciated. We are also encouraged that my courses are being taught by Brazilian co-workers and a fellow missionary, and that the work is going on without a hitch. God is faithful and his work continues to prosper! We have been encouraged this week also by the addition of a couple of new supporters, friends who have know us for some time and who have extended themselves in faith to join our support team. Also, one of our supporting churches has doubled their support commitment to us. Praise God for these blessings, pray with us that His will be done!

Steve

May Prayer Letter online!

Our May prayer letter is now available online at
http://www.worldventure.com/Missionaries/Missionary-Directory/Missionary/Nash_Steven_Mary_Ann/Links/Downloads/Nash_Steven_PL_05_08.pdf
We share in it some opportunities to partner with us as we seek to return to Brazil in 2008.

News from the Amazon

An exciting aspect of "training Brazilians to evangelize Brazil and the world" is to see students serving the Lord in exciting ways. Paulo Cesar came to São Paulo to do a masters degree in New Testament, and has since returned to his ministry as a missionary to the Tucano people in the Amazon region of northern Brazil. The New Testament, with the help of Paulo Cesar, has been translated into the language of the people, and several churches have been planted. He recently helped with the construction of a new church building and the photo to the right above shows a group of believers worshipping there.
His wife, Luciene, is pictured in the photo to the left teaching a Bible lesson to some Tucano children. It is a blessing to see what God is doing through these faithful servants. This kind of ministry by Brazilians to Brazilians is so important because Americans are rarely given permission to enter the country to work among the indigenous peoples.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

We had a great weekend with our friends at Sayre Woods Bible Church. When we were first appointed with WorldVenture 15 years ago, SWBC, our home church, was the first church to commit support to us. It is also the church that "commissioned" us as missionaries before our departure. Its been a blessing to us to be a part of this missions minded family of believers over the years. Next Sunday we will be visiting another of our long time supporting churches, First Baptist Church in Bloomfield, NJ. It was at this church that we first heard Dr. Russell Shedd, our now "retired" colleague, speaking of the work in Brazil (though he is officially "retired" his calender is booked with ministry in Brazil for the next two years!). That meeting was one of the first "seeds" the Lord used to nudge us toward ministry in Brazil. It is humbling to look back and see how God has led through various circumstances to bring us to this moment in our lives. It is also encouraging, as we look ahead, with so many questions about the future, to know and be assured that he has a plan, that he is in control, and our part is to trust him.
your co-worker in Christ,
Steve

Extended Home Assignment

We have discussed our support situation with our supervisor at WorldVenture and the (preliminary!) verdict is in: we will need to extend our stay in the United States by at least three months. We were scheduled originally to return to Brazil on September 1st, but our support situation just won't allow that to happen. We will do our best to visit all of our churches and supporters by this summer, and then concentrate on making new contacts and discovering the additional support we need. Please pray with us that the Lord's will be done as we look ahead.
Your brother and co-worker,
Steve

The Academy and the Church

This week I will be representing the Faculdade Teológica Batista de São Paulo, the São Paulo Baptist College and Seminary, at the mid-atlantic regional meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. I will be presenting an academic paper to this very diverse group of university and seminary professors. On Sunday we will be going to Cranford, NJ, sharing our ministry and preaching at the Raritan Road Baptist Church. We served in pastoral ministry in this same church for several years before the Lord sent us to Brazil as missionaries. We still have many dear friends in this church and many fond memories of our time there. As a seminary teacher on the mission field I have always urged students that the study of the Bible should never become a merely academic exercise, theology should always be practical. I am thankful to have dear brothers and sisters, like those in Cranford, to encourage me to be teachable and sensitive to what God is saying in his Word.

Video online!

If you have a good internet connection you can look at a brief video greeting that we recently made talking about our ministry in Brazil. The link below will take you to the video. We are not actors but we hope you can appreciate our passion!

http://downloads.worldventure.com/Nash/SteveMaryNash-download.mov

If your internet connection is a bit slower this is a smaller, lower definition version of the same video:

http://downloads.worldventure.com/Nash/SteveMaryNash-email.mov

Another student in Brazil

I have often said that I am only a Bible teacher who happens to serve in Brazil, the real missionaries are my students. This week I received an e-mail from Zenaide who serves in a Bible Club ministry to children. They give the kids a meal, and present the Gospel to them. Many come to faith, and often their families are reached as well. As the photo reveals, the children come from humble situations in sometimes dangerous neighborhoods. Pray for continued growth in effective ministry to to the poor children of São Paulo.

March Newsletter Online!

Our March Newsletter is now online at the WorldVenture website. The link for the PDF version is:
http://www.worldventure.com/Missionaries/Missionary-Directory/Missionary/Nash_Steven_Mary_Ann/Links/Downloads/Nash_Steven_PL_03_08.pdf
Thanks!

News from Brazil

I was encouraged to receive an e-mail from one of my students in Brazil this week. Márcio is a young husband and father with twin boys. He went through our undergraduate programs at the Baptist Seminary in São Paulo and has finished the course work for his masters degree. Along with working a secular job and being involved in his local church, he is also teaching at the Baptist Bible Institute on the south side of the city. This semester he is teaching both New Testament Introduction and New Testament Theology. This is an encouraging example of the principle of 2 Timothy 2:2 in practice: “The things that you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Steve

Our first "First Baptist Church"?

We are blessed to be partners in ministry with several "First Baptist Churches." This week we will be at First Baptist Church in Metuchen, NJ. First Baptist is just a couple of exits down the Parkway from where we served in pastoral ministry before joining WorldVenture in the early to mid-90s. In fact, our relationship goes back a bit further. Almost ten years earlier, my first ministry position, as a part time associate pastor working primarily with youth, was in nearby Edison. In those days we became acquainted with First Baptist through the then youth pastor Wiley Johnson. So its been over twenty years that we have been friends of the church, and almost fifteen since we have been part of the missionary team of First Baptist! We look forward to reaffirming our partnership in ministry with our friends in Metuchen, pray for an effective weekend of ministry.

Steve

The Fall of the Dollar

The link below from Yahoo! Finance shows the reality of what has been squeezing the support needs of American missionaries in Brazil: over the last five years, as the chart shows, the dollar has had over a 50% decline against the Brazilian currency. For us the consequence is that though in dollar terms our pledged support is as high as it has ever been, we are now 25% undersupported. Even so we have recently been encouaged with several churches inquiring about our support situation and expressing a hope that they can increase their giving to our work. We have also had a friend from a supporting church personally pledge support to our work. Praise God that He is in control!

Steve

http://finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?from=USD&to=BRL&amt=1&t=5y

From Main Street to Main Street

Tomorrow I (Steve) will be traveling alone from our furlough "home" near the Jersey shore to Main Street Baptist Church in Oneonta, NY. Mary Ann will be at home preparing for a medical procedure on Monday. Its been an interesting week since Sarah has had a Brazilian friend, now a Canadian college student, visiting her at PBU! We had a chance to have a lunch visit with them this week which was special. Today also brought our first significant snow fall of the year, which always makes driving interesting, something we don't have to deal with in Brazil (snowfall that is, interesting driving is the norm in our city!)! I just got an e-mail from a colleague in Brazil telling me they have had some torrential summer rains in São Paulo, pretty common this time of the year. We are thankful for our network of supporting churches, like Main Street Baptist, that have so faithfully stood with us in the ministry over the years.
Thanks for your prayers!

February Prayerletter online!

Our February prayer letter is available online at:
http://www.worldventure.com/Missionaries/Missionary-Directory/Missionary/Nash_Steven_Mary_Ann/Links/Downloads/Nash_Steven_PL_02_08.pdf
Our newest family picture is included. Take a look!
Steve

Back in NJ!

We are back in NJ, preparing for our next visits to our supporters. This week we have been helping with some ministries here in Toms River, I (Steve) teaching some middle schoolers on Tuesday at the Christian Academy, today, Mary Ann substituted for the 5th grade, tomorrow she’ll sub for the 4th grade, and tomorrow night I will be giving the devotional to the youth group. The church family here in Toms River has made us feel at home, and we are glad to help as we are able. The challenge before us is considerable as we look to return to Brazil later this year: our support level is at about 75%, largely due to the falling dollar. Even so we call our current ministry “support discovery” since we are convinced that God is in control, even over such mundane things as finances!

Renewal Conference and Debriefing

We are just finishing up a two week period in Colorado. A week at a missionary "Renewal Conference" and a week of debriefing and meetings with our mission. The conference was great, worship, encouragement in the word, prayer, and fellowship with missionary colleagues from around the world. It was great to see our friends, Russ and Pat Shedd, honored for fifty years of service with CBFMS, CBInternational, and WorldVenture. Though they are retiring from support, they are merely moving to a new phase of ministry as they return to Brazil and the work they have been doing. We will be returning to NJ with a new anticipation of what God will do as we continue our home assignment and support discovery. Our ride is picking us up at 4 AM tomorrow, I had better set the clock! Thanks for praying!
Steve

Our Ministry in Brazil

We are Steven and Mary Ann Nash and we have two main ministry focuses in the mega-city of São Paulo, Brazil. Steve helps to train leaders while Mary Ann works in various ministries to children. The Nashes first went to Brazil with WorldVenture in 1997 after several years of pastoral ministry in the United States.

Steve’s primary ministry is teaching at the Faculdade Teológica Batista de São Paulo. It is one of the largest Baptist seminaries in the Portuguese speaking world, attracting students from around the country, and around the world. In this school he teaches Biblical Studies and hermeneutics (principals of interpretation) at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He also helps one evening per week at a small Bible Institute in a poorer part of the city. These students are either unprepared or unable to enter the larger seminary, but are none the less convinced of God’s calling and committed to serving Him. Steve says, “It has been exciting to have a part in training and mentoring leaders for God’s mission in and from Brazil.”

Mary Ann has been helping in the Kindergarten at the Pan American Christian Academy for over 8 years. This school is committed to training young people, through quality Bible based education, who can impact the world for Christ. “Young children are open to the Gospel and have a lifetime of service ahead of them. It makes sense to try and reach them for the Lord,” says Mary Ann. She has also worked as a group leader in a women’s Bible Study and later taught Bible lessons to children while their mothers attended the Bible Study.

We have started this "Blog" to improve communication with our churches, supporters, friends, and family in the United States. We realize more than ever that we are part of a team, and hope that this new forum will allow us to stay in touch with you, and you with us. Let us know what you think!