Bauman's Blog

Why is Restore Brazil important? Five Pastors Share. (Portuguese)

Trip to Brazil's Capital City: Brasilia

This past week I spent three days in Brasilia, Goias, and in Minas Gerais in the center of Brazil.  All of these regions of Brazil are much different than Rio in every sense of the word.  Brasilia is the capital, more of a business & government oriented city.  I felt underdressed everywhere I went.  Goias we drove through en route to a couple of smaller cities in Minas Gerais named Paracatu and Tres Marias (Three Marys).  At one point it felt a little bit like stepping back in time, but that's ok.  The food was great and inexpensive.  At my local pousada (think small hotel) the mini-bar items cost less than my local grocery store here in Barra.

On our way to Paracatu, it was a little crazy as the pastors drove 95+ mph (literally) listening to 70's Brazilian praise music, which had a kind of hillbilly sound.  These pastors, mostly in the Presbyterian Church, have really worked hard to plant new congregations throughout this region of Brazil.  Notably, Spanish River Church in Boca Raton, under the leadership of David Nicolas, invested in several of the projects.  It was great to see the way this investment paid off as several of the churches are thriving.

Below I've attached a couple of pics from my trip.  There were a lot of pastors sharing about their specific projects - I wish I could help them all financially, but at this point Restore Brazil simply doesn't have the all the resources.  What I can do is encourage them and find ways to serve their churches through training and connection with US churches and organizations.  I would love to see a region for Restore Brazil develop in the center of Brazil, but that's up to God's timing.

Several Presbyterian pastors joined me in Brasilia (above).  Below, in front of Lula's home.

 

Outreach in the City of God

Saturday was an awesome day, according to my wife Luciane.  Although I was in the Center of Brazil travelling, about 40-50 adults participated in one of the largest outreaches we have done in the City of God.  Restore Brazil, Rio de Paz, and members of Barra Presbyterian Church worked together to lay the foundation for a new church planned for late March.  Dentists, doctors, handymen and hairstylists met the obvious needs in the community. Toothbrushes were given to many kids whom had none.  The poverty in this community is unbelievable.

One of the volunteers ran into a 11-year old girl smoking marijuana.  There are so many sad situations to report, yet God is able to transform his community by His grace.  I want to thank all of the volunteers who made this special day possible.  

One of the coolest things is seeing some of the kids worship.  

 

Here is a video from the day:

Acts 29 is now Live in Brazil

As the director of Restore Brazil, I share another role as the country director for Acts 29 in Brasil.  We launched the website for Atos 29 Brasil yesterday in both English and Portuguese, feel free to check it out.

 

Upset & Irritated

I must vent this morning.  On the front page of today's Globo (Rio's largest newspaper), I see a large picture of the prisoners (some of whom I know) in a cell with the temperature recorded at 56.7 celcius, which is 134 degrees farenheit inside.  This is the same prison we routinely work at, and were at last weekend.  Normally there are about 60 men in a cell designed for 14.

I have no idea what kind of country can permit this.  Men will die there: today or this weekend.  I am sure at least one.  The government will take too long to intervene, if ever, and the middle class in general could care less.  Some of these men are even in the prison injustly.  Despite that, as I've said many times before, treat men like animals and they will behave that way - and even worse - when they get out.  A country that treats its "lowest" like this will continue to spiral down until the chain of human indignity is broken.

I love Brasil, but this is tragic.  What first world country permits this?  We've got a ways to go.

Thanks to Pierre, my French brother from Rio de Paz, for bringing attention to this.   Seja forte em Cristo Jesus.

Pics from an Amazing Weekend

Here are some pics from our weekend with Steve & Lynne Johnson here in Rio.

Steve & Lynne.  Steve sporting a soccer shirt.

Jay & Lu at the Christ statue overlooking Rio.

Church Planters & Pastors at our February Meeting

The Christ Statue.

Leading worship at the men's prison in Sao Goncalao.

Men worshipping & preparing for baptism.  

 

Restore Brazil February Update

For those interested in our monthly update from Restore Brazil, please click here.

Courage? Why I Applaud Tim Tebow & Why You Should Too.

Everyone knows about the "uproar" that Tim Tebow's Super Bowl pro-life advertisement has caused in the mainstream press.  The Florida Gator quarterback, son of missionaries and a perennial champion of all things decent, is a far cry from the normal athlete (collegiate or not) we run across.  After all, this is the guy that declared without hesitation that he was a virgin at a press conference, effectively ending questioning for the time being.

I believe some of us in the church don't really realize what courage this young athlete has demonstrated.  Some of us may think that he is just doing this ad because he espouses conservative, Biblical values, and therefore it seemed like a great idea at the time.  But it should be noted that Tim is a very smart guy.  My old man used to say that quarterbacks, with few exceptions, are the smartest guys on the team.  Tim is very aware of his platform, his influence, and the stand that he is making by producing a pro-life ad connected with Focus on the Family.

I don't agree with everyone FoF has ever done.  And I don't believe Tim is in bed with the religious right; Tim is making a calculated and courageous decision because he really feels strongly about the issue of LIFE.  I believe this is so courageous because there is a backlash.  In essence, Tim has already been CarriePrejeaned, for better or for worse.  Only I believe Tim is a lot more intelligent.

Tim could have chose a topic that mainstream society & media would have accepted.  For example, a charity helping with AIDS in Africa.  Or a spokesperson for collecting aid for Haiti.  Or he could have been involved in a commercial focused on youth or education.  All of these types of ads would not have hurt his image and kept his marketability for future endorsements.  

But instead we see Tim do something courageous.  He is willing to make a simple advertisement, shown before the whole country, of his mothers "choice" to permit him to live.  Not only is it hard for me to see what could possibly be wrong with that, (despite being labeled as "hate mongering" from so-called women's institutions) it is even clearer to me the courage that Tim has shown.

At the same time many preachers & churches are desperate to run from the "religious right" and therefore ignore the issue of abortion & the obvious Gospel implications, Tim is standing up for life.  He is potentially losing lucrative contracts in the future for a decision he is making now.  

We need more Tim Tebows.  He is courageous.  I applaud him, and you should too.

Last Night: The New Anti-Authoritarianism impacting the Political Realm

I write very little on politics, but last's nights race in Massachussets was interesting for many reasons.   This is going to be an interesting election year.  A writer from Austin, Texas, Bill Bishop makes a very interesting observation about growing anti-authoritarianism in politics.

"There are two potent, yet largely unobserved forces in the country's politics. The first is a constant anti-authoritarianism. Every center of power or authority is seen as wrong, too powerful and threatening to individual freedom.

The second is widespread self-expression. We want to live our own lives. We celebrate individualism and we tell ourselves (over and over) that our work/hobbies/ways of life are our "passions." 

These two forces are obviously connected. Centralized sources of power and authority decline and are replaced by the narratives individuals are constantly writing for themselves. These stories aren't about policy. They are about how we see ourselves and they are making it impossible to govern. 

These impulses have been clearly moving in the last three elections -- Virginia, New Jersey and in Massachusetts. Democrats are seen as a source of authority, and so they lose. Voters assert their individualism and self-expression by kicking to the curb those who are seen as in charge. (And who could be seen as more of a representative of the old and the powerful than the woman who claimed to be heir to a dynasty? Where's the individualism in voting for THAT candidate?) 

It ain't policy and it ain't politics as we normally talk about it. This is a fundamental change in the way people relate to others and to the country and nobody knows how to deal with it."

Falo como uma criança: How becoming a missionary is a step backward as well as forward...

Falo como uma criança.  In Portuguese, this phrase refers to someone who talks like a child.  This has been in some ways, one of the most challenging aspects of becoming a missionary in Brazil.  While I moved down here with a moderate understanding of Portuguese, the constant use of the language in everyday settings can be a real challenge.  Stumbling over your words from time to time, hoping that your message gets across to the vast majority of people in Brasil who do not know English, has been hard.

In this way, becoming a missionary is a real challenge.  I now have a greater respect for those missionaries who go all over the world and learn new languages.  While there are some exceptional people who need little study and they pick it up, the rest of us trudge along until we get the next verb and the gazillion tenses that are used.  I've got about seven tenses for each verb nearly under my belt.

In some ways Brazil is different than other developing countries.  Unlike India, many parts of Asia, and most of Europe, English does not get you very far here.  That's why in my room I'm about ready to fasten a plaque to my wall that says - "It's about the language, stupid!"  This is the first and ultimate consideration in contextualizing your life in a new country.  There are many parallels here to consider, but suffice to say, I have a lot to learn about contextualization.

Many times I give up in frustration, realizing that this just takes TIME.  Leading several meetings in Portuguese has been a real challenge, and so I am doing the best I can with the skills I have (including a translator).  At the same time, I have been given some significant responsibilities (and hopefully giftings) to steward.  By God's grace, I will continue to learn, even more quickly.  But at times, it all feels like a step backward.  But I know it is really a step forward in the long run.

Brazil's Economy Surges Ahead in 2010: A Collection of Economic News

I've consolidated some "tweets" regarding the Brazilian economy and forecasts for 2010 that may be of interest to some of you:

Value of Brazil Companies Up 130% in 2009. Compare this to 28% in the US: http://bit.ly/5BU4sw  

Brazil Is Betting Civil Construction Will Get 9% Boost, in 2010, Well Above 5% GDP http://bit.ly/690diS

Brazil Is Betting Civil Construction Will Get 9% Boost, in 2010, Well Above 5% GDP - http://bit.ly/8hx7WT 

International Passengers Arriving in Brazil Up 8% - http://bit.ly/7ImQn3

2010: Brazil's Exports to Grow 12% and Imports 24% - http://bit.ly/88QPa9  

2010: Economists See Brazil's GDP Growing 5.08% and Industry 8% - http://bit.ly/6EHPuX 

Brazil Expecting 9.4% Growth in Energy Consumption in 2010 - http://bit.ly/7yq2mt

Brazil Will Keep Growing Agricultural Exports to Arabs in 2010 - http://bit.ly/7Mpant

Bauman's Blog: Top Posts of 2009

Some have inquired about prior blog posts...  Here are the ones that people found either interesting or impacting.  Top seven Bauman's Blog posts for 2009:

1.  At the Brazilian Jail with Al-Jazeera

2.  Recognizing My Consumer Ways...  The Gospel Working In Me

3.  Lacking Passion for the Lost?  Where Sinners Are Found

4.  A (First) Look Inside a Brazilian Jail

5.  Sloppy Wet Kisses, Jonathan Edwards Grave and Calvinist Wives

6.  The Mainstreaming of Porn

7.  Why Do The Best Worship Streams Have Bad Theology?

Sharing about Restore Brazil at CrossPointe Church - Video Online

If you missed CrossPointe's service on January 3rd, I was preaching on Justice & Mercy and sharing about Restore Brazil.  You can view it online here.

My Reading List for 2010: 10 Books of Interest

 

Besides studying the Bible and Portuguese, I have a few books of interest that I'd like to read in the first few months of 2010 (in no particular order):

Counterfeit Gods, Tim Keller.  Unlike many of my cohorts in the US who not only pre-order but probably wait by the mailbox for this one, I just got this book because I am living in Brazil.  Already halfway through reading and really appreciate the chapter on "Love Is Not All You Need" because this is a fundamental message that would help so many couples.  Your spouse is not your savior.

Unfashionable, Tullian Tchividjian.  "Christians make a difference in the world by being different from the world."  An important message to emphasize as so many in the church pursue coolness, and probably a subject for an upcoming blog for me.  I hope this is the decade where the Church loses its fascination with culture and in so doing, neglects our fascination with Christ.

Signs of the Spirit:  An Interpretation on Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards, Sam Storms.  With my charismatic background, I am very interested in Storms commentary on Edwards famous message and the implications regarding the Holy Spirit.

Forgotten God, Francis Chan.  This book, already quite popular, has a premise that I tend to agree with.  The church oftentimes ignores, or at least does not understand, the role of the Holy Spirit.  The book doesn't appear to be deeply theological, but it may be a good resource to share with others.

The Hole in our Gospel, Richard Stearns.  Reading this primarily because two good friends have recommended it.  Stearns was the founder of World Vision.  At the same time, I have already heard what appears to be some valid criticism on the completeness of Stearn's argument.

The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, Mark Noll.  Somewhat shamed to admit, this is a book that I never got around to reading that several of my colleagues have recommended for years. 

The Gospel-Driven Life, Michael Horton.  Horton's prior book, Christless Christianity, was great at disclosing all the problems in the modern church.  His chapter on the Prosperity Gospel was worth the price of the book alone.  I am hoping that this book, however, is more solutions-oriented.

Ministries of Mercy, Tim Keller.  I have heard this is an excellent book on mercy ministry and been meaning to read this one for a long time.  This will probably be very helpful in Restore Brazil's focus on social advocacy.

Adopted for Life, Russell Moore.  Tim Challies (challies.com) said this was his favorite book of 2009.  

Doctrine, Mark Driscoll.  This isn't coming out until March 2010, but I am really looking forward to it.  Apparently there will be at least 1000 footnotes.

If any of you have comments on these books or other great books you recommend, let me know.

Restore Brazil Year-End Summary

Click here for a year-end summary from Restore Brazil.  Thanks to all of our Partners for your investment in our ministry.