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December 20, 2011
November 29, 2011
Mark & Liz Need a Miracle - Please pray
We at Restore Brazil are in a very difficult season as we have learned the following over the weekend...
Missionaries Mark and Liz Hataway, who left the US in May of this year to serve full time with Restore Brazil, have learned that Mark has a large tumor in the frontal lobe of his brain, affecting both sides of his brain.
We have been working feverishly to get Mark and Liz back to the US. It has been a complicated process full of challenges because of a their 2-week old baby that has had to go through a process of registration to be able to travel with the family.
By God's grace, my wife was able to secure the registration yesterday by sharing with the authorities at the registration that they were in violation of Brazilian laws regarding the baby. Eventually they gave in, granting the registration which was necessary to obtain the US passport.
In some ways this challenge is coming at an already challenging time for the Hataways - a newborn infant, plans to spend several months in the States to raise support (with which they were near their end), and the new necessity to literally pack up in the matter of a couple of days. This in a culture and language that is not their own. We are doing our best to walk with them every step of the way.
Yesterday in a conversation with Mark, he said to me that he hopes to back in Brazil soon, because "God has called us there." We are praying for a miracle - that in the future he would return, and that God intervenes for this precious family that left behind the comforts of the US to serve among the poor in Brazil.
I said "YES Mark, this is the faith that God gives. Let's pray together that God grants a miracle."
As you can imagine, Mark and Liz have significant expenses related to this quick move back to the US as well as the pending surgeries and treatment. If you would like to donate to Mark and Liz, click here - Download Giving To Mark & Liz - and it will give you instructions.
November 03, 2011
We need to send some of our best men overseas
By and large the decision to move to Brazil was for me, a clear calling from God. A few years ago when I shared my plans to begin our work in Brazil with Restore Brazil, the majority of people were very supportive. However there were a few people, that were critical of the idea of "sending an American overseas." They argued on many levels - mentioning an imperialistic history of missions, argued that nationals can always do the work better, theres too much of a cultural learning curve, etc. While I respected their opinions, I'm not sure that they really understood the clear direction the Lord gave me.
I am careful not to share these thoughts in a reactive way, or to try and justify our work. God is the judge. The American church still has massive resources that need to be stewarded for work in the nations of the world, in both income and in people. Despite the economic crisis, Americans have more disposable income than over 90% of the world. More importantly, there still remains thought leadership in evangelicalism that is undoubtable, stemming from the US. Some of this thought leadership is counterproductive, I would add, but at the same time, there is much to be learned and used.
Critics of American missionaries and church planters overseas tend to have the following problems -
1) They are ignorant of the sending nature of God, where it is clear throughout Scripture that God oftentimes called men out to nations not their own;
2) They are often ignorant of the unique calling God has given particular men at points in their life;
3) By this ignorance they don't value the history of the church and of missions;
4) Oftentimes an evangelical American bubble causes them to not understand the complexities of global cities and contexts to which we are sent. (I would argue that Rio has more in common than New York City, for example, than a small town in Oklahoma has with New York City.)
5) Oftentimes they misunderstand the value an American missionary can bring to certain contexts where English is desirable and specific skills sets are lacking;
6) They often use lame arguments like America is the #1 or #2 mission field in the world and is the most unevangelized. I don't know of anyone serious that could say that. Think of Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc. You get my point. (Even in evangelized Brazil, we have true groups of unreached peoples in the Amazon.)
7) They don't understand that global cities require missionaries/pastors from all over the world to pastor unique communities, because in these cities there are people from all over the world.
So what is the point? Be careful not to be critical of those God is calling overseas. It's not a better calling, it's a different calling.
In the wake of the recent emphasis on cities and urban church planting, I would like to sound a resounding alarm. We need some of our best men overseas. We need them planting churches, starting businesses, starting networks for the glory of Jesus.
In Rome, in Dubai, in London, in Tokyo, in Bangkok, and in Rio de Janeiro.
It's true that God's got the world covered and he can do it all without us.
But our attitude should remain "Here am I, send Me!"
September 15, 2011
August 23, 2011
Restore Brazil in September with Ronaldo Lidório
Recently I was asking some of the staff at my church who is on the forefront of missions thinking in Brazil. They all said Ronaldo Lidório. Then recently at a conference I had an opportunity to hear Ronaldo speak, and I understood why. He has a brilliant mind, an impressive resume, and linguistic skills that are incredible. At the same time he appears to be a very humble man.
Igreja Presbiteriana da Barra has been a supporter of Ronaldo´s work for a few years now. He was planning on making a visit to the church on Sept 4, so we are holding him over for a day to join us for a special Restore Brazil meeting on Sept 5. Join us!
August 22, 2011
August 09, 2011
Restore Brazil in Peru
I arrived at the tiny airport in Piura, Peru, last night a bit exhausted, but excited to see what God has in store. We at Restore Brazil are committed to planting Gospel-centered churches in Brazil, as well as serving church planters and pastors with training, coaching, and mentoring. Recently, through a friend Renato Vargens, we decided to take part in organizaing a pastor's conference in the North of Peru to reach pastors. Four pastors are traveling with me for this conference, all of them Brazilians (no English for me this week!)
Piura is a good sized state (500,000) in a heavily Catholic region, with very little evangelical presence. The majority of pastors here are not trained in theology, and a local missionary told me that they basically learn much of their theology from televangelists, primarily neo-pentecostal televangelists. Additionally, the churches here lack resources in every way, so we hope to discover ways to help.
We are planning a two-day conference where we hope to saturate 100+ Peruvian pastors with Gospel-centered theology and church planting concepts. Speaking at the conference will be myself, Renato Vargens, Judiclay Silva Santos, Jean Pires, and Leandro, a Brazil missionary and popular blogger at http://www.pulpitocristao.com/.
While we are not changing our focus to reach Brazil, we believe occasional conferences such as these can serve the greater community of pastors in South America. Join us in prayer that God would use this conference to reach Peruvians and that this largely unreached region would see more Gospel fruit in the future.
August 02, 2011
Recap of "The Mission and the City" with Ed Stetzer
Just eight weeks after our annual church planting conference, we decided to host Ed Stetzer for a one day event here in Rio de Janeiro. Ed had already a couple of speaking engagements in Brazil, and we wanted to make sure that he had a chance to visit the cidade marvilhosa. Coming to Brazil and not visiting Rio is actually quite tragic.
Lu and I spent two days with Ed and Donna showing them all the sights in Rio. It was a wonderful time together.
For those in the States with so many conferences to choose from, it may not seem like a big deal to host someone who speaks hundreds of times a year at churches and conferences in America. But for us overseas, the travel itineraries of men like these only bring them to Brazil once or twice in a lifetime.
Ed spoke on church revitalization, mission, and movements. He did an excellent job. We had over 100 pastors, church planters, and leaders participate, which is pretty good considering it was a Saturday in the middle of a holiday season in Brazil.
More importantly, God is developing a network - hopefully into a movement, of pastors and church planters who have a desire to pastor and plant Gospel centered churches. Churches that exist for the glory of Jesus Christ and the renewal of the city.
June 27, 2011
Photos of a Restore Brazil Meeting
http://jaybauman.typepad.com/photos/restore_brazil_june_meeti/index.html
All these photos were taken by Jimmy Chalk, an amazing photographer from NYC!
June 15, 2011
June 09, 2011
Recap of Acts 29 Brazil National Conference and Chile Event
The A29 Brazil Conference was held in Rio de Janeiro on May 23-25, 2011. The theme was “The Gospel Call: Planting Churches in Light of the Gospel.” We had over a hundred pastors and church planters participate representing eight states in Brazil.
Jonathan Dodson graciously substituted for Steve Timmis, who was unable to join us. Jonathan was joined by Chan Kilgore, myself, Antonio Carlos Costa, Renato Vargens and Felipe Assis (from the Redeemer Network).
After the conference in Brazil, Chan Kilgore and I went and spoke at a one-day church planting event in Santiago, Chile. They gathered 120 people for this event, which is one of the first of it’s kind in Santiago. We had a great time in Santiago with Rev Leandro, Patricio and their team.
Special thanks to Pastor Chan Kilgore who preached 9 times over his time in Brazil and Chile!
Rio is a city of nearly 12 million, and Santiago is a large city of 7.2 million that is very unchurched. It would be great to see a Gospel centered church planting movement grow there.
Out of these events we are receiving requests for events of this type next year in São Paulo and Curitiba, among other cities in Brazil.
Audio should be up within a month.
Thanks for praying with us.
May 18, 2011
Conheça Pastor Felipe Assis, Palestrante, Conferência do Atos 29 Brasil
Felipe Assis é um plantador de igrejas brasileiro que passou um terço de sua vida ( infância, juventude e vida adulta ) nos EUA. Bacharel em Teologia pelo Seminário Presbiteriano do Norte e Mestre em Divindade pelo RTS - Charlotte. A primeira experiência de plantação de igrejas de Felipe foi a Igreja Presbiteriana Curado 4, e recentemente passou cinco anos plantando igrejas em Recife, onde ele e sua esposa Beth fundaram a Comunidade Memorial. Beth e Felipe atualmente estão em Miami - Flórida com suas duas filhas Analisse (6) e Zoe (4), plantando a Crossbridge Church.
May 17, 2011
Conheça Pastor Antonio Carlos Costa, Palestrante, Conferência do Atos 29 Brasil
Antonio Carlos Costa é um ativista social, autor, plantador de igreja, e teólogo vivendo no Rio de Janeiro. Antonio também é o pastor da Igreja Presbiteriana da Barra da Tijuca. Após plantar diversas igrejas, fundar uma denominação e um Seminário, Antonio decidiu que alguém deveria falar contra os problemas de violência no Rio. Liderando centenas às ruas para gritar a favor dos aflitos, este movimento acabou resultando em um movimento na Rio de Paz, hoje uma das mais proeminentes organizações de direitos humanos (ONG) na história recente do Brasil.
Conheça Pastor Chan Kilgore, Palestrante, Conferência do Atos 29 Brasil
Chan Kilgore é o pastor líder da Igreja CrossPointe uma igreja plantada pela Rede Atos 29 em Orlando, Florida. Ele e Stacy estão casados há 18 anos e tem três belas filhas. Chan e sua família se mudaram para Orlando há oito anos e meio para plantar a Igreja CrossPointe e atualmente Chan serve na diretoria da Atos 29 e da Vision360 na Florida central que já plantou mais de 20 igrejas na região chamada de grande Orlando
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