The Third Generation

In 1978, Joe McKinney decided to leave electrical engineering to go to the Sunset School of Preaching. A decision like that is made thinking: what does God want me to do with my life right now? Little thought is given to the question: how is this decision going to affect my grandkids?

Now in 2015, with the kids married and living on different continents, grand-kids bilingual with dual nationalities and in some cases three citizenships, all involved in missions, Grampaw can clearly see his decision has taken the family down a completely different road, one that makes family get-togethers a rarity.

Yesterday, Samuel (15 years old) preached his first full sermon to the church that meets at Luna in Joao Pessoa (over sixty present). He preached the last chapter of Acts, finishing up a seven month sermon series. He spoke of the five most poisonous snakes in the world, and when Paul was bitten by one like these, he should have died, but the Holy Spirit nullified the poison's power. Likewise, we are constantly assaulted and bitten by a much more dangerous snake: Satan. We hurt, but his poison, death, is nullified by the cross of Jesus.

Thirty-seven years ago, Joe McKinney decided to be a preacher, and now the third generation is still feeling the influence of that decision. How many decisions do we blithely make without thought to how they affect our kids, our grand-kids, and one day, our great grand-kids?

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Unity Through The Word

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In 1993 when we came in contact with a young struggling couple in Caruaru, Paulo and Simone, we never imagined what plans God had in store for them. Now 18 years later (Wow, has it been that long?), after conversion, ups and downs, growing pains, working to further the Kingdom and living it, they have had the pleasure to witness the beginning of their daughter's life in Christ. Juliana (age ten) was baptized by her older brother, Jheymerson, who was also ten years old when he gave his life to Jesus. What a wonderful blessing to have one's whole family saved in Christ! Maria and Cícero were also converted when we lived in Caruaru, though single at the time. They dated and got married, the ceremony performed by yours truly. Maria has been faithful to Jesus all these years though going through several difficulties. Cícero, on the other hand, fell away, but came back and renewed his life and his marriage, and now, along with Juliana, his daughter Vitória (age ten) was baptize...

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