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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The Planting, the Watering, and the Increase

Emesson started coming to Bible Club over a year ago, when Neil Schultz and Cait Beckloff, our AIM team, were teaching it. For several months, they planted the seed in his and his sister's hearts. Unfortunately Neil and Cait's time in João Pessoa ended. In 2014 Bible Club received a boon when Erick and Jenny Paddy, former AIMers, returned to the field and picked up teaching the Bible Study for English speakers. They watered the sprouting seed in Emesson's life until God's Word became more important for him than just practicing his English. Last Wednesday night, God gave the increase, adding Emesson to the Family of Christ. Sometimes things don't happen when we think they should, but God is in control; His time is best, and we must thank Him for playing a small part in His plan.

"What About Baptism?"

Edda and I went to a nearby city to study the Bible with a family, Genilda (who is already a Christian), Ana, Mariana, Luiza, and Jefferson. While we were reading God's Word, Ana's husband, Silva, came in and sat down, and then blurted out: "What about baptism?" It took me by surprise because he has barely studied with us, but, most certainly, is already thinking about spiritual matters. Our Bible study then took a lot of detours, answering this question or that. Silva said he still has a lot of questions, and we pray that the Lord will use us to answer them, bringing him to understand the Good News!

Samuel McKinney's New Life in Christ

It has been only three days since Samuel gave his life to Christ, but it is so exciting to see my young son exercising his faith, like getting upset when his history teacher at school taught that miracles in the book of Exodus can be explained by natural phenomena: low and high tides in the crossing of the sea, natural disasters for the plagues, etc. The day after his baptism, Samuel went on a trip with his school and received a new nickname: the boy who reads the Bible. He read 1 Samuel, chapters 1 through 6, out loud for the whole bus to hear. His eagerness to take the Lord's Supper for the first time was refreshing. May our Father bless all our families with life changing faith.

McKinney Report

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