Three Churches in João Pessoa

LUNA CHURCH OF CHRIST

We started meeting publicly in the church building again in July, but we continue to transmit the meeting online. We have half the church in person and half online. Even when the pandemic passes, we will continue online because several people from other cities who have moved away from João Pessoa are now able to participate.

MANGABEIRA CHURCH OF CHRIST

This congregation has gone completely online until the pandemic passes. It didn’t make sense to pay rent on a building that wouldn’t be used for months.

INDUSTRIAS CHURCH OF CHRIST

The Industrias church of Christ, taking a different approach to the crisis, didn’t miss a single meeting in person. It meets in a neighborhood on the outskirts of town, easily unnoticed by officials shutting down church gatherings. When the pandemic started, they met and decided to continue without fear, and if anybody got sick, the church family would take care of them, if the police came to disband them, they would meet in someone’s house. Following God without fear has paid off: no one got sick, and the church has grown. The world locking down can be an opportunity for God’s people to open up!

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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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