Investing In God's Kingdom

I spent most of my time in João Pessoa during the months of August and September. During this time I taught a Finance class, a 30 hour Bible course and worked with the congregation to establish a budget for the rest of the year and all of next year.

The average offering amount for the year of 2013 was R$1,400. It was just enough to cover the expenses at the building. The men of the congregation made a budget of R$3,260, covering the normal expenses and adding more support for missions, an accountant as well as other expenses. After four or five meeting with the congregation to explain the budget and ask for members to commit how much they could give to meet the budget, not meeting the budget, talking to the members again and receiving new amounts, as a congregation we committed R$3.415, surpassing the original amount. How great is that! October, was the first month that the collection would be put towards the new budget. After last Sunday, the collection for October was over R$3,500.

Please pray:

that the congregations in Paraíba will seek God's Kingdom first financially;
that the congregations in Paraíba will continue to work towards supporting evangelists and missionaries throughout the state;
that all members of the church may live content investing in God's mission.

Comments

Unity Through The Word

Thank you all for your prayers for the PORMISSOES meeting last month. It was a great blessing. We sat and studied God's Word together for the entire day. There were some differences of understanding on some passages, but we worked our way through them. In the end, everyone was saying how the meeting was edifying. It started around 9:30 am. We broke for lunch at 1 pm. We started back around 2:30 and went until 6 pm. They wanted to keep going, but the SEARA class started at 7 pm. If every meeting could be as encouraging as this one, we would be in heaven. My goal with these meetings is to teach the church workers throughout the state how to listen to someone who has a different belief about God's Word, try to understand their logic, their thought process...

First Time Baptizing

Last Wednesday Lucas decided to give his life to Jesus and was baptized. His parents were converted in Cajazeiras, and since moved to João Pessoa and meet with the Luna congregation. Renato started studying the Bible with him, and then Adeliton continued the study. Adeliton is one of the AME students, preparing for the mission field. "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow." 1 Corinthians 3:6 This is the first time Adeliton has baptized someone; he was excited and is preparing for more. I talked to Lucas about counting the cost of following Christ, and he said that following Christ no matter the cost is what he wants for his life. First time baptizing, a new life bor...

The Second Generation, Part II

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...

McKinney Report

Search This Blog