With or Without Her

Ricardo was baptized in October of last year and began telling others about Jesus soon after. As a result, he invited Joseph and me to study the Bible with Fernandes, who owns a used car lot. Fernandes said that he had given his life to Christ over 20 years ago, but he had never been baptized. We studied with him about what the Bible says about baptism. He said that he wanted to be baptized but was waiting for his daughter and wife to be available to witness his new birth. I tried to convince him of the urgency, but he decided to wait anyway. While Joseph and I traveled, Francinaldo gave the Bible study. Something I said and the contact with Francinaldo led Fernandes to do some hard thinking and he decided: he couldn't wait anymore, he had to be baptized with or without the presence of his wife and daughter. And so, he was buried and raised to new life in Christ on Tuesday, May 27, 2014. One new life producing life in others.

Please pray:

* that God may continue to increase Fernandes' faith in His Word

* that God may strengthen Ricardo's faith and that he may now learn how to help Fernandes mature in his faith.

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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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