McKinney Report

     The last Sunday in May, my son, Nicholas preached his second sermon.  He preached from John chapter 5.  It was his first time to preach without sharing the pulpit with another young preacher on the same day.  He preached for 16 minutes.  He did a good job.  While he was preaching, I was in Patos teaching another course to the church.  I taught the "The Divided Kingdom" from 1 and 2 Kings, and 2 Chronicles.       I did not get to see Nicholas preach on that day but Monica filmed it, so I watched his sermon when I got back.  I did not have a lot of time to help Nicholas prepare.  I got him started, David continued for a while, and Joseph finished up the help he needed.  He took something from all three of us and was able to make a sermon out of it.        I want to thank God for Him giving Nicholas a desire to preach and tell others about Christ.  It is a great blessing to s...

           Roberto has been studying the Bible with a couple in Colinas, Rogério and Sonia. They believed in the message shared from God’s word, and they decided to be baptized. We gathered at the building on Sunday afternoon to witness their new birth.            Maybe the seriousness of the decision hit her or maybe she was afraid of what she was getting into, but Sonia said she wasn’t ready to get into the waters, and we said that she should wait until she was sure. Rogerio, though, had no qualms and was buried with Christ for forgiveness of sins.            When it was over, I told Sonia that we are happy that the Colinas church is growing, and she with a big smile on her face said, “If the Lord wills, it will grow even more.” Oh yes, Sonia, that IS the Lord’s will.

There was another baptism in the city of Cajazeiras.  Amaro, 16 years old.  He has been in the soccer program (The Right Step) for three years.   Please pray:       * That Amaro will grow to be a mature Christian who will train others;       * That Café, the evangelist in Cajazeiras, will be able to involve other men in the maturation of the church in Cajazeiras.

The church in Mangabeira is meeting in a new building, started a new School of the Bible course, and is reaping the fruit. Luana was baptized in April, and this month her husband Dimas gave his life to Jesus after finishing the Let the Bible Speak course. We thank God for this new Christian couple. Pray with us that they will be light in the Mangabeira neighborhood and bring more to salvation.

Junior   became a Christian in 2001 here in João Pessoa.   He married Kátia in 2004, who became a Christian in 2000 also here in João Pessoa.   They have lived and worked in Campina Grande for the last five years as missionaries.   Before moving to Campina Grande they went the (Servants Sent to Announce the Kingdom of Love – SEARA) training course.   They travelled a lot with me to the interior during their training. Both Junior and Kátia are very dedicated, loving and faithful Chr istians.   I have been privileged to see them grow spiritually and as a family.   I am proud to call them my brother and sister in Christ.   Below is a report from Junior, sharing about his trip to São Paulo to receive training along with seven others from Paraíba.   They were able to go because of funds from the Goodlettsville church of Christ in Tennessee.           Beloved brothers and sisters, I had the opportu...

           We know that God can do anything. The question is what will He do? What will the Lord do in the lives of His people when they consecrate themselves to Him? We hope to find out.           Friday, May 22 nd , the Luna congregation had an all night vigil of consecration. We went from 9 pm to 5:30 am, and over 50 people participated, from the ages of 10 to 75 years. In the prayer corner, brothers and sisters signed up for time slots so that we would have prayer without ceasing. The vigil focused on Consecrating our Lives, in Gratitude, in Unity, in Service, and in Sharing . Each part consisted of prayer, singing, Bible Reading and Reflection, and practical activities, like in Service, we washed everyone’s feet, and then everybody joined in making breakfast for the group: homemade bread, fruit, tapioca and eggs, juice, and coffee. In Sharing, we ended with a wonderful meal together i...

Children are a gift from the  Lord ;  they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3   Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters,            It is with great happiness and thankfulness that we are announcing that our family is growing. Lo and behold after 14 years of marriage, we are expecting a little girl. She is very beautiful, depending on how you look at the ultrasound.            My family was very surprised at the news. Mom and Dad had given up on having more grand-kids. I think three each is the limit for Joseph and Lori. But the baby was not a surprise for us, she was planned and prayed for, and we want her to belong to God forever.            As soon as Dad got the news he started a diet and began exercising. I think he wants to be a part of her little life. We are always looking for ways to keep ...