It’s about people!

“What defines ministry?”  This question has been rolling around in my head off and on over the last year or so, but particularly  so during the last few weeks while I was on choir tour. Is ministry always about being in some kind of position of leadership? Is it just about having an organized program that takes place on a regular basis? Is it just for those who go into “full-time ministry”?    I don’t think so.

As I already mentioned, choir tour brought this question to the forefront of my mind.  Travelling to almost twenty churches scattered throughout four different states with twenty-three other people to sing and share the Word is ultimately about ministry, is it not?  But while we were on tour, was the ministry of the team only through song and preaching? What about the time spent visiting with host families after the service? What about those times of simply being polite and making conversation with person standing all alone in the back of the church? Is it really just about being polite? 

I struggled with wanting to be sincere and genuinely interested when asking a complete stranger about her grandchildren or career, yet at the same time, knowing that I probably wouldn’t ever see her again after I left a few hours later. “What is the point in it all if it is so ‘short-term’?” “Is it really worth it?” ”I’m here to minister, not just to have fun.” These statements bounced around in my head like a tennis ball on a tennis court.  

I’m thankful, however, that I to see a little glimpse of the reality of the potential for ministry beyond the “planned program.”  I never would have imagined that simply introducing myself to a retirement-aged couple sitting in the sanctuary, and then talking with them for less than ten minutes, would result in that same couple then expressing several times how much they appreciated my coming to talk with them! I was taken aback and inwardly astounded. Here I thought I was just being polite. 

Little by little, I am beginning to see and perhaps, slowly understand, that life is about people, and people equal ministry.  The possibilities of how that specifically plays out are endless. Yes, “ministry” does include the formal aspect that is often thought of when the very word is mentioned, but it also consists of what we might call the “mundane” things as well. God can use the simplest actions to be a blessing and encouragement to others in ways that we’ll probably never know until we all get to  heaven.

Don’t pass up opportunities to be a blessing to someone in your life.  God may use even though you yourself don’t realize it!  

Jesus Loves the Little Children

This past week I had the opportunity of participate in the VBS here. About fifty kids came each day--some of them were from Christian families, but many of them were not. They learned about the life of Moses and the Gospel was shared. Pray for these kids to respond to what they learned throughout the week!

Venicius with the devotional book he won for memorizing all of the verses. He was one of the kids who seemed to always be disrupting class, but when he got the book, he was looking through it very intently.

A few of the kids while they waited for VBS to start...

Game time

Vitória--isn't she cute?

Prize-time with Charliane!

"Pick me, pick me!"

Jaime sharing the Gospel. No decisions were made, as far as I know, but God's Word still went out.

Waiting to say their verses...

Carla, still working on her verse.

Sometimes simply showing you care makes the biggest impact.

A Day Together

This past Sunday, Melissa and I were able to spend the day with most of the girls in the Sunday School class that I have the privilege of teaching...it was really good to be able to just hang out with them in a casual setting. Be praying for Talia, Mayele, Karine, Ana Paula, and Larissa: Behind each smiling face is a story.

Larissa

Yes, we tried to play volleyball...I think we got more practice running after the ball instead.

(Myself, Talia, Mayele, Melissa, and Karine)

Samuel (Ana Paula's little brother) wanted to play too... Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of Ana Paula.

Mayele's adorable niece, Ana Livia.

Girls + chocolate cake = lots of laughter!

Our God continues to be faithful!

Karine (left) and Talia (right)

To think about...

Question # 1: Why is it that, more often than not, the way we act and the things we do are determined by the people we are with and place we find ourselves at the moment?

Question # 2: What determines ministry?

A Little Peek...

The graduates and their escorts: waiting to be called.

Lia receives her diploma from her uncle Antonio. Lia loves the Lord and desires to serve Him. Next year sometime, she is planning on taking a missions trip to visit a tribe with which New Tribes Missions has a ministry. Pray that everything will work out for the trip and that the Lord will be guiding her concerning His will for her life!

Valdim and Jailma, along with their son Kaleo. They left the metropolis of Paraguai today to head directly into the ministry: they will be working in the town of Morada Nova, alongside of Jim and Lydia Johnson (missionaries with BGFM) to establish a church plant.


Together with former classmates:
Alexsandra, Gerlandia, Lidia, Vanderli, and Jailma

Charliane with her "significant other," Daniel, who is a student at the Institute. It has been exciting to see her love for the Lord! She is currently ministering to children through "religion" classes in the local public school.



Alexsandra hugs her mom:
A moment dededicated to honoring the mother of each graduate.


Segundo (Alexsandra's husband) making his speech.

Segundo and Alexsandra (and their two adorable daughters) have been working at a church in the area. He is now the pastor there. Pray for them as they serve the Lord together a tthe Acarau Bible Church.

Not even "standing-room only"--there were at least four hundred people in attendance!

The students singing "O Meu Senhor Irei" [Lord, Send Me Anywhere].

Lidia and her fiance, Rafael. They are both very interested in missions and, I believe, are seriously considering the possibility of going to Japan. Pray for them as they prepare for their upcoming wedding.

A special blessing has been the opportunity to spend time with Libby Johnson--a dear friend since childhood--who is also visiting Brazil for the summer!

You have now seen a glimpse of a small aspect of the ministry here in Brazil and an event that was an incredible blessing to me last Saturday... :)

Sometimes it is easy to just say "God is good" but not really believe it or actually think that He is good to me. However, in one way after another, I've seen God's goodness and faithfulness this summer, be it from the way He has provided financially, to an amazing church to be involved in, to being able to participate in new experiences in ministry, to making new friends. Wow...

How have you seen God's faithfulness this summer?

Coming up...in a week!

Guess what?!?!?! In less than a week--on Saturday, to be exact--I will be leaving with the youth group from Medora Community Bible Church and heading to Chicago for week-long missions trip! No, I was not planning on going on this trip until only a few weeks ago, but yes, I am very excited about it! Please pray for this trip, as there are still lots of details to figure out...part of the teens will be working with a day-camp and the rest will be running a VBS! We will also be doing some personal evangelism and then holding a 3x3 basketball tournament on the 31st! While I might be able to help out with some of these things, my main responsibilities for the week will be making sure that all of these teens have food to eat (in other words, I'll be working in the kitchen). Yes, it is going to be one full week, and I can already imagine how I'll be feeling when I finally get back home on Monday, August 2nd: E.X.H.A.U.S.T.E.D., but it will all be worth it if it means spreading the Good News of the Gospel to those who don't know the Lord!

(when you think of it though, I would especially appreciate your prayers for me...while I am excited about it all, it will definitely be a stretching and learning experience for me. Last night at a meeting, Pr. Ron said that the motto for the missions trips has become, by default, "Roll with it!" because of how much plans always change and such, and for those of you who know me at all, my comfort zone is knowing exactly what is going on when, and where, and how, and what exactly I'm supposed to be doing, which is like the furthest thing from what will be the case next week! )