Living Bread Ministries                                 
Planting Churches Among the Desperately Poor
Living Bread Ministries

Brazil Day 2

     What a great day in Brazil.  We started this morning by traveling to Capao to participate in launching a church plant.  It was a great service and the Lord moved in a mighty way.  As we met for the first time and began to worship in song, I could not help but weep.  I was thinking about this dark community that is held captive by drugs, alcoholism, prostitution, violence, and grinding poverty.  However, as our small group of believers gathered I could only imagine what was going on in the spiritual realm.  As the church of Jesus Christ was literally attacking the gates of Hell.

                                 

                                                            Praying for Lindomar and his family

We closed the service by praying over Lindomar and his family; then listening to his testimony.  It was very humbling to hear how the Lord had been moving in lives on two different continent for years, in order to bring about this church plant.      

     Tonight we visited the church in Vila Nova.  I couldn't help but remember how the church in Vila Nova was just like the church in Capao only 5 years ago.  Now they have a growing congregation and even own their property.  Pastor Jason shared the Gospel and challenged the church members to dedicate their lives to serving the Lord by ministering to their community.  Two new believers responded with a desire to serve and one man shared that he believed the Lord was calling him to pastor.  What a great honor to be a part of such a great day in the Kingdom of God.

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Brazil Day 1

     We all arrived safe and sound in Porto Alegre.  We will be heading out for dinner soon and taking the rest of the evening off resting up for tomorrow.  We will be leaving at 6:00 A.M. heading about 2 hours outside of the city to Capao.  We have called a pastor and have been doing some preliminary work for our 6th church plant among the poor and needy.  Tomorrow we are having our first Sunday morning worship service at this church plant.  Please pray for our day.

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Mission Trip 2010

     Friday morning we are heading to Brazil for 11 days with 12 others on a short term mission trip.  We will be working alongside the poor and needy in our church plants to impact their communities with the Gospel of Christ.  We will also be involved in launching our 6th church plant.  This church is in a slum community with about 10,000 residents.  Our group will participate in the initial Sunday morning worship service.  Also, we will be participating in the ordination service of one of our newest church planters.  Finally, we will be working with the church members in feeding and clothing ministries and working among children, families, the homeless, and drug addicts.  

                           

                                      Lindomar and his family.  He is planting our newest church
                                          among the poor and needy in southern Brazil.

 
     We will be posting updates on this blog as well as facebook  and twitter.  We would appreciate your prayers during the week.  If you have any questions or feedback please let us know. 

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Most Frequently Asked Questions

     I get a lot of questions about LBM and our vision for church planting among the poor and needy.  Earlier today I was asked what are undoubtedly the most common questions.  I have decided to post them and the response below.

                                   
What is the process of starting a church (for LBM)? 
                                  How do you do it with most of your time in the states?

     We have spent years building relationships with Brazilian leaders, specifically Pastor Magioli.  We have also started an NGO (nonprofit) in Brazil.  Pastor Magioli, who has over 30 years experience planting churches in Brazil, has been called as the Executive Director of this organization.  It is called Ministerio Pao Vivo (MPV).  MPV shares the same burden and passion as LBM for church planting among the poor and needy.


     All of our work in Brazil is done through MPV.  This allows us (LBM) to remain completely behind the scenes.  In all of our outreach ministries we point back to Christ and the church plant.  However, when this is not possible officially the church is being planted by a Brazilian led organization (MPV).  This is especially important when working among the very poor.

     Please don’t misunderstand, MPV is not just a front that helps us stay behind the scenes.  In reality, as we are planting churches among the poor and needy the Lord is also using us to begin a church planting movement in Brazil led by Brazilians (i.e. MPV).  We have built a true partnership with MPV and are beginning to see its fruit.  Currently, about 15% of the annual operating budget of both MPV and our church plants is being provided by churches and individuals in Brazil.  Our long term goal is to see MPV leading Brazilian churches to plant churches among the poor and needy all over Brazil.  Further, our hope is to expand our work throughout Latin America and beyond.  This will be done as a joint effort between LBM and MPV.  We are two organizations interdependent upon one another.  Both providing leadership, resources, and accountability.

     In short the church planting process with LBM is as follows.  The leadership of MPV isolates a community and finds potential church planters.  Then together the leadership of LBM and MPV develop a plan, call the church planter, train and equip, provide accountability, and financial resources.  The church planter and the church plant are funded by LBM and MPV.  The nature of this interdependent relationship is very unusual in global missions.  Many organizations talk about using nationals but very few are willing to give them financial resources and empower them to be true partners. 

     Think of it this way.  Rather than sending an American who is perceived as wealthy to lead a church planting movement among the poor and needy in Brazil, we have called an experienced well respected Brazilian pastor to fill that role.  As a result of empowering him and the rest of the Brazilian leadership to be equal partners, Brazilian churches and individuals are responding and investing in the ministry. 

     I hope this clears things up.  If you have any further questions, would like to partner with LBM, or have us share with your church contact us at info@livingbread.org.

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Community in the Early Church

We hear a lot today about building community, but what did community look like in the early church?  Have you ever wondered what it meant for the early church to have "everything in common" that their belongings were used for one another?  Below is a sermon I preached on Acts 4:32-37 where both of the questions are answered.

                

Download | Duration: 01:06:56



I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

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Launching Our 6th Church Plant

      In July we are launching our 6th church plant among the poor and needy in southern Brazil.  We are focusing on a slum community with over 10,000 residents.  Like our other church plants this new work will be proclaiming the whole Gospel.  By God's grace we will offer a glimpse of the Kingdom of God to the poor in needy in this community.

    

     A home in the community of our new church plant

      If you would like to learn more about this church plant and all the Lord is doing through LBM please take a few moments to read our newsletter.

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Potential New Church Plant

     It's been a very busy couple of days.  Yesterday we met with a potential pastor (Lindomar) in Capao de Canoa, a small city about an hour outside of Porto Alegre.  He comes to us highly recommended by a pastor and former seminary professor.  Lindomar is called to plant a church among the poor in his hometown.  There are about 10,000 people in the slums there.

                 

                                       A young boy in front of his home in Capao

    Please join us in seeking the Lord's will about LBM beginning our 6th church plant in this community.  We will be making a decision in the coming weeks.  To see the pictures of the community we would be working in click this link .

    On Tuesday 1st Baptist Porto Alegre is meeting to discuss the possibility of partnering with LBM to plant another church among the poor in Porto Alegre.  If the Lord opens this door that will allow us to begin 2 of the 3 churches we are planning for 2010.  Please pray for both of these opportunities.

     In preparation for these church plants we are in need of purchasing 3 of the book sets that we give each of our pastors.  These sets include books on theology, pastoral ministry, prayer, missions, Bible study, and preaching.  The books cost $150.00 per pastor.  If you would like to help provide these much needed resources for our pastors click here.


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Trip Update 1 - Buying Land

     Today we meet with all the pastors and had a great time of fellowship.  We discussed the ups and downs of ministry and I was very encouraged by the doors the Lord is opening among the churches.  We have many new believers being prepared for baptism.  We are also seeing families, schools and communities transformed by the Gospel.

                

                  Pastor Jocelito, Pastor Magioli, and me looking at land in Vila Safira  

     After the meeting we went to look at a piece of land in Vila Safira.  The church has outgrown the home they have been meeting in and need to secure a permanent building.  We have a potential ministry to help build one, but we need to raise $15,000 for the land.  A couple here in Brazil has agreed to provide the remaining funds.  If you would like to help click here .

     On Wednesday, we will be traveling to a city about an hour away to meet with a potential Pastor about planting a church there.  Pastor Magioli has been meeting with him and believes this is a good opportunity.  I am excited to see how the Lord moves.  We have the funds to begin two new churches but lack qualified pastors.  Once we begin these church plants we will need to raise the money for ongoing support until they are able to support themselves, but we will move ahead in faith trusting the Lord to provide.

     This Saturday we have a big outreach planned in Vila Safira.  This is especially exciting because it will involve people from 3 of our church plants.  The poor and needy coming together to advance the Gospel in Porto Alegre.  What a blessing.

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Heading to Brazil

      I have been planning to write this post for a week and now that I am sitting in the airport in Miami for seven hours I finally have the time.  I am on my way to southern Brazil for two weeks.  I ask that you would be in prayer for this trip.  I will be spending time with each of our church plants and Brazilian leadership.  We will be planning our next two church plants.  We are having a hard time finding qualified Pastors who want to pour their lives out among the poor and needy in the slums of southern Brazil.  Please pray that the Lord will raise up two men of God so that the glory of Christ will be proclaimed among the poor in two more communities.

      During this trip we will also be planning for our short term team that will be coming from the US in July.  In addition, we will be planning for Share Christmas 2010.  Last year we helped over 500 kids through this project and if we can begin the two new churches those numbers will increase dramatically.  We will need more churches to get involved to make Share Christmas a success.  If you would like to help let us know

      Please pray for this trip.  I will be posting regular updates here and adding pictures to our photo site.  Also, pray for Barbara and the kids as well.  She has her hands full with all three children and finishing up the semester.  God bless.

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Church Planting Among the Poor and Needy

      Earlier today I sent this presentation to our friends at South Jersey Community Church.  Please take a moment to see the work the Lord is using LBM to do among the poor and needy.  The testimonies will bless you!

Living Bread Ministries Presentation - ...

                            

      If you would like to learn more click here for contact info.

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