Dear friends and supports in Christ,

here are some of latest news we would like to share with you:

(1) Last weekend a group of ten brothers from São Lourenço traveled into the interior of our state. We had the purpose to visit and encourage two congregations that have been there for more than 15 years. In each church our quartette sang old and news songs, and Mozart and I brought messages encouraging the brotherhood to keep on evangelizing.

   These churches are small and striving to keep their faith in a world of business and temptations. In fact, there are in my count ten churches spread throughout our state. Only four of these churches have buildings of their own and leaders guiding the flock. These four churches are the ones with some steadiness in their faith. Nevertheless, they are all relatively small and in need of encouragement---some more than others of course.

   Since last year we have visited all but one of these churches. It seems the Lord is opening a new ministry. We have plans to visit another church beginning of 2011, Lord willing. Keep this new ministry in your prayers, please.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bio.Zugzwang/IgrejasInterior_Out2010#

(2) Children's day at São Lourenço. We had our children's day on the afternoon of Saturday 9 of October. It was a lot of fun. 

I relearned it's rewarding and fun to make kids have fun and see them happy! Check out some of our pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bio.Zugzwang/ChildrenSDay_Oct2010#

(3) Keep praying for our construction --- We are in our last stage of the first building. We willing to complete it before the end of this year, Lord willing.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bio.Zugzwang/ChurchBuildingConstruction4#

(4) Dilma Rousseff is our new president and our first female president. During her campaign there were all sorts of rumors that in her presidency she would compromise deep Christian beliefs such as abortion. A couple weeks ago she made a public statement that she would respect family values and freedom of religious public expression. Please, pray she will be good for the Brazilian people. I fear that people in "absolute" power might corrupt absolutely. 

Please, remember---your prayers on our behalf will always be our most important support.

Pray that my family will keep on following Jesus.

Pray that I will live a wise and holy life for Jesus.

Pray for my mother's old age difficulties.

Pray that the Church of the Lord in São Lourenço will be a light to this broken world.

Shalom to y'all.

Bio and Dayse Nascimento

-- 
 שלום עליכם
.:: Bio Nascimento ::.
http://bionascimento.blogspot.com/
http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang

September Highlights

May this letter find you enjoying God’s grace and peace.

Besides the daily routines, in the month of September there were some highlights we’d like to share with you. Also, you will find some prayer requests we’d love you would bring them before the Father.

Church classroom building

Our first building designed for class purposes is close to conclusion. We are now at the last stage of setting up doors, plumbing, light bulbs, etc. Everyone is so excited that each age group will finally have their space to study God’s word and more comfort for their particular activities. Moreover, we expect to double our attendance when both buildings are completed.

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/ChurchBuildingConstruction4#

Spiritual World classes

This training class on Tuesday’s nights is one of the largest groups I think I had. We’re not only studying about angels, demons, and spiritual warfare, but other topics that might engulf under the Spiritual World umbrella. People have been very encouraged about the importance of prayer in their Christian walk.

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/SpiritualWorld#

Bible Bowl 2010

Our brothers Daniel and Janaina Palk from the church in Boa Viagem organized and promoted once again the Bible Bowl—a biblical completion, this year on the Book of Exodus 1-20. It was a joyful morning of fellowship with many young people that came from churches all over Recife. It was also a great opportunity for the kids to memorize and learn the Scripture. Many kids from São Lourenço scored well at this tournament. Please check the link below.

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/BibleBowl2010#

Prayer Requests

1. That I may live a holy and wise life.
2. My mother’s health is weaker. Pray that we may find good caretakers for her in this stage of life.
3. Our girls’ spiritual awakening and growth towards Christ.
4. Dayse’s adjustment to her new job as a librarian.
5. The new buildings: may they achieve its utmost purpose—Kingdom growth and God being glorified in the mouth of many.
6. Tomorrow (October 3rd) is mandatory Election Day in Brazil. May God send us good and righteous men to govern our people.
7. In November we will promote another Men’s Seminar for all the churches in the metropolitan area of Recife.

May God multiply his peace upon each of you.

Bio and Dayse Nascimento

Lou Seckler in Recife

Last weekend we had the visit of our brother Lou Seckler from Abilene, Texas. Lou is originally from São Paulo and he was one of the first converts by the very first missionary team that arrived in Brazil in the 50’s. He taught a seminar on “Shared Leadership” and brought two edifying messages at the downtown church and at São Lourenço. Lou has an itinerant type of ministry like what the apostle Paul did in the NT times, visiting churches throughout Brazil, discipling members with potential, and encouraging the churches to have vision. He is a man with a lot of wisdom and experience in ministry.



May the Lord bless his desire to serve wherever the Spirit leads him.

Please, see photos at the link below:
http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/LouSecklerAugust2010#


Regards in Jesus’ name,




Bio Nascimento

July/August 2010 Report

[as of August 7, 2010]

Hello everyone, I hope summer was a good refreshing time for you!

  

This was our last week of vacation. Vacation for me was basically staying in the house with family, since work means the opposite!

• During the [American] summer of 2010, we had Alisha and Annika as ACU interns in our house and helping the church in São Lourenço. Besides their incredible love and talent with children, Alisha and Annika have a heart for missions. They were so flexible with culture and they have a strong desire to learn the language a bit every day. I pray and hope they will return to Brazil and God will open new doors for them.

• I started teaching once again Genesis, The Primeval Story (chapters 1-11), at the “Escola da Bíblia” ministry downtown Recife. This section of the book is so intriguing and sparks questions of all sorts. It’s amazing to see how God is so good and was so active in the history of mankind during those eons. We had a good group in the first class. We use those classes downtown to both instruct the members of the churches and mainly evangelize the community. We have had good results, praise God.

• All the churches of Christ in the metropolitan area of Recife has this yearly wonderful Sunday called “Dia da Família” (Family Day). This year it was on August 1st and we had more than 800 members gathered. It’s a great day to visit with brothers and sisters we have seen in long while. Régis, an elder from the church in Boa Vista, brought an inspiring and powerful message on who were the people that Jesus stopped to pay attention. The church in São Lourenço was in charge of cleaning the place after the event. After the job was done, we hung out for a while to have lunch and enjoy our own fellowship!!

• The Sunday school building at São Lourenço is progressing according to schedule. Next will come the auditorium, God willing. Your prayers regarding this chapter of our church history in São Lourenço are most welcome. Talking about prayer, below you will see a list of prayer requests you can intercede before the Father on our behalf:

1.      Wisdom to manage my many little things-to-do;

2.      A constant pursuit for holiness;

3.      Dayse’s well adjustment in her new job;

4.      That Dayse and I may instill the fear of God in our daughters;

5.      My mother’s health;

6.      Discipleship ministry I’m involved; and

7.      For the kids in Hope Project.

Check out the pictures from the events above:

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/AfterVacation#

May God multiply his peace upon you all.

“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

If anyone imagines that he knows something,

he does not yet know as he ought to know.

But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.”

Bio and Dayse

Hannah

Yasmin and

Dara Nascimento

Visiting and Encouraging Churches 

in the Interior of the State of Pernambuco

About one year ago, a local minister invited me to support his ministry in visiting and encouraging small churches in the interior of our state. Last week we had our second trip through three different churches. In fact we visited four cities, but one of them doesn't have a church yet. I presented a short seminar in two of these churches about "The Spiritual World." In two of these churches I preached and encouraged the brothers to continue evangelizing the lost. I tried in the seminar to create in the brotherhood the awareness that evangelism is more than numbers, reports, and competition. It's more about snatching people away from the claws of the enemy and bringing them to the Light of Jesus. Many churches in the interior are small,  lack motivation, and solid leadership. It's easy for the members to fall away or lose focus of their mission. 


In this trip we had two ACU interns (Alisha and Annika), the Boyce family, and four brothers, Wilson from Boa Vista and three from São Lourenço. It's so much better to work in team. Check the link below. Unfortunately I only took pictures from one church and the beautiful landscape in its vicinity. I will try to add more pictures sometime later.


Churches and Landscape

Right now I'm enjoying my little niece Alana. 
The Nascimento family is on vacation until the first week of August


Shalmo upon you all.
Bio and Dayse Nascimento

Day of Training


Today was a special and different day.
In the morning a group 20 men who are supporting leaders of two churches (São Lourenço and Curado) met for an early traditional breakfast in a city 1 hour away. During the meal and in the midst of a lot of fellowship, we had two short lessons about doing church: the necessary sacrifices to make ministry grow and the spiritual motivation we must pursue in order to keep going. It was a wonderful moment of unity and learning.


This afternoon another group of men from São Lourenço met to watch a video on qualities of efficient leadership. Again, it was the same formula: fellowship, laughers, and learning. 


We believe it's the time we need to prepare solidly the men who will keep our churches growing and expanding---men from our own congregations!    Check out some pictures:


http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/DiaDeTreinamento#


Please, in your prayers tonight add this vision of leadership preparation.  .


Pray also for the cities I mentioned in my last blog, which were devastated by the "monsoon type" floods. Now many of those cities are under the risk of epidemic diseases. 


Shalom
Bio N

Last week torrential rains and flash floods destroyed many cities in the south of our state Pernambuco, and Alagoas, a state below us. The churches here are mobilizing to help the population there. Literally entire small towns were wiped out.  Several bridges connecting to these cities were also taken by the sudden flood. Talked to a lady tonight from one of the cities and she's suggested the possibility of human mistake: perhaps a dam's door was opened more than is should! People received warning to upcoming waters in within 3 hours, and it came.


Please pray that our efforts will reach out to those in despair.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/latin_america/10372362.stm



http://fotografia.folha.com.br/galerias/101-chuva-em-alagoas#foto-2206


Shalom always,


- Bio Nascimento

The excitement in the air is heavy! In within one hour Brazil will be playing against North Korea, a country without tradition in soccer. It's our first game in 2010 World Cup. There is no reason to believe that we will loose. Even still the excitement and the anxiety is so great. People are driving home fast. Buses are crowded. Fireworks in everyplace. Many are wearing shirts with our national colors (yellow and blue). Patriotism is so high like no other time! Soon everything will stop and everyone will be in front of a TV set. Early this morning it struck me the thought--when Jesus returns, will our excitement will be so great and will we be festive? OR, will it be a day as if Brazil lost to North Korea?   Noooo!


http://fotografia.folha.com.br/galerias/13-torcedores-brasileiros#foto-290

------------------------

It's not quite correct to compare different virtues. Either/Or is a typical and dangerous fallacy. But let's try it still. What is more important for Christians, knowledge or relationship? Church exists to foster health relationships. Jesus died to reestablish relationship between the Father and the world. The Bible explains how connection was lost in this relationship. The Spirit dwells in us to guarantee this relationship.  


Nevertheless, I get the impression that knowledge is more important than relationships in our midst. We value knowledgeable people, well read people. Here's not an apology to ignorance, which is a sour expensive price we pay sometimes. "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."   Let's insist again: what would be more important, be an old scholar with all the right answers but lonely, or a guy who only graduated from high school but has a large family, a beloved spouse, and a long list of dear friends? Right knowledge is better than comforting friendship? I'm glad we don't have to choose one in spite of the other. 
We can have both.


I guess God is about relationship. Knowledge is just a data in the way.


"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."


"knowledge puffs up, but love builds up."


"Love never ends. [...] as for knowledge, it will pass away."


- Bio Nascimento

Exactly last Friday Christopher Boyce, Ubirajara from SL and myself visited the cutest little town in the interior of Pernambuco. I never seen this little Taquaritinga do Norte, but it's up there in the second highest pick in the state and the average temperature throughout the year is just 18º C. That's awesome for our daily 30-38º C in Recife. Incredible little place to visit. We were visiting little churches in the area, preparing for two ACU interns who will live with us for 2 months, this Summer. 

One of them seems to be seriously considering missionary life. Maybe in Brazil? Be in prayer, we're really preparing for these two girls. They will assist our churches this Summer as they get to know the language and the culture. May the Lord Jesus work in their lives.

Shalom to you all,

Bio and Dayse Nascimento

The Holy Spirit is moving different people at different places. He is raising them to evangelize. There is an urge here among many that evangelism cannot stop. Lost souls cannot go without hearing the Gospel. 

Last Saturday I spoke to a youth group from the downtown Church on "I can't shut up!" 

Many times the world intimidates us, tell us to shut up, be quite, but can't in face of the great news and truths we hold.  Based on Act 4-5 and Eph 6.10-20, we had a good afternoon of conversation and mutual edification about the need to evangelize the lost world. 

Please, see some of the pictures below:

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/NaoPossoCalar_SeminarioJovemBVista#

Yasmin is my shy little daughter. Last night during our Prayer Service, while we were collecting prayer requests from the brotherhood, she surprisingly raised her little finger and said, "I have a request—that Brazil may win the World Cup!" Ha, everyone was so opened mouth. That request! Coming from Yasmin??? 

----------------------------------

In recent years I have noticed an escalating new tread among the churches of Christ I serve and am involved. I have observed among some brothers a desire for power control. Unfortunately some have gone far to the point of losing their own faith. This tread is present in both lay people and clergy. There is a difference though between biblical leadership/ecclesial authority and power control. Biblical leadership has at its core the willingness to serve, to humbly serve, whereas power control is tight domineering.  It seeks prestige. It wants to be served. It’s self-serving. Power control is selfish. It doesn’t consider if the neighbor is in need or that he/she thinks different. I believe that this mentality has crept in into Christianity from the political domain. Those after control model from the political environment and atmosphere or maybe from Army lifestyle.
After these models, what kind of leaders shall we become?

Again, just let us not lose focus that at the core of Christianity is humble service.  Even the disciples in Mark 10:42-45 (ESV) were tempted to think along with the world in terms of power. But Jesus earnestly reminds them:  "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,  and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
          Ora et Labora!

Last Sunday 18 we had our seventh conversion. Filipe (22) was baptized three months after his wife. He is the seventh person to turn his life to Jesus in 2010! 

Filipe practiced a common occult Afro religion in Brazil for about two years. He abandoned it, but recently while we were studying the Scriptures, he started having dreams inviting him to return to that old dark path.

On Thursday 22, one of the deacon's son was baptized. He's the eight person! Albert is only 15 but he was very sure of his decision to follow Jesus. His parents were jubilant.

Please, pray that we will take good care of all these spiritual babies. Pray that the enemy won't take away the seed in their hearts.

---------------

Every Saturday morning I'm taking Biblical Hebrew classes at the local State University. It's an attempt to refresh the biblical knowledge I got while at ACU. But the fun part of these classes is that it's ministered in a secular environ by a Catholic Jesuit priest. It's interesting to see how systematic he is in his approach to understand this ancient language. He learned it on his own. He pays attention to every linguistic detail. It reflects his training. However, this ex-priest, I believe, lost sight of the overall picture. The end of studying biblical languages is the message, it's the theology we dig from the text.

Shalom to you all,

Bio and Family

Easter Campaign April 2010

Last Saturday and Sunday (April 3 and 4) we had our Easter Campaign. It was a blessing. We have 16 contacts who requested visits for prayer, counseling or personal Bible studies. Yesterday we had more than 170 people (adults and children)! Dayse believes we had more than 50 kids. We had a special preacher who brought a powerful message of Reconciliation in Christ. And, at the end of our service I baptized a lady who has been visiting us for a couple months (sorry there is no picture). In addition to that, our Sunday school building construction is progressing. Please, see links below:

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/ChurchBuildingConstruction3# 

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/EasterCampaignApril10# 

Tomorrow night Dayse is undergoing surgery (hysterectomy). She is calm and everything seems to be falling into place, but it’s still a surgery. We know this type of surgery can bring later side effects. Pray that the surgical team will do its best. Pray that Dayse’s recovery is complete and smooth. Pray that Dara will understand that mommy is in bed and can’t play for a while! Pray that I will be able to manage her house/ecclesial chores.

I appreciate your prayers on our behalf.

For the King,
Bio, Dayse, and the girls.
 

I work with poor people in the outskirts of a large metropolitan area. The church should exist where people are. The landscape is hilly and there are kids everywhere playing soccer. There are bars at every corner and men attend them all day long. Drugs are easy to find and girls show off with minuscule shorts. Creativity lives in the outskirts many times. It's also easy to find cows, donkeys and mutt dogs sharing the roads with horse wagons, buses, cars and trucks. For the surprise of many, you will still see modern and fancy cars of those who got rich but never left their communities. The streets are narrow and full of holes but busy.

Last Saturday afternoon going from one personal Bible study to another, I came to the realization that I'm happy working where I work. I'd rather work here than downtown or at a affluent barrio. Downtown is empty, lifeless, only concrete and businesses. People have no time for God. At a rich barrio, people are sort of lifeless too, they don't need God. What is God for, if money can buy me "anything?" Here people are kind. They smile and wave to you. If you stop and ask about God, the world, and politics, they will chat with you a good while! They are open. One simple logical argument and one open Bible verse will suffice to convince them that there is a God (most of the time, hahaha! Complicated arguments and theories fly over their heads. They are simple. What they want to see your living, your live testimony. And that's enough.

Church Site Construction

A Historical Marker

Last Sunday (March 6) we opened a new chapter in the history of the Church in São Lourenço. 

This church has been blessed with a good growth in the last years. For a good while our current building for worship couldn't accommodate this new generation. Besides, our youth, teens, and children groups never enjoyed a comfortable and spacious place. 

Last Sunday we finished, by God's grace, half of the construction of our Sunday school classrooms. There will be room for everyone! Instead of hiring expensive bricklayers, we decided to save money doing ourselves an important part of the construction—the first and second floors. We have in the church many skillful and diligent brothers who were up to the task. It was a weekend of hard work, a lot of sweating under our scorching sun, but also a lots of fellowship and laughter. We finished this part of the mission.

We ask you to please include this major project in your prayers. 

We still have to complete this building and start the auditorium, which will be a separate unit.    

We dream of completing it all by the end of the year, Lord willing.

Visit the links below and share with us this glorious moment:

 http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/ChurchBuildingConstruction2#

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/ChurchBuildingConstruction1#

It's rather strange to say we're having fun studying Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes). 

I know, I know the book is pessimistic, fatalistic, or even hard to find its place in the canon. However, we're having fun! Let me clarify, the class is participating and contributing so well into the study of this OT book that the atmosphere is positive.

See photos below of this current class and "Escola da Bíblia's" headmaster Régis.

Shalom to all of you.

Week 6


Wow, the year has started faster. So many little things have happened that I didn't have time to post recently. Here are just some quick highlights:


* The girls have started school, in a new school. They are adjusting well. For Hannah and Yasmin, the new school is more demanding, more homework, more work for Dayse at home. Dara has also started schooling this year. She looks so beautiful in uniform!
Later I will post some pictures.


* At the downtown "Escola da Bíblia," I started teaching Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth). This book is challenging at several levels. As the students and I look closely at Qoheleth's pessimism, apparent beliefs, and skepticisms, students start wondering how this book got into the canon and how come it is inspired. Oh, yes, the canon is large enough to accommodate literature for those in despair and disorientation--just like Job and Ecclesiastes. At the end, it's a constructive book.   Later I will post some pictures.


* Next week is Carnival here. It's time for people to go ape, naked, and wild in Brazil.
Sorry to say for those reading, the media don't announce anymore official numbers, otherwise, tourism would decline vertically. The church found a nice house out in the boondocks. It will be a good spiritual retreat, we pray. Please, pray for members' safety who won't be able to attend and have to stay, mainly because they have to work during Carnival week. Pray also for the safety of those who will have to commute to the camp retreat. Our team this year is The Holy Spirit in the NT.


*


May God's peace be upon you all.
Bio and Dayse Nascimento

Week 4

Mozart and Bira, my coworkers in São Lourenço, are on vacation. They sure deserve a good break and time with their families.

[It’s funny that I have perceived from some people in church the misconception that ministers don't need vacation. Some naively think that vacation means our spiritual lives will cease. Others think, sine we are a different type of works (super spiritual), we don’t need vacation. That vacation is a secular concept. That the apostles never had a break or vacation—it’s an unscriptural practice. Maybe they reason that regular members don’t get vacation from their church. But how about a free time to attend different churches and visit distant relatives?   It will take some time…]               I hope Mozart and Bira have time to rest.

This week we made our donation to those in need in Haiti—water. We bought and delivered 330 bottles of water. It’s not much compared to the humongous need in that poor country. Along with the water, though, come our many prayers from everywhere here in Recife.


"For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased 
to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem."

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/HaitiAjuda#

Week 1


What is ministry? Many times I spend good part of my days taking family members, especially my mom, to doctors' visits, and clinics, and hospitals. There are times I think I'm not serving the Lord.
"That this is not my ministry, what I've been called for!" 
I think to myself.


Ministry comes from a Greek word (diakonia) that means "service; contribution, help, support; mission" (UBS Greek Dictionary).   So, in a lato sensus, when I'm serving or helping people, I'm doing ministry. Ministry goes beyond church members.  How have you ministered lately? What is your favorite ministry? Thus, every Christian is a minister, when he does something to someone with the intent of contributing to help.


Shalom upon you!


Visit our Sunday School Classrooms construction:
http://picasaweb.google.com.br/Bio.Zugzwang/ChurchBuildingConstruction#