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??? 

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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.

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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.