Missionary Update: Paul & Wanda Hatcher in Brazil [June 2013]
Paul and Wanda Hatcher have been serving the Lord together in Brazil for 36 years. Paul pastors Tabernacle Baptist Church in Manaus, Brazil. Their main ministry is church planting.
Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
May 29, 2013
Dear Friends,
God gives some people the ability to move to a new city and preach the gospel, nurture the new believers in Christ, and in a short time, organize the body of believers into a new church. Many times the starter missionary does not enjoy the ongoing pastoral duties because his heart is burdened for another place that does not have the Gospel. Even with so great a burden, the missionary realizes he must stay until the Lord provides a pastor to lead the new flock. Missionary Raimundo Pinto and family are great starter missionaries in the city of Fortaleza in northeastern Brazil. They have been sent from Tabernacle Baptist Church in Manaus. The church plant was successful and a blessing, but Missionary Pinto was anxious to move on to a new state to begin a new church. He waited and prayed anxiously that the Lord would provide a pastor so he could move on. He was elated and grateful as the Lord answered their prayer and provided a man of God, Pastor Vilian and family. The new church invited him to become their new pastor and He accepted the call. They are working on the transition; and soon Missionary Pinto is planning to move to the city of Aracaju, in the state of Sergipe in northeastern Brazil. Needless to say, the two families are very excited to move and get started. We ask that you pray for them, especially the Pinto family, as many challenges will present themselves in this new church plant. We will rejoice as God continues to work out all the details.
John is a member at Tabernacle Baptist in Manaus and has a small farm in the jungle on the banks of the Amazon River. He is a joyful Christian and loves to talk about his faith in Jesus. As he talked about Jesus to the people living out on the river banks, several became interested and trusted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. So he would get together with them on the week end and read the Scriptures and talk about the Lord and pray together. About three weeks ago, John requested that one of the church pastors go and talk to them, as they wanted to be baptized. There are about 25 adults who have professed Jesus as Saviour. This is wonderful! Pray for them, their baptism and growth in the Lord, and the forming of a new church.
This month of May, Wanda and I are having some special time with our parents. My parents, John and Alta Hatcher, live in the southern part of Brazil, and Wanda’s mom, Mrs. Willa McGary, lives in the opposite direction: Mayfield, Kentucky. At the beginning of the month, we had a special treat with my parents and my two brothers and their wives – about a week of fellowship and thanksgiving.
The following weeks we are spending some time with Wanda’s mom visiting and caring for some of her needs. We would like to say a great big Thanks to churches and individuals for your meaningful prayer and support. Likewise, thanks to the wonderful men who serve on the board and the churches they pastor who also invest in missions through them. Your intercessions to God on our behalf bring us comfort and strength in the Lord Jesus. Your faithful financial support is laid to your account in heaven, as God brings salvation to many, which results in our rejoicing together and glorifying God. We thank God for each of you and pray that He will richly bless you.
In Christ,
Paul and Wanda Hatcher
Avenida J. Carlos Antony, 172
65063-150 Manaus
Amazonas, Brasil SA
hatcher[at]argo.com.br
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Spring Conference 2013 [Tuesday Evening]
Our 53rd Annual Spring Conference continued this evening with Scripture-soaked messages, giving honor where honor is due, and words of encouragement.
The choir from Thompson Road opened with “Ancient Words,” followed by the congregation singing “Victory in Jesus.” ♪ Pastor Doug King then led us in prayer before we sang “Loyalty to Christ.” ♪ His Gospel we’ll proclaim, throughout the world’s domain, Of loyalty, loyalty, yes, loyalty to Christ.
Pastor Mark Pyles sang “He’s All I Need” before the first message. ♪
Missionary John Hatcher, who has served 58 years in Brazil, brought the first message from the Psalms, but opened by singing a Portuguese song and all the Portuguese speakers joined in! (Something about being happy…”O yo something feliz.” Apologies from Phoebe who forgot to ask for a translation afterward.)
“I want the Scriptures to speak to you,” he said. “I’ll make my words few.”
Psalm 1 contains the perfect instructions for guiding your life as a Christian. The promises in it are overwhelming.
vs. 1- Happy is the man who walks in the right way, stands in the right place, and doesn’t sit in the wrong places.
vs. 2- 24 hours a day. Some of us our too lazy and too “busy” to meditate on God’s Word, but that’s the only thing that will last forever.
vs. 3- What a promise! Whatever I do as God’s child will prosper. God has obligated Himself to this promise if I meet the demands of the first part of the chapter.
If you want a successful life, do what He says.
“This may be the shortest sermon I’ve ever preached at a conference,” he remarked, “but the words are eternal.”
Psalm 126 shows the secret of success in a life that is going to win souls.
Our job is to win souls to the Lord and they can’t be saved without hearing that Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead.
vs. 5- Another promise. Weep as you sow. We cry over the lost. We cry over their need. We cry over their destiny without Christ. It’s my job to sow the seed and weep over the lost. It’s Christ’s job to make it sprout. You have to plant the seed with care. There have been some tears, but you keep sowing.
When we have the opportunity to tell and we don’t, the blood is on our hands. We can’t pass that off.
If you want to be a soul-winner, you must understand Psalm 126.
Psalm 127– The Family
vs. 2- God works for us while we rest! He wants us to rest in Him.
vs. 3- CHILDREN are a heritage from the Lord. We often think of material possessions as a heritage, but it’s CHILDREN. “We always wanted 8 kids. We made it to 5–and if we had more like the 5 we had, we’d want at least 8.”
Psalm 128– Great Promises: When you honor Him, the family is the blessing.
The Hatchers have 5 children, 15 grandchildren, and 26 great-grandchildren. Every one of the grandchildren is serving the Lord in a special ministry. All 4 greats in France have trusted the Lord and they are trusting the rest will as well!
Psalm 127 & 128 pronounce blessings over the family. When you have godly families, you’ll have godly politicians, schoolteachers, workers, and bosses. When the family fails, all fails.
Take the Word in its simplicity.
♪ Close to Thee ♪
We had a special presentation to honor the exemplary and faithful service of four of our missionary families this evening.
- John & Alta Hatcher – 58 years in Brazil
- Harold & Marie Bratcher – 53 ½ years in Brazil
- Bobby & Betty Creiglow – 33 years in Brazil
- Harold & Ursula Draper – 32 ½ years in Brazil
They each received a plaque with their years of service and a message of thanks and 2 Timothy 2:2 at the bottom. (You can download a sample PDF here to see the text and generic design of the plaque.)
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” -2 Timothy 2:2
Pastor David Hatcher from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, then told the story of a little seed planted by BFM. He wanted to encourage us to be faithful and to show that our work has not been in vain–that our faith in what BFM missionaries were planting was not in vain. “Sometimes you get one of those genetically modified kernels,” he said. God determines the size as He uses us.
He shared a video about the history Chapada Baptist Church that was made to “gladden our hearts.” Chapada was the first church planted in Brazil by John & Alta Hatcher in 1960. Five years ago, they had 130 members. Now it’s grown to 5000 and they have planted 20 churches in Brazil and 4 churches in other countries (Venezuela, Mozambique, Peru, and British Guyana).
What you did will have eternal rewards and you’ll only find out about most of it when you get to Heaven. You may never know the extent of the work that you’re doing–only Heaven will tell. So do not grow weary.
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” -Galatians 6:9
The seed is good seed, but there are some things we can do in planting the seed to make it more effective.
Six Things the Chapada Church has Focused On
First off, pastors need to get rid of fear. Figure out what God wants and do it regardless of what other people think. Think outside the church walls.
1) The absolute top priority of the church & the Christian is to love God above all. It’s Jesus everywhere. Jesus in your job, in your sports, in your dating, in your marriage. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
The #1 way you love God: Obey. (John 14)
Sanctification involves learning to obey and learning to hear the voice of the Spirit. It takes commitment AND passion. Learn to praise God. (Psalm 89:15)
2) It’s the joy of the Lord that is our strength.
-People need to WANT to go to church. Bring joy into your services because the JOY of the Lord is the strength of the Christian. It shouldn’t be an obligation. When we are full of joy, the burden of the Lord’s work becomes light. (Psalm 37:4)
-Study God’s Word collectively and individually. Every member is encouraged to spend 20-25 minutes per day in the Word 5 days a week. They memorize 5 or so verses a week and do Bible Study sheets. Not all 5000 do it, but 2000 do, and 2000 is better than no-thousand!
-Get people into the Word! How shall a young man keep His way pure? (Psalm 119:9) When you get people in the Word, it overflows in fruit (the best kind of fruit is souls). Stimulate the reading, studying, and memorization with rewards.
“When I was a boy, I read because my mother would let me go buy a toy as a reward at the end of a year. That got me in the habit of doing it, but that’s not why I do it now.”
-Everyone should be trained, not just the pastor.
–As people serve and invest their lives, they’ll love the church and Jesus more. Where your treasure is… (Matthew 6:21) Don’t ask what the church can do for you.
3) Apply the theology to everyday life. Don’t assume people know what to do with the Word. (Matthew 7:24) Help them put it into their tennis shoes. The Bible is the manual of life.
4) Ministry is done by volunteers. The people do the work. When you’re invested, you can’t leave. God has given us intelligence, time, and energy–we turn these in to make money and buy material things, but don’t forget to invest in and buy eternal things. The average member at Chapada gives about 8-10 hours per week to the church.
5) Focus on loving one another.
Sometimes we emphasize the wrong things. Anything that is not going to make an eternal difference is the wrong thing. Focus on the right things. (1 John 3:16) MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LOVED. (John 13:34-35) Love is the best advertisement for your church. Bring gifts for people when you come to church–cards, candy, fruit. Leave messages on their phone. Send them texts of encouragement. (Sidenote: Instead of Facebook, get your face in the Book! But if you use Facebook, use it for the Lord and to encourage one another!)
6) Our Purpose: Give people the opportunity to respond to the Gospel.
1 Corinthians 9:24-26 Speak in a language that people understand. Consider everything as a divine appointment. When you’re filling up your gas tank, it’s a divine appointment. Invite the cashier to church–tell them how Jesus died for their sins.
He challenged us to rethink our methods. We must plant the seed in an effective way. Do not be weary. Do not be discouraged. Be creative.
We closed the evening session with ♪ Lord Speak to Me ♪
Tomorrow is the final day of the conference. We hope you can join us! [Schedule]
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [April 2013]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and there are many things to update you about. We praise the Lord for health, strength, His protection, and the opportunities He gives us to serve Him. This update will give a current ministry update as well as prayer requests.
As I write this letter, we are now in the final stages of our move. Praise the Lord! It has been a long, difficult three months since we found we had to move out, but the Lord has been so faithful and provided another place nearby to live. We also met with the caretaker, who was very friendly, and we are pleased. We have still not unpacked everything, as there are still some boxes around, but we are getting there step by step. Isn’t it wonderful to know that throughout the seasons of life, God is so faithful and will care for us each step of the way? I am thankful for His guidance and provisions. Psalm 48:14 says “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.” Thanks so much for each one who has prayed for us during this transition. We are now getting settled and appreciate your prayers for us during this time.
Concerning the election, it has been very interesting. The election was originally held on March 4th. One of the presidential candidates was declared the president elect, yet the other challenger has taken the matter to the Kenya Supreme Court. It has been in the court for a few days now, and we are awaiting the final decision. I have been pleasantly surprised by the lack of unrest. It seems things are calmer this time than last election. However, there is still very much the potential for unrest when the final decision is made. Please continue to pray for us, the other missionaries, and the country and people of Kenya. We desire to see this spirit of peace continue. Ultimately, God is in control, no matter what happens. He is always on the throne and we can trust Him with everything. There are many good verses regarding God’s sovereignty, but one of my favorites is Psalm 115:3, which says “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” What a blessing to know we serve the sovereign God of the universe, and He is always completely, absolutely in control.
The church in Shangalamwe is continuing along. My good friend Roger Tate and I are now in the stage of observing the elder as he leads the church. This stage is very important, to ensure that the elder has grasped the teaching and follows the Scripture as he leads and guides the church to follow the Lord. Please pray for the elder as he has taken on this role, and for us also, as we seek to help him any way that we can. We are also continuing to work with a national to plant churches, and this is going along well. Out of one group many other groups have started, and many of these groups desire to be churches. Please pray for him, and also for us, as we instruct and teach him weekly to plant these churches, Lord willing.
My wife is continuing along in the hospital ministry. We thank the Lord for the opportunities He has given her to serve there over the years. There are so many there who are suffering and we thank the Lord for the doors He has opened for her to serve there. Thanks to each one who prays for this ministry or sends supplies for the mothers and children. Psalm 68:5 says “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.” God cares about these children and the conditions they face, and we are honored to have a small part to minister and care for them.
Thanks so much to each one who sends us notes, emails, or letters of encouragement. It means so much. Many days here we face the typical challenges of missionary life, and certainly homesickness, loneliness, and other issues can come. Your letters and emails brighten our days. God bless each of you for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement. We will keep you updated.
In Kenya,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [March 2013]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I’m doing something just a bit different this month. I’ve included a chart/picture that will hopefully give you a good idea of the happenings in Kitale and might clarify some of the thoughts in my head. More on that in a minute.
During my first term in Kenya, God began to show me that the traditional missionary approach (an approach I myself was following) was an approach that needed tweaking here in Kenya. If we were ever to get past the dependence and paternalism inherent in Kenyan Christianity and Kenyan churches we had to change our model. I didn’t want to go away from Biblical models. I, in fact, wanted to get closer to Biblical models. When we returned to Kenya after our first furlough we began to implement this new model. We started groups in people’s homes. We taught them simply from the Word of God. We trained local, lay leadership. We taught them self-governance and independence.
We taught them how to reproduce themselves without Western aid. Most of these groups slowly dwindled and faded until they had to fold. Only one of these groups became a struggling, small new church. Was it because the model was flawed that the groups dwindled and failed? No, I believe in this Biblical model now more than ever. I think what precipitated this group failure was the weekly presence of the white missionaries (Roger and Nathan) in the groups. The people would come to the meetings believing they would receive free handouts from us and when they realized they would not see their expectations fulfilled, they left and the groups faltered.
Now look at the chart/picture I have provided. I want to describe what is happening in this chart.
In one of the groups that we started was a young man by the name of Titus. Titus became very excited about the Biblical principles we were teaching and adhered firmly to and accepted our Biblical model for church planting. However, instead of us going with Titus and working directly with him in the village to start a new group, we taught and modeled for Titus the Biblical models, principles and teaching on church planting. Then we sent him out to do the work himself.
You can see from the chart the results of Titus’ work. First, he started a group in a village called Kipsongo. That group quickly grew to have about 30 members. From that one group, five other groups were started in five nearby villages: Kibomet, Shanti, Folkland, Matisi and Rafiki. One of those groups even began a new group in another nearby village called Bikeke. As you can see from the legend on the chart, all of these groups are progressing very well. The Kibomet group now has over 60 people attending the worship and Bible study every week. The most exciting part is what is becoming of these groups. We spent many weeks teaching Titus about what a church is (as opposed to just a Bible study group) and on how to organize and start a new church. Titus took these teachings and started teaching the Kipsongo and Kibomet groups on how to organize into a New Testament church. They are very close to being ready now to organize into New Testament churches. In a separate weekly session he has been teaching the leaders of the other groups the same Biblical teachings and principles.
All of this has been done without the presence of the white missionaries in the groups, a presence we have found can be damaging and preventative. We have been in much prayer about these happenings and believe God might be leading us to focus our church planting approach down a slightly different path (same Biblical model and principles just with a different path). Please be in prayer with us about these things.
Until next month, beloved.
May God’s peace and joy be with you.
For the glory of God in East Africa,
Roger & Julie Tate (and Emily, Amy, & Josiah)
P.O. Box 96
Kitale, Kenya 30200
rojuta[at]gmail.com
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [March 2013]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making,”
February 26, 2013
Dear Fellow Team Members,
We are grateful for the privilege God gives us to be bearers of the the Good News to folks that live in Southern France as well as in other parts of the world. The four weeks since we last wrote to you have gone by quickly, but we have seen God at work.
On February 9, we had “young people’s evening in our home”. It seems that the quality of these meetings has continued to improve and the young people who come are attentive and are always interested in the date for the next meeting. Of the young folks who come, only one, has made a public profession of faith and followed the Lord in baptism. The passage we considered two weeks ago included “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” This is certainly the invitation of the Gospel for those who are lost as well as a reminder for those of us who are God’s children.
One of the many towns near us that need the Gospel.
Our oldest granddaughter brought a neighbor friend who had not previously been to a youth night. One the way home, this friend was so excited about the evening that she could hardly wait to tell her brother about it and invite him for the next time.
This past Sunday, one of the teen age girls who attends with her family brought a friend. Last Tuesday in Mazere, a young man, father of three, came for the first time and was quite attentive. He was brought by a couple who have participated with us in this Bible study from the time it was first implemented. We are encouraged by the desire the believers have to share their faith and introduce others to Christ.
This past Saturday, we had a pot luck dinner to conclude a three week Bible reading adventure. The purpose of this adventure was to encourage believers to grow in knowledge of God through the study of His Word. We chose key passages (one to four chapters per day) to be read daily. These covered the historical periods from Abraham to Nehemiah. Fourteen people read together and we discussed what they had learned during the dinner. Those who were involved testified that it was a great blessing to them. We want to do something similar several times during the coming year. This should help emphasize how important it is for God’s children to “know the scriptures” and to “study to show themselves approved”. One lady, who, was not involved this time, asked me Sunday, “When are we going to do this again?”
The Lord has recently given several good openings with neighbors and acquaintances. We would like for all of these and many others to be saved. Thank you for your faithful support which enables us to be here to communicate the Good News.
City of Mazere – We have Bible study near upper right hand corner.
Your fellow servants in France,
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Missionary Update: Jud & Raquel Hatcher in Brazil [December 2012]
Jud and Raquel Hatcher serve the Lord in Manaus, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, 43 churches have been started in 5 states.
Family
We’ve had a great month with the family. Just two weeks ago Melissa gave her first steps on her own. It was a tremendous joy to see her walk and watch her excitement in response to our enthused reaction. We celebrated her 1st birthday on December 1st. Sarah, Laura and Benjamin are on school break and are gearing up their bikes to go to the park whenever they get a chance.
Evangelistic Cookout
This last month we had an Evangelistic cookout with 72 guests on a holiday called “day of the deceased.” We had fantastic opportunities to share the Gospel. Before eating I preached concerning the resurrection of Christ and our new life in Him. Secondly, we shared individually as we ate with our friends. One man came to Christ. I’ve also had the chance to meet weekly with a couple as a result of the connection made that day.
Christmas Evangelism Camp
We scheduled a Christmas camp on December 15 & 16. We already have several families signed-up and look forward to an exciting and fun time with our unsaved and unchurched friends. Please, pray as we make preparations for the camp and for the hearts of those who will hear the Word.
Their latest Evangelistic Cookout had 72 guests.
Christmas Gift Baskets
This week we begin making our Christmas gift baskets and visiting peoples’ homes to present them with a basket and the Christmas message. It’s much easier to visit people with whom a previous contact has already been made, as opposed to “cold turkey” visits. We’ve made many new contacts through cookouts and other gatherings. We hope to make a lasting impact through this simple gesture of love.
The current members of Ativa gathered for the Lord’s Supper.
Mens’ Fishing Trip
In January we will have a men’s fishing trip. We will leave on a Friday and return on Saturday. We will spend the night at a local lodge. Many of our unchurched friends are already inviting their friends to join us. The Gospel message is always clearly announced at everything we do together. Pray for salvation decisions during this fishing trip.
Thanks
Thank you for you prayer and support. Please, continue to invest and pray as we work together until Christ’s second coming.
Grateful,
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
judsonhatcher@hotmail.com
Website | Twitter
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [November 2012]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
November 1, 2012
Dear praying friends,
Another month has quickly passed, and we are now at the end months of the year 2012. It is hard to believe that 2013 is just around the corner. Each year seems to go by faster and faster. I pray that we will commit ourselves anew to service to the Lord, wherever He leads us. I like Deuteronomy 13:4, which says “Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” I pray that this would be our heart’s desire, that we would walk with the Lord, fear Him, keep His commandments, obey Him, serve Him, and cleave to Him. What a challenging verse from the Word of God.
The church plant in the village of Shangalamwe is continuing along well, for which I thank the Lord. My friend Roger Tate and I have been working with these dear people for several months now, and we have been able to see spiritual growth and progress. Some of the church members have grown discouraged as they have been faithful to go and share their faith, yet the work has been difficult and others have been giving excuses, etc. I tried to encourage them by sharing the verse in Galatians 6:9, which states “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” I reminded the church that we are to be faithful in serving the Lord, and leave the results with Him. Please pray for these members, that they would find strength and encouragement from the Lord and faithfully serve Him, no matter what the difficulties are.
We are also now meeting with a national, as he has been faithful to go and start different Bible study groups in the Kitale area. We have been meeting with him, sharing with him and training him to go and teach the lessons to other groups. The time will be coming where he will ask to see if the groups desire to be churches of the Lord Jesus Christ, so please be praying for him in the days ahead, that the Lord’s will would be done. It is good to do church planting using different ways, to compare and and see which is more effective in this culture. We covet your prayers as we continue to plant churches, with the Lord’s help, in the Kitale area.
The Annex prison ministry is continuing along well. We are now near the end of the course “Firm Foundations – From Creation to Christ.” The men coming seem to be really growing and doing well. I thank the Lord for this, and for their faithfulness to come and study the Word of God. I am also thankful for the cooperation of the head office of the Annex prison and also for the cooperation of the chaplains. Please pray for these men and their spiritual growth as they learn from the Word, as well as for the other men who have not yet decided to trust Christ and follow Him. How we need to share the Gospel message and share it with the lost. I love Luke 19:10, which says “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” We will keep you updated of this ministry.
In family news, please pray for each of us, and for our health and safety daily as we serve here. There are many health hazards here, and we would appreciate your prayers for our continued health as we serve in Kitale. Please also pray for us as it is now near the holiday season, and it is always hard to be away from those that we love. The Lord gives strength daily, and we are thankful for this. His strength is perfect when our strength is gone. We wish you all a great holiday season in America, and will be sure to keep you updated. God’s blessings to each of you.
Serving in Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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Missionary Update: Paul & Wanda Hatcher in Brazil [October 2012]
Paul and Wanda Hatcher have been serving the Lord together in Brazil for 36 years. Paul pastors Tabernacle Baptist Church in Manaus, Brazil. Their main ministry is church planting.
Dear friends,
We send you greetings from the north and northeast of Brazil. The past three months have been very busy. We are thankful for all that God is doing. We rejoice that many are coming to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and receive believer’s baptism. Our prayers are for the millions who have not heard or have not believed in Jesus.
Wanda and I have travelled across most of the states in the north and northeast of Brazil in the last six weeks, organizing eleven missions into churches and ordaining eight pastors for the newly organized churches. It is great to see the growth of the gospel and the spiritual maturing of God’s children in each mission. Our desire and prayers for each new church is that they will continue growing and take the gospel to other places.
Churches were organized in the following locations: three in Manaus, in our home state of Amazonas, one in Belem, state of Pará, three in Boa Vista, state of Roraima, one in Fortaleza, state of Ceará, one in Parnamirim, state of Rio Grande do Norte, one in João Pessoa, state of Paraiba, and one in São Luis, State of Maranhão.
I taught a sixteen-hour training seminar in most of these locations prior to the organization. We have also been helping them with all the red tape to get their legal paper work, and the transfer of the property deeds to the new churches, usually a three to six month process.
The Lord’s mandate is still before us. We have visited a great number of small cities and towns with no Baptist churches; pray that the lord will grant us sensitive hearts and wisdom to make best usage of our time and energy.
In the last ten months the Lord has added two wonderful grandchildren to our family, Melissa to Judson and Raquel, and Noah to Leigh and Michael. We now have a total of seven grandchildren. Pray they will all grow in the nurture and grace of our Lord Jesus. The three oldest ones have already trusted the Lord and been baptized. Praise the Lord.
Thanks for your prayers and faithful support,
Paul and Wanda
Paul and Wanda Hatcher
Avenida J. Carlos Antony, 172
65063-150 Manaus
Amazonas, Brasil SA
hatcher[at]argo.com.br
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