Ministry & Leadership Training Continues; Health & Family Updates

Jud and Raquel Hatcher are third generation missionaries serving the Lord in São Paulo, 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.

January 29, 2022

Thank you for your faithful prayers and generosity.

Family
Thank you for praying for our family. I am currently undergoing radiation treatment five times a week. Laura is adjusting to her cochlear implant. The device was activated three weeks ago. Hearing again does not come automatically, it will take almost a year for her to gain maximum hearing through the implant. She wears it every day at school as part of the initial process of learning to hear again. Her first hearing therapy this week provided a glimpse of her progress. There is still a lot of work, as the learning curve for the brain to adjust to the implant is a lengthy development. As she adjusts to the new hearing process the cochlear implant must also receive fine tuning. This fine tuning requires the audiologist and the cochlear implant technician to work in conjunction with Laura to customize the programing based on her monthly hearing progress. We are praising the Lord for each positive step as she regains hearing from her left ear.

Regarding my cancer care, a PETscan in mid-February will provide us with the current status of the cancer. Chemotherapy is completed and now I go in for radiation sessions five times a week. At this point, the main side effect is fatigue. I keep a healthy dietary plan along with a consistent workout regimen at the gym with my son Benjamin. He is a great workout partner, and his avid participation is an encouragement to maintain our exercise routine. The cold winter makes it hard to get out in the early mornings, especially when it is snowing. I have glided on the ice a few times on the way to and from the clinic, but the Lord has provided safety on the roads.

Our oldest, Sarah, recently received her drivers permit and just this week began her first job working at Culver’s restaurant. Melissa (10 years old) has maximized her time in the snow. There are several kids in the neighborhood that enjoy playing in the snow with her. She is having the time of her life every time she goes outside. Raquel has participated in several conferences and training seminars over the last several months and acquired a new counseling technique called EMDR, which is a tool that allows past traumas to be processed with new insights. This season in the States has been full of first-time experiences and wonderful opportunities for our family. We praise the Lord for each one.

Ministry
Jonatas and Charis are currently in the States as part of their mentoring and exposure trip. They have invested time in West Palm Beach with our dear friend Todd Thomas who serves at Family Church (First Baptist Church WPB) at the Sherbrook campus. While in Lynchburg, VA they stayed with our dear friends Scott and Cindy Phillips, and connected with folks at Living Word Baptist Church. They also attended classes at Liberty University in the Pastoral Leadership program of the School of Divinity, under the leadership of my beloved mentor, Dave Adams. Jonatas and Charis also had quality time with Scott Bullman, Matt Wilmington, Tim Grandstaff, Russ Dean and Doug Randlett at Thomas Road Baptist Church. This next Monday they arrive in Chicago and will remain with us for one week prior to their return to Brazil. This time with us will also be filled with mentorship and learning opportunities at Wheaton College and Moody Bible Institute. Please, continue to pray and to financially contribute as we make concerted training efforts in training leaders.

The ministry in São Paulo is regaining momentum as COVID tensions cause less disruption. Pastor Helder´s wife, Renatha, lost her father this last month and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Please, pray for the family as they mourn his loss.

Again, thank you for your solid commitment to prayer and for your generous giving through Baptist Faith Missions.

Grateful,
Jud Hatcher

Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.


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Revitalizing Churches and Reaching “Paulistanos”

Jud and Raquel Hatcher serve the Lord in São Paulo, 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.

Dear friends,

Thank you for your faithful prayers, engagement and financial investment. Read about a pastor who travels 6 hours to preach, a Digital Magazine on YouTube channel and “don’t come in, we are too high”. Intrigued? Please, read on.

Church Revitalization
Four months ago, Pastor Fabiano from Lupercio Baptist Church (started by my grandfather – John Hatcher) contacted me asking for help. We meet at a coffee shop and spoke for 3 hours. He explained “two years ago a church (that is now 47 years old with and average attendance of 25 people) here in São Paulo asked me for assistance, they were without a pastor for 8 years and were considering closing the doors. I agreed to travel 6 hours into the city to minister to them once a month. The church really wants and needs a full-time pastor, but they don’t have enough funds to sustain one.” He went on to ask me to help them in revitalization, growth and eventually bring in candidates for a new senior pastor. I agreed. I do training there on Wednesday evenings. We’ve worked through several series “Letting the Philippian Joy become Yours”, “Taking an X-ray of this Church”, “How to Effectively Share Christ”, and now we are walking through “How to Disciple a New Believer”. The church is considering a pastoral candidate I indicated, Helder Castro. Helder accepted Christ through my father’s ministry. I served as his mentor for several years and officiated his wedding ceremony. He has pastored in Manaus for 12 years. He visited the church twice for interviews and preaching. They will vote in the end of August for him to start in January 2020. In the meantime, I will step up my role to serve them as an interim pastor until December 2019. Helder will move with his wife and two sons to serve in making disciples through “Igreja Batista em Jardim Maria Virginia.”

I am excited as this church has also agreed to participate in sending people for church planting with us and will also be a part of our “Life Together Network” of churches in São Paulo. Helder and Renatha will be a great contribution, as they are also church planters and we’ve worked together for many years. If the Lord lays on your heart to contribute in prayer and financially assisting Pastor Helder during his first year in this church revitalization, please do so by designating to “J.H. – Pastor Helder / Church Revitalization” through BFM.

Imagine, a Baptist Church
Church planting is intense, especially with multiple fronts. Over the last year, we are enjoying the most fun we’ve ever had as a family in doing what we have always loved doing. Imagine is focused on reaching out to the unsaved/unchurched urban São Paulo city dweller. “Paulistanos”, (as they are called in São Paulo city) are typically well informed, well-educated and cultured. If they are not “church going people” type, they don’t plan to go… Period. We have done a lot of strategy customizing to finally reach our target audience. “Paulistanos” are known in Brazil as “workaholics” and in their down-time they want to hangout with friends and family, not go to “some religious meeting”. So, we, the Church are going to where they are and doing what we know will gain credibility and trust in their hearts. We have our weekly evangelistic gatherings in parks, sports stores, malls, hospitals and through home dinners. As people surrender to Christ, we schedule basic discipleship in their home. We have a “Celebration Gathering” once a month. In addition to this, we are currently working on our “YouTube” Channel to produce a Digital Magazine with episodes of 5 to 8 minutes, with Biblical teaching, insights for living and music. A “Paulistano” won’t listen to a 40-minute sermon while in the subway but will listen to us for 5 to 8 minutes at a time. I have invited a spiritually solid team to help develop the content, including my father – Paul Hatcher. I’ve consulted with well-known Brazilian YouTubers on how to get it all started. Video production takes a lot of time, but the library of content with easy access for anyone and anywhere is priceless.

Hope, a Baptist Church
This church is situated in the middle of three ghettos, the families we minister to are very poor. My heart breaks every time I walk into people’s homes and see the precarious conditions they live with their children. People’s hearts are very hardened and without hope. Here we have weekly Bible teaching, evangelism and home visitation. When we first started here, I wasn’t sure how we would be received by the people, but as a rule (when the adults aren’t high or drunk) we get invited inside their homes to pray and we receive a listening ear. Adult women tend to be infantile, as most of them never had a real childhood, due to becoming mothers at a young age. Men are stern and often irresponsible with their families.  We do a lot of “Life Together” with people so they can see the light of grace. We’ve had pasta nights, pizza parties, hamburger meets. Kids attend well in the children’s ministry, adults are tougher, but we have made way in their hearts.

If you’d like to invest time in prayer for these and future church-plants, please do. Consider also in investing financially, you can do so by sending your contribution through Baptist Faith Missions, please designate “Jud Hatcher – Church planting”.

Family
Sarah and Laura started their new school year on July 30th, Benjamin and Melissa started on the 31st. They had a 6-week break between school years and were excited to start back. Stateside, the school year beak is in the Summertime and is synonymous with “Fun in the Sun”. Well, in the Southern Hemisphere, July is the coldest month of the year and homes do not have central heating systems. Electricity is so expensive that space heaters are not commonly used. Hence, our school year break is synonymous with “Eat your soup before it gets too cold.”

We are truly grateful for the school the Lord provided for them. A year ago, Melissa (7 years) had not learned to read or write at the school in which the kids were enrolled. After a year (and much hard work) at this new school, Melissa know how to read and write in English and Portuguese. We are elated with joy as our kids are inspired by their teachers to study hard.

Recently, Baptist Faith Missions (through the leadership of the directors and Bro. Dave Parks’ administrational skills) changed the health insurance provider, and all to the better. The plan gives us access to the best hospital in Brazil, located in São Paulo. As a result, we will be able to get more efficient treatment for Laura’s left ear severe hearing loss, that was caused by a punctured ear drum.

As always, thank you for loving us and praying. We love you. Want to visit us in São Paulo? We’d love you host you. Come on down (Just let us know before you arrive at our door).

Grateful always,
Jud & Raquel Hatcher

Judson & Raquel Hatcher
(859) 544-9040
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
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