ide.fazei.discípulos

Elections (in Brazil)

// September 6th, 2010 // No Comments » // Media, News

Last Sunday, August 29th, ps. Paschoal Piragine Jr. of Primeira Igreja Batista de Curitiba (First Baptist Church in Curitiba) uploaded to YouTube a video, where he stands against a government that wants to institutionalize iniquity, more specifically the PT political party, through president Lula and Dilma Roussef, their candidate.

For those who didn’t see it yet, here’s the video (only in Portuguese, sorry…):

Many are starting to stand against this party. But we still need to know the real response of God’s people.

I’m already standing up. I’ll vote for Marina Silva, 43, a sister in Christ, who is also a woman of character and vision.

I believe the time is come for the Church in Brazil to get united and to stand up against a government of iniquity. We have 1 month to change the direction of these elections. We need to pray, but also vote agains iniquity.

It’s time for the Brazilian government to be given into the Lord’s hands.

God bless!

News that make us happy

// October 10th, 2008 // No Comments » // Music, News

Lucas Souza and Band started recording another album to be released early 2009. For those who already know and love (like me) their albums this is great news

More info, clicking on the photo or here.

By the way…

In that link Lucas says that he’ll make some tracks available for download. And that makes me even happier. I’ll probably buy this album when they release it, but it’s always good to see that some artists are working more and more towards the end of pirated copies and downloads all over the web. I think this is some great initiative by Lucas, Eduardo Mano (I downloaded their album ‘Cancões Para Grupos Pequenos‘ (Songs for Small Groups) aqui e adorei) and many others to give out some free tracks for download. Maybe this way one day we won’t have people downloading pirated copies of Christian music. Hard? Maybe, but not impossible

God bless…

Mike Guglielmucci – Pray Only Now?

// September 25th, 2008 // No Comments » // News

I know that maybe this subject is a little over-mentioned since several blogs and sites here in Brazil (and other places) talked about it, but I’d like to give my opinion about if (if you disagree, you can comment on it – if you agree too).

I was at Hillsong Conference 2008 in Sydney, when I bought my copy of the CD/DVD This is Our God and during the Conference we listened to and learned the songs – which I liked very much. Joel Houston took a bigger position of leadership and it changed the face of the band, without getting rid of the Hillsong ‘nametag’. I liked almost every song, in particular ‘Your Name High’, ‘Run’, ‘You’ll Come’ (with ‘Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus’), ‘With Everything’ and ‘Healer’. This last one was a little special, with a word from Mike himself on Friday, when we cried out for his health. It was a moment of great anointing and emotion (that not necessarily walk together).

Weeks later I receive the news that Mike’s disease was, actually, fake that was created to cover his real problem. No need to say that I was shocked when we found out the true. But there is a need to say that I was a little bit sad with some news, messages and posts about Mike. Almost every time people would give their support notes and they would add ‘let’s pray for Mike now‘. It got me thinking: Why not pray before?

This is not the first (and, unfortunately, not the last) time that a brother in Christ has his sins exposed to the world – almost always a scandal. Like Pr. Ted Haggard, Igreja Renascer (a church in Brazil), among others. But what’s the difference between their sins and ours? The answer is just that: none! The difference between us and them is that they weren’t afraid or embarrassed to tell the world who they are: Christian, but human-beings, that made a mistake, make mistakes and will always do.

Why am I saying this? Because lately I got kind of angry with some ‘brothers’ that go online in websites like Orkut and created groups entitled ‘I Hate Ana Paula Valadão’, ‘Igreja Universal is Evil’ or similar things. This is my opinion: Are they doing the work of God? Are they evangelizing? Transforming lives? So, don’t criticize, unless you can do better. If your musical style is not like Lagoinha’s, so start a band with your style, but don’t forget to invest in the Kingdom of God, in Missions and in People as much as them.

Here’s a friendly request: Let’s pray for Mike. But let’s also pray for Ana Paula Valadão, Pr. Antônio Cirilo, David Quinlan, Bola de Neve Church [sorry, many Brazilian Christian 'artists'] and many other brothers in Christ that have taking the Word of God across the nations. Let’s pray after, but also before.

Right! I’ve spoken!

To read more about Mike’s story, go here (in Portuguese):

Everson Barbosa – Lições de Uma Farsa

Blogosfera Cristã – A Questão Guglielmucci

EDIT: Better late than ever, I totally agree with the posts of the blogs I mentioned up there. I’m not criticizing them, ok?

We’re taking over the Web

// September 16th, 2008 // No Comments » // Blog, News

I just wanted to stop by and say how happy I was when I found out that Christians are taking over the web each and every day – with blogs like this. We already have most popular posts in platforms like WordPress.com and every day there are new blogs coming up, written by committed Christians, who are not ashamed of telling the world they belong to Jesus. Yep… it’s about time…

Independence

// May 23rd, 2008 // No Comments » // East Timor, Missions, News

A few days ago, the 20th, the Timorese celebrated their Independence, from Indonesia. I went there in the morning, took some photos… it was pretty nice. Just wasn’t better because we couldn’t get too close – because of the attack on the President, there was some heavy security – but that’s okay…

It was good to see the Timorese partying once more, after so much suffering!

This isn’t a big post, but it’s one, huh?

In this photo, some troops getting ready for the celebration!

That’s all…

Maromak fo bensaun!

Salsinha has surrendered

// April 30th, 2008 // No Comments » // East Timor, Missions, News

Last week we received the news that Salsinha, major Alfredo’s right-hand-man turned himself in to the authorities in Ermera. On the same day the curfew was canceled in Timor… now everything goes back to normal (actually, there’s not a lot of places that open late, so it didn’t make a lot of a difference, but anyway… =p).

Yesterday a convoy of more thatn 30 cars escorted Salsinha and some other “rebels” from Ermera to Dili. Lots of people stopped to look at it… it’s just unlucky that I didn’t have my camera…

A few days ago president Ramos-Horta came back to Timor, after spending some days in Darwin, Australia, being treated from the assassination attempt to his life, in which he was shot twice. On his arrival hundreds of Timorese held hands making a “corridor” from the airport to the presidential house, welcoming the President. On that day I was in Maubisse teaching English, but I heard that it was really beautiful. Thank God we now can see the difference in the Timorese people, that each and every day have become more united in situations like this. We believe that it is also a result of the prayer meetings we’ve been having on the Pastor@Prayer every month – when the Church leaders take up their position, there’s change in society

Meanwhile…

Next week I’ll go to Indonesia, but just for a day… I’ll go and come back on Monday, to renew my visa. It’s amazing how it doesn’t seem I’ve been back for 3 months already… and also that 2 months from now I’ll go back to Brazil!

Prayer points:

1) Global Day of Prayer – May 11th.

For the second time in Timor Leste we’ll get together to cry to the Lord for the Timorese nation, for the churches, together with thousands of people around the globe. It’ll be powerful!

2) Pastors’ Summit – 13 to 16 of May.

We’ll be hosting the First Pastors’ Summit in Timor Leste, in Com, Lautem (which, I may say, is a gorgeous place!). Around 60 pastors of several denominations will be joining us to pray together, praise the Lord and learn about each other a little bit more.

That’s it for now…

Maromak fo bensaun!

Earthquake, Maubisse

// April 19th, 2008 // No Comments » // East Timor, Missions, News

Hey folks!

I don’t know if you read something about it, but today we felt 2 earthquakes here in Timor. The first one at noon was somewhat strong… everything was shaking for a few seconds… the second one, later in the afternoon was a lot weaker, but we could feel it too… hehehe. Nothing major happened… no buildings were destroyed and nobody was hurt… there was only the pretty cool experience =)

Apart from that…

This whole week I was in Maubisse, Ainaro, a village/city in the mountains, together with Andrew, from Singapore. His church established a relationship with one of the directors of their hospital and they asked them to send someone there to teach English to their staff… so there we went. I participated in 3 classes only, but they were really great… we had an average of 15 students, and most of them had a very basic knowledge of English, so I had to use my Tetun a lot . It was a nice experience… who knows… maybe when I go back to Brazil I’ll teach English…

Sorry for taking so long to send news from here, but as you can see, I was a semi-out-of-range (there was no internet there) for a few days… the other days I just really didn’t have time… hehehe.

That’s all for now…

News from Dili

// February 13th, 2008 // No Comments » // East Timor, Missions, News, Prayer Letters

Hey folks!

As you may already know, president José Ramos-Horta was a victim of an attack on Monday morning. He was shot twice, and is now in Darwin, Australia, where he is undergoing surgery. The prime-minister, Xanana Gusmão, was also a victim, in the car he was riding, but wasn’t hurt. The leader of these attacks, Major Alfredo, was killed in one of the attacks.

Because of this, a curfew was declared for 2 days, and Australian troops were sent to help with the situation here in Dili. The streets became very empty, and some stores closed earlier, but, thank God, nothing happened after those attacks. We had some moments of tension on the first day, but there wasn’t any retaliation and everything is going back to normal.

Prayer points:

1) President Ramos-Horta’s health

2) So that there won’t be any retaliation against the government or even Timorese families

3) For the safety of everyone here – missionaries, Timorese, churches…

This is all for now. Whenever I have more news, I’ll post it here for you

I also want to send my Prayer Letter 11. To get it, just click here, or if you prefer in Portuguese, click here.

Maromak fo bensaun!

Missionários Sul-Coreanos

// July 31st, 2007 // No Comments » // Missions, News

Hi everyone

I don’t know how many of you have followed the story about the South-Korean missionaries that were kidnapped by the Talibans on the 20th. The 22 missionaries are held hostage by the terrorist group and 2 of them have already been murdered. The Talibans gave a new deadline for the Afghani to be released – their demand, in exchange for the Koreans – until Wednesday, August 1st.

I’m talking about this here so that all of us keep our brothers in prayer. They’ve been going through tough moments. Not only those that were kidnapped, but also their families, their church, their leaders and every person involved with their mission – which is also ours.

So, don’t forget to pray for them, so that everything will be solved, that won’t be any more deaths and that they may be able to continue their work in that nation that needs Jesus so much.

Hodi Maromak nia dame (In Christ’s peace),

More News (in Portuguese):

Body of a South-Korean hostage is found in Afghanistan

Talibans say they’ve killed on more South-Korean hostage

Talibans give one last chance to free the South-Korean hostages

Viver Pra Deus

// April 3rd, 2006 // 1 Comment » // Articles, Missions, News

I was reading this week the news about Abdul Rahman, the former muslim that converted to Christianity in Afghanistan, that was about to be killed. Thank God, international authorities were mobilized and were able to get him international asylum, in Italy.

It got me thinking… are we prepared to die for Christ?

Many times, in an impulse, we answer: “I would die for Jesus Christ, because He died for me!”, and we even say “I would give my life to the Kingdom of God!”… but would we?

Maybe death is something easy to face, since the Bible says in Phillipians 1:21: “to die is gain”… but what about life?

Are we ready to live for Christ?

Living for Christ will result in persecution (II Timothy 3:12)… maybe not persecution like Churches have in countries like China, Indonesia, Afghanistan, North Korea, but surely persecution from “friends” in school, neighbors and even relatives.

Which (real) Christian haven’t heard “You go to church every Sunday?’, or “Your religion doesn’t allow you to drink?”

Living for Christ will result in letting go of many things, situations, friendships, relationships.

It’s hard for many to understand that someone may be ready to die for a God that they believe doesn’t exist. But it’s even harder for them to understand why someone would give his whole life to God!

I can say it by my own experience… I’ve been labeled by many things, by saying I went to church every Sunday, wouldn’t just go out with girls, but wanted a serious relationship, wouldn’t drink, wouldn’t smoke, wouldn’t use drugs… They always asked me if I wouldn’t do something because my religion wouldn’t allow me. My answer was always: “My ‘religion’ lets me do anything – including say no. No to drugs, No to drinking. No to illicit sex…”

The Bible says that the door that leads to Heaven is narrow… we have to let go of many things that won’t go “through” the door… Are we ready to say no when, by the world’s view, everything indicates we should say yes? Are we ready to let go of our lives, and give them to God?

Tuhan memberkati

Currently listening to “Restored” – Jeremy Camp

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EDIT: Let me add a quote by Martin Luther King, from his speech in Detroit, June 23rd, 1963:

“I submit yo you that if a man hasn’t discovered something he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”