What would it be like to visit a different church every weekend?
After one year and fifty churches, what conclusions could you
draw? What could you learn in observing how different groups of
Bible believers do church? How accurate would your assumptions
be? What could you learn from keenly observing the interactions
between the brethren, leadership, and pastor? Who are their public
announcements or bulletins all about? Were their friends or co-
workers there? How often were there visitors? How were you
treated?
Few have or even want such opportunities. As missionaries who
furlough every four or five years, we spent weekends with a
different group of believers during our months in the U.S.,
preaching and reporting details of our work in a faraway place -
Brazil.
During this most recent furlough, driving back from each church,
our conversations in the car often revolved around our
observations of that particular group of people. We were most
intrigued that each church has its own personality, focus, and
purpose. Many times, we asked ourselves, “If we lived in that
community, would we want to return to that church?” We talked
about how each meets in a unique building, house, or auditorium to
worship and study Scriptures. Sometimes our attention was drawn
to church buildings well over 150 years old, rich in history of
brethren and missionaries now gone. Other buildings were fresh
with the smell of paint and carpet from construction or remodeling.
On this 6-month trip in the U.S., we visited 20 churches. Compared
to our furlough five years ago, about 1/3 are growing numerically,
about 1/3 are nearly the same, and 1/3 have fewer in attendance.
Books, articles, seminars, and theories are abundant on why some
churches grow and some don’t. Most of this material is about
groups of believers who meet in a given location. Yet, the church is
established by God in Christ, He knows who His children are, and
He knows the size of His family. He cares for each one. This is part
of being a good Father. The church ultimately was determined by
Him. In fact, the driving force for world missions and evangelism is
that when the gospel of Christ is preached, God’s chosen people
will be drawn to Himself.
If last Sunday morning, your church auditorium was half-empty as
numbers decrease and no growth is in sight, discouragement and
pessimism are apt to set in. At those times, it is good for us to
remember that Christ’s church continues to grow. The Creator of
the universe has a world view. Daily, the Holy Spirit draws many to
Christ from the nations scattered on this planet´s surface.
If your church auditorium is half-full or more, as it grows with new
believers, enthusiasm and optimism set in. Encouragement and
discouragement produce powerful emotions that can move God’s
people toward or away from involvement in a local congregation’s
outreach.
So, is a genuinely encouraging church environment somehow more
important than one of sound biblical teaching? No, one may have
nothing to do with the other. Can a biblically sound church that is
abundant with fellowship, laughter, and caring cause your neighbor
to want to come back? Oh, yes!
In Luke 10:29-37, Jesus defines your neighbor. Have you noticed
any injured alongside the road you walk each week? Is your church
an inn where wounded find hope? Will you bring him or her?
So, what did we say in our car on the way home after being with
your church? More importantly what did your neighbor say?
Grace, then Peace,
Tim Reiner
After one year and fifty churches, what conclusions could you
draw? What could you learn in observing how different groups of
Bible believers do church? How accurate would your assumptions
be? What could you learn from keenly observing the interactions
between the brethren, leadership, and pastor? Who are their public
announcements or bulletins all about? Were their friends or co-
workers there? How often were there visitors? How were you
treated?
Few have or even want such opportunities. As missionaries who
furlough every four or five years, we spent weekends with a
different group of believers during our months in the U.S.,
preaching and reporting details of our work in a faraway place -
Brazil.
During this most recent furlough, driving back from each church,
our conversations in the car often revolved around our
observations of that particular group of people. We were most
intrigued that each church has its own personality, focus, and
purpose. Many times, we asked ourselves, “If we lived in that
community, would we want to return to that church?” We talked
about how each meets in a unique building, house, or auditorium to
worship and study Scriptures. Sometimes our attention was drawn
to church buildings well over 150 years old, rich in history of
brethren and missionaries now gone. Other buildings were fresh
with the smell of paint and carpet from construction or remodeling.
On this 6-month trip in the U.S., we visited 20 churches. Compared
to our furlough five years ago, about 1/3 are growing numerically,
about 1/3 are nearly the same, and 1/3 have fewer in attendance.
Books, articles, seminars, and theories are abundant on why some
churches grow and some don’t. Most of this material is about
groups of believers who meet in a given location. Yet, the church is
established by God in Christ, He knows who His children are, and
He knows the size of His family. He cares for each one. This is part
of being a good Father. The church ultimately was determined by
Him. In fact, the driving force for world missions and evangelism is
that when the gospel of Christ is preached, God’s chosen people
will be drawn to Himself.
If last Sunday morning, your church auditorium was half-empty as
numbers decrease and no growth is in sight, discouragement and
pessimism are apt to set in. At those times, it is good for us to
remember that Christ’s church continues to grow. The Creator of
the universe has a world view. Daily, the Holy Spirit draws many to
Christ from the nations scattered on this planet´s surface.
If your church auditorium is half-full or more, as it grows with new
believers, enthusiasm and optimism set in. Encouragement and
discouragement produce powerful emotions that can move God’s
people toward or away from involvement in a local congregation’s
outreach.
So, is a genuinely encouraging church environment somehow more
important than one of sound biblical teaching? No, one may have
nothing to do with the other. Can a biblically sound church that is
abundant with fellowship, laughter, and caring cause your neighbor
to want to come back? Oh, yes!
In Luke 10:29-37, Jesus defines your neighbor. Have you noticed
any injured alongside the road you walk each week? Is your church
an inn where wounded find hope? Will you bring him or her?
So, what did we say in our car on the way home after being with
your church? More importantly what did your neighbor say?
Grace, then Peace,
Tim Reiner
| OFTEN, WE ASKED OURSELVES, “IF WE LIVED THERE, WOULD WE GO BACK TO THAT CHURCH?” |
| Tim & Vicki Reiner in a Far Place |
| Baptist Mid-Missions do Brasil |
| February 2009 |
IS YOUR CHURCH
1/2 FULL OR
1/2 EMPTY?
1/2 FULL OR
1/2 EMPTY?
| But a certain Samaritan…had compassion on him …and brought him to an inn… Luke 10: 33-35 |
To Contact Us:
Surface Mail: Tim & Vicki Reiner ٠ C.P.111 ٠ 56.302-970 ٠ Petrolina, PE ٠ Brazil
Email: timandvicki@inafarplace.com Website: www.inafarplace.com
Surface Mail: Tim & Vicki Reiner ٠ C.P.111 ٠ 56.302-970 ٠ Petrolina, PE ٠ Brazil
Email: timandvicki@inafarplace.com Website: www.inafarplace.com
| P.O. Box 308011 Cleveland, OH ٠ 44130-8011 ٠ USA (440)826-3930 Baptist Mid-Missions of Canada 187 McLaughlin Drive ٠ Moncton, NB ٠ E1A4P4 (506)386-6601 |
| Getting Acquainted with our church |
Arlete Evangelista dos Santos
Her favorite Scripture verse is Matthew
20:28 - “Even as the Son of man came
not to be ministered unto, but to minister,
and to give his life a ransom for many.”
“Between 1984 and 1985, through a
friend of mine, who is also deaf, I met
missionary Claudia Nícia, who was
working with the deaf. A little while later, I
also met missionary Ruthie Burton and
started attending the church when it was
still in another neighborhood. My children
and I attended for many years. In 1990, I
accepted Jesus as my sufficient Savior
and, in 1994, I was baptized. To this day,
I am following in the path and footsteps of
Jesus. It was the best decision of my life. I
love Him and serve Him. God bless you!”
Her favorite Scripture verse is Matthew
20:28 - “Even as the Son of man came
not to be ministered unto, but to minister,
and to give his life a ransom for many.”
“Between 1984 and 1985, through a
friend of mine, who is also deaf, I met
missionary Claudia Nícia, who was
working with the deaf. A little while later, I
also met missionary Ruthie Burton and
started attending the church when it was
still in another neighborhood. My children
and I attended for many years. In 1990, I
accepted Jesus as my sufficient Savior
and, in 1994, I was baptized. To this day,
I am following in the path and footsteps of
Jesus. It was the best decision of my life. I
love Him and serve Him. God bless you!”
After we arrived in Brazil last month, we were home only four days when we discovered that Tim had a detached
retina in his right eye. Because no retinologist works here, we immediately flew out to the Coast for surgery. We
are home now and Tim´s eyesight is slowly improving. He is driving and reading again but his vision is still clouded.
retina in his right eye. Because no retinologist works here, we immediately flew out to the Coast for surgery. We
are home now and Tim´s eyesight is slowly improving. He is driving and reading again but his vision is still clouded.
Thank You For Your Prayers
| First Piranha Fishing Trip of 2009! |
Challenges in our ministry: many without jobs, lack of dedicated giving to cover maintenance and utilities of their
property and the national pastor´s salary.
Plans for the parsonage addition to begin in May.
Project Fresh Start is a ministry of the Regular Baptist Press of Brazil.
property and the national pastor´s salary.
Plans for the parsonage addition to begin in May.
Project Fresh Start is a ministry of the Regular Baptist Press of Brazil.
