(I decided to tidy things up and transfer this from my Portuguese language blog so as to keep the English blog and Portuguese blog separate. This below I preached in October 2013 at the EAB AGM via Skype)
We think back today over the many mission names of years gone by: Mundy, Dyer, Snelgrove, Peasley, Emmens, Zacarias, José Paulino, Antônio Pirambeba etc.
We think back over the names of so many EAB Board members and supporters like Shearing, Parsons, Dibden, Dyer, Simms, Hurst, Bergersen, Medcraft, Irish, White, Dalton, Scard, Cox, Rashleigh and so the list could go on and on!
We think back over the thousands upon thousands of people who have heard the Gospel over the years through the ministry of EAB and the thousands upon thousands who have come to know the Lord as their savior and also been benefitted by the multitude of EAB projects.
Indeed on this 75th anniversary we have much to thank God about and rejoice about! As the Psalmist said in Psalm 126 - “The Lord has done great things for us – and we are filled with joy”!
But we do not just think back over 75 years tonight! We also think and praise about what God is doing today!
Take for example the Green Pastures church 12 miles east of Patos which is on fire for God and planting new churches. One such church plant happening right now is in a new settlement of 30 families who were part of the Brazilian “landless movement” but who have now been given land which once belonged to a corrupt land owner who didn’t pay his debts.
EAB has launched into this new community and many have already come to Christ! People are standing up in the middle of services and saying they want to commit their lives to Jesus without any appeal being made but with tears rolling down their cheeks! PTL!
I am talking about not just what God has done over the past 75 years but what He is doing today, and just yesterday we inaugurated a new plantation project in Capim Grosso (Thick Grass) Community in Itaporanga County about 75 miles west of Patos. Since drilling the well there a couple of years ago we have seen the community greatly helped and blessed by the practical demonstration of God’s love and many have come to understand the Gospel because they have seen it (if you see what I mean)! 17 have already become Christians there! The transformation is terrific!
However yesterday EAB projects there took a step forward with the inauguration of the Plantation Project which includes irrigated organic horticulture and fruit trees together with Moringa and Neem trees – plus a brand new element – fish farming! The community is jubilant and praising God because they have been helped to help themselves! They have self-esteem and income generating produce. It’s the Garden of Eden restored amidst the worst drought in half a century!
EAB believes in and practices integral mission! What is integral mission – some ask? Integral mission is preaching and practicing the Gospel. Integral mission is living like Jesus who preached, taught and prayed nonstop – but who also cared for the sick, fed the hungry and ministered to needy children.
People often say to us in Britain that this is great for a very poor area like north-eastern Brazil – but you can’t drill wells for the poor in the UK where rain is abundant – so it’s not possible to do this in England!
Whilst it is true that well drilling is not necessary in the UK – integral mission is! Oh yes it is! It’s just that the church in the UK has got to discern what their communities needs are and then get its hands dirty to help and minister to those needs with the love of God! If we cry to God to see our communities transformed by the Gospel we must be willing to get involved and be transformers! Other than that it will never happen!
May God deliver the UK church from sterile secularism or spiritual cozy holy huddles where everyone joins together for lovely times of praise, fellowship and Biblical reflection – and then goes away till the next Sunday to get on with “everyday life” whatever that is!
May God wake us up! May God rattle our dry bones! May God shake our cages! May God rock our boats! We are supposed to be going into the community – building bridges – relating to people – and making disciples for Jesus! But nobody will have a clue who to be a disciple of if they do not see tangible evidence of the living God amongst us!
People can’t see faith! James said: “I will show you my faith by what I do”!
Jesus said: “Let your light shine before men, that they might see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”!
This is what EAB is all about at 75 years old and going for a ton!
I am saying that God has been good over all the years – God is still being good – and God will continue to be good because He never changes!
Caroá is 30 years old this year! Perhaps you remember the name Caroá where EAB pioneered the Gospel in 1983? We founded a church and dug our first well there – but today Caroá has given birth to 10 new churches and is in the process of spreading over the State border and into Pernambuco!
Pinheira is one such daughter church of Caroá with a plantation project and its own little church built by the people this year! Another offspring of Caroá is the ex-slave community of Fonseca where EAB is now evangelizing descendents of African slaves who are now being set free by the Gospel and have water to drink from an EAB well!
The Gospel in action works! It is where the Spirit of God flows like a river! Dogmatic fundamentalist bigotry forms stagnant pools which stink – but moving in the Spirit in the unity of the body of Christ is like the sweet smelling oil or perfume which ran down Aaron’s beard!
God has blessed EAB in the past – God is blessing EAB in the present – but what happens to EAB from now on?
Well – there is much yet to be done before Christ’s return and EAB (already in 5 north-eastern States) has the God given vision to reach all 9 States of Brazil’s north-east – with the whole Gospel for the whole man – preaching and practicing God’s love!
That is where you come in continuing to pray and support this work and endeavouring to spread the word about EAB to more people. We thank you all for all you have done to date – but the work goes on and so we must all be workers together for Christ.
Please ask your friends to “like” EAB’s English only page on facebook which is an excellent means of communication. Please keep in touch with Mary and the prayer updates she sends to those in the loop. Please keep supporting EAB via Beryl. Please carry on with the fundraising efforts such as Garden Party, Trumpets and Trifles, Oak Lodge School etc. All is really helpful and very much appreciated. – These are a few ideas and initiatives I mention so as to be practical this evening. May God richly bless you.
Pray too for our planned trip to the UK next year. Our 3-year cycle will be up in 2014 as we were last there in 2011. We look forward to visiting churches, family and friends, God willing. Hopefully we will be physically present at next year’s AGM and not just virtually.
May God bless you all – UK Board – supporters and prayer warriors! The Mission marches on in obedience to Jesus command to “go and make disciples of all nations”! May the drought stricken barren north-east of Brazil receive abundant rain in the first quarter of 2014 and abundant spiritual rain too till EAB reaches its century for the glory of God! – Amen.
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