Pray For Brazil

BRAZIL2016_PRAY_A1_BLOG_CITYBy Kristen VaughanTo our Church, Family, and Friends:We want to collectively thank you so much for how you have already shown support for our upcoming trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 4th-13th. We would humbly ask that you join us in committing to pray through each day of these prayer points. We know the battle we fight is spiritual, when you pray, you put yourself on the front lines of the battle with us. We trust that God hears, answers and has great things ahead for his kingdom. We cannot wait to come back and talk about what the Lord shows us!Day 1: TravelIt seems that whenever a group leaves for a mission trip, logistics go haywire and all order crumbles. Easy connections are not so simple. Bags get lost. The madness goes on. From a Christian perspective, the devil will try whatever he can to thwart our plans to share Jesus’ name with the world. Leading up to our trip, please join us in praying against the spiritual warfare that will likely happen in these upcoming days. Family issues, sickness, relationship problems; or maybe we are overwhelmed with fear, anxiety or feelings of inadequacy. Second Timothy 1:7 tells us a spirit of fear is not from the Lord, but that he gives us a spirit of power, love and self-control.

Pray Ephesians 6:10-20 over us (the armor of God), and that his power would show itself greater than any oppression, hindrance or opposition that would stand against us.

Pray for smooth flights and connections, that we would arrive rested, and that our bags would arrive with us. 

Pray that we would trust our families and friends back home to the Lord’s care while we are gone, freeing us to focus on what he has set before us.

Pray that the Lord would protect us from illness, stomach issues, Zika, and even the paralyzing fear of such sicknesses. 

Day 2: Team UnityBelieve it or not, one of the top reasons missionaries leave the field is because of team conflict. The Bible teaches that when we love one another, the world will know we are His disciples. We are 20+ uniquely gifted people working cross-culturally with a team of equally diverse believers. Satan wants so badly to divide us, but our greatest strength is in our one desire to see Christ glorified.

Please pray for deepened relationships on our team, as well as with the team in Rio as we continue this partnership of service and mutual encouragement. 

Pray that God would protect us from unhealthy conflict, and if it does come up, that he would lead us to reconciliation.

Pray that we would have an attitude of humility and selflessness, always looking out for the good of others.

Pray that we would encourage each other while we are outside of our comfort zones.

Day 3: Churches in RioJay Bauman is the co-leader of the Acts 29 Latin America Network. He pastors an English-speaking international church as well as a Portuguese-speaking church called Igreja do Redentor in Rio de Janeiro. We will have the chance to visit both of these churches. We will also work with another church planter named Cristiano by hosting Vacation Bible School in various communities where he is planting.

Please pray that our visit to these two churches would reenergize the believers and that through us, God would encourage them to keep serving him well, even when the work is difficult.

Pray that these churches would be an example for the city of a gospel-centered church, and that they would continue to multiply throughout the city.

Pray that God would use these churches as a city on a hill to shine his truth in the midst of many false gospels rampant in Brazilian churches. 

Day 4: Local PartnersToday, we are praying for our partners. Many times, missionaries grow weary and discouraged in their work. If that is the case, we want to be that extra push of encouragement to take heart and keep trusting God for the results of their ministry. If they are in a flourishing season, we want to catalyze their ministry. The important thing is that we are here to serve them. They know the culture, they have invested time into these communities and in developing a vision, so we want to be used however they see best.

Pray for Jay and Luciana and their two daughters as they balance ministry/family/personal time. Eric and Suzana are other team members who are expecting a baby girl.

Pray for Cristiano and his family as they join the efforts to plant churches around Macae. Please pray that God uses our VBS’s to reach the kids and families of the communities in which he is investing.

Pray for new leaders to be raised up and trained to lead new churches through Restore Brazil’s training efforts. 

Pray for Restore Brazil’s poverty alleviation efforts and that the Lord would use these felt needs for his church to share the Gospel with the poor, victimized and marginalized.

Day 5: Salvation We will be taking in much culture, food and many new experiences this week, so we want to ask you to join us in praying for an unwavering focus on seeing people hear the Gospel and move closer to Jesus. We plant the seed, and the Lord is powerful to make it grow. We have received God’s grace, and now he is enabling us to pour out that same grace to Brazilians. Jesus is pursing each person and allows us to have a small part in his work around the world.

Please pray for more workers to be raised up from the harvest. Pray for Brazilians to reach Brazilians, and that whole households and communities would come to trust Jesus. 

Pray that our team would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit working in lives around us, and that we would take every opportunity to share the Gospel.

Pray that God would lead us to people of peace who will be an inroad into sharing the Gospel with these communities. 

Pray that our presence would push light into the darkness of spiritual depravity, syncretism and apathy that is blinding the hearts of Brazilians. 

Day 6: Brazil Brazil is a traditionally Christian nation, known for their Catholicism and futebol. Brazil has many large, developing cities, but the living conditions of the urban poor still feel like a Majority World slum. There is government corruption, gang violence, and oppression rampant in the streets. Most Brazilians profess Catholicism, but know next to nothing about it. Many syncretize it with animistic practices. The prosperity gospel has also deceived many in Brazil. On a positive note, Brazilians are warm, hospitable, relational people who care deeply about life. They are open and generally very receptive to the Gospel.

Almost 90% of Brazilians profess Christianity, but only 25% are evangelical. Pray for the vast numbers who hold false security in nominal Catholicism. Pray that they would feel an emptiness in their religion without a relationship with Jesus. 

Pray that these believers in Rio would take seriously the Great Commission and keep following the Lord to the lost in their city, country and around the world. Pray that Brazil will lead the way in sending missionaries as missions grow more in the Majority World than in the West. 

Rio suffers from corruption, violence and poverty. Pray that the church would see its role in restoring the city by leading the people in reconciliation with God through faith in Christ. 

Pray that God would move mightily among all the nations while the Olympics are hosted in Rio this summer. Pray for the many churches preparing to serve and share Christ during this time.

Day 7: Continued Mission As we leave Brazil, we pray that each new contact is left in the hands of another believer. We trust that God will continue the work he had already started. God reveals himself to us just as much as he does to the lost of Brazil on such trips. As we come back and process, we want to share with all of you the way God has moved all around us and in us for the past week! As our church, family and friends, we deeply thank you for joining us on the front lines with your prayers!

Pray for diligence in recording our contacts, which will help the local believers be able to connect with them after we leave.

Beg of the Lord on our behalf that we do not reserve this single-minded missional life for a mission trip. Pray that we would return burdened for our own city. 

Pray that God would use our stories to mobilize others at the Paradox to pray for and go to the nations.

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Partnership Class Spring 2016