Missão Aracaju I know that when I used to hear the word “evangelist” it immediately called to mind, slicked back hair, silk ties, golden armchairs and glass pulpits. Fake. False. Greedy. But I understand the word a little better today.

Recently Randy invited Alan and Ree Nalley, a missionary couple from Curitiba, Brazil to come up and speak in Aracaju. They did what is called an “intensivo” targeted to the churches in Sergipe and our coming needs. And it

was intense! The topic was intense and the teaching was too… 10 straight days of teaching, lecture, sermons and group dynamics for eight hours a day. The theme of the series was biblical spiritual leadership and dealt with the concept of raising up spiritually healthy leaders and building in healthy methods of conflict resolution. And you know what? He managed to maintain his audience by overlapping material and teaching at two different times during the day to

match everyone’s diverse schedules. I don’t think I could have kept that calendar or audience either one.

I was really impressed – everything that I have EVER heard on the subject was taught. I don’t think he missed anything. What is impressive is that this material that he presented was not just theory, this is material that they have learned from trial and error over the course of the last 26 years of church planting and

Prayer Requests: Pray that the church here in

Aracaju would continue to grow and have unity.

Pray for Phil and Amber as they raise Emmerick.

Pray for Johnathan and Amarylis as they begin their Summer mission travels.

Pray that our congregation in Bugio would continue to grow.

Pray for the new congrega-tion in Bairro Santa Maria.

Pray for the new Christians in Petrolândia, Pernambuco

Pray for Morwyn that she would come back to the Lord.

I sat in the first few days of Alan Nalley’s lessons where he told the story of what they have accomplished in Curitiba, Brazil thinking, “Why did no-one put us in contact with this team when we were studying in Advanced Missions to come to Brazil???” Their mission strategy was identical to ours…..we could have been an asset in that work. Maybe Randy needed us more, although I am not so arrogant as to believe that God didn’t have many more options that he could have used to help Randy. After sitting there for 10 days, I think that I would not be where I am now spiritually or have the insights that I have about mission strategy had I not been

through what I have lived here in Aracaju. 8 years ago I was on the exact same page as the team in Curitiba….today, I see things a little differently. I said all that to say, this intensivo was challenging and inspiring and I’m glad that I attended. We need to praise God for the amazing and fruitful work in Curitiba and their willingness to share their experience, wisdom and materials with others. It was a blessing to sit at their feet. I am finishing up the book of Jude with the ladies in Santa Maria. I am trying not to teach them what I have learned from this book, but teaching them to study for themselves. We as Christians have to be self-feeding. I think it is something that is not always focused on

Inside this Issue:

Robert & Marie Ledbetter

Missão Aracaju March /April 2013 Volume 9, Issue 3

Walking in the Son in Aracaju

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful

instruction. 2 Tim. 4:2

Rob’s Article Cont. 2

Tea for the Ladies 2

Picture Album 3

The Work of an Evangel-ist

3

Marie’s Article Cont. 4

Cont. on pg. 2

Cont. on pg. 4

Unfaithful?!? And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also

be qualified to teach others. 2 Tim. 2:2

Teaching Everyone with all Wisdom

disciple making. In a lot of respects, they have done what we want to do, planned to do, but, for one reason or another, haven’t been able to execute! (Please hear my sigh of frustration!) For those few hours that we had together, it was like – how can I describe it… it was like rubbing sticks together in a dark room and then finding out that there is a 20 year old match making factory in the next room over. They had such a wealth of material to share with us and such a desire to see us succeed. (I still have Randy’s 4 gb pen-drive full of material – so if you are reading this Randy – ha – call me because I’ve forgotten again!)

I really wish that we could have gotten together with them 10 years ago and worked out an internship with them before we hit the ground here in Aracaju – I think they could have helped us a lot with culture, integration, small group structures, etc. I really believe we could have been where we are now, 5 years ago. Wow! Even in all of this, I think I have to remember to trust the Father’s timing. I guess what matters now is the fact that we have a renewed fire and re-awakened dreams.

It is possible and necessary to raise up

servants – teachers, deacons, and elders – through healthy small group dynamics and biblical leadership structures. And leaders from all over the state had the opportunity to hear and understand these concepts from a conservative, wise, and experienced man whose Portuguese connected with them on every level.

Furthermore, Alan challenged me as an evangelist, that, in fact, if I am not actively working towards appointing shepherds for these churches and seeing that task through to its conclusion… that I am actually acting unfaithfully to my charge to do all the work of an evangelist.

With his piercing blue eyes, and elderly humility, and a full command of scripture on the subject, Alan lovingly called me an unfaithful coward.

I think that thought has stuck with me in my waking moments, my prayer life, and even directing my sermons, bible classes, and discipleship studies. It has weighed heavily on me, because for the last 8 years, even though I have tried to pour my life into every person that I study with and disciple, I have let fear drive me away from executing key parts of our mission strategy.

In truth, an evangelist is, from my perspective today, someone who is

willing to sit at humble tables eating simple food in half lit kitchens while applying the timely biblical truths to sin-broken lives. Someone who steadfastly defends the truth of the resurrection and explains apostolic teachings with people who can’t even read. Someone who is willing to risk his life on the chance that someone down that dark, sewage filled alley, might, just might become a real disciple. Someone who believes that a corrupt business owner dating a woman with two children born out of wedlock could someday become an elder. That’s a real evangelist. And that’s the job that I want for the rest of my life. I want to be faithful.

Paul and Patsy Shero encouraged us. Alan and Ree challenged us. We are dreaming – and not just about planting new churches and making disciples… we are dreaming about a generation of Christians in northern Brazil 100 years from now who will have been taught by faithful men who were taught by other faithful men.

I beg you to keep us in your prayers. The churches that are like the ones you read about in Corinth and Galatians. Loving servants and misguided leaders – all struggling saints. And especially Randy, Angela, Marie, and me.

Walking in the Son in Aracaju - rob

Unfaithful?!?... cont.

Page 2 Robert & Marie Ledbetter

We held a Tea for the women in April. Some friends and I made

the cloth tea cups filled with tea as the centerpieces for the tables, then we held a

drawing for them at the end. It was a fun night.

Picture Gallery

He is the one we

proclaim, admonishing

and teaching everyone with all

wisdom, so that we may

present everyone

fully mature in Christ. Col. 1:28

Volume 9, Issue 3 Page 3

Above: Alan Nalley teaching the Leadership Intensivo in Aracaju.

Below: Celebrating Wellington, Pamela and Rob’s Birthday with his English students at Rob’s office

in Bugio.

Above: Rob teaching in Petrolândia

Below: The new sign on Rob’s office. His office is the upstairs part.

Do the Work of an Evangelist, Fulfill your Ministry.

In 2 Timothy 4:5, Paul charges Timothy, “do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry”. The urgency of this statement in Paul’s last letter suggests that both Paul and Timothy recognized that Timothy had a specific work to do and that Timothy had a responsibility to fulfill all of the requirements of that ministry. With respect to the evangelist, here are some of the ministries that are noted in scripture:

He must preach the word, or evangelize. (2 Timothy 4:2 and 5)

He must edify the local church. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

He has the responsibility of teaching and appointing Elders. (Titus 1:5)

He must be prepared to defend the faith against false doctrines. (1 Tim. 1:3; 6:20-21; Titus 1:10-13; 2 Tim. 4:1-5)

He must train other Preachers and Teachers. (2 Timothy 2:2)

The only authority of an Evangelist in the local church came from the witness of the purity of their lives (1 Timothy 4:12) and the faithful preaching of the word of God (1 Timothy 4:11 and Titus 2:15).

The concept that the evangelist is charged with the office and work of a ‘pastor’ in the local church is not compatible with what we find in scripture. Instead, he has one of the most important and sobering jobs in all of creation – he is the bringer of good news and herald of Jesus Christ. - Excerpt from Rob’s Intro. to Timothy in Panorama of the New Testament

Southgate Church of Christ 528 Country Club Road San Angelo, TX. 76904

about Petrolândia. There have been 3 sisters in that city for over a year now. A lady, her sister and her niece. Finally her brother was baptized earlier this year and they have a man to meet with them. There are actually 20 people now who meet together in that city. Erivânio, who is not ignorant of the bi-ble, suggested that Rob could write les-sons for him to teach there in Petrolândia. There were nods of agree-ment and one of the sisters spoke up saying that she wishes that Robert could move there to teach them. That’s when Edivânio spoke up, “No, we have to believe that the Bible is enough. You need Jesus, not Robert.” Everyone agreed that if they needed Robert then they would be like any of the other de-nominations in town. What makes them different is that they study only the Bible. It was a proud moment for us to see Edivânio repeating the words that Rob has been teaching him and making

enough in the church. Every baby is eventually taught to feed themselves. Sometimes I think we stay way too de-pendent on a preacher or bible class teacher to feed us spiritually. We let ourselves become too busy to feed our-selves from God’s word. Also teaching and inspiring someone to study their bible is not as simple as it sounds. Ha-haha. Not as simple as I thought it would be. I think back to Neva Cooper who has inspired me for years in my own study of the Bible. I took one class from her as I began studying at SIBI back in the Fall of 1998, but her attitude about the Bible and the desire to study for myself that she passed to me has stayed with me ever since then. I owe her a great debt of gratitude. Of course my father lit that torch for me many, many years before I met Neva and Robert is constantly inspiring me to study more. I am truly blessed! On this subject I want to share a story

such a practical application. It’s easy to become enamored with being “the guy” that everyone needs. Rob says all the time, “If you need me, then I have to live forever. You need Jesus - not me.” The apostle Paul said it this way, “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” 1 Cor. 2:1-5

Thank-you for your faith in God and your belief in our work. God is working here and it is a joy to behold. We love you all!

-Marie

Robert & Marie Ledbetter

Phone 011-55-79-3231-0432 Cell: 011-55-79-8833-6313

E-mail: rmled@juno.com

Teaching Everyone with all Wisdom, Cont….. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Col.1:27

Missão Aracaju

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