Billy Graham regresou no domingo a sua casa na Carolina do Norte (EUA) depois de estar hospitalizado durante cinco duas por pneumonia.O projecto “Minha Esperança Portugal”, é um esforço conjunto das igrejas evangélicas portuguesas, com o apoio da Associação Evangelística Billy Graham, que visa mobilizar toda a comunidade cristã evangélica para a oração e a evangelização pessoal.
Ao unir o poder de alcance da televisão nacional em horário nobre com a capacidade de mobilização, amor e compaixão das igrejas locais, queremos levar a mensagem de esperança e salvação em Cristo a milhões de pessoas
O evangelista Billy Graham está com "boa saúde completa" gosta de acompanhar os eventos atuais e está trabalhando em um livro sobre o envelhecimento, de acordo com um comunicado do porta-voz de Graham. Graham também gosta das visitas semanais de seu pastor, Dom Wilton da Primeira Igreja Batista de Spartanburg, South Carolina.
O porta-voz de Graham A. Larry Ross forneceu uma declaração depois de a Baptist Press perguntar sobre a saúde do evangelista, confira na integra:
Aos 92 anos, Billy Graham passa a maior parte de seu tempo em sua casa nas montanhas do oeste da Carolina do Norte, onde ele recebe periodicamente a família e amigos de longa data”, dizia a declaração. “Ele continua em boa saúde, com um coração forte e mente clara, enquanto lida com várias condições relacionadas à idade – como a degeneração muscular e perda auditiva. Ele continua fazendo exercícios regular de resistência, incluindo caminhadas curtas em sua casa da montanha, confiando em um andador para o equilíbrio.
O evangelista mundial continua a manter grande interesse em acompanhar os eventos atuais e habitualmente acompanha o noticiário do dia nos noticiários televisivos noturnos e programas a cabo. Ele tem tempo devocional diário com sua família e amigos e / ou sua equipe, e espera a visitas semanais de seu pastor, o Dr. Don Wilton da Primeira Igreja Batista de Spartanburg, SC.
Billy Graham continua a estar envolvido com projetos de escrita, incluindo um livro sobre o envelhecimento. Ele visita regularmente o seu filho, Franklin, que, como Presidente do CEO da Associação Evangelística Billy Graham, consistentemente tem atualizado o seu pai sobre actividades atuais do ministério, procurando seus conselhos e atenção diante da organização que leva seu nome, que ele fundou a mais de 60 anos atrás.
Sr. Graham aguarda com expectativa o momento em que será reunido no céu com sua esposa Ruth, e continua a ser grato pelas orações de tantas pessoas ao longo dos anos.
“Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for power equal to your tasks.” Phillips Brooks
Australia – Continue to remember the CLC team in Australia. They are going through challenging times, not only because of the recent flooding and cyclone but a number of the staff have recently had surgery, or are waiting for surgery. Wendy Mitchell, CLC Mt. Isa, was due to have surgery at the beginning of this month but it has been rescheduled to February 18th. Fay Collins, CLC Cairns, had fairly major surgery on Wednesday and Rebecca Kena, CLC Lawnton (Brisbane), is recovering from a badly broken ankle and hopes to return to work as soon as it has healed sufficiently. Judy Kitchen, CLC Canberra, has an appointment with the oncologist on February 28th following a course of chemotherapy at the end of last year. Please bring all of these people, their families and fellow CLC team members before the Lord.
Following the cyclone there was some minor water damage to CLC Townsville. The shop carpet will need cleaning up or even replacing. They also lost the shop sign that was on their roof. Remember the news from Kenya last week? The Lord can bring people into CLC even without a sign! Praise the Lord too for news of people going to a church service in Townsville for the first time having been in the building earlier in the week seeking refuge from the cyclone.
Central Asia 1 – Praise the Lord for His protection over our staff and shop in recent months. Please continue to intercede for the ministry in this country where the political, social and economic climate is not stable and Christians are vulnerable to attack and robbery. The situation is better than it was at the end of last year but there is still concern for the safety of CLC in this country.
A burst water pipe in the property above our shop recently has caused some damage but thankfully the stock, documents and equipment are safe. However, it would seem that we will need to pay to repair the damage caused because the owner of the property upstairs is out of contact. Please pray for the finances needed for this, and also for ordering more books. The stock needs to be built up to encourage customers to visit and buy books.
Chile – Two members of CLC Chile, Sergio and Pablo, have had a booktable at a Conference run by the Pentecostal Church this week (February 7-11). Around 400 pastors, plus wives and other delegates have been attending. Isaac Zuniga writes: “For CLC Chile this group is our number one client - the pastors have become avid readers, principally of study books, over the years. Once more may God allow us to be a blessing and guide us in choosing the right books to present at the conference this year.
We have decided that the Book Brothers, we are not Professionals by John Piper will be our ‘Book of the Year 2011’. Given the quality of the contents and the impact that the book can have on the lives of pastors and leaders, we are making a great effort to promote this book from March until November. The first shipment of 1800 books should arrive in February and one organization has already ordered 260 copies to be used as a study text book by their pastors. We are encouraged and expectant despite all the work this involves.”
International Office – Neil Wardrope and the Regional Directors (Gerardo, Gary, Romualdo, Lewis and Liz) will be having planning meetings together next week, February 15th -18th. They will be staying in Hong Kong and giving some assistance to Casey and Mare Allison as they prepare the CLC Hong Kong Warehouse to store the CLC Bible Companion - more news about this publication coming soon!
Neil and Gerardo will then travel on to visit CLC Australia and New Zealand.
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CLC International Office
291 Abbeydale Road
Sheffield S7 1FJ
England
Farmer’s Market in Vietnam: Cao Lanh is a bustling city in southern Vietnam with a population of 150,000. It was carved from the jungles and swamps of the Mekong Delta region. The surrounding waters make fresh seafood readily available, and the hot and humid climate is perfect for cultivating many tropical fruits and produce. Many of our patients reside in the surrounding rural farming communities, located within a three-hour drive of the city. On weekends, a lively farmer’s market takes place just a few blocks from our hotel, selling everything from fish to fresh cut flowers, ripe fruits and bright green veggies. This photo was taken at about 6:30 am on a Saturday morning, at the peak of the market; many of the sellers drove into the city hours earlier to prepare their goods for sale.VIETNÃ (18º) - No Vietnã, uma das nações mais rigidamente controladas do mundo, os cristãos enfrentam forte oposição para a sua fé e testemunho.
Recentemente a equipe do programa televisivo cristão ‘A Voz dos Mártires e 100 Huntley Street’ viajou recentemente ao Vietnã para se encontrar com cristãos que sofrem lá. Alguns destes tiveram membros da família presos por servir a Cristo. Outros são membros da igreja subterrânea que vivem sob a constante ameaça de detenção e prisão.
Entre os cristãos visitados estava o pastor Quang, um proeminente líder da igreja e o advogado da cidade de Ho Chi Minh. O pastor Quang foi preso, caluniado em jornais e perseguido pela polícia nos últimos anos. Em dezembro de 2010, as autoridades demoliram um prédio que era ao mesmo tempo sua casa e a sede da Igreja Menonita do Vietnã.
O pastor ainda enfrenta uma intensa pressão das autoridades e os membros de sua congregação são rotineiramente interrogados. Porém ele está confiante em Cristo, e, tanto ele quanto sua igreja estão determinada a continuar a proclamação da sua fé no Senhor.
"Uma vez que servimos a Deus, certamente devemos seguir o caminho da cruz, por isso não vou brigar contra o Senhor por aquilo que aconteceu", declarou o pastor Quang e continua: "[E] uma vez que o governo tenta usar a violência, significa que já estão derrotados."
Pedidos de oração
• Ore pelos cristãos vietnamitas que estão presos, para que haja sua liberdade. Ore para que Deus os capacite a compartilhar de Sua graça e da Verdade com os outros, mesmo na prisão.
• Ore para que haja conforto e a provisão de Deus venha sobre os familiares dos prisioneiros.
• Ore para que todos aqueles que enfrentam julgamentos por sua fé no Vietnã se aproximar de Cristo, confiando que Ele guardará seus servos fiéis.
| Fonte: Faithful News |
A notícia chegou do CLC Austrália esta manhã (4/1/2011).
CLC - Notícia ExtraPORTUGAL IS READY FOR THE GOSPEL NEARLY 40 YEARS AFTER CRUSADE WAS CANCELED
by Joy Allmond
Several years ago, no one would have predicted a scene like this in the Portuguese church, but these people were united for two reasons: to bring glory to God and to launch My Hope World Evangelism Through Television in their country.
My Hope uses a continuation of television, churches, and relationships to present simple Gospel messages to entire countries. Months of preparation are put toward this program. Since 2002, BGEA has brought the Gospel to 53 countries through My Hope. Here is how it works:
The broadcasts are planned for December 8-10, 2011.
PORTUGAL AND THE CHURCH
With a population of about 10 million, the density of Portugal’s population is at its greatest in the capital city of Lisbon, and its suburbs, where about 1.9 million people live.The second largest city in Portugal is Porto, in the north. There are generally more people living in Portugal’s coastal regions than in the inland areas.
Portugal is a nation of assimilated origins, including Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans and northern Europeans. It is one of the oldest nations in Europe.
BGEA’s history with Portugal dates back over decades through BGEA film evangelism projects. In 1974, Billy Graham received an invitation to hold an evangelistic crusade in Lisbon. There had been heavy interest in ministering to continental Europe since the 1940’s—the conclusion of World War II.
From that point, Europe had been spiritually difficult. Churches became politically driven and have been overcome with rationalistic philosophy and communism. As a result, the spiritual vitality of the Portuguese church dwindled. There has been little interest in spiritual things, and it’s been difficult to evangelize there.
The Lisbon Crusade of 1974 never happened. It was canceled due to political turmoil and economic collapse. However, some of the people involved in planning the Crusade continued to minister in Portugal over the decades. They even attended the Amsterdam conferences of 1983, 1986 and 2000 out of continued interest in bringing an evangelistic event to their country. And they prayed.
The persistence and prayers of these people resulted in the launch of My Hope Portugal.
MY HOPE PORTUGAL
“At the My Hope Portugal launch, there were five or six people who were on the committee to bring Billy Graham to Lisbon back in 1974,” recalls Bill Conard, Director of My Hope for BGEA. “This launch was an answer to many prayers of years ago.”
This My Hope launch has been in the making since 2007, when Preston Parrish, Executive Vice President of Ministries paid a visit to Portugal and met Reverend Paulo Pascoal. The next year, Conard met with Reverend Pascoal based on Parrish’s recommendation and then visited Lisbon a month later. Since then, the relationship between BGEA and Portuguese Christians has grown, thus allowing movement toward reaching millions of Portuguese with the Gospel in living rooms across their land.
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Conard says there is more openness to the Gospel in Portugal than anyone has seen in decades. Like much of the world, this country has seen a progressive economic decline, yet a spiritual awakening is beginning to dawn.
Also—unlike the past, the pastors are more willing to work together despite differences. Until recently, the pastors were more focused on maintaining their own churches than on reaching their communities for Christ.
“Leadership from all evangelical denominations and organizations are conscious that we need to recover the passion for the lost,” said Pascoal, now the national coordinator for My Hope Portugal. “Portugal is under a severe economic crisis which is also a social crisis and a crisis of values. This opens up unique opportunities that we cannot afford to lose. This is the timing of God for Portugal! A great harvest is waiting for us.”
Conard also believes Portugal is ready for My Hope.
“Two things have to happen for My Hope to be successful in any country,” he explained. “First, the Christians must feel a passion for the Lord. Second, there must be a spiritual awakening. Both of those are happening on the Iberian Peninsula of Portugal.”
The next step in preparation for My Hope Portugal will take place in late February. Master Vision will be an event wherein Pascoal, as the national coordinator for My Hope Portugal, and Conard, along with Pablo Sanchez, BGEA’s experienced country director, will spend a day and a half explaining the vision of My Hope to regional coordinators in Portugal. In March, those coordinators, in turn, will rally pastors to get their churches involved with the project as “Matthew” hosts.
While there is much to be done this year to prepare for the project, Conard is encouraged by the cooperative tone that was set at December’s launch meeting in Lisbon.
“The people not only prayed and worshipped together willingly; they did it joyfully,” he said. “That was definitely a movement of the Holy Spirit. We didn’t do that. We just came away feeling that God is at work here in wonderful way.”
No domingo, o presidente Barack Obama visitou o evangelista Billy Graham na casa deste último nas montanhas da Carolina do Norte.
We have received more news from our team in Chile in the last 24 hours.Praise the Lord the Concepcion team are all safe and well, and the shop has not suffered significant damage. However, food is very scarce and electricity and water supplies are cut off. There is significant vandalism in the streets as people try to find basic supplies.Dear all,
The following is a compilation of emails that we have received from various sources as we try to establish what is happening in
As I am sure you know,
We have heard from our National Director Isaac Zuniga that he and his family in
However we are really concerned about the team in Concepción, from whom we have not received any communication or news. Isaac was considering making the trip to
Prayer requests from Isaac:
For a quick restoration of the basic services (water, electricity) and communications.
That the population will wait patiently until the help arrives. The army will take control of two provinces to avoid violence and chaos.
For wisdom to know what our priorities should be for the stores.
Because of the ongoing implications of the earthquake, CLC Chile has decided to postpone their annual conference which was planned to be held on March 14th.
Please pray for our staff in
CLC Chile needs our support. Please keep them in your prayers, and we will keep you informed.
Gerardo Scalante, Neil Wardrope
CLC International
