José Carlos Pezini - July 2022 Update
Latin America Consultant
in Brazil
Dear brothers and sisters,
May the blessing of God the Almighty Father be upon each one of you. I praise God for the wonderful ways He has used each of you as instruments in His hands for the expansion of His Kingdom.
This year, despite the effects of the pandemic, God has been faithful to us, and everything seems to be returning to normal. Of course, we also realize that a great number of pastors still fear being exposed to the virus.
SARA ministry retreats are once more taking place. From April to June, we had 12 mentoring retreats with an average of 13 pastors per retreat for a total of 156 pastors. This is below the number we had before the pandemic because many pastors were left without churches or had their salaries reduced but we are happy to have those that are able to participate in attendance.
Mentoring groups are gathering again. We have 25 mentors mentoring an average of 20 pastors each. I have 40 pastors that I meet with monthly for a total of about 540 pastors who are being mentored. We have noticed a growing number of pastors who are discouraged and frustrated after the pandemic and are failing to motivate their churches. We have been praying for them and guiding them to seek the Lord daily. We believe that only God in His Sovereignty can bring back the fire of the Spirit to the lives of those who confess His name.
Church revitalization ministries are growing. In June, we signed contracts with six churches and three Presbyteries to begin the work of revitalization with them. God has opened doors for His church to have life and life in abundance. The number of invitations to preach in different places has also increased.
By the grace of God, I received a group of pastors and elders from ECO in June, most of them from the Florida Presbytery who, after praying, realized that Brazil was the country God was guiding them to partner with in mission. For ten days we visited six new church plants and two missions that work with people living below the poverty line and the homeless. It was a time of great learning. We praise God for the lives of our brethren, and we believe that the Lord will use them with grace in fulfilling His mission.
My gratitude to God for your faithfulness and generosity. The challenges are many, but together we will win. May the Lord bless you in everything.
In Christ,
Odete and Pezini
Read more about Pezini’s ministry HERE.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts to support the mission and ministry of Pezini. All gifts of any size are welcomed to help with scholarships for church leaders and support for pastors and their families. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.