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BIG CHANGES FOR OUR FAMILY!

4/1/2019

Friends, we have some important news to share. We are moving back to Florida!

As you may know, we are celebrating ten years in Brazil. Ten years of ministry, ten years of life. Ten of the best years of our lives for us. Three kids born and raised here. Churches planted, pastors trained. So much ministry activity. It was a pleasure to give the best years of our life to the people and country we love!

Yet recently, we have felt like our time in Brazil was coming to an end. And just when we didn’t expect it, God opened up an amazing door for us.

I’ll be serving as the pastor of the Brazilian ministry campus at First Baptist Orlando. There’s an enormous amount of Brazilians both at the church as well as in Orlando, so the opportunity is incredible for us. We’ll be working at a church with a great reputation in the city. We couldn’t be more happy about the opportunity.

We are also sad that we are leaving Rio. We love Rio and have loved living in Brazil. So many years, so many memories. It is hard to say goodbye! Fortunately, while we are leaving Brazil, we won’t be leaving Brazilians. Orlando is the backyard of Brazil.

God has given us this opportunity. And what I’ve noticed over the years is this… When a cycle of our lives is coming to an end, the hand of God is clearly in it. We don’t need to force His hand. We simply need to follow the clear leading of the Spirit. What a privilege it is to be a Christian!

In the coming days and weeks we will be saying a lot of goodbyes and hellos. Pray for us. It’s an emotional time. Pray for our kids adaptation, for a smooth transition, for our churches and ministry in Brazil (that will continue), for our new work. Pray that God grants much grace.

What about our ministries? Pastor Cristiano Gaspar will lead Igreja do Redentor. Craig Weyandt will serve as the interim pastor at Union. Cristiano and the team will continue with Restore Brazil, which I will continue to lead from the US, and I will continue leading A29 Brazil in the short term.

Would you commit to praying for our family and ministry during this time?

Much love.
Jay, Lu and family

A GENEROUS CHRISTMAS

12/3/2018

The Christmas season is not about receiving.
It is about reminding ourselves of the greatest act of generosity ever made.
The very son of God, born, and ultimately slain, for us.
He gave everything for us. And he is our example today and everyday.

Therefore, may your Christmas season be marked by radical generosity.
Because giving is always better than receiving.

So give to your local church.
Give to charity. Give to missionaries.
Give to neighbors and families in need. Give to loved ones.
Sometimes even anonymously or unexpectedly.

The testimony of a truly generous Christian is something the world does not comprehend.
It forces the world to ask the question: “Who is this Jesus”.
So we give to testify, and we give to be a witness.

Give, because He inspires you.
Give, because those who refresh others will be refreshed.
Give, because He is worthy.
Give, because He is alive.

A time to rest: a sabbatical for the bauman family

11/22/2018

Friend,

This October we celebrated nine years in Brazil. Nine years! That's a long time, a long time to live in a country far away from home, to live in a city of 12 million, to speak a language daily that is not your native language. It's been intense, it's been wild, and it has been great. Most of the time anyways!

Pastoring two churches, and leading two organizations is intense. Our Brazilian church is growing, our family of churches in Acts 29 is growing, and Restore Brazil, now operating in five cities, is growing rapidly as well. Besides over 30 events per year, three church planting cohorts, Compassion Int'l partnership, we are receiving requests from all over Brazil to start initiatives, train pastors, speak at conferences, and to resource churches. The needs are great and the time is short. While our staff has grown from 2 to 4, we still are under-resourced, and at times, I feel not fully equipped for the task that lies in front of us. All of this in a context where the daily pressures of our churches is ever-present. Yet God is faithful. We are doing what we can with what and whom we have.

As Luciane and I reflect on these past nine years, we are so grateful for the amazing work God has done. But we feel like it is time to take a break for a few months, to rest. To enjoy time as a family, to enjoy our new adopted baby boy. To spend time in a less stressful environment than the chaotic city we live in (not an exaggeration).

We'll be taking a sabbatical for about 10-11 weeks, beginning December 17, through March 8. Our hope is to disconnect in all forms, and to enjoy family time, some down time. With the free time, I'll be doing some writing as Mundo Cristão, a Brazilian publisher, has given me a proposal to write a book. But besides writing, I'm planning on being quite offline as we spend time in Central Florida, in our free time, connecting with family and friends. More time for prayer, devotion, and family.

2019 will serve as 10 years for us in Brazil. Pray that the Lord would continue to guide us, to maximize our influence for His glory in the coming years.

We truly appreciate your prayers, your support, and your encouragement.

Love in Christ,
Jay & Luciane Bauman

(PS - Joshua is not pictured as we are avoiding photos until our adoption process is complete.)

A NEW BABY BOY FOR THE BAUMANS

10/6/2018

Friends, we wanted to share with you something amazing that happened this week. We brought home a newborn baby boy, who we are adopting into the Bauman family. His name is Joshua.

We’ve been on the adoption list in Brazil for eight years. We were just about ready to give up on the idea, but God had other plans. On Monday we received a call, and by Tuesday evening Joshua was already at home with us, to our joy and to God’s glory!

Joshua is only seven weeks old. We are in the process of adjusting to our new reality, preparing in days what most couples have months to prepare for. Pray for us, much grace and wisdom is needed!

The name Joshua in the Hebrew means God is generous. God has certainly been generous to us by giving us this precious baby boy! We pray that he will grow up, and just like the Biblical Joshua, becoming a strong and courageous man.

Join us in prayer for Joshua, that the adoption process goes smoothly. And thank you for sharing in our joy. We are in love with this little guy.

gentleness: the testimony underappreciated in pastoral ministry

2/13/2016

Gentleness is one of the most powerful testimonies of Jesus to the world around us. Yet it is far too often a rare commodity in pastoral ministry.

Gentleness is not a cowardly retreat from reality, quite the contrary. The Apostle Paul viewed it as a powerful weapon in pastoral ministry. Just how much did he value gentleness?

When speaking to the arrogant: “...What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?...” (1 Cor 4:21)

When dealing with church discipline: "...Those who are spiritual should restore him gently..." (Galatians 6:1)

With respect to Christian conduct and communication: "...Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near..." (Phillipians 4:5)

With respect to outsiders: "...and to show true humble gentleness toward everyone..." (Titus 3:2)

With respect to our calling in ministry: “...Be completely humble and gentle...” (Ephesians 4:2)

So as pastors and as ministry leaders, whether in our church discipline, in our calling, in our communication, or our conduct, may our gentleness be evident to all.

how can my church reach "latinos"?

1/25/2016

Latinos are by far the fastest growing major people group in America. There is no comparison. From my understanding, the influx of Latinos into the US has actually facilitated the growth of American evangelicalism significantly, in the midst of a modest churchgoing decline in other segments of the American population.

Many pastors and leaders ask me about how to reach out to the Latino community in their American city. The first thing that comes to mind is that I am not a Latino and so perhaps my counsel may not be all that helpful. But the truth is, sometimes someone from "the outside" can help give at least a different perspective.

I've got some experience in this. I've co-planted a church in Central Florida, a Latin hotbed. But more importantly, I've lived in Brazil for over 6 years, where I'm married to a Brazilian, with Portuguese as the primary language in our house. Besides that, I'm pastoring a Brazilian church where I get the privilege and challenge of preaching in Portuguese every week. My life is steeped in "Latino" culture (although some Brazilians don't consider themselves Latinos, nor Hispanics). Yet the truth is, there are a lot of similarities among South American, Central American and Caribbean cultures that probably justify the generic name Latino.

At the risk of over-justifying myself as authoring this post, I simply want to share seven considerations for a non-Latino pastor or leader interested in reaching Latinos. So let's get to it.

seven considerations for reaching latinos through your church

1. all latinos are not the same.

This is probably obvious, but all Latinos are not the same. If you are trying to target a people group such as Latinos through broad-based approaches, good luck. There are vast cultural differences among Latinos, whether they are from Chile or Puerto Rico, or from Mexico or Brazil. Take your time to learn about the different cultures and countries from which people come, and for God's sake, avoid generalizing. All Latinos are not the same.

2. Don't just start a separate worship service.

Many churches want to outreach through Spanish services. "We've got a lot of Spanish speakers, let's start a service!" Slow down.... While most Latinos will respond very graciously to non-Latino's attempts of outreach in general, this does not mean that your efforts will be effective. Some churches attempt to start separate services too early. They don't have proper leaders in place, or they don't "vet" well the Latino pastor/leader for a new service, or the church is not large enough to provide all of the resources necessary for a Spanish-speaking service. In some cases, this creates a "second class" feel to the Spanish-speaking service. Not the message your church wants to send.

3. consider live translation as a first step.

"We include Spanish choruses in our music!" Singing a chorus in Spanish here or there is great, but at the end of the day, that is not a strategy to serve Spanish-speakers in your services. Most Spanish-speakers prefer listening to preaching available in Spanish. The preaching of the Word of God is the most critical element of the service to be translated. I consider live, simultaneous translation as one of the best ways to initially outreach to the Spanish-speaking people who are already coming to your services. Invest in several headsets as well as a solid, capable and reliable translator. Even if only a few people opt for the in-service translation each week, it speaks volumes to the Spanish-speaking community and says that your church is thinking of them.

4. Consider LAtino community groups.

While it's true that most Latinos already have a good sense of community in their family, it may not always be a Biblical sense of community. Developing Spanish-speaking community groups in your church, with translated curriculum, can be a great step towards reaching Spanish speakers. I know of several churches that have first started with Spanish-speaking community groups, and then an entire Latino church plant developed out of it. Whatever your objective, people need community, and a mid-week gathering in their language goes a long way.

5. Consider a spanish/portuguese speaking church plant.

It takes a real kingdom perspective, but in some cases, it is just best to launch a new church plant out of your church. Perhaps there is a catalytic, strong leader who is ready to plant. Consider putting him in a church planting residency or apprenticeship and planting a new Spanish or Portuguese speaking church out of it. Send many of the Spanish-speakers in your church out along with him. At the end of the day, church planting is ultimately the best form of evangelism.

6. don't forget to Get to know latinos.

All of these considerations will ultimately be unhelpful if you are not actively engaged in the lives of Latinos. Do you have a Latino friend? Have you ever discipled or been discipled by a Latino? From the highest levels of leadership in a church, there must be a commitment to growing in awareness and in engagement with the Latino community. If not, any attempts at church outreach will likely remain on the fringe and relatively ineffective. Good pastors get their church engaged in reaching out to all kinds of people in your community who are non-majority, not just Latinos.

7. consider a mission trip to latin/south america.

Living in Brazil, it breaks my heart to see so much continued racial tension in the US. Not necessarily between Latinos and other peoples, but between peoples of any type. I believe that growing your people to love missions is the best way to grow them to love people outside of their culture. All of the forums, protests, and speeches in the world will have a lesser impact on reducing racism than a Church full of Christians who have a heart for the nations. Christians with a heart for the nations know that racism is never an option, but rather, that the mission of God calls us to love all peoples. As to the Latino community, getting involved in missions in Latin/South America is a great way to engage your people to grow in understanding Latino culture. It also sends a message to your church that Latinos are important.

Friends, there is a lot more that could be said. I have primarily shared considerations for church leaders, as opposed to ideas regarding specific community outreach or social programs, which can also complement the above. By the way, if you need references... There are a lot of churches doing Latino outreach really well, all across the US. I'd be happy to put you in touch with them.

Jay

For more information on missions with Restore Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, feel free to contact us.

16 PASTORAL RESOLUTIONS IN 2016

12/31/2015

I will preach what people need to hear, not what they want to hear, which is the Word. I will preach the Word.
I will honor those in my congregation, but I will not be a slave to their expectations. I am only a slave of Christ.
I will believe in people because I believe in the Holy Spirit that resides in them.
I will develop people in their God-given gifting. I will not use or manipulate them simply to advance my vision or to see things happen in my church.
I will not show great preference to those who can do more in the church or give more to the church. I will do my best to pastor my whole flock.
I will model Godly character, demonstrated by humility, integrity, authenticity and faith.
I will grow in generosity. I will model giving, even when it may hurt.
I am not a CEO but I will assume my place of leadership, therefore, I will lead; I am the leader with an important job. Which is to point people to Jesus.
I will oftentimes err on the side of grace, even when those around me don’t understand why I should show such grace or mercy. Oftentimes they lack the full picture or story.
I will lovingly correct those heading towards error; I will not look the other way because it is convenient or it avoids conflict.
I will hold onto people loosely, not in a controlling way, because I know who is the ultimate Shepherd. Should people leave my church, I will bless them on the way out.
I will honor my family over ministry.
I will not apologize for taking time to rest, as many do not understand the heavy weight of the pastorate.
I will trust that the growth of my ministry is in the hands of the Lord; therefore, I will not be anxious if my church is large or small, for the Lord both gives and takes away. I will not succumb to the world’s superficial methods to growing a church, even if they are effective.
When mistreated or persecuted for something I did not do, or when I am the object of gossip, I will not take revenge; I will count it all as joy.
I will be an imperfect, but God-honoring, husband, father, and pastor. I will be a Christian man.

WHEN NO ONE COMES TO CHRIST

12/16/2015

An article of encouragement to pastors in difficult seasons I wrote for Tabletalk magazine.

"When No One Comes to Christ" - Featured on the Acts 29 Blog

For us to understand who we are, we must understand who we are not. REFLECTING ON THE GOSPEL (PART 2)

7/31/2015

The reason we as Christians often have an identity crisis is that we fail to realize all we have in the Gospel is a gift. Reflecting on the Gospel will always remind us of the gift of having our identity in Christ. John the Baptist was a great example of this. John the Baptist, when questioned who he was in John chapter 1, simply replied, “I am not the Christ.”

Leaders who subtly and foolishly believe that they are in control end up saying, functionally, “I am the Christ.”   Yet a messiah complex has no place in Christian leadership. We've all seen those leaders, and many of us have been those leaders.

John the Baptist, a prophet and a forerunner, knew who he was... and in so doing, he understood exactly who he was not. He declared “I am not the Christ.” Later on he was beheaded for his prophetic role in the Kingdom.  Yet here is an interesting note: Jesus in Luke 7:38 called John the Baptist the “greatest to ever be born among women.” That is an amazing compliment. He understood his identity, at least in part... And God honored him beyond expectation.

We have the privilege of more fully understanding the riches found in our identity in Christ than even John the Baptist did. This should bring us a greater security of God's love for us. Why? Because salvation is here. Our identity brings acceptance and security, and does so on the merit of Jesus alone. Jerry Bridges wrote this… “You are loved and accepted by God through the merit of Jesus, and you are blessed by God through the merit of Jesus. Nothing you ever do will cause Him to love you any more or any less” (Transforming Grace p. 73).

It is to the degree that we understand our identity is in Christ that we will understand that our church, our leadership, and our position can be ultimately only rooted in Christ as well. We are rooted in his spiritual blessings for each one of us. As Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus in chapter 1 of Ephesians, we've been chosen (v. 4), graced (v. 6), redeemed (v. 7), reconciled (v. 10), destined (v. 11), and sealed forever (v. 13). Everything we need we possess in Jesus.

We must reflect on such great Gospel truths. This is our only security against narcissism. It is the only antidote to a messiah complex. It is the greatest weapon against idolatry, against placing our ultimate hope in our family, our job, our ministry, or our performance. Because when we reflect on the Gospel truth regarding our identity we don't have to rely any longer on our position or power, nor the praise of others, nor the popularity that we have pursued with reckless abandon.

Our identity is secure is Jesus, because we know not only who we are, but who we are not. And we are not the Christ.

reflecting on the gospel: the essential PRACTICE of the christian leader (part 1)

7/23/2015

THE GOSPEL. In ministry, in life and in leadership we are constantly reminded of the importance of the Gospel. The Gospel is the lens through which life really comes alive. It is the missing element in our broken world. And it demands a response.

Over the past decade there has been a great reemphasis on the idea of "preaching the Gospel to yourself." Why? Because we are in a perpetual identity crisis. Pursuing power, popularity, preeminence... So the idea of preaching the Gospel to ourselves daily as the most important daily habit we have, as Mahaney and others have written, is paramount. We've all been reminded of Luther's phrase that we should beat the Gospel into our heads continually, as our tendency to forget gospel truths is also paramount.

However, the term preaching can be a bit misleading. The problem is, not everyone listens when someone is preaching. How many times have you preached a message and you yourself even forgot what it was about? It’s a pretty sad commentary for those of us who preach weekly. And what about the hearers? Unfortunately for us pastors, those who were in our Sunday service oftentimes have the same problem. By lunchtime after the morning service, the vast majority don’t even remember what we preached.

If you preach the Gospel to yourself, you need to ensure that you are listening to your own preaching. This requires reflection. This may appear as if we are splitting hairs on words. But we're not. (Good thoughts here). The Christian leader mustn’t only preach the Gospel to himself, he reflects on the Gospel every day. He reflects on Gospel truths, he meditates on the Gospel.

In my experience, if there is a defining issue in the character of the Christian leader, if a line needed to be drawn in the sand between the Christian leader who lives on mission, and functions well in his context; and those who do not live on mission, and do not function well, it is this point. The ability to not only preach the Gospel, but to reflect on the Gospel.

The word reflect perhaps at first glance, appears to be a weak word. The activity of reflection seems subservient to an activity like preaching, especially in the mind of a passionate communicator. A communicator likes to think of preaching. Preaching is associated with the excitement of church life, of us using our gifting to communicate to others.

Yet reflection requires a level of meditation on the truths of God that preaching in and of itself may not. Reflection requires time. It requires a prayerful spirit. It requires meditating on truths and applying them to everyday situations. It requires heart exegesis. And as one friend of mine has said, it requires an excavation of the soul.

The truth is, our souls require this exegesis; our souls require meditation on the truths of God. As Chan Kilgore wrote, "For us to live in full view of the cross and allow the truth of the gospel to define every moment of our lives, we must know it well. We must remind ourselves of it often." This requires deep reflection.

The Christian leader doesn’t only preach the Gospel to himself, he reflects on the Gospel every day. Why? To know God and to know ourselves. After all, all of the attributes of God are found in the Gospel. All of the characteristics of God are seen in the Gospel. All of the fruits of the spirit, that we want to bear; and the gifts of the Spirit that we eagerly desire, or should eagerly desire; all of these can be found in the Gospel. And all of them require reflection.

Reflecting on the Gospel means we reflect on God’s attributes, God’s character, God’s gifts, and above all, we reflect on God’s story – creation, fall, redemption and restoration.

In the context of pastoral leadership, reflecting on the Gospel is a non-negotiable. We must aim for the heart in our daily devotions, in our pastoral preparation. It is impossible to be a missional leader who does not reflect on the Gospel, because it is our communion with the Spirit that clarifies the very tasks of our daily mission. We must reflect on the Gospel.

So with this idea of reflecting on the Gospel in mind, I'll be posting four key implications in the coming days. Four implications to our ministries, our churches, and most of all to ourselves.

1. Reflecting on the Gospel reminds us of our identity.
2. Reflecting on the Gospel reminds us of our security.
3. Reflecting on the Gospel ensures our integrity.
4. Reflecting on the Gospel enables us to order our priorities.

Stay tuned for part 2.