by Rev. Doug Leaman
Project Soli Deo Gloria, Recife, Brazil
the Missions Banner, January/February 2022

The governor of Pernambuco, the state where we serve in Brazil, has just made yet another decree.  Now, even the private sphere is requiring vaccine cards.  Hospitals, stores and restaurants and all public buildings will turn away the unvaccinated.

Some say, “It’s the end of the world!”  That idea begs a question: “If we knew the world was going to end tomorrow, what should we do?”

Jesus answered with these words, “All authority has been given to me… Make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:18-20).  And He also made clear that no one knows the day or the hour of His return.  Certainly prayer, adoration, the building of strong families and marriages, and the planting and strengthening of churches should be some of the ideas on the top of the list.

God obviously expects His people to be active in the harvest of souls for His glory until the last day.  Jesus says, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35).  Some send workers with funds, others go and labor, and still others reap the harvest, but God gives the growth and blessing and He alone receives the glory (1 Cor. 3:6).

God desires people to have faith in His strength! Elijah made the miracle even more grand by adding a lot of water to the sacrifice, while the worshipers of Baal just had a dry sacrifice.  Gideon wanted to take 22,000 men into battle, but God had the number reduced to 300.  How can we do this today?

Maybe we should send missionaries and plant churches in the places most resistant to the gospel! Afghanistan, Guinea-Bissau, India, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Yemen and how about North Korea?  Want to go?

All these countries and many more are in captivity to Satan’s lie.  It is true, that many of these people have come to the United States.  Some argue, “we don’t need to go to those places anymore because they have come here to our back yard—besides it is too much on the church budget to send missionaries to these places.”  Some good arguments to be sure.  Nonetheless Jesus did say, “Go into all the world” and He wants us to do it with boldness because, “All authority has been given…”

Let’s be honest, it is difficult to get a young American to go to these countries for many reasons.  However, a Brazilian young man, if given the opportunity, might very well consider many of the countries in the 10/40 window.  The standard of living would not be such a drastic change.  How would one finance such an endeavor?  These men would be trained in technology which is one of the better paying jobs in the world today.  They could financially support the gospel work.  These countries are in need of the gospel and are also very desirous for tech workers from Brazil.  Recife happens to be the 12th largest producer of tech talent in the world.

Even though this is a bold endeavor, I hope you can see the reason why this is a good strategy.  The reason to start churches in these areas is that preaching the gospel and making disciples is the goal.  Church planting is a spiritual assault on the gates of hell (Matt. 16:18).  The Soli Deo Gloria Institute of Technology and Theology, on the SDG property in Aldeia, will prepare young men to engage in that fight.  One must expect the opposition of Satan so we need to be as wise as serpents and harmless as a dove.  We must never lose heart, however, for the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.  Please continue to pray for us as this aspect of the mission continues to unfold before our eyes.  Please pray for the students at the Institute who will begin this journey in the beginning of February.   Soli Deo Gloria.

(pictured above: Pastor Doug with Pastor Augustus Nicodemus and his wife, who spoke on the Project Soli Deo Gloria land.)