BAPTISTS ARE GREAT HERE IN BRAZIL!

Thoughts of Sunday invariably cross the many minds of these music ministers as they are away from all that is normal. This Sunday has dawned with an orb that teases us with its brief glimpse along the eastern horizon; its brightness has lit up much of our waking hours, yet it never shows its brilliance again the whole day. The mist quickly turns to rain and covers our relatively short trip from the ocean-ward side of Rio through town across the now familiar bay bridge into Niteroi to the First Baptist Church. This aging edifice rises at the T-shaped juncture of two major traffic arteries, but really had its germination because a Texas Baptist, William Bagley, came from Waco, Texas some 112 years ago to plant the gospel—Baptist style—in the hearts and minds of God’s ecclesia in this now great South American city.

It reminds me somewhat of First Baptist Dallas, not so much in the shape of a building, but in the great hearts of the people as they have been led some 40 years by a dynamic and visionary man of God. Dr. Nilson do Amaral Fanini is a graduate of Southwestern Theological Seminary, Fort Worth—as he proudly referred to it: “THE Seminary.” We offload and enter a rectangular sanctuary to ascend into a large choir loft. The service is their normal planned 9:30 AM worship service.

Their selection of music was very ‘North American’. The organ prelude (played with much gusto) included “Sweet Hour of Prayer” and “Abide with Me.” The Doxology was augmented by instruments of the orchestra surrounding the organist. The offering is interesting… Givers process to the front of the sanctuary to slide their envelopes into a solitary deposit slot cut into a horizontal marble portion of the front platform. After a short introduction by Fred Himstedt, our translator and preacher for the day, we provide our part which is just three songs in this morning’s service:

1. “Minha Pátria Para Cristo”
2. “Amen”
3. “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”

Fred has kindly given us a printed version of his sermon in English during our bus ride this morning. I hope to have a copy of that sermon emailed to you. Fred has to make arrangements with home to have them email the sermon to the email list. It is well worth your time to read as it is a strong explanation of the gospel based upon the four spiritual laws—and it is as clear an exposition of this as I have recently heard. Many people were moved by the Holy Spirit to respond to his message to make their profession of faith. God used Fred!

Our initial foray as we left church in Niteroi was to dash to an exquisite Brazilian barbecue in Rio. This was by far and away the best that our palates have experienced. An exotic salad bar was only a diminutive prelude to the eruption of waiters carrying skewered beef, pork, chicken, ribs, and trayed salmon. There were as many “uummmms” as there were laughs… it seems that one of the waiters took great pleasure in scaring his patronage with mock beer and coffee spills into their laps. More than one of us was made the fool to the delight of their tablemates. In the end, Woody Schober was given a head dress made of tubular balloons only to be paired for pictures with the waiter that was attired by your journalist with a Texas kerchief around his neck. After exquisite desserts, our sung thanks echoed through our semi-private dining area. The steady rain prohibited a simple evacuation from our glass enclosed repartee as we had to be escorted to our buses by the considerate wait staff.

We alternately spent a bit of time relaxing and recuperating during the brief afternoon, or some chose to brave the rain to visit a small outdoor sales event known as the Hippie Fair. The first bus of instrumentalists and leadership returned earlier than the second bus (more than an hour later) to the same FBC where we worshipped this morning. The second bus made a longer than normal expedition through many sections of Rio to retrieve an employee of the travel company so that she could experience all that happens in one of our concerts.

For the Evening Service we lined up like a choir instead of flowing through the crowd as we normally do. Our course snaked through evening Sunday school offering cookies, juice, singing, hand motions and teaching to young Brazilians, all with sparkling eyes and bright smiles. It is comical at times to be and be among so many leaders that have difficulties laying aside their strong leadership habits and allow themselves to be herded by their elected leaders. This was aptly articulated with some pandemonium as our first line-up had to be reversed for the proper entrance into the worship center! The prior worship service was immediately before our service with no break allowed entrance or exit, so our entry was during the final minutes of the dynamic youth-led hour.

Our 8:00 pm service began with a Baptismal service for multiple ladies and men, the final one of whom could not walk but insisted on being baptized nonetheless! What a moving testimony for not only the Lord but us as well! The young lady in charge of the instrumental group who has served as our contact also utilized her musical talents as a song leader for one of the many songs. Our concert did not actually begin until about 8:40. There were many enthusiastic responses to the songs and solos—Scott Cameron’s efforts bringing a standing ovation through the last half of his signature piece, “I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy”. Russ Porter, our president-elect, added a touch of Portuguese elegance to a solo signing of “In This Very Room,” as a group of signing FBC’ers had indicated that our group’s signs might not be the preeminent choices for this language. The concert, unknown to us, was originally scheduled to end at 9:30 pm so that the people might have egress to the bus lines that would be shutting down. We had to cut our program a little short at 10:10 pm for a hasty conclusion to a wonderfully received presentation.

Afterwards, a light snack was offered in lieu of a larger meal due to the late hour. During this time I was able to interview Dr. Fanini. I pounded this keyboard furiously with much data being shared. In his words, “They do what so many churches do not; many pastors only ask two things from their members: their soul and their money, but they do not do anything for them.” He then launched into the facts and figures that describe this mega-church—one that Dr. Fanini believes to be the largest Baptist church outside of the USA:

• The guiding principle of this church is based on what is found in Matthew, chapter 9 where Jesus’ example of preaching, teaching and healing is found altogether.
• This church ministers to its people with eight worship services at 6:00 am, 7:00 am, 9:30 am, 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 7:00 pm, and 8:00 pm.
• In addition there are five Sunday school hours for the 8,000 that are members here.
• Once a month the church prays for two days—48 hours—without ceasing. He referred to this many times in both services where we attended, and said that this aspect of his church changed his ministry. To quote him: “No prayer, no power… Much prayer, much power!”
• It has ten active mission churches and 85 local preaching points.
• They use radio, television and crusades that cover all of Latin America.
• The church sponsors a Seminary that offers degrees in Religious Education, Music and Theology.
• They are greatly involved in social work to take care of the physical bodies of the people, ministering to 1200 children from 72 slums.
• They give over 80 tons of food a year to the poor people.
• They provide courses that train the people in professional skills—28 different skills in all.
• They have a bakery to teach them to bake and to sell the bread rather than drugs.
• They authorize 120 Doctors and dentists in many clinics around the city. One that is close by is where our medical team has spent part of their time.
• They have five buses—each one equipped with dental and medical equipment and supplies in order to take the clinics to the people.
• They support their members in time of sadness and sorrow as they supply funeral assistance.
• They have organized 58 new Baptist Churches.
• They support 60 missionaries in Cuba.
• Their new cathedral is being built near the ferry boat. St. Peter’s Cathedral is 60 meters long, but this tremendous testimony to God will be 80 meters long! It has been designed by the same architect that designed a famous contemporary waterfront museum in Rio.
• Dr. Fanini has preached in 190 countries, and has been president of the Brazilian Baptist convention 12 times.
• He meets with the president of Brazil regularly, and indeed, the president of Brazil is coming to this church next month—the first time ever in 500 years of Brazilian history that a Brazilian president has ever been in a Baptist Church!!

In closing, this Visionary for Christ said, “I thank my Lord for the vision and education that I received while at Southwestern Seminary. And many thanks go to the men of God who inspired him, including (pardon any journalistic misspellings!) Dr. Autrey, Dr. Kellguy, and Leo Garrett. In conclusion, Dr. Fanini exclaimed about the ministry of this church, “It is amazing!”

On the bus coming back, some expressions of praise were:

1. 60 days before we left, our Travelink executive asked Don Blackley if he would accept his dad coming on the trip with us. Bill’s answer was immediate and affirmative. Because Bill’s mom died just 18 months ago, this is the first trip for his dad since then. He testified that he wanted to do this for his dad because this group is something special! He described the love and special-ness of this choir: “Yes, its about mission, its about camaraderie, its about seeing new things, but you all relate so well—and that is a point of the grace of God that we should claim for this group.”
2. From Chuck Bridwell: How excited he is to get back to his people and share the depth of the heart and the congregational singing of the Brazilian people with his own congregation.
3. From Bruce Chowning: Member at FBC White Settlement, Steve Passmore’s Church: How especially blessed he is by the faces as they sway back and forth to the music. (“Love you, Bruce” was the encouragement voiced by my seatmate, Steve Passmore…)

And with that, until tomorrow… Watch for a special interview with one of our doctors who has spent earlier years here in Brazil.

Charles Ashley, journalist
John Bell, photographer - I know a lot of photos today, but a lot is happening!
(with thanks to Rex Campbell from the BGCT for additional shots)