missionary interview

What is the name of the agency through which you're serving your missionary work?

Generation Benjamin. We originally came to Brazil to work with Project Amazon planting churches in the Amazon Basin, but after six years there, God opened up doors for us to minister around the nation of Brazil causing us to relocate and start Generation Benjamin.

Are you serving by yourself or with your wife or with other support group?

We are currently pastoring a church, so yes I am serving with my wife. As I said earlier, we came to work under Project Amazon and when we left the basin, we had to leave their ministry being that we were no longer in the basin. Since then, it has been just us. A support group would be nice, but they are a bit hard to come by when you are already on the field. We do know that our supporters pray for us as we daily see the effects.

What country are you serving in?

Brazil

What motivated you to become a career missionary?

I guess “God” would be too short of an answer. Actually, I grew up in a very mission’s minded church. So from a very early age I was exposed to books and stories of those that had left all for the sake of the gospel. I guess it was only natural that I would one day want to be like my childhood heroes. My wife also had dreamt of being a missionary since getting saved, so, it all made sense.

What were the obstacles or hindrances, if any, that tempted you to not choose to serve as missionary?

Probably the same ones that prevent most people from becoming missionaries: desire for money, things, comfort, wanting your children to grow up having cousins and grandparents. Those that “go” aren’t without obstacles, they just see beyond them.
 
What are your day-to-day responsibilities when you're serving cross-culturally?

We are currently working on a new translation of the Bible. There are only a few translations in the Portuguese language; a couple are written in a language that might as well be foreign being difficult and out of date and the others are a type of paraphrase which also isn’t real ideal. So, we felt like there was a need for a translation written in the language of the common man yet at the same time loyal to the original. Thus, I spend about 10 hours a day in my office with a few guys here working on that. Other than that, we are pastoring which goes without saying. I also teach a seminary class every Thursday night and our church goes out every Friday night in the early morning hours to evangelize in an area full of prostitutes, transvestites and a gay bar.
 
What are two life principles that you live by that I could apply to my life?

Focus on the eternal. So many people are living their lives as though this is it, forgetting about the eternity to come. And yes, I am referring to Christians; Christians who have bought into the world system of money and success essentially losing their lives trying to save them. Better to lose your life for God than waste it on yourself.

Live for the applause of one. Too many times we caught up in the opinions of others and forget about God’s opinion. There is a story of a violinist that during a whole performance kept looking off to his right and even at the end when everyone gave him a standing ovation, he kept looking off to his right. When asked afterwards why he didn’t look at the crowd but only to the side, he said, “My violin teacher was sitting off to my right and I was more concerned with his smile that the applause of the crowd.” Many men will try to give you direction and tell you what to do, but you need to do what God tells you independent of the consequences. Look for God’s smile.

What is one personal quality you look for in a co-worker or missionary candidate?

Love for God above all, dedicated to serving Him and making his name known. After that, a life that reflects that love and dedication. You also need to be someone who isn’t afraid of work and can be a team player. To be honest, most of us become this through the course of time and obviously that has to be considered. Nobody comes to the mission field ready. It’s a process, but the potential has to be there. I would probably not be interested in someone perfect working with us as it might be a bit intimidating for me being full of issues that God is still dealing with.
 
How would you encourage me to grow as a "world Christian"?

Look to the world. There are still so many who have never heard the name of Christ. That is one of my biggest battles as we are “prisoner” in a city already evangelized. I can’t stand the idea that while I can’t imagine a day without Jesus, there are so many that can’t imagine a day with Him. Seek Him to see what he would have you do with your life. The command was and still is “GO!” Actually I think you are on the right track having friends who are missionaries and supporting them as that certainly forces you to see beyond the red, white and blue. But personally, I would rather see you go and we lose a supporter than have you stay when God could use you to reach the unreached somewhere.