1. My history – When I met Jesus Christ church of Christ in Belo Horizonte (capitol of my state).

On
I was born in a Catholic family. At about 19 years of age I felt
emptiness in my heart and made my mind up to go a monastery
because I thought there I could figure out the meaning of life. I
was really willing to give up everything to get it. I thought a lot
about that. It did not matter how great a sacrifice I would have to
make to satisfy the thirst of my soul. At that time, I was sure that
the only way to get it was becoming a priest and I decided to go…
but, before that, I got to know a weird religious person (that was
how I saw him) in my job. I liked him, but I thought his religious
practices were strange and senseless. The positive aspect of this
friendship was that I got so curious to understand religion
because he used to act in a manner different from that with
which I was accustomed. Though I did not agree with him about
his religious practices, all the time he assured me: “It’s in the
Bible” and I thought: “It doesn’t make any sense!” So I decided to
begin studying the Bible on my own in my house so that I could
understand what God really wanted of us. I remember as it was
today, for the first time (January 1994) I opened the Bible to read
it. I said a prayer like “God, I might not understand it, but I will
read this whole book, amen!”
It was an amazing adventure! I began at Genesis and the more I
read the more I wanted to read. I read almost the whole bible in
six months.
To make a long story short, I gave up going to a monastery (and
of course, becoming a Catholic priest) and decided to look for a
group of people who were merely Christian because I did not see
in the Bible any church’s name as I was used to seeing in my
neighborhood. It took around one year…until I finally found a
Sunday evening I went there to know this church and the next
weekend I was baptized.
About six months later I signed up for a ministry training program
that the church offered for the members who wanted to prepare
to be missionaries, at the same time I was serving as a soldier in
the Brazilian air force and working on my degree in chemistry in a
college.
Four years later my wife and I left our jobs in Belo Horizonte and
moved out to Uberlandia (where currently we live). We came to
this city as members of one missionary group (three families) to
plant churches in Uberlandia. My family was not financially
supported, only the two other families, my wife and I had to get a
job and God blessed us in this. Together we planted a church in
the Santo Inacio neighborhood.
Marcelo baptizing Tania and Raqueline
2. My family
 I’ve been married for 12 years to Selma.
 We have 3 kids - Lucas (9), Izabela (6) and Gabriel (3).

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 .
Lucas, Selma, Marcelo, Gabriel and Izabela Jardim Europa Church Pacaembu Church

Pacaembu and Jd Europa churches together

3. My graduation
Graduated in Chemistry at Uberlandia Federal University and in
Theology through the National Biblical Seminary (SBN-BH)

4. My current occupation
 I have a job in a public high school as teacher of chemistry
from Monday through Friday (7:00 a.m – 12:30 p.m) and
sometimes I have to work on Saturdays.
 In my “free-time,” when I am out of school, I work with
two small congregations – the Pacaembu and Jardim
Europa churches. So, I’ve been working as a part-time 5. My city (mission field)
worker with these congregations  Uberlandia is one of the biggest cities of Minas Gerais
State. It is population is over 600,000 people. Most
population is Roman Catholic.
 PoloUniversity
Higher education quality. Uberlandia became a significant

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 Knowledge and Educational Center with a Federal try to schedule a bible study.
University and 20 private institutions of higher education
and specialization, totaling approximately 40,000
students from graduate specialization courses, Masters
and Doctorate.

Private College Federal College

 In a range of 2 hours by car there are about 1,300,000
people…and just three small churches of Christ. Think it
over!
6. The Ministry (what God has done through me)
 House of Prayer Ministry is a kind of small group in
someone’s house that gathers weekly to pray, study the
Bible and have fellowship. We spend most of our time
praying in this kind of group. It has been easy to approach
unchurched people to church. People are more open to
come to a place where we’re going to pray rather than
studying the Bible. Once they come (non-Christians), we
 Family Ministry (Family Christian Institute - FCI) – Through
this ministry many people (Christians and non-Christians)
have been involved with church. FCI has offered courses
(based on the Bible) in the following areas: marriage,
parenting, finances, recovery (support groups)…God has
saved and restored a lot of marriages through this
ministry. For more information about this ministry,
please, visit www.institutodafamilia.com

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  Social Ministry was established to show people God’s
love through His church. We’ve visited and helped poor
communities, shelters… Brothers and sisters who have
participated in this ministry have been blessed a lot.
Through this ministry, we’ve shown kindness and served
those in need.
 Youth/kid Ministry – We have gotten more than 25
 Preaching School - We began it with a purpose to
prepare men, women and young people to serve a
church, especially, in the teaching ministry (pulpit
ministry and Sunday school).
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 Ladies Ministry – Pacaembu and Jd Europa church’s
women has leading and organizing a nationwide christian
retreat for women every year. Last retreat the
attendance was about 120 women. Also, there are a
regular events held by the church’s women.
teenagers/kids (from both churches) involved in what
we’ve called in Portuguese, artes cênicas ministerio,
maybe in English, theatrical arts ministry. In the
Pacaembu neighborhood, we are beginning a work with a
poor kids and teens that have been involved with
criminals and drug dealers.
 7. Plans for the close future

(“Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21)

(“…Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You
are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say,
"If it ‘s the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:14-15)
 Teaching Ministry - I’ve often been invited to preach, in  If it is the God’s will, we will…
several cities in Brazil, at youth and men retreats and
 Keep doing and improving what I described in last item
congresses as well to ministry marriage courses in
(The Ministry).
churches, even outside the churches of Christ. God has
 Plant two others congregations in Uberlandia (Morumbi
granted me the gift of preaching and the gift of helping
and São Jorge neighborhood) in the next two years (2011
couples. Though I have not had a lot time to do it, as it is
and 2012). These neighborhoods with Jardim Europa are
possible as I have accepted the invitation and these
the fastest – growing areas in Uberlandia. We intend to
people have been blessed through what God has done
do it in two different ways:
through my life. Indeed, some people have invited me to
leave Uberlandia and work with them in their churches.
1. Establishing churches in houses through
Once a brother wanting me hires to work with him, asked
evangelistic campaigns.
me: “what holds you in Uberlandia?” I said: “The same
2. Through the FCI work in the schools offering
thing that holds you in your city!” I meant, I want see the
help for families. We’ve already did it in some
Gospel spread in my city and people being saved there
schools and we were successful.
just as he wants in his city.

 Plant three churches in these cities - in Uberaba

(population of 300,000 / 63 miles from Uberlandia), Araxá
(pop. of 100,000 / 120 miles from Uberlandia) and
Araguari (pop of 120,000 / 36.5 miles from Uberlandia/
we have some brothers living in this city and gathering
every weekend in house) – in the next six years.

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  Establish a solid and faithful leadership in Pacaembu and
Jd Europa churches, so I will have more time to dedicate
to the project of planting the new churches. I’ve already
done it (training men) to guide the churches according
the bible. Most likely, next year (2011) I will leave Jd
Europa church because there are, at least, three men
ready to guide the church without me.
 Have a free day every week to be only with my family. I
really need it. The others things, someway, I have already
done, but this, being with my family regularly just to have
fun, I recognize that I have failed.
 Visit the mission blog at http://www.mission2010.info
 Phone (Brazil): 11 55 34 3255 9985
 Mail (my address): Marcelo Lima
Rua Vicente de Paula 120 Jd Patrícia
Uberlândia MG 38414 192 - Brazil
 My contact in The United States:
Adam W Gonnerman
Phone: 908 875 5963
e-mail: gonnerman@burntmail.com

8. What can you do to help it come true?

 Keep this work in Uberlandia in your prayers.

 Come to Brazil in your missionary vacation to visit us and
encourage us with your presence or even taking place
VBS in our city. You are welcome!
 Tell others churches about this work so that they can pray
for us.
 Support this work financially.

9. Further information, please get in touch with me:

 E-mail: marseliza@yahoo.com.br
 To see pictures of the current work in Uberlandia, visit
our album on Flickr
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/14834247@N04/sets/72
157624429672622)