To the Interior and Back

Aaron returned from the Interior week before last and Life Groups were going strong and one has even changed locations to better serve the people. It was a blessing to see how they have grasp the concept and kept it going and growing. It was a good time of fellowship with the other pastors along the way and encouraging to them to have Aaron visit with them and pray and plan for future happenings.
Thank you so much for the prayers about the roof damage due to strong storms while Aaron was away. The roofer came and repaired some of the roof but there is still some damage of broken tiles that have been there awhile that still need to be repaired. Please pray that they can get this fixed soon.
Aaron, Tiffany, Emma and Ethan have gone to try to get their permanant VISA's worked out. Please pray that this is a smooth process and that they can get it taken care of quickly. They then are coming home and heading out to the Interior. Tiffany and the children are going for the first time with Aaron. Thank you EBC for the dual DVD player for the truck, I'm sure that it will be used on this trip. This will be the only trip they will be able to make before the rains start again and the roads are closed. That is why this trip is important so they can plan for our trip next summer. Aaron will be able to meet with Pastors and leaders to help plan for what needs to be taught next summer. Please pray that he is able to make connections with everyone that needs to be involved for planning. Also pray that Tiffany will be able to be involved in the planning process also.
Many times we have mentioned our Brazilian friend and home missionary Alcinea. Tiffany told me this week that as they were preparing for a Ladies Conference that Alcinea picked up a pot of boiling water and spilled it on her arm and was burned very badly. Please pray for healing and comfort to her. Abud is doctoring her and taking good care of her. Alcinea believes that it is Satan trying to come in the way of her witness and she is very determined to not allow him to stop her so she is continuing to minister and teach even though she is in much pain. She is such a blessing to Bruce and I and also to everyone that has met her. She is also a new Grandmother to baby Nathan. Please pray for her and her family.
Thanks for your prayers for the Epps our missionaries in Brazil. Continue to remember them and if you are interested in sending a care package let me know and I will send you their address. They love getting loved on by EBC and they especially love getting those goodies that we take for grated.

GOOD NEWS
FROM THE EPPS FAMILY
RIO BRANCO, AC, BRASIL
September, 2006 Volume 3, Number 5
“We have not ceased to pray for
you and to ask that you may be
filled with the knowledge of
His will in all spiritual wisdom
and understanding, so that you
will walk in a manner worthy
of the Lord, to please Him in all
respects, bearing fruit in every
good work and increasing in the
knowledge of God;”
Colossians 1:9-10
God Answers Prayer
*We have completed our Endvision which is an important
step in our Critical Path and Master Plan.

*The burning and smoke is much less this year – PRAISE THE
LORD!!!!!!!!

Please Pray
*Aaron’s Grandfather, Jimmie Garrison has been
diagnosed with cancer in his neck, jaw and sinus cavity.
Please pray for him as he begins radiation.

*For Aaron and Brazilian Believers as they head into the
interior together (Aug.28th–Sept.1st) and as Aaron meets up
with other pastors and leaders to cast a vision before
them for reaching the lost of Acre.

*Safety, good health and peace for Tiffany, Emma and
Ethan as they will remain at home while Aaron travels.

*Please pray as we are in need of a stateside prayer
advocate.

Life & Ministry in Rio Branco

CASTING THE VISION TO OUR PARTNERS
IN THE INTERIOR
I will be leaving on Monday (Aug. 28) from Rio Branco to pick
up Pastor Joaquim in Sena Madureira, Pastor Julius Caesar in
Manuel Urbano, and Pastor Edinaldo in Tarauaca. We will sleep
in Tarauaca Monday night and head to Cruzeiro do Sul on
Tuesday morning to meet with Pastor Jorge. We should make it
to Cruzeiro do Sul by the afternoon/evening. Wednesday and
Thursday, we will discuss the current work in the interior, and I
will cast our vision for planting multiplying churches in the
interior. We believe that these pastors will be key men that God
already has in place to see this vision become a reality. On
Friday, we will begin the trip back; and depending upon the road
conditions, I should be home by Saturday. Below is our
“endvision” for the rural/interior people of the Western Amazon.
An endvision is simply a vision of the end. In our case, the end
is when our people are fully evangelized. What will it look like?
The following paragraphs describe what we would like to see
happen among our people. With an endvision, we can back up
from there and make plans to reach it. We pray that this will
give you (our prayer partner/coworker) more specifics on how to
pray for the work here.
Colossians 1:28, “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and
teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present
every man complete in Christ.”
ENDVISION
Western Amazon Rural People
Pop. Centers 20,000 and under
The endvision is to see a church planting movement (CPM) among
the Western Amazon Rural People. A CPM of healthy churches that
plant healthy churches that plant healthy churches on a wide scale until
ultimately; there is a healthy body of believers (church) in every
community in the interior. Every person will have access to hear and
see the gospel of Jesus Christ, an opportunity to accept Him, and a
connection to a local body of believers. They in turn will grow in the
faith and perpetuate the cycle of church planting (fulfilling the Great
Commission). The number of necessary CPM churches will depend
upon the number of rural communities and the degree of their
isolation.
Each church in this wave will be a healthy church that ministers to
the community. Thus, the gospel is preached and lived out in a clear
and effective way through biblical relationships within the church and
community. Each church will define and evaluate itself using the Bible
as its primary authority and the local culture as its secondary authority.
A simple church model approach of collective worship, adoration,
prayer, study of God’s word, accountability, and fellowship will be the
components of its celebration meetings. Each church will fellowship
with other churches depending upon the distance, time, and form of
travel. Also, each will be connected with the local and/or state
association. The churches will meet in or around houses, under trees,
in schools or wherever they decide to meet that is practical and meets
the needs of the group within the local culture. Money, land, or
construction needs will not affect the health or reproduction of any. They will meet at least twice a week or more but will be
decided by the group.
The goal of each church is to help the members be complete in
Christ and actively participate in evangelistic church multiplication.
Members will be discipled one-on-one and collectively depending on
the amount of people and the methods adopted by the group. Also
each member will develop and use their spiritual gifts. The basis of
training will be done though storying the Word of God and
mentoring. Local leadership, mainly lay-leadership, will be trained by
mature leaders within the churches and surrounding urban centers.
The leaders will be qualified people according to I Timothy, raised up
by the Holy Spirit and recognized by the local church.
Each church will be reproducing itself to reach and expand the
kingdom of God among the Western Amazon Interior Peoples, the
rest of Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and the world. This will be done by
relying on the power of the Holy Spirit and being intentional by
teaching reproduction to the next generation of churches as an
essential element of a healthy church. All churches will connect by
whatever means necessary to team together and mobilize other
churches to pray, contribute, and physically participate in the
continuance of the wave to the ends of the earth.

Emma Grace & Ethan
Emma and Ethan love to pieces the newest member of our
family. Her name is Ali and she is a 2 month old chocolate
Labrador. They are getting along well together. Emma is very
much in charge of the crew and trying to keep everyone in line.
Emma made her first letter “A” all on her own. Ethan has begun
saying a few words. The 1st word, other than mama and dada,
was “good” and the next time we heard and understood what he
was saying he chimed into a song Emma was singing,
“ . . ashes, ashes, we all fall down!”