Archives by: Gary Hoag

I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. Titus 1:5

“I conclude that the current Brazilian model is contrary to God’s plan. For this reason, the Church has the pastoral duty of prophetically denouncing this model without fear and encouraging the people to transform these structures. On the other hand, this transformation must be a peaceful and democratic process. To achieve this, it is necessary to organize the people. Only an organized people will be able to proceed peacefully and democratically to transform society.”

Cláudio Hummes (1934-2022) as cited in Unemployment, Causes and Consequences (São Paulo: Paulinas, 1984) 65-94.

Today’s Scripture will come out in every meeting I have in Brazil.

Paul commissioned Titus to put order and oversight in place. He did this because he knew it would position the gospel to flourish with integrity and sustainability.

The same holds true today. But people treat order and oversight as unimportant.

They say we must focus on gospel evangelism and discipleship. Sadly, however, without order and oversight, the work only grows by addition and leads to exhaustion with no succession.

Paul and Hummes knew better. God’s people must organize to have an impact on society.

When we do, we make our most generous impact. The ministry grows by multiplication and it leads to expansion with sustainability and succession.

Paul aimed to organize people and that’s our aim at GTP today. Pray for us in Brazil.

Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Psalm 82:3

“A servant church must have as its priority solidarity with the poor. The faith must express itself in charity and in solidarity, which is the civil form of charity. Today more than ever, the church faces this challenge. In fact, effective solidarity with the poor, both individual persons and entire nations, is indispensable for the construction of peace. Solidarity corrects injustices, reestablishes the fundamental rights of persons and of nations, overcomes poverty and even resists the revolt that injustice provokes, eliminating the violence that is born with revolt and constructing peace.”

Cláudio Hummes (1934-2022) as cited in “Education in Solidarity with the Poor” by William F. Horan Jr. on 9 September 2011.

I am safely in Brazil. Long trip. Storms delayed my arrival 12+ hours.

“Cristo Redentor” greeted me at sunrise (photo above from my hotel room). Seeing this view gives me confidence that Christ will be with me and strengthen me for the service before me.

The biggest thing I notice about bringing stewardship instruction and standards to influential stewards and grass roots workers in places like Brazil is that it reflects charity and effective solidarity with the poor.

By charity, I mean that it shows love.

People appreciate that GTP comes not bringing a handout that creates dependency but a hand up that builds fruitful disciples. And this comes not wanting anything from them, but rather with love, desiring flourishing for them.

By effective, I mean that it makes a real difference.

Peer accountability, that is, ministries holding each other accountable to following standards of governance, administration, and resource development together turns corruption to credibility in entire nations. Since formation in 1979, ECFA has had this impact in USA.

And this global service embodies solidarity with the poor.

That requires showing up in the posture of a loving servant in places riddled with brokenness. By empowering national workers to shape a new future envisioned by Brazilian saint, Cláudio Hummes, we bring justice and peace. And it starts with prayer.

That’s my focus the next 2 days with fellow stewards in Petrópolis.

GTP collaborates globally with GenerousChurch. They are hosting the prayer time. Then I have GTP program work in Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, and São Paulo with GTP staff members, Rafael Bandiera (São Paulo, Brazil) and Paula Mendoza (Guatemala City, Guatemala).

Pray with me for a new future for Brazil, possible with God’s help and effective solidarity.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Proverbs 3:27

“Our responsibility as Christians makes us tremble. The northern hemisphere, the developed area of the world, the 20% who possess 80% of the world’s resources, are of Christian origin. What impression can our African and Asian brethren and the masses in Latin America have of Christianity, if the tree is to be judged by its fruits? For we Christians are largely responsible for the unjust world in which we live.”

Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) in “A Christian Commitment is Needed for Latin American Development,” in Latin America Calls March 1970, as cited by Michael Novak in The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism (Seattle: Madison, 1990) 404-405.

Most people think my travel is glamorous. While I go to amazing places and see some cool things, mostly great people of God, the hardest part of my job is reconciling the global inequity and injustice.

The answer is not to take from the rich and give to the poor. The answer is to remind the poor not to focus on what they cannot do because of what they do not have but to give God what they have and watch Him work.

In case you missed it, I shared the stats from the Palmful of Maize movement in Malawi as few days ago. Find them here. The vision has directly engaged 1+ million children in Malawi in only 3 years.

It’s bringing about revival in Malawi and encouraging mindset change in the next generation. So for the poor, my work reminds them to look to God and use what they have faithfully rather than look to the rich which fosters toxic dependency.

Simultaneously, my work with the rich or the places with churches relates to reminding them to live out their calling and fulfill their responsibility as disciples. Consider these stats from the Lausanne, State of the Great Commission.

I departed from USA, which represents 9.79% of the global church. Guess what country is #2 on the list: Brazil at 7.70%. When this posts, I will still be en route.

I am thrilled to connect with the top Christians in the country for two weeks to focus on shaping stewards and setting up a peer accountability group like ECFA in USA.

The countries with the higher percentage of Christians need to get their act together.

As I looked at the chart, and where I have spent most of my year, I found it ironic that the three countries in the top four with the most unreached peoples are India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Why is my heart drawn to those places?

God has a heart for those places! And receptive workers have called for help, so it’s been a joy to serve them in dark places. But a few Americans have questioned my judgment for traveling to these places due to potential dangers.

They always add to let someone else go there. That’s the problem. We push our responsibilities to others.

What’s my point today? I think the greatest act of generosity any of us can do as part of the global church is to fulfill our responsibility. If we have been blessed with little, we must use it faithfully.

And if we have a lot, we need to empty ourselves like Jesus and take a posture of responsible service. Otherwise we give God a bad name and reputation and we produce no fruits. God help us!

God bless my time in Brazil. Reply if you want a copy of my prayer schedule.

But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48

“God accepts the risk of appearing to be unjust. God looks unjust, but He is not. He asks more from those to whom He gives more. They are not greater or better, they have greater responsibility. They must give more service. Live to serve.”

Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) in Dom Helder Camara: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters; Maryknoll: Orbis, 2009) 101.

Happy Father’s Day to my dad, Jack Hoag, my brother, David Hoag, and my son, Sammy Hoag. I am thankful for the way they “live to serve” like Jesus.

Today, Brazilian saint, Hélder Câmara, reminds us that though God appears unjust, He is just. God expects more from those to whom he has given more. They have a greater responsibility.

What are you doing with what the blessings you have been given? Are you fulfilling your responsibility to do a lot of good with the blessings you have received?

Fathers, in our households we tend to have the most strength, bandwidth, and capacity. Let’s use that position of blessing not to be served but to give more service. That’s my call to generosity on Father’s Day. Give more service.

And thanks for your prayers as I fly all night from Denver to Houston to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil arriving tomorrow.

On a prior trip to Rio de Janeiro, I shot this header photo from Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain) looking over to Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). Like Christ is lit up on the hillside, I pray my service brings light and life to Brazil.

And I pray for fathers everywhere reading this, that as they give more service, it will bring more light and life where they are.

He said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. Numbers 12:6

“When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality.”

Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) as recounted in Hosanna!!!: Blessed Frederic Ozanam: Family & Friends (Veritas Ink and Press, 2024).

This quote resonated. with me as I am headed to Brazil tomorrow as a prophet to share a vision of churches and ministries flourishing with standards and to dream with leading accountants, lawyers, pastors, and ministry administrators.

What about you? How might you hear God’s voice and then dream with others about turning dependency to discipleship, shifting corruption to credibility, or something else? Generosity comes into view as changing a situation for God’s glory.

He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. Luke 1:53

“When I feed the poor, they call me a saint, but when I ask why the poor are hungry, they call me a communist.”

Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) as recounted in Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010) reading for September 22.

I will turn my attention to famous Brazilian saints for the next two weeks as my travels will take me to Brazil for the third time (2019, 2022, and 2025) from 15-29 June 2025.

My mission with fellow GTP staff members, Rafael Bandeira (from Brazil) and Paula Mendoza (from Guatemala), is to multiple stewards in many settings and identify skilled workers to activate a task force to form a peer accountability group like ECFA in USA to help strengthen churches and ministries with standards.

Today’s quote got my attention. Worldwide I see people honor the service of the needy while simultaneously avoiding taking responsibility for their care despite biblical commands to show love in this way.

And it hit me. That’s the message of today’s Scripture. God cares for the hungry, through His faithful servants, while those who aim only to care for themselves, always end up empty. Don’t let that be you!

In caring for the poor, I am not talking about handouts that create dependency but hand ups that build disciples. I am talking to those who think they own whatever they possess when God owns everything. Listen up.

I write not because of what I want from you but because of what I want for you. I don’t want you to go away empty. I want you to experience the satisfaction of filling the hungry (with food that satisfies).

Where do you fit in this picture? Don’t call me a communist. Call me fearless to ask “why” questions. Why do so many people call themselves Christians and not live how Christ called us to live?

Don’t call me a saint. Don’t call me a communist. Don’t call me crazy or radical. Call me convinced that when God’s people in any setting give Him what they have, needs get met and God gets the glory.

In case you missed it, GTP released the Palmful of Maize numbers for three years. See for yourself here. The vision has engaged over a million children in Malawi and the poorest of the poor of the world are solving their own hunger problems.

Read the stats. See for yourself. How have the hungry been fed in many districts of Malawi? Short answer. Over a million children have chosen to give God what they have.

Clearly, you are a God who works behind the scenes, God of Israel, Savior God. Isaiah 45:15

“Much of Xenia’s life remains a mystery as we know neither the dates of her birth nor her death, but only that she lived in eighteenth century Russia… It would seem that she led a rather comfortable life, and it is known that she was happily married and devoted to her husband, Col. Andrei Feodorovich Petrov, a chanter in the imperial court.

When she was twenty-six years of age, her husband died suddenly by some accounts as a result of over-imbibing at a drinking party. Inconsolable in her grief at her husband’s death, she turned her heart entirely to contemplating the Kingdom of heaven and disdained anything of the world. Giving away all her personal possessions to the poor, she threw off all ties to worldly things…

Once she had divested herself of all her belongings, Xenia disappeared from St. Petersburg for a time. It is not known where she was during this time, but it is believed that she may have spent those eight years in a convent where she learned about spiritual life and the prayer of the heart and where she further advanced her desires to be a fool for Christ…

In tune the people of St. Petersburg grew to see Xenia not as a beggar but as someone quite special… For a long time, no one knew where Xenia spent her nights. She could be seen wandering the streets and fields during daylight, but she seemed just to disappear after sunset. The police investigated the situation and found that she would spend her nights in an open field, praying and making prostrations all through the night…

Near the end of the saint’s earthly life, a church was being built in the Smolensk cemetery. The construction workers noticed during the night, while they were all home asleep, someone would move large bundles of bricks to the top of the building where they were needed the next day.

Curious to know what charitable crew was moving such heavy material for them, the workers posted a watchman one night to discover whom to thank. They were amazed to learn that it was the aged Xenia who would move the bricks for them, granted the strength to do so by an unseen Hand.”

Xenia of St. Petersburg (eighteenth century) in Holy Fools: The Lives of Twenty Fools for Christ by Oswin Craton (Chesterton: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2024) 123-129.

This marks the last of 20 fools for Christ. Perhaps Craton saved the best for last. How cool that an old lady moved bricks to help people in the darkness of night, never seeking attention. That’s generosity.

What bricks might you and I move today?

I travel to Brazil this Sunday for two weeks of program work to multiply stewards and form a working group to set up a peer accountability group. I need to pray where to direct my reading next. Stay tuned.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

“Most of the lives of fools for Christ appear to be extraordinary and even controversial – especially to the world – but that of Symeon of Emesa is one of the most complex and unusual of all. One of the earliest recorded holy fools of Christendom. Symeon remains a complicated figure to this day.

Born around the year 522 in Edessa, he was reportedly of noble and certainly wealthy lineage. Little is known of his early life in Eddessa, but he is known to have set out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem around age thirty.

Along the way he befriended a fellow pilgrim also from Edessa named John who would become his lifelong friend and confidant. After celebrating the Exaltation of the Cross in Jerusalem together, the two returned to their respective homes in Edessa but remained close friends, both devoted wholeheartedly to following God.

Though both Symeon and John were quite wealthy, they gave up all their earthly inheritance in exchange for an inheritance above, and they both entered the Monastery of St. Gerasimos where they were tonsured monks. After about a year there, the two left the monastery for the desert near the Dead Sea.

There they spent the better part of the next 30 years in solitude and prayer, struggling to overcome all earthly passions. When Symeon was about 60 years of age, he received inspiration from God to return to the world and go to Emesa in order to provide aid and guidance to the people there.

Symeon asked the Lord if he might be allowed to serve the people in a way that would bring no glory or praise to himself, so that all might know whatever good he may perform would be done only by the hand of God who alone should receive praise.

Thus, when he arrived in Emesa, Symeon took on the difficult role of playing a fool for Christ’s sake, in order that all might think him mad and attribute all good things to God alone.”

Symeon of Emesa (sixth century) in Holy Fools: The Lives of Twenty Fools for Christ by Oswin Craton (Chesterton: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2024) 115-121.

Notice two things in this second-to-last holy fool from this great book.

First, Symeon spent the prime of his life in prayer and solitude. Some might call that wasted. Others might say this was his season of preparation. I would lean that direction. Prayer and solitude are great disciplines that position us for God to do His best work through us.

Second, Symeon was 60 years old when his best work happened. Imagine the aid and guidance he could provide to the people of Emesa at 60 years old. So much that we are talking about him 1400 years later. He just shared the good and perfect gifts God lavished on him.

Are you 30? What if God called you to 30 years of prayer and solitude? Are you 60? What if God called you to a season of providing aid and giving guidance? As my friend, John Stanley would say, “Get connected, get clear, and get going!”

What are you waiting for? Your best contributions are yet ahead of you.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34

“The exact date and place of Prokopiy’s birth are not known, but he was a foreigner (most likely a German) of Roman Catholic confession. As a merchant, he traded often in Novgorod, where he was exposed to the beauty of Holy Orthodoxy…

Though he had acquired substantial wealth as a merchant, once his heart was converted he chose to give away all his possessions to the poor and became a monk at the Varlaam of Khutyn Monastery near Novgorod. Word spread throughout the city of this rich foreigner who divested himself of all his great wealth…

His name grew to be highly praised among the people, but such acclaim displeased Prokopiy, as he knew this would tempt him to pride and vainglory. He believed that the people should direct their praise only to God.

So, after a time he left the monastery and relocated to Ustyug, where no one knew him, and took up the difficult podvig of being a fool for Christ… There in Ustyug, Prokopiy endeavored to conquer pride and adopt true humility.

Possessing nothing but three wooden staffs, he wandered barefoot and poorly clad through the city streets in both summer and winter… The local citizens misunderstood him, and they would daily mock, insult, spit upon, and sometimes even beat him as he walked about.

At night he would spend much time in prayer, supplicating especially for those who had abused him during the day, echoing the words of the Savior, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Prokopiy of Ustyug (c.1243-1303) in Holy Fools: The Lives of Twenty Fools for Christ by Oswin Craton (Chesterton: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2024) 109-113.

I only have two more Holy Fools left after today. I hope you have enjoyed this 20 day exploration.

I want to comment on two themes I see from all of them. First, they chose a path that was so countercultural that they suffered derision. Second, they supplicated by night. They prayed at night for those who did not understand their radical obedience by day.

Father in heaven, help us live so radically different that people will think we are crazy. And by night, help us pray for those who label us with such words that they will see your love through us. In your mercy, hear my prayer for us in the name of Jesus. Amen.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

Pelagia Ivanovna Serebrennikova was born into a wealthy merchant family in Arzamas in the year 1809. Her father died when she was still a child, and sometime after she fell into a serious illness that kept her bedridden for an extensive period. When she recovered, it was said she was a very different child from what she had been before and often acted bizarrely in public.

This caused those around her to nickname her “Fool” even in childhood. Her stepfather often would punish her severely for such behavior, and it was many years later that her mother finally realized she had been gifted with the grace to become a fool for Christ. When she was nineteen, her mother and stepfather gave her away in marriage to a man named Sergei, but her odd behavior continued.

Her husband and mother both were very concerned about her well-being, and so they decided to take her to see Seraphim of Sarov to ask for his aid. Seraphim took her aside and conversed with her privately for a long while, then brought her back to her mother and husband. Before they left, Seraphim bowed to Pelagia and instructed her mother to take her to Diveyevo so that she could “defend my orphans” there.

He then gave her a prayer rope and bade them farewell. After they left, a young monk as Seraphim who this strange woman was, and Seraphim replied, “Believe God, Father Ivan, this woman whom you see will be a great luminary for the whole world.” After returning home to her husband, Pelagia’s behavior remained unchanged, and she began again walking the streets nearly naked and spending all night in prayer on the church porch.

When Sergei would try to help her by giving her warm clothing or money for her needs, she would immediately turn around and give these things to the poor. This eventually became more than Sergei could bear, and so he turned her out. Pelagia then returned to her mother’s house…

Pelagia’s mother went again to visit Seraphim to see what might be done, and he instructed her to allow Pelagia to continue acting in whatever way she chose, as it was pleasing to God… Because of miracles and healings associated with her prayers, Pelagia’s fame became widely known, and she received visitors from all across Russia and from every walk of life.”

Pelagia of Diveyevo (1809-1884) in Holy Fools: The Lives of Twenty Fools for Christ by Oswin Craton (Chesterton: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2024) 103-106.

Two things stood out to me when I read about this fool for Christ.

The first one relates to Seraphim. When everyone thought Pelagia was crazy for her commitment to prayer, Seraphim believed in her and proclaimed that she would be a luminary for God. It came to pass. That tells me the importance of speaking blessing over people committed to the things of God.

The second one relates to Pelagia. After visiting Seraphim, who gave her a prayer rope. She is known for using that tool to remind her stay focused in her prayers the rest of her life.

I am home now, but reflecting with gratitude to God for the blessing of visiting my “Seraphim of Sarov” also known as John Stanley in Wisconsin a third year in a row. He gave me a prayer rope of sorts, a tener (has a cross and ten beads). That prayer tool has helped me so much I give them away to people when I see them.

I want everyone praying 10 times a day a prayer like the Surrender Novena: “Jesus, I surrender myself to you. Take care of everything.” Who knows? It might help multiply fools for Christ who can become luminaries around the world.