Developing Leaders to Equip Churches
March 23, 2023
Dear friends,
We thank you for supporting us through prayer and financial giving. THANK YOU. Please, continue reading to know how your fervent prayers and investment impact the Kingdom of God in Brazil.
A Swiss Chalet & 98 Leaders
“Rede Convivência” (Life Together Network) had its first DayCamp on March 18th with pastors and their leadership teams to equip churches and inspire leaders. There were 98 participants from three different states. It was a memorable day of leadership development and exchange of ideas. “Rede Convivência” is a network of pastors and churches I started a few years ago that seeks to 1) Promote connectedness between pastors, pastors’ wives, and leaders amongst churches and within the church to make disciples, inspire and develop new leaders and pastors for the local church ministries. 2) Recruit, train, place, and network leaders and pastors to plant new churches and expand the Kingdom of God.
Hearting it Together from Chicago to São Paulo
On April 27, 28 & 29, we are hosting the “Heart of the Matter” seminar with Pastor Hanibal Rodriguez from Wheaton Bible Church, Illinois. Pastor Hanibal ministered to my heart and our family when I underwent cancer treatment a year ago. On May 1st (a Brazilian holiday), he will also speak at a conference in Marília, São Paulo, with churches from several cities coming together.
Intentional Expansion Strategy (IES)
The Life Together Network provides monthly gatherings for pastors, leaders, and team members to nurture a healthy context for the leaders to engage in metacognition in meeting local community needs with the Gospel and disciple-making. Healthy and intentional local churches need to develop a Biblically grounded and culturally relevant vehicle for people to hear the Gospel and to mature spiritually. Scripture is foundational, and the Gospel must always remain crystal clear. Additionally, understanding the culture (local context) and using the culture to reach the culture is vital to developing effective ministry strategies to connect with people. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” He was intentional about the way he engaged with people in the context they were in and in a way they could understand. Five core values are: 1) Communication – precise, efficient, and frequent communication. 2) Consistency – all decisions need to be consistent with Scripture and the direction established by the church. 3) Creativity – there is a creative solution for almost everything. 4) Commitment – A commitment made is a promise kept. 5) Recruitment – recruit the right people to mobilize and work strategically. We must recruit for the Kingdom and the local church to inspire new leaders and expand the Kingdom of God.
An Evangelistic (Mexican Food) Picnic
This next Sunday, we are having an Evangelistic picnic with friends (this is an initiative through our current church plant). Over forty non-believer friends are confirmed to join us for an afternoon of Mexican food, activities, and lots of fun as we connect more closely with our friends. We have invited our next-door neighbors, the auto mechanic, the restaurant owner down the street, and friends we have met over the last few months.
International Foster Care Symposium & Center Inauguration
Raquel participated in the IV International Foster Care Symposium at the University of Campinas this week. She was one of the guest lecturers and spoke on “Trust-Based Relational Intervention.” A new foster care center for intake and foster parent training will inaugurate on April 4th. Raquel actively recruits new foster care parents and develops teams to assist orphans and at-risk children and parents.
Family Time
Overall, everyone in the family is in good health. Sarah sprained her left ankle but is recuperating quickly. Our kids are doing well academically and are heavily involved in school sports. Sarah is a starter for the varsity volleyball team. Benjamin is a starter for the jr. varsity volleyball team. Laura saved up money while working at Culver’s Restaurant in the States for horseback riding lessons in Brazil. Melissa is practicing basketball, soccer, and jiu-jitsu in the after-school program for elementary students. We love to hear our kids pray, are blessed to see how the Lord is growing them spiritually, and have a deep desire to see their unsaved friends surrender to Christ. Raquel has a constant smile in her heart – the joy of the Lord is her strength. I am progressing well in my doctoral studies and am currently in chapter three of my dissertation.
Investing
As you pray with and for us, please consider investing financially in our ministry fund – please designate for church planting, pastoral leadership training, the church network, or foster care.
Always grateful,
Judson Hatcher
Benjamin with Kaká (world famous Braziian soccer player and a Christian) 
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Marveling at God’s Creation in Celebration of Good News
March 29, 2022
Dear friends,
March was packed with excitement for our family. My parents came to visit us in Wheaton, IL from Florida. It was short but sweet! Truly blessed by them. Melissa received the school district’s superintendent art award. This month we also celebrated Benjamin´s 14th and Sarah´s 17th birthdays. The Lord blesses us to see our children grow physically and in their knowledge of Christ with the desire to serve Him. We thank the Lord for them. What made this month particularly unique was the confirmation from my oncologist (based on the imaging and blood exams). I am cancer free! We bless the Lord and thank Him for His healing hand. Thank you for your prayers during this treatment time.
So, how did we celebrate? Raquel suggested that we marvel at God´s mighty creation handiwork by going to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. We love admiring His creation. We especially loved visiting the “Amazon” display. Seeing the variety of fish, fauna, and flora common to us felt like home. Four of us were born in Manaus, a city in the heart of the Amazon basin. We saw the largest fish, the pirarucu (which can grow more than ten ft. long) to the most vicious of fish, the piranha. (All of which we have stories to speak of and know what they taste like.) We watched the beluga whale show, the dolphins and the penguins, the seawater fish and the freshwater fish. It was a special day to admire the details of God´s fancy work within His creation. We were impressed! Part of our discussion that day contrasted what we observed with mankind, which was created in the triune God´s image. Yes, we are Imago Dei. Dolphins may be more intelligent than other mammals. But we are much more; we were designed in His likeness. Furthermore, He made us His chosen people through Christ Jesus. What a way to celebrate birthdays and cancer-free news!
This month three people surrendered to Christ in São Paulo. Preparations are underway for an evangelistic campaign during April. Pray with us and the leadership teams in Brazil for success in pointing people to Christ and people within the community to surrender to Him. This month I also was privileged to speak at the Addyston Baptist Church men’s retreat at West Harris, IN. Several churches participated in this marvelous weekend. Thank you Pastors Philip duBarry and David Pitman for organizing this event. I was also honored to share about our ministry and to preach at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Bellbrook, OH. What a wonderful weekend with church people, Pastor Darrell & Mrs. Messer. By invitation of Jarell & Beverly Sill (second cousins of mine), I managed to squeeze in a visit with my great Uncle Joe and Aunt Jessie Sills in Cincinnati, OH.
Grateful always,
Judson & Raquel
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Ministry & Leadership Training Continues; Health & Family Updates
January 29, 2022
Thank you for your faithful prayers and generosity.
Family
Thank you for praying for our family. I am currently undergoing radiation treatment five times a week. Laura is adjusting to her cochlear implant. The device was activated three weeks ago. Hearing again does not come automatically, it will take almost a year for her to gain maximum hearing through the implant. She wears it every day at school as part of the initial process of learning to hear again. Her first hearing therapy this week provided a glimpse of her progress. There is still a lot of work, as the learning curve for the brain to adjust to the implant is a lengthy development. As she adjusts to the new hearing process the cochlear implant must also receive fine tuning. This fine tuning requires the audiologist and the cochlear implant technician to work in conjunction with Laura to customize the programing based on her monthly hearing progress. We are praising the Lord for each positive step as she regains hearing from her left ear.
Regarding my cancer care, a PETscan in mid-February will provide us with the current status of the cancer. Chemotherapy is completed and now I go in for radiation sessions five times a week. At this point, the main side effect is fatigue. I keep a healthy dietary plan along with a consistent workout regimen at the gym with my son Benjamin. He is a great workout partner, and his avid participation is an encouragement to maintain our exercise routine. The cold winter makes it hard to get out in the early mornings, especially when it is snowing. I have glided on the ice a few times on the way to and from the clinic, but the Lord has provided safety on the roads.
Our oldest, Sarah, recently received her drivers permit and just this week began her first job working at Culver’s restaurant. Melissa (10 years old) has maximized her time in the snow. There are several kids in the neighborhood that enjoy playing in the snow with her. She is having the time of her life every time she goes outside. Raquel has participated in several conferences and training seminars over the last several months and acquired a new counseling technique called EMDR, which is a tool that allows past traumas to be processed with new insights. This season in the States has been full of first-time experiences and wonderful opportunities for our family. We praise the Lord for each one.
Ministry
Jonatas and Charis are currently in the States as part of their mentoring and exposure trip. They have invested time in West Palm Beach with our dear friend Todd Thomas who serves at Family Church (First Baptist Church WPB) at the Sherbrook campus. While in Lynchburg, VA they stayed with our dear friends Scott and Cindy Phillips, and connected with folks at Living Word Baptist Church. They also attended classes at Liberty University in the Pastoral Leadership program of the School of Divinity, under the leadership of my beloved mentor, Dave Adams. Jonatas and Charis also had quality time with Scott Bullman, Matt Wilmington, Tim Grandstaff, Russ Dean and Doug Randlett at Thomas Road Baptist Church. This next Monday they arrive in Chicago and will remain with us for one week prior to their return to Brazil. This time with us will also be filled with mentorship and learning opportunities at Wheaton College and Moody Bible Institute. Please, continue to pray and to financially contribute as we make concerted training efforts in training leaders.
The ministry in São Paulo is regaining momentum as COVID tensions cause less disruption. Pastor Helder´s wife, Renatha, lost her father this last month and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Please, pray for the family as they mourn his loss.
Again, thank you for your solid commitment to prayer and for your generous giving through Baptist Faith Missions.
Grateful,
Jud Hatcher
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Life & Ministry Updates
December 15, 2021
Family
Tomorrow (December 16), Laura will undergo a surgical procedure to install a cochlear implant in her left ear. The surgery takes 6 hours and a week to recover. The Lord provided us with one of the best doctors in the nation for this type of procedure at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Once the device is activated, she will begin hearing therapy along with the device´s fine tuning. We are grateful to the Lord for making provisions for Laura to hear again from her left ear.
On December 1st we celebrated Melissa’s 10th birthday. She requested an astronaut themed party. We could not take her to outer space, but she had an out of this world party with her siblings, school and neighborhood friends. Sarah received her driver´s permit and is excited to practice driving as much as she can. Benjamin is part of the wrestling team at his middle school and is doing incredibly well, as this is his first experience with the sport.
Raquel has completed several training courses, including an EMDR certification. She is an amazing psychologist and loves assisting people in counseling. She is also able to serve several missionary families around the world through online platforms and continues to provide leadership and consultation for foster care families in Brazil.
My lymphoma treatment is developing successfully. I received all three cycles of chemotherapy, on December 27th will run a CT scan in preparation for the radiation treatment. This last cycle hit me the hardest, but I am grateful to see the glory of God manifested through it all. As if my hands were not full enough, God allowed me a new learning opportunity. I started an online PhD in Organizational Leadership at Columbia International University. This is a degree I have aspired for many years as it directly relates to the work of our ministry. It should take 27 months to complete, and I am excited to get back into academic life once again.
We are so thankful to God for His Sovereign hand, for your prayers, and encouragement through emails, text messages, phone calls and cards in the mail. Words cannot fully express our hearts’ gratitude.
Ministry
All things are on queue for Jonatas and Charis to arrive in the States on January 15th for their training and exposure trip. They will be visiting three universities: Palm Beach Atlantic University, Liberty University and Wheaton College. This trip will also include visits with several churches as part of a mentorship plan developed for them. Jonatas was recently ordained and is a gifted servant of the Lord. I am thankful for all who are assisting in making this trip a reality.
The ministry in São Paulo is strong under Pastor Helder’s leadership. Christmas Season is always a culminating moment for people to become involved in serving the local communities and people are more approachable. Christmas Cantatas are well underway and the 2022 calendar is loaded with plans for connecting with new people and making disciples.
I plan to participate in the Missions Conference at Park Ridge Baptist Church in Orlando on January 17, 18 and 19. Would love to have you join us if you are in Florida and able to come.
Grateful always,
Jud and Raquel Hatcher
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Training Leadership, Headed to the States
Jud and Raquel Hatcher are third generation missionaries serving the Lord in São Paulo, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, 43 churches have been started in 5 states.
May 22, 2021
Dear friends,
In this month’s letter: Overcoming leadership training challenges, a Northeastern Brazil celebration visit in João Pessoa, “to COVID or not to COVID” and our plans to be in the US. Thanks for reading.
Leadership Training
This month we had an intense one-week online leadership training with 23 people from three different cities. In his book J. Oswald Sanders ‘Spiritual Leadership’ said “leadership is influence”. Our in depth discussions dealt with the needed influence for maximum mobilization and teamwork for the Gospel. The pandemic forced us to use a new format for meetings and training. There is a benefit to online training though. As people familiarize themselves with this format, new leaders from around the country can participate in these seminars and bring a broader base of experiences into the conversation. The live feed provides real time interaction between people that otherwise would not be in the same room due to the geographical distance. It was a great success.
Church in João Pessoa
Pastor Helder and I flew 3.5 hours from São Paulo to encourage the church, the pastor and the leadership in João Pessoa. In 2003, my father (Paul Hatcher) and I visited and surveyed 5 cities in Northeast Brazil. As a result, a new church planting project began to reach Brazil´s Northeastern region. Families were equipped, teams were selected and sent from Manaus. João Pessoa was one of the cities that received a church planting team. It’s the capital city on the coast of Paraiba state, and is home to beautiful people. Pastor Mizael and Jaqueline (his wife) were part of the original three families that moved from Manaus as part of the project. This church was started 15 years ago and Mizael and Jaqueline have faithfully served with their family. They developed leaders and influenced the region with the Gospel. We met with their leadership team and presented Pastor Mizael and Jaqueline with a “Here Am I” award during Sunday’s worship meeting in honor of their faithful service to the Lord to reach people with the Gospel.
Family Happenings
These last few weeks we´ve celebrated Sarah’s (16th) and Benjamin´s (13th) birthdays. It is hard to do much celebrating in the middle of a lockdown, but the Lord is faithful in caring for us and giving us great reason to rejoice.
Raquel, Benjamin and I tested positive with COVID-19. Our family remained in home lockdown for three weeks until full recovery. Benjamin was mostly asymptomatic, as he only had a congested nose for 3 nights. Raquel and I had fevers, inflammation of the joints and organs, coughing, and deep exhaustion. The Lord took care of us during this time through family and friends. We are now COVID free.
Stateside Assignment
We travel to the States on June 17 to stay for a one-year Stateside assignment / furlough. We plan to visit supporting churches, friends and family during this time. We were originally scheduled to be in the States last year, but the pandemic lockdown hindered us from making it. We are grateful to our supporting churches, friends and to the BFM board of directors in assisting us during this process. We will begin in Orlando, FL by visiting my parents for a few weeks. We would love to schedule a time with you and/or your church. Let’s connect! Shoot me an email so that we can plan the details to be with you.
Grateful always,
Judson and Raquel Hatcher
Family birthdays! 
Visiting church in João Pessoa (Northeastern Brazil) 
Visiting church in João Pessoa (Northeastern Brazil) 
Visiting Northeastern Brazil 
Visiting Northeastern Brazil 
Leadership Training 
Visiting Northeastern Brazil 
Visiting Northeastern Brazil 
Visiting church in João Pessoa (Northeastern Brazil) 
Visiting church in João Pessoa (Northeastern Brazil) 
Visiting church in João Pessoa (Northeastern Brazil) 
Visiting church in João Pessoa (Northeastern Brazil)
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
A Month of Quarantine with 4 Kids in Brazil
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I hope this letter finds you well and joyful, despite the circumstances. As you can imagine, we also are facing the threat of this new virus. The city of São Paulo has been in quarantine since March 20th. All schools, public and private, were closed, as well as non-essential businesses. Those who can are staying at home as much as possible. Our kids transitioned from traditional schooling to online home schooling. That in itself has been a major challenge. I thank God for my husband, who has helped them adjust to distance learning, and daily assists our four children in their studies. We had two computers, now we are trying borrow two more in order to accommodate their needs. Overall, they are doing amazing. Laura had all A’s this past quarter, Sarah and Benjamin also had A’s and B’s. Melissa has more difficulties, as she was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and memory problems, although she was also placed in the superior range for IQ. We ask your prayers regarding this subject. We do our best to find strategies and didactic approaches to teach her, but we notice that, in many ways, it has affected her self-worth. But we are blessed. Sarah turned fifteen on May 30th and Ben turned twelve on May 24th. Laura will be fourteen on July 20th, and Melissa will be nine December 1st. During this time of social distance, they have not left the house, so we try to keep them busy with different fun family activities, tasty meals and treats. They also enjoy videoconferencing with friends and family.
Benjamin 
Laura 
Melissa 
Sarah 
Regarding myself, I have been substituting for a missionary friend in his coordination position of a Christian Fostercare Project. He asked me to replace him temporary, as he needed to be with his family. He and his wife have five children and one of them, a 10-year-old boy, has battled leukemia for almost two years. A few weeks ago, he received a bone marrow transplant, but he is in critical condition. He has been hospitalized for the past seven weeks. There are hundreds of people interceding for his life and for his family. Please, pray for them also.
Our church, like most of them here in Brazil, has been meeting online to pray and encourage each other. One of the ladies who meets with us also has cancer and she does chemotherapy. Pray for her, and her husband and daughter.
I would also like to share about another friend of mine; we were neighbors during my graduate school, and since then we have been best friends. One year and six months ago, she was diagnosed with cancer in her pancreas. During this time, she did all the treatment she could at John Hopkins Hospital. For some months it was in remission, and it seemed to be fine. But now, she is sick again, and with little hope any treatment will help. I have been supporting her during this long journey, and I feel very sad. She adopted a little boy just five years ago. I ask you to please pray for my friend, her name is Vanessa Martiny. She lives in Pennsylvania, she is a believer in Jesus, she has a strong faith, and she holds on to the hope she has in Christ.
We sure live in difficult times. But we remember what the apostle Paul said in Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We are the happiest people in the world because we know there is so much more ahead of us. Thank you for reading. Thank you for praying, thank you for supporting us with your finances, thank you for caring. May God give you peace and joy.
Much love,
Raquel Hatcher
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
