Paul Vieira

It’s been so long since I’ve posted. As you can tell, I’m just not finding the time to keep up with the blog. All my time is being consumed with just living life. There used to be a time when my life in cyberspace was more interesting than my real every day life. This is not true anymore. I’m living here and now in time and space. I love it. I teach English to wonderful newcomers from all over the world. That is my day job. I’m a husband to an amazing woman and father to four incredible kids. I want to give them all that I have. That leaves me just enough time in my week to write music and be a part of a rock band. I really enjoy that. So, it seems that my internet presense is diminishing. I’m alright with that.

The other day, someone emailed me to ask if I was going to be uploading any more podcasts of chapters of my book. To be honest, I don’t think I have the time to finish that project. So far, there are ten chapters available through the podcasts. That is only about half the book though. I suppose if you really want to know how it ends, I would encourage you to get the book and finish reading it. The book has a bit of a twist ending, so I don’t think you’ll be dissappointed.

I have this idea that came to me the other night as I lied in bed. Over the past several months many people, after reading my book, have contacted me with questions and very encouraging comments. It seems many believers out there can identify with the theme of my book and feel that it has helped to put words to what they were experiencing. Quite often, people will say something like, “if you are ever in our area, please let us know. We would love to have you come visit and share with us and our friends.” Well, throughout the past few years I have made friends in many places in my travels, speaking in churches and conferences. However, lately I have intentionally backed away from these environments, and as a result, my travelling has decreased significantly. I was prepared to not travel at all and live a peaceful life with my family in my home city of Winnipeg. But people keep wondering about the possibilities of having me come visit them. Before, churches would pay my expense to travel and speak to their congregations. Since I have “left the building” this is no longer the situation.

I’ve asked God to show me if He wanted me to continue travelling to encourage believers who are living in exile. The need is there, but how would this kind of thing be financed?

This brings me to my idea. In addition to travelling, it seems that God wants me to continue to encourage exiles through this blog, email correspondence, writing another book and putting out podcasts. All this takes time and I need to be able to feed my family. So, if there are people out there who believe in the message of my book and feel that it would be worth supporting, this is what can be done:

If a small group of believers from a particular town or city together contribute $150 per month, I would be able to come and visit them once a year. This would cover all the costs of travel and provide an honorarium for the work that I do. This would amount to 6 people each donating only $25 per month. $300 per month would release me to visit that group twice a year.

We have a registered charity in Canada and the U.S., so we can give tax donation receipts to each donor at the end of the year.

Anyway, please let me know what you think about this and if you would be interested. Just contact me through the contact page of this site.
I feel this may be a real organic way to help finance a work that helps believers who are living outside the walls. I have a day job that I really enjoy. So I’m not looking at trying to do this full time. I only want to be available to serve God in any way that He wants. If this is not really a need, nothing will happen. That’s okay with me. I feel I can only travel about once per month, so if this is something you feel good about connecting to, please let me know.

As promised, podcast seven, eight and nine, of readings from my book, are ready. Here is small description of each chapter:

Chapter Seven: Invasion
The story of how my whole family encountered God before ever stepping through the doorway of a church.

Chapter Eight: The Church that Jesus Started
This chapter seeks to introduce a vision of “church”, by going back to the root. What was Jesus` church like? Church as we know it doesn`t go back far enough. I`m not interested in “improvements” that Constantine brought to the church. I want to go back past the early church fathers, or even the epistles of Paul. I want to start with Jesus, and take it from there. I suspect that the future church will look more like the ancient church. We must go back to go forward.

Chapter Nine: Inside OUT-They Were Amphibious
This is the first of the seven characteristics we examine in the church that Jesus started. Amphibians are creatures that thrive only when they can move back and forth between land and water. Using this metaphor, I explain that followers of Jesus too are amphibious. We must live in two worlds: in community with other believers and out in the world with unbelievers. Our health and survival as the church depends on this balance.

All you have to do is subscribe in order to get each new chapter delivered to your iTunes account. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

• .01 Download iTunes (if you’ve already got iTunes installed you can skip this step)
  
• .02 After iTunes is installed, click on this podcast link to open up the Jesus Has Left the Building page with iTunes
  

• .03 Click “Subscribe”
  

Each time you launch iTunes, the latest episode will automatically be downloaded. You can then store and play these audio files using your iPod device, other portable MP3 player, mobile phone, or computer. Best of all, it’s FREE!

If you think you know others who would enjoy these podcasts, then please pass on the word.

If you have chosen not to use iTunes, then please feel free to listen to the podcasts at http://paulvieira.podbean.com

I’ve heard people express their curiosity as to when the next chapter of my book will be available as a podcast. Sorry for the wait. With all the Christmas celebration going on, I’ve found it hard to find some extra time. However, I promise that I will put up chapter 7, 8 and 9 this week. It`s coming.

The sixth podcast of readings from my book is now available. Here is small description of the chapter:

Chapter Six: God Makes House Calls
Peter is a believer that grew up in a religious environment that prohibited any contact with an outsider (a Gentile). Joppa was the place where Peter underwent a mind-blowing paradigm shift, through a supernatural vision, that freed him to go into the home of a Gentile named Cornelius. The apostle James recognized this event to be the fulfillment of Amos 9:11, when God would rebuild the tabernacle of David. We live in similar times. God is meeting people in their own world, outside the walls of organized religion. He is not requiring outsiders to embrace the Christian sub-culture to find Jesus. Christ is making personal house calls.


All you have to do is subscribe in order to get each new chapter delivered to your iTunes account. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

• .01 Download iTunes (if you’ve already got iTunes installed you can skip this step)
  
• .02 After iTunes is installed, click on this podcast link to open up the Jesus Has Left the Building page with iTunes
  

• .03 Click “Subscribe”
  

Each time you launch iTunes, the latest episode will automatically be downloaded. You can then store and play these audio files using your iPod device, other portable MP3 player, mobile phone, or computer. Best of all, it’s FREE!

If you think you know others who would enjoy these podcasts, then please pass on the word.

If you have chosen not to use iTunes, then please feel free to listen to the podcasts at http://paulvieira.podbean.com

I just finished recording the fifth chapter of my book in an audio podcast that I`m giving away for free. Here is small description of the chapter:

Chapter Five: Emerging (or hidden) Generation?
Where is this emerging generation? Most of them are not in churches, where you would imagine these alleged revolutionaries to be. Whether it was Joseph, Moses, David, or Jesus, God kept His anointed ones safe by hiding them in the most unlikely place. This chapter examines the environment and forces shaping the emerging generations, who will, in turn, change the church and the world forever.


All you have to do is subscribe in order to get each new chapter delivered to your iTunes account. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

• .01 Download iTunes (if you’ve already got iTunes installed you can skip this step)
  
• .02 After iTunes is installed, click on this podcast link to open up the Jesus Has Left the Building page with iTunes
  

• .03 Click “Subscribe”
  

Each time you launch iTunes, the latest episode will automatically be downloaded. You can then store and play these audio files using your iPod device, other portable MP3 player, mobile phone, or computer. Best of all, it’s FREE!

If you think you know others who would enjoy these podcasts, then please pass on the word.

Every Sunday night I will post a new chapter of my book Jesus Has Left the Building as a podcast. If you haven`t subscribed yet, please feel free to do so.

Tonight, however, I was able to complete two chapters. Here is a brief description of chapters 3 and 4:

Chapter Three: The Apostolic Dream
God has a dream for planet earth and His will be the final word. This chapter is devoted to the big picture. It reveals how God will fulfill the promise His glory covering the earth, by having His people scattered everywhere throughout the world. The glory of God must be in walking distance from every human being on the planet. God wants to come close. People in the world must be loved by Jesus, served by Jesus, hugged by Jesus, have coffee with Jesus, and we may be the only Jesus that they will ever see.

Chapter Four: The Religious Spirit
The greatest threat to a genuine outpouring of God`s Spirit is the religious spirit. Religion`s deceptive quality convinces those oppressed by it to resist God, in the name of God. This chapter tells the story of a confrontation between King David and his wife Michal, which illustrates characteristics that identify the religious spirit. The story ends with a discovery of how to defeat this evil. There are some who seem to be immune to its poison.


All you have to do is subscribe in order to get each new chapter delivered to your iTunes account. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

• .01 Download iTunes (if you’ve already got iTunes installed you can skip this step)
  
• .02 After iTunes is installed, click on this podcast link to open up the Jesus Has Left the Building page with iTunes
  

• .03 Click “Subscribe”
  

Each time you launch iTunes, the latest episode will automatically be downloaded. You can then store and play these audio files using your iPod device, other portable MP3 player, mobile phone, or computer. Best of all, it’s FREE!

If you think you know others who would enjoy these podcasts, then please pass on the word.

Hey everybody,
I posted my reading of the second chapter of my book Jesus Has Left the Building and it`s all ready to be downloaded. If you haven`t subscribed yet, please feel free to do so.

All you have to do is subscribe in order to get each new chapter delivered to your iTunes account. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

• .01 Download iTunes (if you’ve already got iTunes installed you can skip this step)
  
• .02 After iTunes is installed, click on this podcast link to open up the Jesus Has Left the Building page with iTunes
  

• .03 Click “Subscribe”
  

Each time you launch iTunes, the latest episode will automatically be downloaded. You can then store and play these audio files using your iPod device, other portable MP3 player, mobile phone, or computer. Best of all, it’s FREE!

If you think you know others who would enjoy these podcasts, then please pass on the word.

Thanks.
Paul

Okay. The moment you`ve all been waiting for is finally here! My book Jesus Has Left the Building is coming to a podcast near you. Yes, you read that correctly. I`m reading my own book over several podcasts and you will be able to download and listen for free. So, please visit the Jesus Has Left the Building Audio Podcast today and subscribe to the podcast by visiting the iTunes store at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=267983946 (This link will automatically install iTunes, if you don`t have it.)

I already have chapter one up and running, so take advantage of this opportunity to hear the book read by its author. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to give me some feedback on it. I would love to hear from you.

I haven’t posted in a while. There is a lot going on with me personally. My wife and I have been downsizing our home, getting rid of stuff we don`t use. We moved my mother-in-law in with us. She is a 76 year old widow who has lived with us before. She wanted to try living on her own for the past year and she got too lonely. So she is back with us. Now our little home holds 3 adults, 4 children and a dog. This is why we are downsizing our possessions. Need more room for people (and pets).

In addition to the home organizing, I am working on recording some demos of my songs. I am very excited about it. I am also working day and night at conceiving a new online business that will act as a virtual record label. This company will be the first of its kind, dedicated to promoting music online. More about that to come…

Finally, I`m gathering my thoughts together and hoping to write second book. I`ve received many requests to further describe life in exile. How do we see God and live life without religion? I could use your help. After reading my first book, what questions do you still have? What do you want to hear from me about? Let me know.

I just wanted to let everyone know that my book is being translated into Dutch and will be published in Holland. It will be out in the Fall. We’ve put up a new website in Dutch. Check it out at jesushasleftthebuilding.nl

Also, here is a review of my book by the Dutch blogger Marc van der Woude, at marcsmessages.typepad.com

It looks like The Netherlands may be my second home country.