He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on March 1, 1936. At the age of 7, in his mother’s lap, he accepted Christ as his Savior. While studying Mathematics and Economics at the University of Glasgow, he was very involved with the University Bible Alliance (UBA). He was invited to a missionary conference on Latin America and there he felt the call to work in Brazil. So, he gave up his dream of being the financial director of a multinational company! After graduating from university, he went to seminary (London School of Theology) and then worked for three years as executive secretary of an interdenominational youth movement in Scotland. He arrived in Brazil in September 1962 and spent the first year studying Portuguese.
On August 29, 1964, he married his fiancée, Ann, who had recently arrived from Scotland, in São Paulo. They have four children, all born in Brazil, and four Brazilian grandchildren.
He worked for many years in theological education, being the director of several institutions in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo (capital), Goiás, and Vale do Paraíba (SP). In 1985, he was invited by Pastor João Arantes Costa to edit two very simple magazines: one for young people and adults, and another for teenagers, for the Education Department of ICEB – Sunday School Sector, serving approximately 140 churches. In 1988, under his direction, the Education Department also began publishing the Juniores Magazine. In 1994, the Evangelical Christian Publishing House was founded, with him as its first director. She retired in 2008, but continued working at the Publishing House as a consultant until 2024 when she rested in the Lord. Ann G. Barnett Ann Gilchrist Barnett was born on February 24, 1942, in Glasgow, Scotland. From a young age, she attended church with her parents and, at age 11, was invited by a friend to attend a meeting for teenagers at her friend’s church. During a six-week campaign with Dr. Billy Graham in April 1955, she received Jesus as her Savior. At age 16, she was baptized and became a member of her friend’s church. At age 17, in her Quiet Hour, she read the verse “…woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). She immediately closed the Bible and said, “I don’t want to be a missionary!”, but the Lord continued to call. For a year and a half, Ann wrestled with God, making excuses that she could serve God in her own country. However, she realized that she had to surrender herself completely to the Lord or she could not be His disciple. She became very interested in Latin America, especially Peru. After finishing high school, she studied Education at the University of Glasgow (Strathclyde University). Ann became engaged to a young man from her church, John Barnett, who had received a missionary call to work in Brazil. She went to prepare at the seminary in London, and her fiancé left for Brazil!
Ann arrived in Brazil on February 4, 1964, and spent the first few months intensively studying the Portuguese language. She married John Barnett on August 29, 1964, in the city of São Paulo. They have four children, all born in Brazil, and four Brazilian grandchildren. She has accompanied her husband throughout his ministry in Brazil, in Theological Education and at the Evangelical Christian Publishing House, preparing material for Sunday School teachers.
