GodSighting: University Training Produces Churches in Brazil

                   
        	              

The Rio do Sul church is one of 17 daughter churches from the Blumenau Evangelical Free Church in Brazil. Several daughter churches are also producing grand-daughters. Almost all of this multiplication has happened in the last 15 years. The church’s vision is to plant churches in 27 communities around them. This will take intentional evangelism and discipleship. They share Christ through personal witness, compassion ministry (like the response to flooding and mudslides), family groups (cell groups), and special efforts like Bible classes in a university.




The following interview was conducted with Johny, the pastor who inspired the vision to plant 27 churches:



How did this effort begin? 



Brazil BaptismMiddle class Brazilians are suspicious of religious movements, but many want to know the truth about God’s Word. God led us to start Bible classes at a local university. This effort began in 2003 and has continued. This year they have had their highest attendance. Eighty came out in September. Only 15 of those are from the church.



How have you seen God at work in a special way this year in this ministry? 



We realize that people are hungry and willing to know the Bible, but they are afraid of "churches" who want to convert them or sell something. As we ask the church to pray for the city, God is answering and sending people to study the Bible with us.



Do you do publicity? 



People who studied last year want to come again. They often invite someone to come with them. After six weeks, everybody wants to know the end of the story. Basically, we are telling stories and showing how God revealed His plan. Week after week we can see the power of the Word of God convincing them.



Brazil TrainingHow do people make decisions for Christ? Is there an invitation? 



As part of our strategy we try to build relationships so people can feel safe, not forced to be a Christian. We don’t pray in the meetings and don’t sing songs. As we are teaching, we build trusting relationships. The Word enters their lives slowly. We try to have at least one Christian for every two non-believers. Finally, we end the teaching speaking about salvation, repentance, and baptism, but we don’t invite them to receive Jesus. Most of them actually believe they have Jesus. The Bible class is like a bridge where they can work through their doubts.



What is done to follow up at the end of the class? 



We keep in touch with them by visiting them and inviting them to other meetings. The key is the relationship. Our concern is to walk carefully with them so that people actually make decisions based on a deep Bible knowledge. Some people need to participate two years in a row before making a commitment. We have eleven students attending the church. Seven have been baptized and are in discipleship training.



What are some of the lessons you have learned from this adventure in faith? 



My joy with this experience is knowing that we need to preach with urgency. But that urgency must have a goal or clear strategy. We live between secularized people who are actually looking for God but they don’t know how to find Him. Religiosity was an empty experience for most of them, and this made us seek God’s face. We did not sow between rocky places and thorns. I learned to expect God to do things in new ways.



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