Brazil’s Quiet Revolution: How the Nation is Becoming a Global Missions Powerhouse
SÃO PAULO, Brazil – Beyond the vibrant culture of soccer, samba, and the Amazon rainforest, Brazil is experiencing a remarkable, and largely unreported, conversion: it’s rapidly becoming a global force in Christian missions.Now the second largest sending nation of missionaries worldwide - trailing only the United States – Brazil is redefining what it means to serve, and how faith is shared across borders.
For decades, the image of a missionary conjured visions of traditional evangelism. But brazilian missionaries are forging a new path, leveraging everyday skills and building genuine relationships to spread their message. CBN News traveled to São Paulo to witness this evolving movement firsthand.
From the bustling streets of Brazil’s largest city to remote villages across the globe, a growing number of Brazilians are answering a call to share the Gospel.
Daniele Silva, a 45-year-old missionary from Belo Horizonte, exemplifies this shift. “I’ve known about missions as 2005, but I decided to answer this call in 2014,” Silva told CBN News. Her approach? Opening small cafes in Asia and the Middle East – regions often closed to traditional missionary efforts.
“Along with generating income for that nation and generating local jobs, I can build relationships with people,” Silva explained. “with each person who enters, in my case a coffee shop, it’s an chance to make friends, to strengthen relationships, and over time, share the love of Christ with others.”
Silva’s journey hasn’t been without its challenges. She faced the hurdles of learning new languages, adapting to unfamiliar cuisines, and navigating arduous living conditions. “In the beginning, I had a lot of difficulty communicating,” she admitted. “I didn’t know the language. The food was another shock.It was very spicy compared to what I’m used to in Brazil.I also traveled to very remote areas where ther were no roads, and the conditions were so tough.”
But the rewards, she says, are immeasurable.
The Brazilian approach to missions isn’t just about individual initiative.It’s rooted in a unique national identity.Marcelo Crivella, a former evangelical pastor and current Brazilian Congressman, served in several African nations during the Apartheid era. He recalls a remarkable ability to connect with people across racial divides.
“The Brazilians can connect,” Crivella said. “I was the only White person in the middle of this great crowd…when Whites and Blacks couldn’t talk to each other. It was forbidden by law. I would love to go back there.”
Crivella attributes this connection to Brazil’s diverse cultural makeup. “Here in Brazil, we are not red, we are not white, we are not yellow, we are not black, we are Brazilians,” he explained. ”We are a mix of everything, that’s why we can go and be accepted in all these countries.”
A Growing Force
The numbers tell a compelling story. Currently, approximately 400,000 missionaries are deployed globally. The United States leads the way with around 127,000, but Brazil is a close second, sending roughly 38,000 missionaries abroad each year.
Dr. Todd Johnson, a leading religion researcher at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, highlights the depth of Brazilian commitment. “Brazilians have done a wide variety of things from planting churches to working in hospitals to doing aid work of various kinds in some of the toughest places in the world, and it’s really a story that’s probably not known by most people,” he told CBN News.
This isn’t simply about more missionaries, but about a fundamental shift in how missions are conducted. Breno Vieitas,with Last Call,spent 13 years serving in Mozambique and Spain and believes Brazilian churches are actively challenging traditional models.
“Brazilian churches wont to grow and expand to other nations, so they realise the traditional way of doing missions needs to be challenged and reshaped,” Vieitas said.
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