Brazil
The Land and the
People
Brazil is rapidly changing from a rural nation to an urban one. It is one of the great melting pots of the world but still has large ethnic blocks of European, African and Asian stock. Nearly 42 percent of Brazil’s population is under 15 years. Another 27 percent is between the ages of 15 and 30. These young people are more receptive to the gospel.
Religion
Brazil is nominally Roman Catholic. One Roman Catholic authority reported that, although 89 percent of the population claimed to be Roman Catholic, only 10 percent actually practiced their faith. It is estimated that the Protestant community is close to 11 million. The number of spiritists is listed as over 2.5 million.
Past and Current
Work
In 1935, Baptist Mid-Missions entered Brazil at two widely separated points: the city of Manaus in the Amazon valley and the city of Juazeiro do Norte in the state of Ceara in northeastern Brazil.
In the city of Manaus our missionaries immediately began a church-planting ministry. Shortly afterward, in 1941, they started an evening Bible institute. In 1947 this institute became the Amazonas Baptist Seminary.
In Juazeiro do Norte, churches and schools were also started. In 1946 they founded the Cariri Baptist Seminary. In 1952 a language school for new missionaries and a MK school were developed in Fortaleza.
Baptist Mid-Missions entered south Brazil in 1951 where its missionaries engaged in Jewish evangelism and a church-planting ministry in the city of Sao Paulo. Eventually the Brazil Field Council was divided into three regions: the North (Amazon) Region, the Northeast Region, and the South Region.
Current ministries in the Amazon Region include works in Rio Branco, Belem, Manaus, Itacoatiara, Boa Vista, and Santarem. Missionaries are involved in church planting, a seminary, an extension Bible institute, a bookstore, a Christian day school, Bible camps, ministries among the tribes, a state missions agency, and a state association of Regular Baptist churches.
Missionary outreaches in the Northeast Region are found in the states of Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Bahia, and Alagoas. The thrust of the ministry is evangelism leading to the establishment of local churches. Auxiliary and specialty ministries are: camp, seminary, building, language school, school for MKs, radio, and aviation.
In the South Region works are ongoing in Sao Paulo, Paraiba Valley, Curitiba, Uberaba, Brasilia, Goiania, Rio Preto, Rio de Janeiro, Jundiai, and Sorocaba. Ministries include church planting, Jewish evangelism, literature translation and publication, church Bible institute, and Regular Baptist Bible Institute.
Goals
Goals for the Amazon region include:
-expansion southward from Belem on the Belem-Brasilia highway toward Ceara
-youth camp in Belem and an Extension Bible Institute in Belem
-Aviation outreaches in Manaus and Santarem
Goals for the Northeast Region are:
-see more churches begun and congregations organized.
-find a full-time Brazilian pastor for the work in Graciliano Ramos.
-more attention to Rio Largo work.
-branch out to other needy areas near Mareio.
-missionaries to come and sow the seed in the State of Paraiba (prejudice to gospel is weakening).
Overall, Brazil is in harvest phase, which calls for the training of Brazilian evangelists and pastors. This openness may not last more than one generation.
Workers Needed
Church planters are needed throughout Brazil to establish Bible-preaching Baptist churches. Support staff such as missionary pilots and educators are also needed.