Doesn’t the name Assembleia de Deus resonate with faith and community here in S\u00e3o Paulo? It echoes a story that began far away in Bel\u00e9m. Two Swedish missionaries named Daniel Berg and Gunnar Vingren arrived in Brazil. They brought with them a message of Pentecostalism.
The Assembleia de Deus church is part of a global movement. This movement emphasizes a personal experience with God. It includes baptism with the Holy Spirit. Berg and Vingren founded the Miss\u00e3o de F\u00e9 Apost\u00f3lica in 1911. This mission later became the Assembleia de Deus in 1918.
But Pentecostalism had already begun in Brazil. Italian immigrants in S\u00e3o Paulo started the Christian Congregation of Brazil. Louis Francescon an Italian-American missionary led this movement in 1910. The Assembleia de Deus grew quickly. It spread through the Amazon and Northeast regions. Migrants then carried it to Rio de Janeiro and S\u00e3o Paulo in the late 1920s.
Initially the church was linked to the Scandinavian Pentecostal movement. Lewi Pethrus a Swedish leader supported Berg and Vingren. In 1932 the Brazilian Assembleia de Deus gained autonomy. The American Assemblies of God increased their influence. However the Brazilian church remained independent.
Daniel Berg arrived in S\u00e3o Paulo in 1927. He rented a house in Vila Carr\u00e3o. On November 15 1927 he held the first service. Four months later the first baptisms took place. As the church grew it moved to larger spaces. It occupied various addresses including Avenida Celso Garcia.
The Assembleia de Deus continued to expand. It established itself in Belenzinho. Over time it settled at Rua Conselheiro Cotegipe 273. Daniel Berg led the church until 1930. Other pastors followed including Samuel Nystr\u00f6m and Jos\u00e9 Wellington Bezerra da Costa.
Jos\u00e9 Wellington took over in 1980. At the time the church had 500 congregations. It had 70000 members and 1300 workers. Today the Assembleia de Deus has grown significantly. It boasts 500000 members in the capital and greater S\u00e3o Paulo. There are now 2000 organized churches. These churches are spread across 93 sectors. The ministry includes 15000 pastors.
The Assembleia de Deus sends missionaries abroad. It began this practice in 1913. A Portuguese immigrant was sent back to Portugal. Today missionaries serve in Latin America and Portuguese-speaking Africa. You can find Assembleias de Deus among Brazilian communities worldwide. This includes North America Japan and Western Europe.
The Assembleia de Deus has a unique structure. It is a non-territorial episcopal polity. Each ministry is led by a pastor-president. This leader manages affiliated congregations. The mother church handles tithes and funds. It also assigns pastors to local churches.
Doctrine within the Assembleia de Deus varies. However it generally emphasizes the Bible. It highlights the death of Christ baptism by immersion and Holy Communion. Grape juice is used instead of wine. Tithing is obligatory. Members believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They also believe in Jesus’ premillennial return.
The Assembleia de Deus has faced divisions over time. Various conventions and ministries have emerged. They operate independently using the same name. The most significant include the Conven\u00e7\u00e3o Geral das Assembleias de Deus no Brasil and the National Convention of the Assemblies of God Madureira Ministry.