Driven by the divine, two Swedish missionaries arrived in Brazil. They sought to spread their Pentecostal faith. This is the story of the Assembleia de Deus. It began in Belém do Pará. Daniel Berg and Gunnar Vingren founded the church in 1911.
Imagine, if you will, the early 20th century in Brazil. The religious landscape was about to change. Berg and Vingren, sent from Sweden, arrived with a mission. They established the Missão de Fé Apostólica. It later became the Assembleia de Deus.
The Pentecostal movement was already stirring in Brazil. An Italian-American missionary, Louis Francescon, had started the Christian Congregation of Brazil in São Paulo. While Francescon’s church grew in the south, the Assembleia de Deus targeted the Amazon and the northeast. Later, migrants carried the church to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in the late 1920s.
Initially, the Assembleia de Deus had strong ties to the Swedish Pentecostal movement. Lewi Pethrus, a Swedish leader, provided financial support and sent missionaries. In 1932, the Swedish Pentecostals granted the Brazilian church autonomy. The American Assemblies of God increased their presence. They mainly influenced doctrine and teaching. However, the Brazilian church remained independent.
Walter Hollenweger noted that North American Assemblies of God regarded the Assembleia de Deus as their mission church. Brazilians saw themselves as an independent entity. This distinction highlights the unique development of the church in Brazil.
The Assembleia de Deus grew rapidly. By 2013, it boasted 12 million members. This made it one of the largest Protestant denominations in Brazil.
Over the years, the Assembleia de Deus has experienced divisions. Many independent conventions and ministérios emerged using the same name. Despite these divisions, they remain independent organizations. Among the most significant denominations is the Convenção Geral das Assembleias de Deus no Brasil CGADB. This is the General Convention of the Assemblies of God in Brazil. It considers itself the heir of the Swedish mission. The CGADB has nearly twenty thousand ministries. Since 2018, the federal government has recognized the authenticity of the church and its legacy.
Another significant denomination is the Convenção Nacional das Assembleias de Deus Ministério Madureira CONAMAD. Pastor Paulo Leivas Macalão founded this ministry in 1958. Madureira was initially part of CGADB.
The Assembleia de Deus has a history of sending missionaries abroad. It began in 1913 with a Portuguese immigrant sent back to Portugal. Today, Brazilian missionaries serve in Latin America and Portuguese-speaking Africa.
Assembleias de Deus also exist among Brazilian immigrant communities. These communities are in North America, Japan, and Western Europe. They typically do not have relationships with local World Assemblies of God Fellowship-affiliated denominations. In the United States, Assembleias de Deus are mostly on the east coast. Some are affiliated with the Brazilian District of the Assemblies of God. Many remain independent or linked to their ministério back in Brazil.
The Assembleias de Deus operates with a non-territorial episcopal polity. This is called ministério. Each ministério is led by a mother church under a pastor-president. Affiliated congregations and preaching points fall under this structure. The mother church manages the funds and assigns pastors. Pastoral leadership has a strong influence on decision-making.
Each ministério operates almost entirely independently. This structure results in independent denominations.
The Assembleia de Deus continues to be a significant religious force in Brazil. Its growth and influence reflect its dynamic history and diverse congregations.
Today, the Assembleia de Deus plays an increasing role in Brazilian politics. Though they represent only a segment of the population.