How about stepping back to 1927? That year marks a pivotal moment. It is the beginning of Assembleia de Deus min. Belém in São Paulo.
Daniel Berg a missionary founded Assembleia de Deus min. Belém. He started with a humble rented house. The very first service took place there.
Over time the church grew. Assembleia de Deus min. Belém moved to various locations. It finally settled in Belenzinho in 1976.
Today Assembleia de Deus min. Belém thrives. It has 500000 members in greater São Paulo. There are 2000 organized churches. Fifteen thousand pastors lead them. In the interior there are 164 independent fields. All are connected to the Belém Ministry. The church journeys toward its centennial.
The church’s early days faced challenges. Other denominations were wary. Some even spread alarms about a dangerous sect. Ironically this negative publicity sparked curiosity. People wanted to know about the new church. Prayer and intense evangelization became its hallmarks.
From Belém the church spread. It reached Brazil’s northeast capitals first. Then it expanded into the interior and other regions. In São Paulo state Santos saw the first Assembleia de Deus in 1924.
Daniel Berg arrived in São Paulo city in 1927. He established the Ministério do Belém. Several pastors have led the Assembleia de Deus min. Belém. Daniel Berg was one. José Wellington Bezerra da Costa is the current pastor. He also presides over the CGADB. That is the General Convention of the Assemblies of God in Brazil. He has done so for over 20 years.
The Assembleia de Deus min. Belém – Sítio dos Morros continues this legacy. It shares the good news. It’s part of a larger movement with deep roots. The church remains a beacon of faith.