Igreja Evangélica Avivamento Bíblico

Can a church be born amidst eucalyptus trees? For the Igreja Evangélica Avivamento Bíblico in São Paulo, the answer is a resounding yes. Our story begins on September 7, 1946, in the eucalyptus grove behind the Methodist Theology Faculty in Rudge Ramos, São Bernardo do Campo. A group of Methodist brethren from Tucuruvi and Vila Mazzei, yearning for a deeper spiritual experience, gathered here. They believed in the baptism with the Holy Spirit as a personal experience. Many had already felt this fullness. Joined by seminary students Mário Roberto Lindstron, Oswaldo Fuentes, and Alídio Flora Agostinho, they resolved to continue the work they had begun within the Methodist Church. This decision marked the official birth of the Igreja Evangélica Avivamento Bíblico. This group, known as the “clamor group,” prayed intensely for revival within their church. They preached sanctification and baptism with the Holy Spirit. Their fervor, however, led to their departure from the Methodist Church. They sought to be a movement, not just another denomination. They chose the name Igreja Evangélica Avivamento Bíblico, a name that still resonates today. The founders of the Igreja Evangélica Avivamento Bíblico craved sanctification and the power to witness revival. They dedicated themselves to prayer, Bible study, and evangelization. Many of these early members, like Francisco Antonio Barbosa, Pedro Soares Martins, and Virgilio Conti, have passed on. Their legacy, however, lives on in the Igreja Evangélica Avivamento Bíblico. The movement spread rapidly. In Jaçanã, forty-seven members, including Mário Roberto Lindstron, were baptized in the Cabuçu River in 1947. Two months later, the first assembly of the Igreja Evangélica Avivamento Bíblico was held, establishing its leadership and ministry. By 1957, the Jaçanã church had twelve congregations in São Paulo and two in the state’s interior. The movement continued to flourish, reaching Presidente Bernardes in 1948, where Alídio Flora Agostinho, just twenty years old, was consecrated as the second pastor. The Igreja Evangélica Avivamento Bíblico reached Presidente Prudente, Santo André, and even the northern region of Paraná, utilizing evangelistic tents to spread their message. From its humble beginnings beneath the eucalyptus trees, the Igreja Evangélica Avivamento Bíblico has grown to encompass churches across Brazil and even internationally. The spirit of revival that ignited the movement in 1946 continues to burn brightly.