Assembleias de Deus
Encyclopedia
The Assembléias de Deus are a group of Pentecostal
denominations in Brazil
related to the Assemblies of God
.
had the Pentecostal experience in Chicago and departed to Brazil. They came to Belém
, Pará
, Brazil
, where in 1911 founded the Missão de Fé Apostólica, which later changed its name in 1918 to "Assembleia de Deus".
The Pentecostal movement in Brazil had already been started by that time among Italians in São Paulo, by an Italian-American missionary, Louis Francescon
, who initiated the Christian Congregation of Brazil
(CCB) in 1910. While the CCB spread in the South, the Assembleias de Deus reached the Amazon villages and the semi-arid Nordeste before migrants from the North brought the Church to Rio de Janeiro
and São Paulo
in the late 1920s.
Initially the Assembleia de Deus was intimately linked to the Scandinavian Pentecostal
movement, led by Lewi Pethrus
, who financed and sent missionaries to help Berg and Vingren. The Swedish Pentecostals gave autonomy to the Brazilian Assembleia de Deus in a General Convention in 1932. From that time onwards the American Assemblies of God increased their presence, mainly on doctrinal and teaching spheres, on the Brazilian denomination, but retained its independence from their American brethren, as Hollenweger puts it: "In the mission statistics of the North American Assemblies of God, the Assembleia de Deus figure as their mission church. In contrast, the Brazilian Pentecostals regard themselves as an independent church."
Altogether, the churches that bear the name Assembleias de Deus in Brazil had 8.5 million adherents in 2001.
In the United States there are a Brazilian Assembleias de Deus, mostly in the Eastern Coast, some are affiliated with the Brazilian District of the Assemblies of God, but the majority of the Brazilian churches are either independent or linked to their ministério back in Brazil.
(called Ministerio) where each Ministerio is a directed by a mother-church under a pastor-president (also called bishop
or apostle
in various Ministerio) with affiliated congregations and preaching points. The mother-church receive tithe
s and manages the funds of the affiliated local churches, as well as assign pastors for the local congregations. There is a strong influence of pastoral leadership on the decision-taking process, and the members only rubber stamp
the Ministerio decisions.
, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the premillennial return of Jesus, considerate Christian headcovering
for woman in worship and kiss of peace as heresies.
English-speaking countries
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
denominations in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
related to the Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
.
History
The Assembléias de Deus began when Daniel Berg and Gunnar Vingren, two Swedish Baptist immigrants from South Bend, IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
had the Pentecostal experience in Chicago and departed to Brazil. They came to Belém
Belém
Belém is a Brazilian city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará, in the country's north region. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station...
, Pará
Pará
Pará is a state in the north of Brazil. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest it also borders Guyana and Suriname, and to the northeast it borders the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Belém.Pará is the most populous state...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, where in 1911 founded the Missão de Fé Apostólica, which later changed its name in 1918 to "Assembleia de Deus".
The Pentecostal movement in Brazil had already been started by that time among Italians in São Paulo, by an Italian-American missionary, Louis Francescon
Louis Francescon
Louis Francescon was a missionary and pioneer of the Italian Pentecostal Movement. Several Pentecostal denominations and fellowships acknowledge him as their founder, including the Christian Church of North America, the Christian Congregation in the United States, and the Christian Congregation of...
, who initiated the Christian Congregation of Brazil
Christian Congregation of Brazil
The Christian Congregation in Brazil is an evangelical denomination founded in that country by the Italian-American missionary Luigi Francescon .-History:...
(CCB) in 1910. While the CCB spread in the South, the Assembleias de Deus reached the Amazon villages and the semi-arid Nordeste before migrants from the North brought the Church to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
and São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
in the late 1920s.
Initially the Assembleia de Deus was intimately linked to the Scandinavian Pentecostal
Fellowship of Christian Assemblies
The Fellowship of Christian Assemblies is a pentecostal Christian association with roots in a revival during the 1890's among the Scandinavian Baptist and Pietist communities in the United States....
movement, led by Lewi Pethrus
Lewi Pethrus
Petrus Lewi Pethrus was a Swedish Pentecostal minister who played a decisive role in the formation and development of the Pentecostal movement in his country.-Life:...
, who financed and sent missionaries to help Berg and Vingren. The Swedish Pentecostals gave autonomy to the Brazilian Assembleia de Deus in a General Convention in 1932. From that time onwards the American Assemblies of God increased their presence, mainly on doctrinal and teaching spheres, on the Brazilian denomination, but retained its independence from their American brethren, as Hollenweger puts it: "In the mission statistics of the North American Assemblies of God, the Assembleia de Deus figure as their mission church. In contrast, the Brazilian Pentecostals regard themselves as an independent church."
Schism
Since 1980s the Assembleias de Deus suffered several schisms and splits and many Conventions and Ministérios left using the same name. The most significant are:- General Convention of the Assemblies of God of Brazil (CGADB) - the largest and most traditional convention, the only group that has official fellowship with the American Assemblies of God, headquartered in Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
and considers itself the heir of the Swedish mission. The CGADB had nearly 3,5 million members in 2001. - National Convention of the Assemblies of God- Also known as the Assembleias de Deus Ministerio Madureira - started as an internal ministerio of the CGADB in 1958, with headquarters in the Madureira neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, but in 1989 was expelled from the General Convention, taking 1/3 of its membership and churches. It has an episcopal governance, but doctrinally is similar to the GCADB. It had about 2 million members in 2001.
- Assembleia de Deus Betesta - headquartered in FortalezaFortalezaFortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...
, CearáCearáCeará is one of the 27 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is currently the 8th largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the main touristic destinations in Brazil. The state capital is the city of...
. It has nearly 200 churches, serving mostly middle class. - There are almost a hundred small minsterios and independent conventions.
Altogether, the churches that bear the name Assembleias de Deus in Brazil had 8.5 million adherents in 2001.
Foreign Work
The Brazilian Assembleia de Deus has always sent missionaries abroad, starting in 1913 when a returning Portuguese immigrant was commanded to Portugal. Today, there are Brazilian missionaries in Latin America and in the Portuguese-speaking Africa. There also are Brazilian Assemblies of God among the Brazilian immigrant communities in North America, Japan, and Western Europe, but usually they do not have relations with the local World Assemblies of God Fellowship affiliated national denominations.In the United States there are a Brazilian Assembleias de Deus, mostly in the Eastern Coast, some are affiliated with the Brazilian District of the Assemblies of God, but the majority of the Brazilian churches are either independent or linked to their ministério back in Brazil.
Organization
The Assembleias de Deus have a non-territorial episcopal polityEpiscopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
(called Ministerio) where each Ministerio is a directed by a mother-church under a pastor-president (also called bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
or apostle
Apostle
An apostle is a messenger and ambassador.Apostle and apostles may refer to:-Religion:* Apostle , one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, named in the New Testament...
in various Ministerio) with affiliated congregations and preaching points. The mother-church receive tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s and manages the funds of the affiliated local churches, as well as assign pastors for the local congregations. There is a strong influence of pastoral leadership on the decision-taking process, and the members only rubber stamp
Rubber stamp
Rubber stamping, also called stamping, is a craft in which some type of ink made of dye or pigment is applied to an image or pattern that has been carved, molded, laser engraved or vulcanized, onto a sheet of rubber. The rubber is often mounted onto a more stable object such as a wood, brick or an...
the Ministerio decisions.
Doctrine
Since it is not a unified movement, there are many variations in doctrine and practice in the Assembleias de Deus in Brazil, but in common they believe in the Bible as the sole source of doctrine, the vicarious death of Christ, in the baptism of adults by immersion in water, in Holy Communion with no wine, the obligation of the titheTithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the premillennial return of Jesus, considerate Christian headcovering
Christian Headcovering
The Christian headcovering is a veiling worn by various Christian women from a variety of traditions. Some cover only in church or while praying; most never cover their heads all the time. They refer to 1 Corinthians 11, or to custom, as the basis for their practice...
for woman in worship and kiss of peace as heresies.
External links
Brazil- CGADB - Convenção Geral das Assembléias de Deus no Brasil in Portuguese
- ADM - Assembléia de Deus - Missões - em Campo Grande, MS, Brasil in Portuguese
English-speaking countries
- Convenção Fraternal dos Ministros das Assembleias de Deus Brasileiras nos EUA, CGADB
- Assembleia de Deus - Ministério Missao: United States, Canada
- Assembleia de Deus de Londres: England, Western Europe
- Assembléia de Deus Anglo-Brasileira: England
- Assembleia de Deus - Ministério do Belém (CGADB): United States, Canada
- Assembleia de Deus - Ministério Madureira: United States
- Assembleia de Deus - Ministério Restauração: United States
- Assembleia de Deus - Ministério do Belém (CGADB) Europe
- Assembleia de Deus do Canadá: Canada
- Assembleia de Deus - Ministério de Toronto: Canada, Brazil, Bolivia