A CHRONOLOGY OF PROTESTANT BEGINNINGS:  BRAZIL

by Clifton L. Holland, Director of PROLADES

(last revised on May 27, 2003)

Historical Overview of Brazil:

Independence from Portugal:                                                                                                1822

Period of Brazilian Monarchy:                                                                                       1822-1889

Independent Republic Established:                                                                                       1889

Religious Liberty Established:                                                                                              1891


Number of North American agencies in 1989:                                                                          165
Number of North American agencies in 1996:                                                                          124

Indicates European society*

Significant Protestant Beginnings:

     1555-1566 - *French Huguenot colony (Calvinists) established under French commander Villegaignon; the first Protestant worship service was held in Brazil on March 10, 1557; the French were expelled by the Portuguese in 1566.

     1624-1654 - *Dutch colony (Calvinists) and mission efforts on N.E. coast at Recife; the Dutch were expelled by the Portuguese in 1654.

     1817       -    *British and Foreign Bible Society colporteurs

     1835       -    Methodist Episcopal Church of USA (permanent work 1874)

     1854       -    American Bible Society Agency established (1876)

     1858       -    Independent Congregational Church, Scottish missionary doctor Robert Reid Kalley – Igreja Evangélica Fluminense; today this church is known as Union of Congregational Churches of Brazil.

     1859       -    Presbyterian Church USA (Northern), missionary Ashbel Green Simonton; established the first Brazilian Presbyterian Church in the city of Río de Janeiro in 1863.

     1861       -    *Basel Missionary Society among German immigrants

     1869       -    Presbyterian Church (South)

     1870       -    Southern Baptist Convention (1881 permanent work), now under International Mission Board

     1871       -    *South American Missionary Society (SAMS-Anglican tradition)

     1874       -    Methodist Episcopal Church (South)

     1880       -    Methodist Episcopal Church (North)

     1889       -    Protestant Episcopal Church

     1892       -    *Evangelical Union of South America (Help for Brazil)

     1894       -    Seventh-day Adventist General Conference

     1900       -    Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod

     1903       -    The Presbyterian Church of Brazil became divided and a new denomination was formed:  The Independent Presbyterian Church.

     1905       -    Reformed Church of Colombo

     1907       -    *Christian Missions in Many Lands (Plymouth Brethren)

     1910       -    *Swedish Pentecostals (Gunnar Vingren and Daniel Berg from South Bend, Indiana, founded the Assemblies of God of Brazil; the Assemblies of God USA began work in 1925)

     1910       -    *Italian Pentecostals (Louis Francescon from Chicago): founded the Christian Congregation in Platina, Paraná.

     1911       -    Gospel Missionary Union

     1911       -    Evangelical Reformed Churches of Brazil (Dutch immigrants)

     1913       -    South America Indian Mission (now, South America Mission), also Canadian South American Mission

     1916       -    *German Baptist Church

     1920       -    Evangelical Congregational Churches of Brazil (established by missionaries from Argentina)

     1922       -    The Salvation Army, USA

     1922       -    United Church Board for World Ministry

     1923       -    Church of God (Anderson, IN)

     1923       -    Baptist Faith Missions

     1925       -    Assemblies of God, USA

     1924       -    Baptist Faith Missions

     1927       -    Central Armenian Evangelical Church of Sao Paulo (Armenian immigrants)

     1928       -    Free Methodist Church of North America

     1928       -    Caiuá Evangelical Mission, formed by American missionaries Albert Sidney and Mabel Maxwell to reach the Amerindian peoples.

     1931       -    Unevangelized Fields Mission, now UFM International

     1932       -    Christian Reformed Church of Brazil (Hungarian immigrants)

     1933       -    Reformed Evangelical Churches in Brazil (Dutch immigrants)

     1934       -    The Evangelical Confederation of Brazil formed

     1935       -    *Pentecostal Missionary Union for Great Britain and Ireland

     1935       -    Baptist Mid-Missions

     1939       -    Brazil Gospel Fellowship Mission

     1940       -    Conservative Presbyterian Church of Brazil (a split from the Independent Presbyterian Church)

     1941       -    Child Evangelism Fellowship

     1942       -    Association of Baptists for World Evangelization (ABWE)

     1944       -    Mennonite Brethren Missions

     1945       -    International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

     1946       -    New Tribes Mission

     1946       -    Mennonite Brethren Missions and Services

     1946       -    Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society, now CBInternational

     1948       -    Pilgrim Fellowship Inc.

     1948       -    Christian Church and Churches of Christ

     1948       -    Pilgrim Fellowship, Inc.

     1949       -    Grace Brethren International Missions

     1950       -    OMS International, Inc.

     1950       -    Youth For Christ, USA

     1951       -    Church of God World Missions (Cleveland, TN)

     1952       -    Baptist Bible Fellowship International

     1953       -    Baptist Missionary Association

     1954       -    Arabic Evangelical Church of Sao Paulo (Lebanese immigrants)

     1955       -    Brazil for Christ founded by Manuel de Melo

     1955       -    Baptist General Conference

     1955       -    World Partners Missionary Church

     1955       -    Mennonite Board of Missions

     1956       -    Wycliffe Bible Translators

     1956       -    United Pentecostal Church International

     1956       -    Fundamentalist Presbyterian Church (led by Dr. Israel Gueiros, northeastern region)    

     1957       -    CMF International

     1957       -    World Team

     1957       -    WEC International

     1957       -    Grace Ministries International

     1957       -    Missionary Aviation Fellowship

     1958       -    Swiss Evangelical Church (Swiss immigrants) in Sao Paulo

     1958       -    Church of the Nazarene

     1958       -    Wesleyan World Missions

     1958       -    Free Will Baptist Association

     1958       -    Evangelical Lutheran Church

     1958       -    Things To Come Mission, Inc.

     1960       -    Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Bahía (Japanese immigrants, affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Koza, Japan)

     1960       -    Apostolic Christian Church

     1960       -    Christians in Action

     1960       -    World Baptist Fellowship Mission

     1961       -    Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society

     1961       -    Christian & Missionary Alliance

     1961       -    World-Wide Missions

     1962       -    Central Presbyterian Church of Formosa in Brazil (Taiwanese immigrants, has ties with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan)

     1962       -    Go Ye Fellowship

     1962       -    God Is Love Pentecostal Church, founded by David Miranda in Sao Paulo; this church is considered by many Evangelicals to be a Christian sect because of its syncretistic tendencies.

     1963       -    Bethany Fellowship Missions

     1963       -    The Navigators

     1963       -    Every Home for Christ

     1963       -    OC International, Inc. (formerly known as Overseas Crusades)

     1964       -    Fellowship International Mission

     1964       -    Korean United Presbyterian Church of Sao Paulo (Korean immigrants, linked to the Presbyterian Church of South Korea)

     1964       -    General Conference Mennonite Church

     1964       -    Association of Free Lutheran Congregations

     1965       -    Church of God of Prophecy

     1965       -    Pocket Testament League

     1966       -    North American Baptist Conference

     1966       -    United World Mission

     1967       -    Evangelical Church of Sao Paulo (Japanese immigrants)

     1967       -    Baptist International Missions

     1967       -    Berean Mission, Inc.

     1968       -    Campus Crusade for Christ

     1968       -    Mennonite Central Committee

     1969       -    Maranatha Baptist Mission

     1969       -    Korean Presbyterian Church of Brazil (Korean immigrants, has ties to the Presbyterian Church Hapdong of South Korea)

     1969       -    Partners International

     1970       -    Shield of Faith Mission International

     1970       -    Apostolic Church In Canada

     1970       -    Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada

     1971       -    Macedonia World Baptist Missions

     1972       -    The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM)

     1973       -    Global Outreach Mission, USA & Canada

     1973       -    Mission to the World, Presbyterian Church of America

     1975       -    Renewed Presbyterian Church: Pentecostal tradition, a merger of the Christian Presbyterian Church (founded in 1968) and the Independent Renewed Presbyterian Church (founded in 1972).

     1975       -    Reformed Episcopal Church Board of Missions

     1975       -    Janz Team Ministries

     1976       -    PAZ International

     1977       -    Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, founded in Río de Janeiro by Bishop Edir Macendo; this church is also known as “Fervent Prayer to the Holy Spirit” and is considered by many Evangelicals to be a Christian sect because of its syncretistic tendencies.

     1978       -    National Federation of Presbyterian Churches (affiliated with the United Presbyterian Church USA)

     1979       -    Baptist World Mission

     1980       -    Christian Church of North America

     1981       -    Emmanuel International, Canada

     1984       -    Antioch Presbyterian Church (Korean immigrants, has ties to the Presbyterian Church of Kora, TongHap, Korea)

     1985       -    ALM International

     1985       -    Latin America Mission (Institute of In-Depth Evangelization of Brazil)

     1985       -    HCJB World Radio Missionary Fellowship

     1986       -    Evangelical Free Church of North America

     1987       -    BCM International

     1987       -    Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

     1987       -    InterVarsity Mission

     1987       -    Habitat for Humanity International

     1988       -    Walk Thru The Bible Ministries

     1989       -    Global Outreach, Ltd.

     1990       -    Pioneers, Canada

     1991       -    Reformed Church of Brasolandia (Dutch immigrants in Minas Gerais, central region)

     1991       -    Action International Ministries

     1991       -    Young Life of Canada

     1991       -    Christ for the Island World

     1992       -    International Street Kids Ministry

     1993       -    Traditional Presbyterian Church of Brazil (central region)

     1994       -    Reformed Church of Brazil (has ties to the Canadian Reformed Churches)

     1994       -    Churches of God General Conference

     1994       -    Literacy & Evangelism International

     1994       -    SIM USA (a merger of several mission societies)

     1995       -    Reformed Church of Colombo (Dutch immigrants)

     1995       -    Christ for the City International (affiliated with Latin America Mission)

    

Date of Origin Unknown:

 

                        Brethren Assemblies (Plymouth Brethren), USA & Canada

                        Christian Aid Mission

                        Cumberland Presbyterian Church

                        Evangelical Bible Mission

                        Gospel Fellowship Association

                        Operation Mobilization

                        Teens Mission International

                        Youth With A Mission (YWAM)

 

 

NOTES:

(1)     Dates listed indicate the earliest ministry or in case of discrepancies, the date most frequently indicated by the sources.

(2)     North American Agencies include U.S. and Canadian.

SOURCES:

(1)  Daryl L. Platt, "Who Represents the Evangelical Churches in Latin America? A Study of the Evangelical Fellowship Organizations." Pasadena, CA: an unpublished Doctor of Missiology Dissertation, School of World Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary, June 1991. Used by permission of the author.

(2)  PROLADES (Latin American Socio-religious Studies Program), international headquarters in San José, Costa Rica: www.prolades.com, prolades@racsa.co.cr

(3)     Dayton Roberts and John Siewert, editors:  Mission Handbook of U.S. and Canadian Christian Ministries Overseas (MARC 1989).

(4)     John A. Siewert and Edna G. Valdez, editors: Mission Handbook of U.S. and Canadian Christian Ministries Overseas (MARC 1997).

(5)     Jean-Jacques Bauswein and Lukas Vischer, The Reformed Family Worldwide (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999).