Brazil (MNN) — Over a century ago, a missionary couple moved to Brazil to start a church. Now, generations later, the Brazillian Baptist Church has members all around the country.
Everything started in the city of Goiânia, where the couple first began their ministry. How fitting that 100 convention meetings later, believers would meet in that same city to plan their next big project.
Pastors and leaders from all over the country came to Goiânia for a meeting to share ideas and build plans for their May 2020 event. Expecting limited attendance, the meeting’s orchestrators only reserved one convention center. But, as Sammy Tippit of Sammy Tippit Ministries reports, the convention center quickly overflowed, as did backup overflow areas.
Photo courtesy of Sammy Tippit Ministries
What impressed Tippit the most was the lack of showmanship it took for the meeting to drum up so much attention. After a few worship songs and a short sermon by Tippit, believers gathered in droves to worship God and consider their relationship with Him.
“It was absolutely amazing,” Tippit says. “People responded, people came to Christ. It was just a great move of God. And for me, I felt like it was a moment of affirming all that missionaries have done over 100 years in Brazil, and an affirmation that the Brazilians are moving forward and God is blessing and using them in a tremendous way.”
Since that first couple came to Brazil, the local church has grown to include millions of Brazillian Baptists. In fact, Tippit says the Brazillian Baptist convention is the second largest missionary agency in the world, with members taking projects around the globe. This hundredth convention and the thousands that attended were tangible proof of that couple’s long-term influence.
Photo courtesy of Sammy Tippit Ministries
And that was only the planning meeting. In May 2020, Sammy Tippit Ministries plans to help launch a massive missions emphasis with a global perspective.
How big? “We’re trusting that we’re going to reach 10 million people with the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Tippit says. “This is all beginning and being initiated inside Brazil, and it’s through discipleship.”
For Tippit and others working on this project, relationships is the name of the game. As Tippit puts it, “If it takes a dog and pony show to get a person into a meeting, it takes a dog and pony show to keep them, so we have none of that.” Instead, they use counselors, networking, and local churches to plug new believers into local Christian communities and give them a chance to experience discipleship from their neighbors and friends.
The project is already starting. Tippit says they helped Brazillian Baptists establish a 31-day prayer program for the event in May 2020. When the event does come to a close, “We’re going to have a great evangelistic event that will be livestreamed and broadcast throughout Brazil, and not just Brazil, but the rest of the world.”
At that point, Sammy Tippit Ministries will help new believers connect with small groups that in turn connect to local churches. In fact, many small groups have already started as local believers prepare to invest in one another and connect with God’s Word.
Consider joining Brazillian believers in prayer for this coming event. Ask God to give you the same passion and joy for Christ so many local believers are experiencing. Thank Him for the incessant excitement of the Brazilian Church.
“What’s exciting for me to see is that it’s not just something that is a program but it’s something where the lives of people are being changed,” Tippit says. “There’s excitement. There’s a joy, a thrill. There’s a young set of leaders who are on fire for the Lord.”
Find out more at Sammy Tippit’s website.
Header photo courtesy of Sammy Tippit Ministries.
