Cover se C tion
Consulate, Cars and Christ
Brazilian church reaches out in south Florida By Mickey Noah P
astor Silair Almeida speaks with the confidence that comes from almost 20 years’ experience in ministry to the some 300,000 Brazilians who now call South Florida home.
Silair and his wife, Debora, immigrated to the United States from Brazil 19 years ago. Together, they and five others started First Brazilian Bap- tist Church of South Florida in Pompano Beach. Today, the church has 1,600 members, is the largest Brazilian Baptist church in the United States, and is a powerful magnet drawing Brazilians in South Florida to Christ.
A few years ago, Almeida’s church—which baptizes 200 new believers each year—was named “one of the fastest growing churches in America” by Outreach Magazine.
“Reaching Brazilians for Christ is a big chal-
lenge,” Silair says. “It’s hard. You can’t reach them in the traditional ways. You start with relationships, friendships and social ministries.” Silair says First Brazilian Baptist runs 28 minis- tries—staffed by 450 church volunteers—for Brazil- ian immigrants in the area.
“We have a strong food ministry and a ministry that finds jobs for people,” he says. “Our church is the only Brazilian church in the U.S. housing
a Brazilian consulate, where people can come to get passports, visas and other Brazilian documents. About 300 people come to the consulate each week and not all of those are Christians. Silair says every ministry effort is focused on seeing people make Christ their Lord.
Once a year, the church brings 12,000 local Bra- zilians and 200 businesses together for networking. The church also runs a 26-vehicle, car-loaning min- istry for those without cars, whereby members donate their old cars, church mechanics keep them running, and the cars are loaned to those with transportation needs. When the person buys their own car, they turn the loaner back into the church for someone else. Available to local Brazilians in and outside his church, the “loan-a-car” ministry is free. First Brazilian Baptist’s ministries also include the usual programs featuring sports (especially soccer), music and Brazilian culture and traditions, including annual observance of Brazil’s Independence Day. But the church is externally focused as well, sponsoring five to eight mission trips to countries like China and Hong Kong each year. Members recently returned from Haiti, where they ministered for two months and donated $50,000. OM
Mickey Noah is a writer for the North American Mission Board.
ON MISSION • Fall 2010 21
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