Abstract:
The Brazilian Neo-Pentecostal Movement has impressively spread throughout the country in the past two decades and significantly diversified the evangelical landscape in the nation. Churches affiliated with the movement comprise the fastest growing segment in Brazilian evangelicalism and their adherents make up an estimated forty-two percent of the Pentecostal camp.
The Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus (IURD, Universal Church of the Kingdom of God) is the most well-known denomination to come out of the movement and possibly the largest contemporary missionary export from a third-world nation. Therefore, the missiological case analysis centers on the IURD to determine if it has actually facilitated or inhibited the successful evangelization of Brazilian society. Published documents by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and evangelical scholars who are in general agreement with the Lausanne Movement provide sound criteria for the evangelical mission assessment.
In the first chapter, I present preliminary details concerning Brazilian Neo-Pentecostalism and the IURD, the research question, a literature review, and rational for the project. The second chapter documents the development of Brazilian Pentecostalism from its inception to the
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present third-wave movement. Chapter three surveys aspects of the IURD: its founder and principal leader, controversies and criticisms around the denomination, ecclesiastical organization, principal ministry outlet, primary message, and expansion. The fourth chapter explores factors that have facilitated the IURD‟s growth and integration in Brazilian society. The fifth chapter analyzes certain features of the IURD to determine if it has promoted or deterred the evangelization of Brazilian society; areas for consideration include soteriological tenets, certain aspects related to worldview, fellowship dynamics, the importance of financial giving, and societal interaction. The last chapter recaps the thesis‟ content, summarizes a response to the research question, and elaborates on the implications that the findings mean for evangelical mission.
Through the contents herein, mission researchers and the global church can better comprehend the IURD‟s complexity, teachings, strategies, and practices and begin to understand its impact on evangelical mission. Furthermore, pastors and parishioners can effectively serve potential, current, and former adherents of the IURD and similar churches.