Building Gospel Partnerships in Brazil

An update from Bert Turner, Executive Pastor at Covenant of Grace, Ohio, USA and Emerging Nations representative to Brazil…

My wife Karen and I had the privilege and joy of spending five weeks in Brazil serving five churches interested in partnership and/or relationship with Sovereign Grace Churches. We spent time with some dear friends and made new friends along the way. It is a joy to now have two ordained Sovereign Grace pastors in Brazil – Emerson Soares and Fabiano Medeiros who are providing leadership in Brazil.

Marcia & Fabiano Medeiros

Emerson & Tati Soares

Igreja CasaVide São Bernardo

We had a wonderful connection with pastors Rafael Yamashiro and André Casamiro, their leadership team and the church. I have been meeting online monthly with Rafael since January 2024, but this was our first visit to the church. These men embrace the gospel and the SGC values and virtues. We all feel the Lord is drawing us toward partnership.

Igreja Arca Santa Rosa

We had a good first visit with Pastor Jónatas Weide and Jefferson Weide (cousins) at a church plant by our friends at Arche Church in Hamburg, Germany. Emerson will continue to pursue the relationship.

Igreja Graça Soberana de Rio Grande

We held the ordination of Emerson as a Sovereign Grace Churches pastor which will lead soon to receiving the first church in Brazil into partnership with SGC!

Pastors & Wives retreat in Rio Grande

We had a wonderful retreat that was primarily relational. Then I taught a seminar on the Church and the Holy Spirit. We felt the Lord’s grace as we grew in relationships and trust.

Igreja Viela Novo Hamburgo

We had a good first visit with Pastor Tarik Rodrigues after connecting with him via video call for the first time in December, 2024. I spoke to the leadership and to the church. This is a remarkable example of grace in church planting. The church has grown in number quickly so they are growing a Gospel culture. We hold very similar theological values. I’m looking forward to more talks with Tarik.

Igreja Reformada Cidade Cinco São Paulo

After developing relationship over three years with Pastor Fabio Leal we had a good first visit with the leadership and church. Fabio hopes to attend the 2025 US Pastors Conference.

We are greatly encouraged by God’s sovereign work in Brazil as he continues to develop meaningful relationships by the Holy Spirit. It is a joy to find churches that embrace the values and virtues that are so precious to us in and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.