Arrival in Belém (1910)

On November 19, 1910, Swedish Pentecostal missionaries Daniel Berg (26) and Adolf Vingren (31) stepped ashore in Belém, Pará, at the mouth of the Amazon. They had left the United States with few resources, but with a settled conviction that God had called them to Brazil. Belém—humid, bustling, and culturally layered—became the starting point for a work marked by patient endurance, gospel clarity, and prayerful dependence. Their arrival embodied the pilgrim spirit of believers who “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Daniel Berg and Adolf Vingren

Berg and Vingren were not celebrated men by worldly measures. They served with quiet heroism: learning language, living simply, and accepting misunderstanding without retaliation. Their preaching centered on the new birth, the authority of Scripture, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit for holy living and courageous witness. Their confidence was not in personality or technique, but in God’s promise: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses…” (Acts 1:8). They urged repentance and faith in Christ, expecting the Spirit to awaken hearts, deepen assurance, and produce visible fruits of obedience.

Opposition and Perseverance

The message they carried was often resisted, sometimes even by those who professed Christianity but viewed Pentecostal experience with suspicion. Yet they answered opposition with steadfastness, seeking peace where possible and holding to truth where necessary. Their work was shaped by prayer meetings, Bible teaching, and pastoral care—slow, steady labor that trusted God for growth. Their endurance modeled the Christian virtues of humility, courage, and long-suffering, aiming not merely at religious excitement but at sanctified lives.

The First Church and Expanding Influence (1918 and after)

In 1918, after years of evangelism and discipleship, the first Pentecostal church in Brazil was established, laying foundations for what would become the Assemblies of God in Brazil. From Belém the movement spread along rivers, through neighborhoods, and into distant regions, carried by ordinary believers convinced that Christ saves, the Spirit empowers, and Scripture guides. By God’s providence, this work grew into Brazil’s largest Protestant body, a testimony to how faithful witness—offered in weakness—can bear lasting fruit when God grants the increase.