Gary Miller Ministry

Mar 16: Brazil

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Brazil

Federative Republic of Brazil

Latin America

See Prayer Information

Geography

Area: 8,511,965 sq km
One-half of the land surface and population of South America. The world’s fifth largest country in both area and population.
Population: 195,423,252    Annual Growth: 0.99%
Capital: Brasilia
Urbanites: 86.5%
HDI Rank: 75 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 315 (18% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Portuguese    Languages:193 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	178,616,852	91.40	1.1
Evangelicals	51,334,091	26.3	1.7

Prayercast

Answer to Prayer

Prayer movements and meetings are a strength of Brazilian Christianity. Huge gatherings, sustained intercession networks (such as the women’s prayer network in Goiania, which brought about much change there) and the spiritually oriented Brazilian mentality combine to make this a nation with many prayer warriors.
     For an additional 3 Answers to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

Challenge for Prayer

Catholics in Brazil number more than in any other country, but the Church itself remains in crisis. The defection rate has slowed, but it continues to lose members to evangelicals, to Spiritists and to non-religion. By 2025, Catholicism could be a minority religion, having held 95% of the population in 1950. Around 70% of ex-Catholics are now evangelicals. Even within Catholicism, only a small minority remain traditionally Catholic and faithful in practice; many others are influenced by Spiritism, nominalism or the charismatic renewal. The grassroots “Base Community” movement, the engine room of liberation theology, has lost much of its drive, but nearly one million “Bible circles” persist, hosting studies of Scripture. Pray that the Bible and its truths may mould the lives of Catholics. Other points for prayer:
a) A desperate shortage of priests. Of the current 18,000, many are foreigners. Another 100,000 are needed to meet all the needs; currently there is one priest for every 6,300 Catholics.
b) Increasing loggerheads with the government as the Church loses its preferred status and influence in areas such as contraception, abortion, homosexuality and transgender issues.
c) The charismatic movement grows in strength, numbers and maturity; over 15 million are a part of this.
d) The successes of evangelical denominationshave stimulated a more people-friendly, contemporary worship and ministry and a greater growth of evangelical Catholics, as well as an increase in traditional mass attendance.
     For an additional 11 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

More Information

The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Brazil.