BRAZIL

Igreja do Cristo Pentecostal Internacional

(International Pentecostal Church of Christ)

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF CHRIST IN BRAZIL

On December 22, 1934, Reverend HORACE SINGLETON WARD departed from New Orleans, United States, aboard the ship “Delsud,” sent as a missionary by the “Pentecostal Church of Christ” of the United States. He arrived in Rio de Janeiro, then the capital of Brazil, on January 9, 1935, with the purpose of carrying out missionary evangelization work in our country, under the guidance of the Pentecostal Church of Christ.

Missionary Horace S. Ward stayed in the capital for only six days, moving to the Northeast region of Brazil, where he focused his evangelistic work, mainly in the interior of the states of Alagoas, Pernambuco, and Paraíba, traveling through cities, towns, and farms, spreading the message of God’s Word, always traveling on foot or horseback (as at that time there were practically no vehicles in the region), enduring persecution, mistreatment, and even physical assaults carried out by the intolerant, all because of preaching the Gospel of Christ.

Following his work schedule, in November 1936, he went to the city of Vila Bela (now Serra Talhada), in the hinterlands of the State of Pernambuco, where he stayed for a few months, evangelizing and guiding the new converts, having there organized, on January 24, 1937, the first church of this denomination in Brazil, which took the name “PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF CHRIST OF SERRA TALHADA.”

The missionary work continued, and many other communities (Local Churches and Congregations) were organized in various other cities. New buildings were built, and new workers were being appointed. At the General Convention held in Caruaru, State of Pernambuco, from February 13 to 20, 1949, the denomination “PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF CHRIST OF BRAZIL” was adopted.

On January 26, 1954, the Pentecostal Church of Cortês, registered at the Notary Office of the city of Amaragi-PE and represented by Pastor Eloy Pinto de Oliveira, decided to join the ICPB, with which it had already maintained a close relationship since 1947. The judicial merger documentation signed on that date retained the same name, “PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF CHRIST OF BRAZIL.”

The General Convention, held from January 25 to 29, 1978, in the city of Santo André-SP, for certain internal convenience, made a small change to the name of the Church, which was renamed PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF CHRIST IN BRAZIL, as recorded in the minutes of that convention.

Between September 19 and 22, 2017, in the city of Arapiraca-AL, the 27th General Convention, aiming to adapt the church’s name to its reality of expansion worldwide, approved the change of its name to ‘INTERNATIONAL PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF CHRIST.’

At the 29th General Convention held from September 20 to 24, 2021, at the Convention Center (CENCO) in Mogi Guaçu/SP, proposals were voted on that included improvements and enhancements in the denomination’s structure in various areas, with highlights being the change of the Field Convention period from annual to biennial, the creation of the Pastoral Support Secretariat (SAP), and the National Ajovep Secretariat. On the occasion of the elections for General Superintendent, Mr. Reverend Daniel Aparecido da Silva was re-elected, being reconfirmed for his 4th term leading the denomination.

(Translated from the History of the ICPI website. https://icpi.com.br/pagina/81516/nossa-história )

Rev. Daniel da Silva
General Superintendent