'Historic' Christian event brings together 140,000 youth
(The Send)
Thousands of Christians – including President Jair Bolsonaro – gathered in three stadiums in Brazil Saturday to turn to Jesus and send out missionaries to the world.
Bolsonaro wasn't invited by the event organizer, The Send Brazil, but he showed up at the stadium in Brasilia, the nation's capital, because he wanted to be there for the historic event, which local news outlets called the "largest Christian simultaneous event in Brazil's history."
The leader nicknamed the "Trump of the Tropics" was met with thunderous applause when he declared that he is a believer in Jesus and that Brazil belongs to God.
More than 140,000 people attended the 12-hour event at three different stadiums – Brasilia Nacional Stadium, and Morumbi Stadium and Allianz Parque Stadium in Sao Paulo – with 1.7 million watching on the Portuguese livestream and more than 560,000 on the English one.
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Andy Byrd and Teo Hayashi, co-organizers of The Send Brazil, told Fox News it took "unparalleled unity" to put together the massive three-stadium event, in which thousands made decisions for Jesus, committed to fasting, Bible reading plans and missions to the nations, colleges and high schools. The Send Brazil was brought together by seven ministries collectively called "The Send," which first launched last year in Orlando.
"The outpouring of healing, miracles, signs and wonders was mindblowing, the display of God's power in all three stadiums," Byrd, leader of Youth With a Mission (YWAM), said. "This whole event was about the exultation of Jesus and the empowerment of the 24-year-old, equipping the next generation to change the world."
Hayashi, founder of the Dunamis Movement (a university ministry) and pastor of Zion Church in Sao Paulo, said the strong emphasis on social justice – reaching college campuses and high schools, as well as adoption of vulnerable children and teenagers – struck a chord with the nation.
“God activated a huge evangelical youth church to the great commission and God empowered a generation to do the works of Christ beyond the four walls of the Church," Hayashi said.
Evangelical leaders – Francis Chan, Michael Koulianos, Todd White, Daniel Kolenda, Randy Clark, Christine Caine and many others – were joined by worship leaders Lindy Conant-Cofer, Jeremy Riddle, Steffany Gretzinger, Dante Bowe and others from the United States and several prominent Christian leaders in Brazil. In all, 180 people spoke throughout the day.
Kolenda, whose ministry has seen more than 80 million come to Christ in Africa, declared: "God is on the move in Brazil!"
Caine urged the young people, "We cannot keep this good news to ourselves. Empowered by the spirit of God, we must make Jesus' last commandment our first priority."
Koulianos, director of Jesus School, said "Jesus loves Brazil and he's right here in the stadium today."
Three attendees from Sao Paulo told Fox News about their experience.
João Bevilacqua, 18, said he didn't know what to expect at the event, which went from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., "but it was so nice to see everyone together there, singing, jumping, dancing for one reason: Jesus!"
"The most memorable thing for me was when a man got up from his wheelchair and then raised his wheelchair for everyone to see that he got healed!" Bevilacqua recounts.
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Carol Satyro, 23, said she witnessed people getting touched by the Holy Spirit.
“I saw young people telling testimonies of life transformation, I saw teenagers intercede for my country and I saw thousands of people committed to read the word, adopt orphans, embrace university students and live the true gospel!” Satyro said.
Carolina Martins, 22, said it was an "incredible atmosphere" surrounded by thousands of people there to say "yes for the manifestation of the kingdom of God all over the world."
"The Brazilian Church was exhorted to go in an extraordinary way," Martins said. "The glory of God was palpable, we were able to experience the cures and wonders, the deaf heard again, the blind saw, the paralyzed walked again. In one voice we declared: 'Here I am, send me.'"
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