Making disciples and church planting is what we’re all about. It’s the end goal of every ministry, project and even our church structure (MDA). We minister to the whole person: spirit, mind and body. Our strategy incorporates a number of actions:
PAZ has planted 10 bases spread across the Amazon in key cities. Initial resources are concentrated on the base city as we develop a strong base with missions-minded churches. Our model base city, Santarém, includes Igreja da Paz Central, a church of several thousand members that has planted hundreds of churches.
Santarém, the birthplace of PAZ
These base churches win and disciple believers. MDA (one-on-one discipleship and cell groups), one-year training courses, conferences, weekend retreats as well as other activities develop strong Christians. Those who God calls to missions work rise to leadership positions within the cell group structure and are eventually sent to nearby villages and towns to spread the Gospel. These servants are true heros of the faith, sacrificing everything to travel with their families in small boats up and down the rivers preaching and teaching the Gospel.
We develop key ministries that aid in church planting, such as medical, water-filter, education, construction, work programs, aviation and more. For example, a medical team will arrive in a target community via boat and host a health clinic while the water-filter team installs BioSand filters. Each night the team, in collaboration with the river missionary, holds services, preaching the Gospel and winning converts. At the end of the trip, cell groups are established and a new local church is born!
Our new churches are all soaked with a missions vision as well, and as they grow and disciple believers, they reach the communities around them. A web effect begins happening, where more and more churches begin planting. We help new river community churches build a church building by supplying much of their material and labor needs. We host volunteer missions teams who help build the church alongside the Brazilians.
This strategy was developed and is an active reality at the birthplace of PAZ, Santarém. It has born and continues to bear tremendous fruit! We are now looking towards the future. To see the greatest impact in the Amazon, we will develop our other bases in a similar fashion. This is a huge, resource intensive goal and will be the next chapter in the amazing story God is writing here in the Amazon. You play a critical role in this growth.
In our most recent mailing we tell the story of the community of Piracãoera de Cima, where a church was recently built in the midst of the worst flooding in the Basin our generation has seen. It’s amazing to see how much God uses a physical building to build his eternal kingdom, as evidenced [...]
Today marks the first day of the 3-day national fast for PAZ and our churches. All church leadership and members are encouraged to join in and seek God intensely during this time, especially in the following areas:
Direction and wisdom for PAZ leadership in how to strengthen our current churches and where to plant new [...]
Soon, the 4th generation PAZ site PAZ 2014 will go online. It’s an all new interactive experience, filled with the most recent stories, pictures, and testimonies from the Amazon. You’ll even be able to take it with you in the form of the new PAZ Pack – a package for download including a new [...]
Last night we here at PAZ headquarters in Santarém ushered in the New Year at the church on our knees, seeking the Lord’s blessing on 2010. During the service we looked back at all the successes of 2009. While we are still waiting for numbers to come in from across our bases, through [...]
This Christmas, Project AmaZon director Jeff Hrubik sensed God leading us at PAZ to make a very different type of appeal – one I’ve personally never seen done, even heard of being done before! All I can say is that I believe God has something very special in store for you this Christmas and [...]
