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Evangelical Soldiers Fight Violence

March 14, 2013

Back to God Ministries International

In the midst of a city known for gun violence and gang activity, a group of soldiers gather together to pray and reflect on how they can be witnesses to God in an area surrounded by destruction.

The evangelical soldiers in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, pray for the citizens weekly and discuss new ways to share the Gospel there.

To aid their reflections, the soldiers recently started using Homens de Oraco, or Men of Prayer, a devotional written by Rev. Hernandes Dias Lopes, Portuguese outreach leader of Back to God Ministries International.

“The soldiers are convinced that only God can protect them and change the sad situation which hurts so many people,” said Lopes.

Sao Paulo currently has more than 100,000 soldiers who are working to counteract the rising violence in the city. More than 30,000 of them participate in the evangelical soldier’s program.

In 2012, almost 4,100 people were murdered in the city, including 100 police officers.

Commander Terra, the leader of the evangelical soldier’s group, told Lopes he was deeply moved by the devotional and asked to use it as his group’s official study manual.

Rev. Lopes said he was grateful to hear that his book had made such an impact. He has worked with his publisher to create an updated edition of the book especially for the soldiers.

“We have received wonderful replies about the great blessing that this book has created in their hearts,” said Lopes. “I hope it brings them strong hope and courage to face the serious problems of violence in Sao Paulo.”

BTGMI asks people to pray that the violence in Brazil ends and that God continues to bless the evangelical soldiers as they try to share God’s love in a broken place.