The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged traditional forms of evangelism, but it did not discourage a group of Adventists from Alcântara, a metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This group got together, elected Bible instructors amongst themselves, and have been studying the Bible with more than 150 people online since March via WhatsApp and Zoom video conferencing.

Weekly lessons reach students through the WhatsApp messaging app and a weekly review of the lesson is done on Saturdays, inside a virtual class using the Zoom video conferencing platform. “We took advantage of people's anguish and distress and nourished them with the [spiritual food] they need”, explains Pastor Cladson Rodrigues who oversees the project.

Bringing Others into the Fold

General services assistant Dalva Oliv eira learned about the Bible class when she was in a line waiting for assistance. She was invited by a member of the Adventist Church, who overheard her talk about her interest in Jesus. Dalva attended another religious denomination, but got to know about the Adventist Church on TV Novo Tempo. Since the invitation to join the Bible class, she participates in the lessons weekly. “What I am learning I already pass on to [other] people. I sow the seed and the Holy Spirit convicts ”, she says.

Through these weekly Bible lessons, many people are being reached, who otherwise would not have been.

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site