Diego and Bruna were sent out from Aviva Igreja Crista to plant a new congregation in the nearby community of Içara. Remarkably, their sending church was only four years old. From its foundation, leadership development and a vision for church planting were part of the church’s DNA. Within two years of launching the new church in Içara, Diego and Bruna successfully handed it over to local leaders and moved on to a new assignment.

This is a powerful example of what we see in 2 Timothy 2:2, where Paul encourages young Timothy to invest in faithful men who will be able to teach others as well. In this single verse, we see four generations of disciples: Paul, Timothy, faithful men, and others. The verse also underscores that multiplication—rather than mere addition—was Paul’s approach in the first century. That is why the Southern Cone Initiative emphasizes leadership development so heavily. We know that only through healthy discipleship and leadership growth can we catalyze a gospel movement in every least-reached community in our generation.

Please pray for Aviva Igreja Cristã and their leadership as they seek to advance the gospel throughout Santa Catarina and beyond.