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Dissertation Approval Sheet This dissertation entitled PLANTING A CHURCH TARGETING THE BRAZILIAN COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON, FOCUSING ON ITS UNIQUE CULTURE Written by HONORIO THEODORO and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry has been accepted by the Faculty of Fuller Theological Seminary upon the recommendation of the undersigned readers: Stan Wood _____________________________________ Kurt Fredrickson Date Received: August 30, 2019 PLANTING A CHURCH TARGETING THE BRAZILIAN COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON, FOCUSING ON ITS UNIQUE CULTURE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY HONORIO THEODORO AUGUST 2019 Copyright© 2019 by Honorio Theodoro All Rights Reserved I dedicate this project to my Lord and Creator, my provider, my source of life, wisdom, and knowledge. He, who has been my source of energy, company present in the battles fought, in the very core of my soul. Kind Father, who always looks at me with tenderness and mercy in my weaknesses. I dedicate this project to my parents, Geraldo (in memory) and Nilce (in memory), who in extreme wisdom guided my steps in the ways of the Lord. I dedicate this project my beloved wife, Jo, who for 37 years crosses the difficult roads of life always by my side, whether they are good or turbulent moments. I dedicate this project to my children, Karine, Aline and Stevon who love me unconditionally, despite my limitations and weaknesses To these, the most relevant of my life story, I dedicate this work. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To my dear brother and friend, the Reverend Dr. José Carlos Pezini, who has tirelessly encouraged me in my studies, my thanks. To my Professor, the Reverend Dr. H. Stanley Wood, my inspiration, who in my difficult moments was counselor, friend and intercessor, my thanks. To my classmates and especially my prayer mate, the Reverend Dr. Gerson Santos, with whom I shared precious moments of prayer, my thanks. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv INTRODUCTION 1 PART ONE: THE HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, AND DEMOGRAPHIC CONTEXT Chapter 1. THE FORMATION OF BRAZILIAN CULTURE IN THE HISTORY OF COLONIZATION 7 Chapter 2. BRAZILIAN IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES 28 Chapter 3. BRAZILIAN IMMIGRATION IN HOUSTON, TEXAS 55 PART TWO: THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION: THEOLOGY OF IMMIGRATION Chapter 4. BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF IMMIGRATION 71 Chapter 5. BIBLICAL ANSWERS FOR THE CHURCH FACING IMMIGRANT ISSUES 89 Chapter 6. THE CONTEXTUALIZATION OF THEOLOGY FACING THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM 104 PART THREE: STRATEGY OF IMMIGRANT CHURCH PLANTING AND DEVELOPMENT Chapter 7. THE CHALLENGES OF THE EARLY YEARS 121 Chapter 8. CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ISSUES 139 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 157 APPENDICES 163 BIBLIOGRAPHY 176 v INTRODUCTION In June 2003, my family and I arrived in Dallas, Texas. The initial plan for my family was to spend a few months, resting and enjoying a sabbatical time, after fifteen years of pastoral ministry in Brazil. The same day we arrived in Dallas, the leader of a small group of Brazilians who met weekly for Bible study contacted me and invited us to the Bible study. My family and I promptly decided to accept the invitation to meet that group of brothers and sisters in Christ. After the meeting, they formally invited me to help them plant a church beginning with that small group. Initially I hesitated because my purpose was to relax and enjoy my sabbatical years. However, my passion for church planting was so great that the possibility of saying yes persisted in my thoughts. I started teaching the group’s Bible study, and a few months later my family and I decided to accept the challenge. Shortly after deciding to stay to plant a church, I noticed that there was a common expression used among the Brazilians in Dallas. Within minutes of meeting a new Brazilian, I would inevitably be warned, “Everything here is different.” I realized that there was a veiled intention in those words, but I could not discern what it was. A few months later, I realized that the phrase was repeated every time a newcomer arriving from Brazil would express an intention of living in the United States. Gradually, I realized that the expression was like a welcome rite for the newcomers to the Brazilian immigrant community of Dallas. The warning seemed to indicate that there was a barrier that the newcomers would have to overcome in order to be part of that cultural group. 1 I was puzzled by the idea that there would be a barrier. Since we were all Brazilians and we all had common cultural characteristics, it seemed to me that acceptance should be a given. But I was wrong. The cultural characteristics of Brazilian immigrants with more than three-to-five years on American soil were quite different from those of Brazilian newcomers. The established Brazilians formed a group with some very particular characteristics. When they referred to newcomers, there were common expressions that excluded them from the group. These were expressions such as the following: “They are still learning” or “They are new here in America.” Such expressions clearly excluded the newcomers from the established cultural group. The sociologist Bernadette Becerra thus interprets this cultural phenomenon: “We have seen that whether Brazilian immigrants like it or not, their lives in the United States are quite different from their lives in Brazil. Even their survival depends entirely on the Brazilian network and they only get around through their Brazilian friends and/or relatives; the outside scene is still American.”1 She concludes: “Indeed, being Brazilian in the United States is a situation totally different from being a Brazilian in Brazil.”2 This particular cultural characteristic of the Brazilian community in the US affects the relevance of a church-planting project that includes an appropriate strategy for this target audience. Another factor that contributes to the relevance of this project is the significant number of Brazilians with permanent residency in the city of Houston and 1 Bernadete Beserra, Brazilian Immigrants in the United States: Cultural Imperialism and Social Class (New York: LFB Scholarly Publishing LLC, 2003), 184. 2 Ibid., 185. 2 surrounding areas. Though my family originally settled in Dallas, the target area for the current church plant is in Houston. This project focuses on the Brazilian population living in West Houston, with a goal to plant a church with special features that meet the needs of the target audience. Another factor that defines the project’s target audience is the multicultural characteristic of immigrant families. Some are Brazilian-American couples. Even when this is not the circumstance, some children will have many more American cultural characteristics than Brazilian. Therefore, the project focuses on a church model based on an American church; the church plant must include a strong interaction between the two communities. Part One of the project is dedicated to the historical context of the Brazilian culture, demographic issues of the church planting area, and also the particularities of the Brazilian immigrant community and the implications of these in the development of the project. The Brazilian culture is a highly relevant factor in the development of this project; therefore, the first part of the project offers an analysis of cultural development in the history of Brazilian colonization. The presence of immigrants from every continent in Brazil brought to the Brazilian culture a characteristic that facilitates acculturation, which is an openness to and acceptance of new and different cultures. This Brazilian cultural ingredient is presented as an important backdrop for the development of the project. Part One also discusses the issue of religious syncretism in the history of Brazilian colonization, a matter of great relevance to understanding the religious behavior of Brazilians. The languages and customs of Brazilian immigrants in colonial Brazil are treated as important contributions to the cultural and religious distinction between the northern and southern parts of the country. 3 After this historical introduction, the issues related to Brazilian immigration to the US are discussed, including the determinants and implications. Another aspect to consider is the unique nature of Brazilianness exhibited in the Brazilian immigrants of the US. Finally, Part One deals with the Brazilian community in the city of Houston, and its social, economic and cultural profile. Part Two addresses the theological issues of the project. Initially, immigration theology is discussed, especially in relation to the Old Testament, and as God deals with the migratory movement in history. The project demonstrates the special care God had with immigrants and addresses the movement of God in history through the migration of people, especially the Jewish people. Part Two also addresses the movement of God in the history of the early Church with the shift in Jewish culture from exclusivism to inclusivism. This inclusivism opened the door of the Gospel to the Gentiles, the incarnation of Christ as an immigrant, and his disciples as citizens of heaven and foreigners to the world. At this point, Part Two introduces a contextualization of theology in the migratory circumstance and experience of Brazilian immigrants and in the US. The light of scriptural revelations, as well as, the primary ethical and religious issues are discussed. This project identifies the need for a practical theology for a Christian community with its own particularities and questions. This part examines the main themes of the circumstances experienced by immigrants and how the local church can help in these situations. The role of the local church within the immigrant community is addressed in a practical way so that the church can be a therapeutic community, sensitive to the existential crisis of the immigrant. 4 Finally, Part Three addresses the strategies and plans for the planting of an immigrant church in West Houston.

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