Blue Valley has joined with Compassion International and a frontline church partner in Brazil to show the love of Christ to children in a community that needs the hope of the gospel. In response to the Great Commission, Compassion exists as an advocate for children, to release them from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty, and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults — all for God’s glory. For monthly updates and progress reports visit https://churchplanting.compassion.com/blue-valley-baptist/
Planting a New Church
Compassion’s church-based efforts are key to its effectiveness. A local church identifies nearby communities that would benefit from ministry and begins to build a reputation there. Compassion comes alongside this “mother church” to support its efforts to establish a new church. The mother church continues to mentor and support the new church until it matures enough to support itself. The church grows through its community involvement and its commitment to meet real needs.
Partnership In Brazil
Compassion Brazil identified an area in need of an accessible, Christ-centered church that preaches and lives God's Word. A trusted Compassion partner, Batista Betel, has already signed-up 200 children in a nearby community, one of the first steps in starting a new congregation.
Batista Betel will be located in an agricultural community where children make up 70% of the total population. Typical homes in the target area are made of mud and have one or two rooms. The community has high levels of poverty, crime and violence and a lack of public utilities and safe sanitation. There are no other churches or ministries in the community.
Pastor Geovani will lead the Batista Betel. He and his wife are actively serving the new community and getting to know the families as they distribute food baskets and evangelize. The mother church will support the new congregation through visits, training, outreach and events.
The church has secured land and it is ready for construction. The Blue Valley’s initial investment of $70,000 will fund the construction of essential core structures for the new church and needed facilities for a Compassion-assisted student center. The essential core structures typically include:
One large meeting room/sanctuary which seats 200 adults- Classrooms
- Kitchen/food preparation space
- Sanitation facilities or latrines
- Electricity and water (where feasible)
Depending on location, the average construction of the church building takes between 8-14 months. Many variables will influence the timeline including availability of materials, road conditions and weather.
A Church’s Impact
Our initial gift and partnership in planting a vibrant church and child development center has the potential to make a lasting impact in a community and surrounding areas - changing the lives of hundreds of vulnerable children in the first year and thousands more in the years to come.