“The Gospel is international – it goes beyond language and culture, breaking barriers and chains.” – Lia Petty, Class 19 Fellow
When I hear the word “church,” I picture the body of believers in my hometown, the people I grew up seeing every Sunday for church. I envision the building where we gather for worship and Bible study. And while this is a beautiful part of the Church Christ established, I often forget that the body of Christ extends far beyond my own life and experiences—even beyond my own country.
This month, I have been given the opportunity to travel with half of my Fellows class to Brazil. Being here over the last few days has been such a transformative experience. Even though we have spent most of our time resting and acclimating to a new environment, I can already see the Lord moving among the Fellows. We’ve spent a lot of time with Brazilian believers, learning about their culture and how they may approach the idea of church differently than we would. Living and worshipping alongside Christians in Brazil has opened my eyes to the reality of the church: a group of people so much more extensive and diverse than I had once envisioned.
But even while I’m learning from the differences between the American and Brazilian churches, I’ve been surprised by the similarities. When language and cultural barriers are involved, it’s so easy to forget that we are all pursuing the same God and the same faith.
In reality, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).
A beautiful worship service held two nights ago brought many Fellows to tears as we were reminded of this truth. The Lord was glorified in Portuguese and English through song, teaching, and prayer. It was incredible to be reminded that God loved us enough to grant us the kind of community written about in the New Testament despite our differences.
Through the kindness and faith of Brazilian believers, I’ve learned that the Lord has not called us to uniformity but unity. Christianity is so unique that even the most diverse group can genuinely feel like brothers and sisters in the faith. And during the rest of my time here in Brazil, I am looking forward to seeing how God will move, the very same God moving in the States. His design for the Church is so much bigger and more beautiful than we could ever imagine.
Zoe Hill
Class XIX
Brazil Team Fogo