The Universal Church Celebrates Its 47th Anniversary

Decades of Life Transformations Through the Power of Faith—Relive a Little of This Journey of Faith and Sacrifice

On July 9th, 2024, The Universal Church celebrates its 47th anniversary. Let’s take a look back at this journey of faith and sacrifice.

How It All Began

In 1977, the then pastor Edir Macedo, filled with faith and the desire to help those in need, resigned from being a treasurer at the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery and dedicated himself exclusively to his calling: winning souls for the Kingdom of God.

It all began in a square in Jardim do Méier, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, where, on Saturdays, Edir Macedo would climb the steps of a bandstand with a microphone connected to a speaker. He had the Bible in his hands, which had always been the pillar of his sermons. Among those who stopped to listen to him were some curious people and those who would become the first congregants of The Universal Church.

Soon after, those people joined many others to participate in the first official service in a building that used to be a funeral home in the Abolição neighborhood on the north side of Rio de Janeiro.

One of the first meetings of The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Abolição

In the first volume of his biography Nothing to Lose, Bishop Macedo recalls that special moment:

Cars were parked, pedestrians were coming and going on the sidewalks, buses were dropping people off at nearby stops. It was the first service of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. I woke up early, put on my best suit, organized the Bible, and left for the first meeting of my new ministry. I was euphoric and happy. God had answered my prayers. The service was about deliverance, healing, and preaching of teachings for the conquest of eternal life.

More Open Doors

In these 47 years, The Universal Church has grown and multiplied throughout the world. Today, there are over 12,000 temples in almost 150 countries, on five continents, where thousands of bishops and pastors bring faith and belief in the living God.

South Korea

Sri Lanka

Guyana

Surinam

Texas, USA

Millions of People Have Benefited From the Church Projects

In addition, The Universal Church has been dedicated to helping those who need spiritual and physical assistance. In the first half of 2024 alone, the social programs maintained by the church worldwide benefited 6,507,967 people, with 619,361 volunteers, in 120 countries.

For example, the victims of the floods caused by the rains that hit Rio Grande do Sul in May, 2024. The Universal Church, through its volunteers and with the solidarity of the people, sent more than 50 trucks that left the states of São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Paraná, and Amazonas, loaded with food, hygiene kits, clothes, shoes, blankets, and other donations.

From a Small Bandstand to the Temple of Solomon

Sometime later, with the expansion of the Gospel preached on radio, TV channels, newspapers, and the internet, the bishop felt the desire to do more for God. So, 33 years after the beginning of everything, the construction of the Temple of Solomon began. See below the timeline:

• In July 2010, planning began for the construction of the Temple. The chosen location was a large plot of land in the Brás neighborhood in the eastern part of the capital of São Paulo. On August 8th of the same year, the Foundation Stone Laying Event was held in two meetings: one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

• The 56-meter-high building features stones from Israel from a quarry in Hebron, which were also used for the walls and floor. It covered 40,000 square meters, enough to fill ten football fields, according to information in the book Nothing to Lose 3.

• For the work, 1,400 men were assigned, and two and a half tons of iron, two tons of steel, and 145 thousand bags of cement were used.

• On the right side of the Temple is the Garden of Olives, with 12 imported trees. Each one is about three hundred years old. On the adjacent land, there is also a replica of the Tabernacle, which housed the Ark of the Covenant. It has the dimensions as described in the Bible. The construction work also never stopped: it ran 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In four years, there were no severe accidents.

In addition to celebrating the 47th anniversary of The Universal Church, this July, we will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Temple of Solomon in Brazil.

Join Us in Prayer Today

The value of The Universal Church is in what happens inside through its open doors: the spiritual transformation of lives. Therefore, this July 9th and throughout July, you will be able to participate in meetings of faith at The Universal Church near you. Join us in thanking God for this privilege and opportunity to share the Gospel. Also, come to fight for the transformation of your life and loved ones by faith and to pray for our communities.

For locations, please click here. For more information, please call 1-888-332-4141 or text to 1-888-312-4141.