Learning from “A Global Missionary Revolution” by Brazilian Evangelical Missionaries

When we speak of Ocean Providence, we are referring to a set of heavenly strategies that confront global poverty and hunger while guiding all people to unite under God. In light of this vision, what can we learn from the recent wave within Brazilian evangelicalism—hailed as “a missionary revolution” across Christian communities?

A Global Missionary Revolution

According to a September 11, 2025 report by the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN):

• “Today, 400,000 missionaries are deployed around the world. The United States is the number one missionary-sending country, deploying roughly 127,000 of those missionaries. Brazil comes in at number two. Each year, about 38,000 Brazilians travel around the world for the Gospel.”

  
  

The article, “Brazilian Christians Are Blazing a Bi-vocational, Global Missionary Revolution,” highlights how Brazilian evangelical churches are redefining missionary work and the way missionaries embed themselves in new communities.

• Beyond preaching: When these missionaries go overseas, they do not only proclaim the Gospel. They also serve in hospitals, take on humanitarian roles, and step into some of the world’s most challenging contexts.

• Business as mission: In regions where traditional missionaries are not welcomed, some establish small businesses—such as coffee shops in Asia and the Middle East—that create local jobs, build trust over time, and open natural avenues for sharing the Gospel.

• Sustainable impact: This international, bi-vocational approach makes missions more sustainable and more effective. The growing number of Brazilian missionaries abroad is strong evidence of the model’s viability.

  
  

A Time-Tested Method

This approach is not new. History offers rich precedents:

• The Jesuits in South America operated hospitals, taught literacy to indigenous communities, and developed farms and industries—integrating faith with tangible social contribution.

  
  

• Dr. William Smith Clark in Hokkaido, Japan founded a renowned agricultural school, significantly advancing Japan’s agricultural development while influencing Christian ideals among young leaders.

  
  

This time-tested method—guiding people to God through service, skill-building, and enterprise—was also championed by Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s Integrated Vision

Rev. Sun Myung Moon advanced numerous initiatives to alleviate global hunger and, through that practical love, lead people toward God. He invested in fisheries, aquaculture, and fish powder, emphasizing:

• “As missionaries, you need to develop your business sense. By doing so you can save the lives of the more than 20 million people around the world who starve to death each year. Where there is land, you can teach people how to farm; where there is water, you can teach them how to farm fish, so that people do not die of hunger.” — Chambumo Gyeong, Book 10, 253-109 (1994/01/09)

  
  

Known for promoting fish-centered dietary culture in the United States, Rev. Moon also helped establish more than 100 restaurants. He explained:

• “You may think that a restaurant business is just a small thing, but it has many implications. It is a business where many customers come in and out. You can reach out to these people, build good relationships, and display the real spirit of service. We are religious people, and we also have to work in this world. For this reason, the restaurant is an excellent type of business for us to be involved in.” — God’s Will and the Ocean, Chapter 9 (July 2, 1984)

  
  

These teachings align closely with the Brazilian bi-vocational model: faith integrated with practical service, enterprise, and community-building.

Rev. Sun Myung Moon teaching church members how to fish in Jardim, Brazil in the 1990s

Conclusion

Bi-vocational missionaries—those who combine secular work with mission—are not a novelty. What is new is how Brazilian evangelicals have made this approach mainstream, enabling deep social contribution, stronger local relationships, and sustainable mission.

Missions with robust financial footing or those adopting these sustainable methods are consistently more effective. For the Unification Movement to flourish, we must embrace this integrated, service-centered paradigm—where preaching hands also work, build, and heal—so that Ocean Providence becomes visible in the daily lives of the people we serve.

If we desire growth that is both faithful and impactful, we must become a community that serves most—and serves best. That means making the bi-vocational approach not just an optional strategy, but a mainstream norm.