Evangelical Christian denomination
Reborn in Christ Church
(Portuguese:
Igreja Renascer em Cristo
), is a
Evangelical
Christian denomination
headquartered in
Sao Paulo
,
Brazil
. The church was founded in 1986 by the couple Apostle Estevam Hernandes and Bishop Sonia Hernandes.
History
[
edit
]
It was founded in
Sao Paulo
in 1986 by
Estevam Hernandes
and
Sonia Hernandes
. As of 2007, the church has over 2,000,000 members and more than 1,500 temples in
Brazil
and around the world.
[5]
As of 2011, the number of church temples dropped to 315, the vast majority in the Brazilian state of
Sao Paulo
, in addition to a tiny presence in the
United States
and
Angola
.
[1]
[4]
Despite not being among the largest Protestant denominations in Brazil, the church attracts a large evangelical audience of large denominations at major events such as the
March for Jesus
, which has been held annually in Sao Paulo since 1993. The Church Renascer em Cristo also has several media outlets, such as the television network
Rede Gospel
, the radio network
Gospel FM
, the publisher Editora Gospel, the clothing brand Gospel Wear and the record label Gospel Records.
[1]
The founding couple,
Estevam Hernandes
and Sonia Hernandes, and their organization are under investigation on the basis of money laundering, perjury, libel, exploitation of non-profit status, tax evasion and a number of other criminal actions. In January 2007, both founders were arrested at
Miami International Airport
by the
FBI
for failure to declare over $56,000 in cash brought into the United States.
[6]
[7]
The couple were sentenced to five months in prison. Sonia and Estevam Hernandes lived temporarily under court order in their own house in
Florida
. After leaving the American prison, the couple returned to
Brazil
.
[8]
On January 18, 2009, the main temple of Reborn in Christ Church, in
Cambuci
,
Sao Paulo
, collapsed. The
roof
fell down, killing 9 people and injuring over 115.
[3]
[9]
Donation by Kaka
[
edit
]
In September 2007, prosecutor
Marcelo Mendroni
announced that he was investigating Brazilian football star
Kaka
's relationship with the imprisoned founding couple. On January 3, 2008, Kaka announced that his 2007
FIFA World Player of the Year
trophy would be held for display in the church's main temple in Cambuci,
Sao Paulo
. On January 14, 2008, the church released a statement expressing its intent to sue prosecutor
Marcelo Mendroni
for "persecution" in relation to his attempts to question Kaka. Kaka, a member of the church, has allegedly made
donations
of 2 million
reais
to the church. In December 2010 Kaka and his wife left the Renascer Church because of the leadership mishandling of money.
[10]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
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