AZUSAFEST Returns to São Paulo, Brazil for Second Year
Azusa Street Mission & Historical Society is returning to São Paulo to host its 6th Annual Gospel music festival and gathering, Azusafest, at Centro de Exposições Imigrantes from April 19-21. Several thousand ministry and business leaders from the US and various regions around Brazil will travel to São Paulo to receive revelation, impartation, and empowerment that will transform their lives in a positive and exciting way. Apostle Berry announced today that this will be a time for believers to gather and be challenged and strengthened to minister in the spiritual gifts and callings God has placed within each of us.
Azusafest is a three-day Gospel music celebration and prophetic training school to commemorate the Azusa Street Revival and will be a part of the 2nd Annual Sãlao Internacional Gospel Expo. Azusafest features inspiring speakers and musicians, this year’s line-up includes Apostle Fred Berry, Apostle Glaucio Coraiola, Prophetess Wilma Berry, Pastor Jabes de Alencar, Pastor Ed Smith, Prophetess Cida Nicolau, and many business leaders. Musical guests will include violinist, Maurice Sklar, and vocalists, TaraH Hudson and Cornell Jermaine, as well as various Brazilian Gospel artists like Joe Vasconcelos from Rio de Janerio.
Normally held in Los Angeles since 2006, Azusafest began traveling to the nations when the celebration was invited to Ghana in 2011. Last year, Azusafest was held in Brazil with over 3,000 leaders in attendance. “We are excited to return to São Paulo this year and view this as an opportunity to strengthen the partnership between United States and Brazil. God sent us as a nation to help Brazil and now we need Brazil to help us,” stated Apostle Fred Berry, “so we’re blessed to have a mission team of leaders from the US coming to Azusafest to share their experiences and gain insight from the church in Brazil.”
Azusa Street Mission will also present the prestigious William J. Seymour Award. The award is given to a senior leader in ministry who exhibits the characteristics of the Lord’s humble servant, William J. Seymour. The yet-to-be-announced winner will receive the Seymour Award during Azusafest.
Over a century ago, a partially-sighted African American minister, William J. Seymour, came to Los Angeles to share the message that the Holy Spirit still baptizes people with the evidence of speaking in tongues. His early efforts to preach the Pentecostal message were rejected. Church leaders were suspicious of his religious doctrine and his teachings, but he persevered and kept on praying. In April of 1906, a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred within a small group of worshippers. The news spread and soon hundreds of people started coming from all over the world to the Apostolic Faith Mission on Azusa Street in Los Angeles seeking to receive the Holy Spirit. The Azusa Street Revival lasted over three years and is widely considered to be the primary catalyst that sparked the worldwide Pentecostal Movement. Currently, it is estimated that over 800 million Pentecostals in the United States, Latin America, Africa and Asia can trace their religious origins to the Azusa Street Revival and Bishop Seymour.
Fred and Wilma Berry carry on the history of Azusa Street as international representatives through the Azusa Street Mission. The organization’s mission is to carry the flame of Azusa Street to the next generation throughout the nations of the world.
“There is an expectation of the fulfillment of William J. Seymour’s prophesy of a greater revival spreading all over the world like unto the Azusa Street Revival,” said Apostle Berry, “It’s Brazil’s time — God has chosen this nation for this hour — and we’re praying for leaders to come together in unity at Azusafest to stand in agreement and seek a great wave of God’s spirit for the Last Days harvest and revival.”
Church and business leaders are invited to participate in the daily leadership roundtable. The roundtables are an opportunity for fellowship, networking, and a release of a global apostolic strategy. Apostle Berry indicated that he is encouraging leaders to spend quality time in this forum, to have open, candid discussions, to hear from God, and to work together in developing a strategic plan. “With the election of Pope Francis, record numbers of South American Catholics getting filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, and an increase in Spirit-filled believers in Brazil, we are in the right place (Brazil), at the right time,” shared Apostle Berry.
Azusafest also includes the Azusa Street Prophetic School. The School offers classes on topics such as discerning the voice of God, prophetic intercession, spiritual gifts, and understanding the supernatural with the focus on preparing believers for ministry in the end times. The festival concludes each night with a Gospel concert and a special anointing service for pastors and leaders.
Seating at Azusafest is free and open to the public. Training materials are a pre-requisite for the Azusa Street Prophetic School and pre-orders of the materials are available online for a discounted rate. It is strongly encouraged to purchase the training materials in advance. For more details, visit www.azusastreetmission.org.
WHEN:
Friday, April 19 – Sunday, April 21, 2013
WHERE:
Centro de Exposições Imigrantes, Rod. dos Imigrantes, km.1,5, São Paulo Postal code: 04329-900
About Azusa Street Mission & Historical Society: Fred and Wilma Berry founded the Azusa Street Mission and Historical Society (Azusa Street Mission) in 2006. The purpose of Azusa Street Mission is to educate the public about the historical significance of the Azusa Street Revival and the global Pentecostal movement’s impact on society. For additional information, see www.azusastreetmission.org or www.azusastreetmission.com.br or call (United States) 323-692-7268 (Brazil) +55 11 2851-1535. Twitter @azusastreet
(Source: Christian Newswire)
