International (MNN) — A deep curiosity to know God can change your life. That’s what Dr. Luiz Sayão had when Trans World Radio asked him to develop a new Bible teaching radio program. He was already a theologian, professor and pastor from São Paolo, Brazil. But the teaching journey profoundly blessed him.
“Yes” meant three years of preparing and recording more than 600 episodes of Mission 66 Bible studies. Today, Mission 66 is being adapted into new languages — including English.
Sayão says that especially within that busy season of teaching, he prayed God would touch his own heart first.
“What I understood [was] that if I do not preach to myself in the way that I will be challenged by the Word of God, I can’t say anything to anybody else. I must really understand, not only to teach, but to be taught by the words,” he says.
The need for Bible teaching in Brazil
“I would say that I have a dream, because there are some areas of the world that people are so hung[ry] for God. They are thirsty for something deep in their hearts,” Sayão says.
Brazil is among those places. Sayão explains that although there’s been tremendous growth in the Church (think 60 to 70 million people today, he says), not everything is as it could be.
“We have some churches with a lot of syncretism with some other [beliefs from] the mystical society. We have some church[es] that need more biblical and theological training,” he says.
“My prayer is that through this way (Mission 66’s relational, narrative focus), we can really reach people. How many people will come to Jesus and will grow in their relationship with God? So hallelujah, praise the Lord.”
Where true life is
It all comes back to God and His Word. Sayão doesn’t see himself as a theologian but as someone blessed by God to know His love and purposes for us in Jesus.
Luiz Sayão is the creator of Mission 66, originally broadcast in Portuguese (Photo courtesy of TWR)
“I am telling you that what happens when you find God — the Word of God — you find Jesus. I’m like a beggar that found bread,” he says. “I found bread for my soul, my life.”
Those same riches in God’s Word are available for all of us, by God’s grace. Sayão urges readers to set aside the concept of “religion” in their thinking.
“But remember that we have a God [who] created the universe, that brought us salvation in a very profound way through Jesus. He wants to bless your heart, to forgive your sins and to bring you close to His heart,” he says.
“So pay attention to that, and I hope that the same grace of God that touched my soul one day will touch you and change your life forever.”
To learn more about God’s Word with Mission 66, visit its webpage on TWR 360 or follow along on your favorite podcast player.
Header photo courtesy of Aaron Burden on Unsplash.
