Leonardo and Ana Moraes

Portugal is a country with 10 million inhabitants. The nation is predominantly Roman Catholic (90%), with 80% being nominal Catholics only.

Portugal has 44 counties, 21 county seats and more than 3,000 parishes without the evangelical presence. There is only 1 evangelical church for every 7,313 inhabitants (only 1% of the population is evangelical). The average size of evangelical churches is 55 members.

Lisbon is a deeply secularised city, with Roman Catholicism being the most tolerated religion in cultural environments. Most of the city’s evangelical churches need to be revitalised, as many are “dying” at a frightening rate. There is also a need to plant new churches and for qualified workers.

Serving the Lord since 2008

Mission workers, Leonardo Cosme de Moraes and Ana de Arraz Crispim Moraes ,are married and parents of Pedro Guilherme and Lavínia. They have served in the mission field since 2008. In August 2020, they were sent by the Baptist Church Tabor in South Wales, through UFM Worldwide, to serve under the Portuguese Baptist Convention.

Leonardo Moraes holds a BA in Theology and a Master’s in New Testament from the Faculty of Theology at North-West University (NWU), South Africa. He is currently pastor of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Sete Rios, Lisbon.

A community centered on the gospel

Leonardo has been doing regular and weekly preaching, teaching and pastoral care work. Their objective is to encourage the revitalizsng the Baptist Church of Sete Rios, working for it to be a community centred on the gospel and effectively involved in the planning of new local churches in Portugal.