Universal Church of the Kingdom of God

Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG, from <em lang="pt">Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus</em>, also known as UCKG HelpCentre) is a Pentecostal Christian organisation established in Brazil on July 9, 1977, with a presence in many countries. According to a major christian newspaper the UCKG has 13 million members worldwide and in Brazil alone has reached 5000 temples and 15.000 pastors .

History

From the UCKG website

The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God was formed in 1977 in Brazil. It owes its origins to an evangelistic programme conducted by Bishop Robert McAlister, a Canadian missionary in the Pentecostal tradition.The church's spiritual leader, Edir Macedo is a former Brazilian national lottery employee and disillusioned Catholic who began his ministry in mid 1977 by preaching on a weekly radio show, according to Brazilian press reports.

Macedo went on to found UCKG. He started to hold services under a small park shelter in Rio de Janeiro and later used cinemas and local halls to draw in congregants and shortly afterwards a funeral parlour.

Further church openings followed and the movement expanded across Brazil. there are about 5000 UCKG Churches in Brazil. Its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro can accommodate 12,000 people.

Following an exploratory visit to the United States, the UCKG was established in New York in 1986, expanding later to other...
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