Lucas Teodoro and his organization Aviva is focused on evangelism and youth outreach on university campuses in Brazil. Aviva has been active for 5 years, reaching over 9,000 university students in Brazil’s largest federal universities. They organize weekly “evangelism flows” led by students to continue the outreach efforts. They recently conducted their first large crusade event in Rio de Janeiro, which saw over 2,000 decisions for Christ. The core message they preach is the gospel of Jesus Christ, seeking to address the challenges facing Brazilian youth like depression, anxiety, and family problems. Despite facing opposition and threats on some campuses, the team remains committed to boldly sharing the gospel with university students across the country. The organization’s name “Aviva” means “revival” in English, and their vision is to expand these crusade and campus outreach efforts globally.
Learn more about Lucas Teodoro: https://www.instagram.com/lucasteodoroficial/
Transcript:
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:00):
Welcome to the Evangelism Podcast. I’m Daniel King. I’m excited about telling people about Jesus today. Have a very special guest with me. Lucas, thank you for being on the Evangelism Podcast.
Lucas Teodoro (00:14):
Lucas, thank you. Thank you. I’m very happy for to be here with you, with your friends. Now please
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:22):
Tell me your full name. My name is Lucas Teodoro. Okay. And we also have my friend who is a pastor and he’s going to help us translate. So can you tell me your full name as well?
Translator (00:36):
Yes, I’m Jas Carvallo. My pleasure to translate for you to be here.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:41):
You have been working on the university campuses here in Brazil and God is moving. Tell me, what have you seen God do on the
Translator (00:51):
University campuses in Brazil? We have started in three years in the universities, but for
Lucas Teodoro (01:09):
Five years
Translator (01:12):
We started first in the schools. I was a student myself
Lucas Teodoro (01:17):
And
Translator (01:17):
Now I am a college
Lucas Teodoro (01:18):
Student
Translator (01:22):
And we are very glad to lead this missionary organization called Aviva
Lucas Teodoro (01:28):
Scholars University Arts in to,
Translator (01:30):
We are preaching in schools and universities all over the country. Only this year
Lucas Teodoro (01:35):
In university,
Translator (01:36):
In services, in the universities
Lucas Teodoro (01:40):
University.
Translator (01:41):
We have United more than 9,000 university
Lucas Teodoro (01:45):
Students. NA University, that’s federalized
Translator (01:48):
In the biggest federal universities of the country,
Lucas Teodoro (01:52):
Jacket.
Translator (01:54):
But the truth is that all of this is started right there in so I was serious student back there. And today, besides that, we are implementing the flows in all over the country.
Lucas Teodoro (02:13):
Evangelism flows are weekly meetings of evangelism
Translator (02:19):
And they’re led by their own students
Lucas Teodoro (02:23):
Serve.
Translator (02:25):
So this big reunion is to encourage them and the flows are the continuation of this weekly.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (02:38):
And recently you did your first crusade and I saw a picture, it was inside a big tent and it was full of people. What did
Translator (02:49):
God do at the Crusade?
Lucas Teodoro (03:01):
This was our first crusade.
Translator (03:08):
Today we have a team where we have most of the volunteers, the members, they are all university students. We took 90 college students to Rio in Brazil.
Lucas Teodoro (03:26):
It
Translator (03:26):
Was six months to organize everything,
Lucas Teodoro (03:30):
Bringing
Translator (03:31):
All the churches of the city together. The city was, we reunited all these churches in two days of conference, preparing them to reach the loss. So in one week we entered in all the schools of the city to preach the gospel.
Lucas Teodoro (04:01):
And
Translator (04:01):
During the weekend we did the crusade and we had more than 2000 decisions for Christ. Praise Lord. Lord, praise
Lucas Teodoro (04:11):
Our first crusade.
Translator (04:13):
Your
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (04:13):
First crusade was a big success, but it’ll not be your last crusade. God will give you many more to come. What is the main message that God has given you as you go into the schools, as you go to the university, what is the message that you share with the young people?
Translator (04:43):
We preach
Lucas Teodoro (04:44):
Only the gospel.
Translator (04:48):
We speak about what Christ did on that cross. And when we look to the reality in Brazil today, we see a generation facing a lot of difficulties, depression, anxiety,
Lucas Teodoro (05:04):
Family
Translator (05:04):
Problems. So we bring the cross as an, we preach about Jesus and we invite these people to receive,
Lucas Teodoro (05:17):
To
Translator (05:18):
Repeat from their sins and to give their lives to Jesus
Lucas Teodoro (05:24):
Because
Translator (05:24):
He’s the only way in the truth in the lives. And then we see this big result. People are repenting. They’re giving their lives to Jesus.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (05:41):
In the United States, we just had a big tragedy happened. There was an organization called Turning Point that was going to the university campus led by Charlie Kirk. And Charlie Kirk was shot. And many people say that he was very controversial, but he was preaching the gospel. And are you ever worried that preaching the gospel could create controversy here in Brazil? And are you worried for your life?
Translator (06:37):
We are united multitudes. A lot of people crowd. Last university last week we had 3000 young people in one service in the college. My system, and people are
Lucas Teodoro (06:54):
Talking about this a lot here, but we believe God, we believe that
Translator (07:06):
He has appointed us to preach in college. The truth is that the risks are real. We are going in an environment where people don’t want to hear about.
Lucas Teodoro (07:24):
And
Translator (07:24):
We suffered some threats in universities.
Lucas Teodoro (07:27):
Mrs. At three months ago,
Translator (07:32):
A group of students just kicked us out of the university. We were just gathering around to restart
Lucas Teodoro (07:43):
This.
Translator (07:51):
So they created at that moment a kind of retaliation towards us and they went to the office of the university. And then when I got there,
Lucas Teodoro (08:04):
There
Translator (08:05):
Was a whole team, a whole crew there, ready to expel us. So we decided together in front of the university and also they just kicked us. And in the end of the story, we just went to the middle of the street and right there we had more than 700 college
Lucas Teodoro (08:33):
Students.
Translator (08:34):
They were thirsty to hear the gospel message. So we had the cars passing by and when they saw that we were gathering to have a service, some of them would just open the window and spit and they would say curse words, a lot of bad words.
Lucas Teodoro (08:59):
And
Translator (08:59):
In the middle of
Lucas Teodoro (09:00):
All this,
Translator (09:03):
My joy is to know that many people gave their lives to
Lucas Teodoro (09:06):
Jesus in
Translator (09:08):
The doors of hell will not prevail you against the church.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (09:12):
Amen. We are together in Brazil right now in the city of Ja del Norte Del. And we have just finished a conference called Everyone with the evangelist Rubens Kya, who’s a great evangelist here in Brazil and a good friend of mine. And last night he was preaching from the Book of Acts and he said that we should not pray to be comfortable, but we should pray for boldness to share the gospel. And I think that’s very true in these times that we need to pray that God would give us boldness. And so I pray for your protection, but I also pray that God will give you great boldness in sharing the gospel. And so you’ve been talking to Reuben’s Kya and he’s been talking to you. What are some of the things that you’ve been learning from him?
Translator (10:15):
Everyone conference, I mean, what’s the last question?
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:35):
What are some of the lessons that you’ve been learning by being around? Rub
Lucas Teodoro (10:48):
Rubens
Translator (10:48):
Was a great gift from God for
Lucas Teodoro (10:50):
Me,
Translator (10:51):
And I have learned a lot with him and he has a very teachable heart. He loves teaching and I have learned, I have been learning this
Lucas Teodoro (11:05):
With,
Translator (11:08):
Which is to transfer, to teach others what God has taught me and then I can lead others. Rubens is humble, he’s organized, and his ministry creates a very organized structure. And I have learned from this a lot of things as a young person. So my ministry has only five years. I’m learning many things. I’m learning how to organize. I’m learning how to manage, how to lead these gospel events, but all of this with and always putting Jesus in front of
Lucas Teodoro (11:57):
Me.
Translator (12:00):
Yes, I am used to say that my job is not to get in the midst of Yes, of God’s work, let him do the work. He’s the one who does. Yes.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (12:11):
So you are very young, but God has already gifted you and given you many opportunities. But God has given you a vision for the future. And I believe that God will raise up a generation of young people here in Brazil who are on fire for God. What has God put on your heart for the future? What is the vision that God has given you for the years to come?
Translator (12:56):
Well, our hearts burns about doing crusades all over the world.
Lucas Teodoro (13:03):
Scholar University labs
Translator (13:04):
And also through the Crusades we’ll be able to reach schools and universities. God speaks to us a lot about education because we believe that education transforms our society. So we want to take this all over the world. We want to invest in schools and in universities doing great crusade gospel campaigns across the world.
Lucas Teodoro (13:38):
And
Translator (13:38):
I believe these in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (13:43):
If someone wants to find out more about your movement or learn more about you, what is the way for them to find you on Instagram?
Translator (14:00):
Instagram You can come and access my Instagram page,
Lucas Teodoro (14:06):
Lucas.
Translator (14:07):
It’s Lucas Ro official and in our organizational, our organization, missionary Institution, Instagram,
Lucas Teodoro (14:19):
Aviva Official,
Translator (14:20):
Which is called Aviva. That’s it.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (14:25):
And what does Aviva mean in
Translator (14:26):
English? Aviva means revival.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (14:29):
Revival. Rev. Amen. Revival. Well, let’s finish by praying for revival and I want to ask you to especially pray for the young people of Brazil. So pray on Portuguese, but give us a good, powerful prayer that God would send revival to the young people of
Translator (14:48):
Brazil. Transl.
Lucas Teodoro (15:03):
Yeah, that’s transl. Jesus.
Translator (15:06):
Jesus, thank you. Thank you for this generation. You have raisin. You know who is watching this video now,
Lucas Teodoro (15:17):
Jesus
Translator (15:18):
And I declare right now in Jesus’ name,
Lucas Teodoro (15:21):
A
Translator (15:21):
New portion of your presence.
Lucas Teodoro (15:25):
May
Translator (15:25):
They be bold feel of the Holy Spirit
Lucas Teodoro (15:30):
To
Translator (15:30):
Reach their school in their university. In Jesus name, we believe Lord. And we call out to you for a crown of students thirsty for your presence. In Jesus name, we are available for this mission. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (15:55):
Lucas, thank you for being on the Evangelism podcast. I’m very happy. Do you want to say something in English? One last,
Lucas Teodoro (16:01):
Yes. I’m learning English and my dream, my dreams to preach in English. I believe that the next year I will preach in English.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (16:11):
I believe it’ll be true. I believe
Lucas Teodoro (16:12):
I’m learning.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (16:13):
You speak good English. Thank you. I’m learning. But I so love your spirit and what God is doing for you. It’s so beautiful.
Lucas Teodoro (16:21):
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (16:23):
Thank you.
Lucas Teodoro (16:23):
I’m very happy to be here with you. Thank you for this opportunity and God bless you so much.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (16:30):
I look forward to seeing in the years to come what God will do through your ministry. It’ll be so beautiful to see. And so just keep running as hard as you can after God.
Translator (16:40):
Amen. Amen. You the,
Lucas Teodoro (16:49):
Come on. Come on, let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go.
