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Brazil has won the World Cup five times, and as of press time, appears well on its way to its sixth. The team dramatically imploded at the World Cup it hosted in 2014, but rebounded to win the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. On the podium, its star Neymar continued the long Brazilian tradition of sporting religious attire on the field, with one key difference: his headband boasted the phrase \u201c100% Jesus,\u201d a nod to the country\u2019s increasingly ascendant evangelical population. At least 25 percent of the 2018 World Cup team has identified as evangelical. One of Brazil\u2019s biggest evangelical movements is the Assembleias de Deus (Assemblies of God), which includes more than 20 million people. For years, it emphasized a believer\u2019s connection to the Holy Spirit. But increasingly, its broadened its spiritual formation focus, says Marcos Simas, a former editor of Cristianismo Hoje, CT\u2019s Brazilian sister publication. \u201cAssemblies of God is becoming more and more rational,\u201d said Simas. \u201cThey are studying the Bible more and more.\u201d The denomination recently published a study Bible, which sold 50,000 copies the year it came out. \u201c[Assemblies of God doesn\u2019t want to only offer] healing or spiritual gifts,\u201d said Simas. \u201cInstead they are offering tools for their members to learn more about God, doctrine, and theology.\u201d Simas joined associate digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss why Brazilians are embracing evangelicalism, the troubling prevalence of prosperity gospel, and the history of one of Brazil\u2019s most well-known (and somewhat infamous) congregations, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices