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Bola de Neve Church

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Bola de Neve Church
ClassificationEvangelical Protestant
OrientationNeo-charismatic
TheologyNeo-charismatic theology
HeadquartersRua Clélia, 1517 – Lapa, São Paulo, Brazil
FounderApóstolo Rina
Origin1999
Rua 21 de Abril – Brás, São Paulo, Brazil
Official websitewww.boladeneve.com

Bola de Neve Church[a] is a Brazilian neopentecostal church that was founded in São Paulo in 1999[1] by pastor and former surfer Rinaldo Luiz de Seixas Pereira (April 15, 1972 – November 17, 2024), colloquially known as "Apóstolo[b] Rina" or "AP", who also served as the church's president from its inception until his controversial suspension in June 2024 due to accusations of domestic violence.[2][3]

Unlike most churches, its initial goal was to appeal to a young, informal audience, focusing on (but not limited to) enthusiasts of the surf culture.[4] The church also seeks to maintain its image associated with the practice of extreme sports such as surfing, skateboarding, running and cycling, among others, and many of its temples have decorations inspired by such sports.[5] As of 2024, Bola de Neve has over 560 temples and cells both in Brazil and in other 34 countries around the world,[1][6] and has attracted celebrities such as surfer Gabriel Medina, actors Fernanda Vasconcellos, Guilherme Berenguer and Monique Evans,[7] politicians Alexandre Frota and Cabo Daciolo,[8] gymnast Diego Hypólito,[9] and former Charlie Brown Jr. drummer Renato Pelado.[10]

History

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Bola de Neve's founder, Rinaldo Luiz de Seixas Pereira, better known as Apóstolo Rina, was born in São Paulo on April 15, 1972, to Lídia Colomietz and Rinaldo "Bolinha" Pereira. The oldest son of two sisters, he hailed from an Evangelical family and studied at the Colégio Batista Brasileiro [pt] in the bairro of Perdizes.[11]

In 1993, after being diagnosed with a life-threatening case of hepatitis, he claimed to have had a "supernatural experience" with God, subsequently dedicating himself to the teachings of Jesus and becoming a helper at a Reborn in Christ Church site.[11] By the next year, he began promoting small reunions at his house, what later influenced him to open his own church he would name "Bola de Neve", or "Snowball" – according to him, the name came to him in a dream and symbolizes a metaphor alluding to a snowball growing bigger and bigger until becoming an avalanche.[12]

Bola de Neve as a stand-alone church wouldn't be officially formed until 1999, with its first meetings happening at a surfshop in Brás. Without any table or pulpit available to support the Bible, however, Rina was forced to use a surfboard, what would become Bola de Neve's trademark.[2] By January 2000 they had acquired their own building at Rua Marco Aurélio in Lapa; in 2004 they moved to a larger site at Rua Turiassu, in Perdizes, and in 2010 their most recent headquarters was inaugurated at Rua Clélia, once again in Lapa.[12]

From June 2024[13] Rina had been away from his duties as Bola de Neve's leader due to allegations of domestic violence by his stepson, Nathan Gouvêa, and his wife, gospel singer and the church's vice president Denise Seixas, who later obtained a restraining order against him.[14] A court order also forced Rina to deliver all firearms in his possession to the police.[15][16] On November 17, 2024, while returning from an event in São João da Boa Vista, Rina died in a traffic collision near Campinas after losing control of his motorcycle; he was 52.[17] Shortly after his death, Fábio Santos took Rina's place as the church's interim president,[18] leading Denise to sue Santos over the church's leadership due to supposed irregularities in the succession process.[19] She eventually took over Bola de Neve's leadership on December 18, 2024.[20]

Notes

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  1. ^ Literally Snowball Church
  2. ^ Or, in English, Apostle

References

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  1. ^ a b "O que é a igreja Bola de Neve, fundada por apóstolo Rina, que morreu após acidente de moto". BBC News Brasil (in Portuguese). November 18, 2024. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Rosana Romão. "Igreja criada por surfista, a Bola de Neve tem altar feito de prancha". Tribuna do Ceará (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  3. ^ Omar Godoy (November 18, 2024). "Quem era o apóstolo Rina, o controverso 'pregador surfista' que fundou a igreja Bola de Neve". Gazeta do Povo (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  4. ^ Beto Souza (November 18, 2024). "Conheça a igreja Bola de Neve, chefiada por apóstolo que morreu em acidente em SP". CNN Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  5. ^ "Conheça a 'Bola de Neve', igreja liderada pelo apóstolo Rina, morto em acidente de moto em SP". O Globo (in Portuguese). November 18, 2024. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  6. ^ Bruna Sales (November 18, 2024). "Bola de Neve: conheça igreja fundada por Rina, morto em acidente em SP". Metrópoles (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  7. ^ "Marido de Sasha, Medina e mais: Bola de Neve já foi queridinha dos famosos". Splash (in Portuguese). June 16, 2024. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  8. ^ "Quem é Cabo Daciolo, o candidato que confia sua campanha a Deus". Exame (in Portuguese). September 18, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  9. ^ Saullo Brenner (November 28, 2019). "Diego Hypólito faz namorado virar evangélico após crises amorosas". Metrópoles (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  10. ^ Rafael Teixeira (March 4, 2023). "Em culto religioso, Renato Pelado conta sua história como baterista do Charlie Brown Jr". Tenho Mais Discos que Amigos (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "A vida dos fundadores da igreja Bola de Neve". Portal Gospel (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Apóstolo Rina. "Quem somos". Bola de Neve Church (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  13. ^ "Líder da Igreja Bola de Neve é afastado após mulher denunciá-lo". UOL (in Portuguese). June 13, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  14. ^ Thomaz Molina (June 12, 2024). "Justiça concede medida protetiva para mulher de líder da Bola de Neve". Metrópoles (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Thomaz Molina (July 11, 2024). "Justiça determina que líder da Bola de Neve entregue arma em 48 horas". Metrópoles (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  16. ^ Mariana Fernandes (November 19, 2024). "Arma e denúncia por ameaças: as polêmicas envolvendo o apóstolo Rina". UOL (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  17. ^ Mariana Fernandes (November 18, 2024). "Quem era apóstolo Rina, fundador da igreja Bola de Neve, que morreu em SP". UOL (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  18. ^ Mariana Fernandes; Ranieri Costa (November 22, 2024). "Morte de apóstolo Rina: quem assume a igreja Bola de Neve?". UOL (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  19. ^ Ranieri Costa (December 4, 2024). "Denise Seixas entra na Justiça por controle da igreja Bola de Neve". UOL (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  20. ^ Marcos Candido (December 18, 2024). "'Uma reviravolta surpreendente': como Denise Seixas chegou à presidência da Bola de Neve". Piauí (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 21, 2024.
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