Israel Shalom: Sharing the love of Christ through music

Israel Shalom is a ministry that is making a profound impact in the Brasilândia community of São Paulo, Brazil. Founded in 2002, this project seeks to develop at-risk children and adolescents through teaching music, dance, and Christian ethics. Over the past 20 years, they have reached over 2,000 young people, giving them a new outlook on life.

Led by Pastor Israel Lemos, Israel Shalom has a proven track record of rescuing children from lives of crime and addiction and setting them on a new path towards a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. Through their holistic approach, they are not only sharing the good news, but also developing the students’ sense of responsibility, social skills, and hope for the future.

The ministry’s key goal is to use musical education with a Christian focus to share the gospel, which can redirect the lives of these at-risk youth. They use different elements of culture, particularly music, to gain the attention of the students and point them towards the abundant life that only the gospel can provide.

One powerful story is that of Marco, who had been living on the streets in the “cracolândia” (crack cocaine district) of downtown São Paulo for a long time. When Marco started coming to Israel Shalom the team provided spiritual support and prayer for his transformation and deliverance. By the end of the year, Marco was participating in the ministry’s Bible study activities. Marco also invited a family member, who started attending the meetings, joined a local church, was baptized, and is now volunteering with the ministry. Stories like these motivate the team to continue reaching out to more people in need, knowing that when they accept the gospel, they will see life-changing results.