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    SAMS

    South American Missions Society

    Supporting God's mission in South America.

    Established 1993São Paulo, Brazil

    Official site(opens in a new tab)Support(opens in a new tab)View on map
    Churches
    33
    Attendance
    3,680
    Countries
    13
    Founded
    1993

    Mission & vision

    The South American Missions Society (S.A.M.S.) is a non-profit organization created to provide ministry support and training to churches in South America to spread the Gospel of Jesus.

    SAMS works with Christ-centered communities to make a lasting impact on the lives of those they serve — from the Andes to the Amazon — believing that churches accomplish far more together than apart.

    The society is funded by a coalition of partner churches across the United States, and channels that support into training, ministry staff, and church strengthening across the continent.

    Every nation on the South American continent reached with the good news of Jesus, served by healthy, self-sustaining churches.

    41

    Churches

    each one serving as a beacon of hope and faith

    4,500+

    Disciples

    working to spread the word of God

    10

    Countries

    across a diverse and vibrant continent

    Figures as published by the society. Map counts above come from the January 2025 Disciples Today church survey.

    Founding & milestones

    1. 1993

      SAMS is established

      The South American Missions Society is formally established to coordinate mission support across the continent.

      Source: 2016 ICOC Global Missions Report

    2. Today

      41 churches across 10 countries

      SAMS reports 41 churches and more than 4,500 disciples spread across South America, with Brazil hosting the largest concentration of disciples in the region.

      Source: southamericanmissions.org(opens in a new tab)

    3. Annual

      Missions Conference

      SAMS runs an Annual Missions Conference offering training and support for programs that spread the message of hope across Latin America.

      Source: southamericanmissions.org(opens in a new tab)

    Territory

    13 countries · 33 churches

    Use two fingers to pan and pinch to zoom the map.

    BRAARGCHLCOLPERVENECUBOLPRYURYGUYSURGUF

    Initiatives & programs

    Annual Missions Conference(opens in a new tab)Training and support for the programs and leaders carrying the message of hope across Latin America.Partner church coalition(opens in a new tab)Dozens of US congregations partner with SAMS financially and relationally, from Sacramento and Memphis to Miami and Orlando.Volunteer & mission projects(opens in a new tab)SAMS invites disciples to serve on projects across the continent — at home or internationally — through its contact and volunteer pipeline.
    Church strengtheningMinistry support and training directed at existing South American churches so each becomes a durable, sending congregation.

    Goals

    01

    Strengthen every existing church

    Ministry support and training so all 41 congregations grow healthy and self-sustaining.

    02

    Grow the partner coalition

    Welcome new church families into the support network that funds missionaries and training.

    03

    Reach every nation on the continent

    Extend the gospel into South American countries where ICOC churches are not yet established.

    Media

    Latest from the field

    Live articles matched to this society from the ICOC directory feed.

    Churches

    33 of 33 shown · January 2025 Disciples Today survey.

    Igreja de Cristo Internacional de São PauloSao Paulo, Brazil1,100
    Igreja de Cristo Int. do Rio de JaneiroRio De Janeiro, Brazil309
    Quito Church of ChristQuito, Ecuador308
    Belo Horizonte Church of Christ BeloHorizonte, Brazil240
    Iglesia de Cristo InternacionalSanta Cruz, Bolivia220
    Iglesia de Cristo Internacional MedellinMedellin, Colombia180
    Iglesia de Cristo Internacional en LimaLima, Peru160
    Igreja de Cristo Internacional de BrasiliaBrasilia, Brazil140
    Iglesia Internacional de Cristo de SantiagoSantiago, Chile125
    Salvador Church of ChristSalvador, Brazil120
    Asuncion International Church of ChristAsuncion, Paraguay110
    Iglesia Internacional de Cristo en MetroFederal District, Argentina100
    La Paz Intl Church of ChristLa Paz, Bolivia65
    Igreja de Cristo Internacional de CampinasCampinas, Brazil60
    Caracas Church of ChristCaracas, Venezuela55
    Iglesia de Cristo en San MartinSan Martin, Argentina55
    Igreja de Cristo Int. de Ribeirao Preto RibeiraoPreto, Brazil50
    Igreja de Cristo Int. do RecifeRecife, Brazil45
    Igreja de Cristo Internacional de GoianiaGoiania, Brazil31
    Iglesia de Cristo Internacional CaliCali, Colombia25
    Iglesia de Cristo InternacionalNeiva, Colombia25
    Iglesia de Cristo InternacionalXipaquira, Colombia20
    Iglesia Internacional de Vina delVina del Mar, Chile20
    Mision OesteBuenas Aires, Argentina17
    Iglesia de Cristo en Argentina en San LuisSan Luis, Argentina16
    Iglesia Internacional en TarijaTarija, Bolivia15
    MontevideoMontevideo, Uruguay15
    Iglesia de Cristo Internacional en ValenciaValencia, Venezuela14
    Iglesia de Cristo en TrujilloTrujillo, Peru13
    ManizalesManizales – Pereira, Colombia12
    Iglesia de Cristo Internacional en YaguaracualYaguaracual, Venezuela8
    Iglesia de Cristo en CochabamaCochabama, Bolivia5
    Cristo Internacional en CumanaCumana, Venezuela2

    Get involved

    Visit the society(opens in a new tab)Read their own updates, teams and training calendar.Give(opens in a new tab)Support missionaries, training and church planting directly.Explore the territoryOpen this society on the live All Nations map.

    Sources

    Church data compiled by Sergio Pulido and Disciples Today (January 2025).