Lage, Jovanir
Rev. Dr. Jovanir Lage is a Global Missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church. Jovanir serves as a lecturer of theology at the United Methodist University of Mozambique.
He is an ordained elder and a member of the Fourth Region Methodist Church in Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Growing up in a poor family, Jovanir found spiritual support in the Methodist Church. At age 15, he received a call to ministry in a small-town church. “I felt welcomed by the fellowship and joy of these brothers and sisters,” he said. He immediately became active in the congregation and learned more about God’s love for him and all people.
“As a member of that small Methodist church, I held different roles, dedicating myself to understanding Methodism better and applying it to my faith,” Jovanir said. “I worked as a member of the worship ministry and the youth society. Later, I took on the coordination of ministries such as social action and missions.”
These moments of service “… were essential for the ardor of the gospel to become even more deeply entrenched in my heart,” he noted. At 27, he helped expand the mission field to another neighborhood in the city. “Direct contact with those people and their diverse needs solidified God’s calling in me,” Jovanir said. “I accepted the challenge of moving to São Paulo to study theology.”
Jovanir left his job to attend university full-time. “Although our relatives and friends thought it was a risky move,” he admitted, “for us, it was a complete conviction of God’s calling.” After completing his four-year Bachelor’s degree in Theology, Jovanir was assigned to work in the city of São João Del Rei, with the challenge of building a church.
“By God’s grace, even in the face of many adversities, we were able to accomplish this work in three years,” he said. Serving as a full-time pastor, Jovanir began studying for a master’s and doctorate in religious studies.
“After another six years of study, I was assigned to lead the missionary and theological training seminary of the Methodist Church, the João Ramos Júnior Methodist Theological Institute. Since then, the pastoral vocation, combined with educational practice, has become a profound learning experience, making me very happy so that more people can prepare for God’s mission,” Jovanir stated.
As a missionary, he serves as a professor of theology at the United Methodist University of Mozambique in Cambine. To ensure the university’s institutional growth, the Episcopal Area of Mozambique requested well-qualified missionaries like Jovanir, who can help maintain the university’s standing as a key center of learning.