Over the last season, we believe the Lord has been speaking to us through Acts 3 and the story of the Beautiful Gate.

As we've spent time praying into this passage, we've been struck by the picture of two temples. There was the physical temple in Jerusalem—beautiful, impressive, built by human hands and filled with religious activity. But there was also the new temple God was establishing through His people, where His presence would no longer be confined to a building but would dwell within transformed hearts through the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 3, a crippled man sits every day at the Beautiful Gate. The gate was magnificent, covered in gold and silver, yet right outside it sat a man whose life remained broken. He was surrounded by religion, close to the temple, close to the rituals, close to the traditions, but he still needed transformation.

We believe this speaks powerfully to Portugal.

Portugal has a rich Catholic history and deep religious heritage. Yet we believe the Father's heart is not for people to be near religion, but to know Him personally as their Father and live in a place of freedom in Christ, not a place of works and striving.

The man at the gate reminds us that it is possible to be close to religious activity and still long for genuine restoration. The temple could offer him silver and gold, but it could not give him new life. Only an encounter with Jesus could do that.

When Peter declares, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk," everything changes. The man is restored, raised up, and enters into a new reality.

For us, the Beautiful Gate is a picture of Jesus Himself. He is the true gateway to the Father. Through Him, people are not merely invited into a religious system but into relationship, belonging, restoration, and salvation.

Our prayer for Portugal is that many would move from simply knowing about God to truly knowing Him. That people would encounter Jesus in a way that brings healing, freedom, and restoration. That a nation known for its religious heritage would also become known for a vibrant relationship with the Father.

Just as the lame man entered the temple walking, leaping, and praising God, we believe the Lord desires to restore people into the fullness of life He created them for—no longer sitting at the gate, but living in His presence.

We believe God is inviting Portugal from religion into relationship, from tradition into encounter, and from simply standing near the things of God to walking closely with the Father through Jesus Christ.

We believe the Lord has called us to church planting, although we do not yet know exactly what that will look like or when it will happen. While God has given us a wider vision, we want to hold that vision with open hands and walk in obedience one step at a time.

As we prepare to move to Portugal at the end of September, our desire is not to arrive with our own agenda or assume that we have all the answers. We believe God is calling us first to serve, to learn, and to become part of what He is already doing. We want to honour the churches, leaders, and believers who have faithfully carried the Gospel in Portugal for generations.

At the same time, we believe the Lord is stirring our hearts with a deep longing to see people encounter Him as He truly is.

Portugal has a rich Catholic heritage, and many people have been introduced to God through religious traditions and practices. We honour the faith, sacrifice, and devotion that have been present throughout the nation's history. However, from our experiences so far in Portugal both individually and together, we also believe that many people have received an incomplete picture of who God is. For some, God has been presented primarily as distant, unreachable, or someone whose approval must be earned through effort and religious duty.

Yet when we look at Jesus, we see something different.

Jesus came to reveal the Father. He showed us a God who is loving, compassionate, merciful, and deeply desires relationship with His children. Through Christ, we see that God is not inviting people into mere religion, but into adoption, intimacy, and fellowship with Himself.

Our prayer for Portugal is that people would encounter the Father in a fresh way. Not that they would simply know more about Him, but that they would truly know Him. We long to see people move from obligation to intimacy, from striving to sonship, and from religion alone into a living relationship with Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

One scripture that has been significant to us is from Haggai 2:9:

"The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house, says the Lord Almighty."

As we pray for Portugal, we are asking God to awaken His Church and fill believers afresh with the Holy Spirit. We long to see men and women walking in the presence and power of God, hearing His voice, knowing their identity as sons and daughters, and carrying His love into every part of society.

At the same time, we believe there are beautiful and healthy aspects of Portugal's Catholic heritage that should be honoured and preserved. Our desire is not to replace everything that exists, but to see renewal. We believe God wants to breathe fresh life into His Church while preserving all that is good, true, and rooted in Him.

Whether the Lord leads us into church planting sooner or later, our commitment is to remain faithful to His leading. We want to walk humbly, serve wherever He places us, and remain ready whenever He calls us into the next season.

Ultimately, our heart is to see Jesus revealed, the Father made known, and the Church in Portugal shine with even greater glory as people encounter the transforming love and presence of God. We believe the greatest days for the Church in Portugal are still ahead, and we are excited to play whatever small part the Lord invites us to play in that story.