Our Core Beliefs Feature
A
Journey
of Faith and Leadership
Note from the Editor: The following is the second in our 2024 series featuring a president from within the Southwestern Union territory as they explore one Adventist fundamental belief and how it has affected their life, faith and ministry. Previous features from this series can be found online at SWURecord.org. Elton DeMoraes is a third-generation Seventh-day Adventist born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. His childhood was deeply rooted in the church. By age 12, he felt a profound calling to serve God and, at 17, became an elder for his church. His academic pursuit in theology led him to Centro Universitário Adventista de São Paulo, where
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RECORD MAGAZINE
he graduated on December 14, 1997. A week later, he embarked on a new journey, marrying his childhood friend Alessandra. This marked the start of a shared life and partnership in ministry that shaped his future endeavors. DeMoraes’ story is one of spiritual growth and an earnest desire to fulfill God’s mission. His leadership reflects his devotion to his faith and his dedication to serving and inspiring others in their spiritual journeys, underscored by his strong belief in the power of collaborating with fellow believers in finishing the work and hastening the Second Coming. DeMoraes’ first pastoral assignment was in Houston at the Houston Central
Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church, two years later he would become the associate pastor of the Houston Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. Fluent in Portuguese, he had to overcome language barriers, learning both Spanish and English. Later, his tenure as a senior pastor at the Tyler Seventh-day Adventist Church in Tyler, Texas, was a period of community engagement and personal joy, marked by the birth of his daughter, Isabella. Four years later, he returned to Houston as senior pastor of the Houston Northwest Seventh-day Adventist Church. Through these early experiences in his ministry, he understood the valuable role of church members and volunteers and the power they have when they work together and with God. “As a team of believers,” DeMoraes shared, “we grew in faith, developed meaningful relationships and witnessed the transformative power of God’s love within our church community.” Almost two years later, DeMoraes’ ministerial journey continued at the Texas Conference headquarters in Alvarado, Texas, where he served in departmental leadership roles, including Ministerial, Stewardship and Church Planting. The core Adventist belief in the remnant is pivotal to DeMoraes’ faith and leadership. This belief, centered on being part of a faithful minority, has profoundly shaped his faith and spiritual