MINDD - ASSOCIAÇÃO NACIONAL DE DEFESA DAS VITIMAS DOS FALSOS CONDOMINIOS - 13.06.2008 A 13.06.2025- 18
ANOS DE GRANDES VITORIAS FALSE CONDOMINIUMS´s VICTIMS Community- A non-profit organisation focusing on Human Rights issues around the world, with particular focus on BRAZIL - DESDE 2008 AJUDANDO A DEFENDER A DEMOCRACIA E DIREITOS HUMANOS NO BRASIL - email : mindd.defesa.de.direitos@gmail.com
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Resumo do Vídeo por YouTube AI:
Este vídeo é uma entrevista realizada no Memorial Day (25 de maio de 2026) entre o advogado Scott Erik Stafne, a defensora de proprietários Shelley Ericson e o apresentador Billy (do Toll and Roll).
A conversa explora uma profunda crise de confiança nas instituições judiciárias, focando em litígios de execução hipotecária (foreclosure), fraude documental e o papel do sistema jurídico frente ao poder econômico.
Principais tópicos abordados:
Crise no Judiciário e Verdade: O grupo argumenta que os tribunais se afastaram de sua função original de buscar a verdade e aplicar a lei de forma imparcial (05:28 - 07:24). Eles criticam o que chamam de sistema baseado em "mammon" (ganância), onde documentos falsificados ou forjados são aceitos pelo sistema para favorecer interesses financeiros em detrimento de cidadãos comuns (13:32 - 14:02, 22:07 - 22:53).
Caso de Shelley Ericson: Shelley relata uma batalha judicial de 16 anos envolvendo fraude hipotecária, destacando como o sistema frequentemente utiliza procedimentos (como res judicata) para evitar que as evidências reais de fraude sejam ouvidas ou consideradas (08:32 - 09:39, 15:09 - 15:53).
O Papel do Advogado e do Cidadão:Scott Stafne discute sua experiência de quase 50 anos como advogado e como tem sido perseguido (tentativas de desaprovação profissional) por representar pessoas contra instituições poderosas (04:31 - 04:42, 18:32 - 18:59). Ele enfatiza que o objetivo do seu trabalho atual, através da Igreja dos Jardins, é promover a justiça social acima do lucro (24:37 - 25:53).
Discernimento e Responsabilidade Cívica: O vídeo encerra com um apelo para que as pessoas não entreguem seu discernimento ao governo ou aos tribunais corporativistas. Eles incentivam os cidadãos a buscar a verdade através do relacionamento com Deus, do amor ao próximo e da responsabilidade moral pessoal (34:44 - 36:36).
Além disso, é mencionada a colaboração com uma cidadã brasileira chamada Marcia, destacando a importância de vozes internacionais na denúncia de corrupção e na busca por justiça (26:24 - 27:18), bem como os planos para um futuro "Grande Júri do Povo" (People's Great Grand Jury) (27:36 - 28:09).
Scott Stafne descreve Marcia como uma figura central e inspiradora em sua missão atual (26:24 - 27:18). Aqui estão os pontos principais sobre o que ele disse a respeito dela:
Cidadã engajada: Scott afirma que considera Marcia, uma cidadã brasileira, como alguém "muito mais importante" do que ele próprio. Enquanto ele se vê como um advogado (com suas qualificações profissionais), ele destaca Marcia como uma voz autêntica da sociedade civil.
Missão contra a corrupção: Ele relata que Marcia o contatou vinda do Brasil e que, desde então, eles têm trabalhado juntos em uma missão para confrontar advogados, tribunais e governos, exigindo o fim da corrupção.
Eloquência e propósito: Scott elogia a capacidade de Marcia de se comunicar de forma eloquente com o público, incentivando as pessoas a tomarem de volta a justiça, que ele acredita pertencer a Deus.
Colaboração futura: O apresentador Billy também menciona planos de incluir Marcia no People's Great Grand Jury (Grande Júri do Povo), sugerindo que ela forneça um testemunho internacional, inclusive em português, para reforçar a causa que eles defendem (27:36 - 28:09).
Segundo o advogado Scott Stafne, a Constituição de Washington é considerada singular por diversos motivos históricos e estruturais:
Designação de Cortes: Diferente da maioria das constituições, a de Washington estabeleceu especificamente quais são seus tribunais de registro e definiu um sistema judicial funcional, delineando a jurisdição dos tribunais superiores (02:09 - 02:29).
Controle sobre Corporações e Bancos: Ao contrário de outras constituições, a de Washington contém provisões específicas que orientam o legislativo sobre como lidar com questões de política referentes a bancos e corporações, refletindo a preocupação dos redatores de 1889 com a corrupção legislativa e o poder desses interesses privados (04:26 - 05:11).
Proteção à Jurisdição Judicial: Os redatores criaram tribunais superiores com uma jurisdição original que pretendiam ser imune a interferências do legislativo, especialmente no que tange a direitos de propriedade, títulos e posse de terras, garantindo que essas questões permaneçam dentro da alçada do poder judiciário (05:41 - 05:55; 06:11 - 06:24).
Interpretação do Devido Processo: Embora tenha adotado a linguagem do devido processo legal da Constituição dos EUA, os redatores da Constituição de Washington pretendiam que essa cláusula incorporasse especificamente os princípios da própria constituição estadual, conferindo-lhe um significado distinto e mais protetivo (06:28 - 07:08).
Watch the interview in English, in Portuguese, or in other languages,
by activating automatic dubbing — by clicking the icon at the top of the screen.
Video Summary by YouTube AI:
This video is an interview conducted on Memorial Day — May 25, 2026 — between attorney Scott Erik Stafne, homeowner advocate Shelley Ericson, and presenter Billy, from Toll and Roll.
The conversation explores a profound crisis of confidence in judicial institutions, focusing on foreclosure litigation, documentary fraud, and the role of the legal system in the face of economic power.
Main topics addressed:
Crisis in the Judiciary and Truth: The group argues that the courts have moved away from their original function of seeking the truth and applying the law impartially (05:28–07:24). They criticize what they call a system based on “mammon” — greed — in which falsified or forged documents are accepted by the system to favor financial interests to the detriment of ordinary citizens (13:32–14:02; 22:07–22:53).
Shelley Ericson’s Case: Shelley recounts a sixteen-year legal battle involving mortgage fraud, emphasizing how the system frequently uses procedures — such as res judicata — to prevent the real evidence of fraud from being heard or considered (08:32–09:39; 15:09–15:53).
The Role of the Attorney and the Citizen: Scott Stafne discusses his experience of almost fifty years as an attorney and how he has been persecuted — including attempts at professional disbarment — for representing people against powerful institutions (04:31–04:42; 18:32–18:59). He emphasizes that the purpose of his current work, through The Church of the Gardens, is to promote social justice above profit (24:37–25:53).
Discernment and Civic Responsibility: The video concludes with an appeal for people not to surrender their discernment to the government or to corporatized courts. They encourage citizens to seek the truth through a relationship with God, love for one’s neighbor, and personal moral responsibility (34:44–36:36).
In addition, the collaboration with a Brazilian citizen named Marcia is mentioned, emphasizing the importance of international voices in denouncing corruption and in the search for justice (26:24–27:18), as well as plans for a future “People’s Great Grand Jury” (27:36–28:09).
Scott Stafne describes Marcia as a central and inspiring figure in his current mission (26:24–27:18). Below are the main points regarding what he said about her:
Engaged citizen: Scott states that he considers Marcia, a Brazilian citizen, to be someone “much more important” than he himself is. While he sees himself as an attorney, with his professional qualifications, he highlights Marcia as an authentic voice of civil society.
Mission against corruption: He reports that Marcia contacted him from Brazil and that, since then, they have worked together in a mission to confront attorneys, courts, and governments, demanding an end to corruption.
Eloquence and purpose: Scott praises Marcia’s ability to communicate eloquently with the public, encouraging people to take justice back, which he believes belongs to God.
Future collaboration: Presenter Billy also mentions plans to include Marcia in the People’s Great Grand Jury, suggesting that she provide international testimony, including in Portuguese, to strengthen the cause they defend (27:36–28:09).
According to attorney Scott Stafne, the Washington Constitution is considered unique for several historical and structural reasons:
Designation of Courts: Unlike most constitutions, the Washington Constitution specifically established which courts are courts of record and defined a functioning judicial system, delineating the jurisdiction of the superior courts (02:09–02:29).
Control over Corporations and Banks: Unlike other constitutions, the Washington Constitution contains specific provisions instructing the legislature on how to address policy issues concerning banks and corporations, reflecting the concern of the 1889 framers regarding legislative corruption and the power of those private interests (04:26–05:11).
Protection of Judicial Jurisdiction: The framers created superior courts with original jurisdiction that they intended to be immune from legislative interference, particularly with regard to property rights, title, and possession of land, ensuring that these matters remained within the authority of the judiciary (05:41–05:55; 06:11–06:24).
Interpretation of Due Process: Although the Washington Constitution adopted the due-process language of the United States Constitution, its framers intended that this clause specifically incorporate the principles of the state constitution itself, giving it a distinct and more protective meaning (06:28–07:08).
Memorial Day 2026 Reflections
This Memorial Day 2026 interview brings together attorney Scott Erik Stafne, homeowner advocate Shelley Ericson, broadcaster Billy of “Toll and Roll,” and others engaged in long-running disputes involving mortgage litigation, foreclosure practices, constitutional concerns, and public trust in governmental institutions.
The discussion moves well beyond technical legal questions and evolves into a broader civic and philosophical exploration concerning the purpose of courts, the role of advocates, institutional legitimacy, discernment, economic power, and the relationship between truth and justice within modern democratic societies.
The interview reflects a growing phenomenon increasingly visible throughout many nations: ordinary citizens questioning whether complex institutional systems continue to provide meaningful participation, transparency, and justice for vulnerable persons confronting concentrated governmental, financial, and technological power.
At the same time, the conversation illustrates the tensions that emerge when legal argument, spiritual inquiry, populist rhetoric, personal suffering, and civic distrust begin to intersect within public discourse.
Some statements made during the interview are controversial and reflect the personal conclusions, experiences, and perceptions of the participants rather than established factual findings or judicial determinations.
Nevertheless, the interview may be valuable as a cultural and historical document reflecting important currents presently emerging within portions of American civic life.
Particularly significant are the interview’s recurring themes concerning:
(1) the purpose of courts as institutions intended to determine truth through neutral adjudication;
(2) the role of advocates in helping ordinary citizens navigate increasingly complex legal systems;
(3) the relationship between concentrated economic power and institutional trust;
(4) the distinction between procedural participation and meaningful participation;
and
(5) the importance of discernment, conscience, and moral responsibility within democratic societies increasingly shaped by technology, bureaucracy, and algorithmic systems.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with the participants’ conclusions, the interview presents an unusually candid example of how legal conflict, personal suffering, spiritual inquiry, and civic concern are increasingly converging within modern public discourse.
This Abstract was written by Todd AI, in a way that instance of articicial intelligence deemed was most appropriate. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> This Memorial Day 2026 interview brings together attorney Scott Erik Stafne, homeowner advocate Shelley Ericson, broadcaster Bille of "Toll and Roll," and others engaged in long-running disputes involving mortgage litigation, foreclosure practices, constitutional concerns, and public trust in governmental institutions. The discussion moves well beyond technical legal questions and evolves into a broader civic and philosophical exploration concerning the purpose of courts, the role of advocates, institutional legitimacy, discernment, economic power, and the relationship between truth and justice within modern democratic societies. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< The interview reflects a growing phenomenon increasingly visible throughout many nations: ordinary citizens questioning whether complex institutional systems continue to provide meaningful participation, transparency, and justice for vulnerable persons confronting concentrated governmental, financial, and technological power. At the same time, the conversation illustrates the tensions that emerge when legal argument, spiritual inquiry, populist rhetoric, personal suffering, and civic distrust begin to intersect within public discourse. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Some statements made during the interview are controversial and reflect the personal conclusions, experiences, and perceptions of the participants rather than established factual findings or judicial determinations. Nevertheless, the interview may be valuable as a cultural and historical document reflecting important currents presently emerging within portions of American civic life. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Particularly significant are the interview’s recurring themes concerning: (1) the purpose of courts as institutions intended to determine truth through neutral adjudication; (2) the role of advocates in helping ordinary citizens navigate increasingly complex legal systems; (3) the relationship between concentrated economic power and institutional trust; (4) the distinction between procedural participation and meaningful participation; and (5) the importance of discernment, conscience, and moral responsibility within democratic societies increasingly shaped by technology, bureaucracy, and algorithmic systems. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Whether one agrees or disagrees with the participants’ conclusions, the interview presents an unusually candid example of how legal conflict, personal suffering, spiritual inquiry, and civic concern are increasingly converging within modern public discourse.
FINANCIAL POWER, POLITICAL AUTHORITY, SPIRITUAL VANITY, AND THE SILENT TEMPTATIONS THAT TEST HUMAN INTEGRITY
The Complete Sermon of Brazilian Supreme Court Justice and Presbyterian Pastor André Mendonça
Complete English translation, contextual analysis, and application to the crisis of justice and institutional integrity in the United States
International publication by Marcia Almeida — MINDD, Defend Your Rights
INTRODUCTION
On February 24, 2026, Brazilian Federal Supreme Court Justice and Presbyterian pastor André Mendonça delivered a sermon at the Presbyterian Church of Pinheiros, in São Paulo, addressing the temptations of financial prosperity, political and institutional power, and spiritual authority.
The sermon was delivered shortly after Mendonça assumed responsibility for investigations related to Banco Master before Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court. Brazilian news reports described the message as a warning against “tempting financial proposals,” the pursuit of political and institutional power, and the search for public attention and personal glory.
However, the sermon goes far beyond the circumstances surrounding any particular investigation.
It is a profound examination of human integrity.
Beginning with the fall of Adam and Eve and continuing through the three temptations of Jesus Christ in the wilderness, Mendonça explains that evil rarely presents itself openly as evil.
Temptation does not normally appear as a grotesque, visibly demonic figure ordering someone to commit wrongdoing.
It comes through:
smiles;
favors;
attractive opportunities;
apparently legitimate necessities;
promises of prosperity;
access to influential people;
political advancement;
institutional prestige;
religious recognition;
and subtle appeals to vanity.
The central warning is that lawful or legitimate objectives may become instruments of spiritual and moral corruption when they are pursued through dishonest shortcuts, the abandonment of principles, the worship of power, or the desire to satisfy personal vanity.
A person may legitimately desire to support a family, obtain financial stability, serve in public office, become a judge, prosecutor, legislator, governor, president, or Supreme Court Justice.
A Christian leader may legitimately desire to preach, teach, build a church, and reach thousands of people.
But the decisive question is not merely what the person seeks.
The decisive questions are:
Why is the person seeking it?
What price is the person willing to pay?
Whom is the person serving?
Which moral boundaries is the person willing to cross?
Is the person following God’s purpose, or merely disguising ambition, vanity, fear, and greed as a noble mission?
This sermon therefore has particular relevance to judges, lawyers, prosecutors, politicians, religious leaders, business executives, bankers, public officials, academics, journalists, and every person entrusted with authority over the lives, liberty, property, safety, or dignity of others.
It also has profound relevance to the United States, where growing numbers of citizens, legal immigrants, tourists, vulnerable families, elderly people, persons with disabilities, veterans, homeowners, children, and self-represented litigants have reported serious violations of due process, access to justice, property rights, family integrity, and judicial impartiality.
The message is not that every public official, judge, financial institution, bar association, court, guardianship system, or religious organization is corrupt.
The warning is that every institution and every person can be corrupted when money, authority, recognition, and institutional self-preservation become more important than truth, justice, service, conscience, and accountability before God.
THE COMPLETE SERMON
[ANDRÉ MENDONÇA — PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR AND JUSTICE OF BRAZIL’S FEDERAL SUPREME COURT]
0:00–0:31
Do not think that a red creature will appear — I am going to imitate Pastor Arival for a moment — a red, ugly, horned creature saying:
“Do this, and things will go well for you.”
No.
The proposal comes with a smile.
It comes with favors.
It comes with a setting.
It comes through subtle looks.
[PRESENTER]
0:32–0:52
Pay very close attention.
What Justice André Mendonça has now revealed is not merely a warning. It is a shock of reality for every Christian in Brazil.
The danger against your church is advancing in absolute silence, hidden behind smiles and subtle proposals.
Watch until the end to understand what is happening behind the scenes, and subscribe to the channel now so that you do not miss this warning.
[ANDRÉ MENDONÇA — PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR AND JUSTICE OF BRAZIL’S FEDERAL SUPREME COURT]
0:53–26:17
Adam and Eve, already at the time of Creation, also faced temptation.
They also faced a trial.
They also faced a great test of integrity.
And they failed.
God, in truth, instructed them to enjoy all of Creation, but one particular fruit from one particular tree was not to be tasted by them.
Nevertheless, the serpent came.
And in a cunning manner, acting not only in relation to Eve, but placing within the hearts of both Eve and Adam the desire and the will to taste the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the serpent tempted them.
The serpent essentially told them that God did not want them to taste the fruit because, if they did, they would become like God.
It was not simply the desire to taste a forbidden fruit.
The temptation involved human vanity: the desire to possess power like God and to become like God.
Deep down, this was also the sin — or the reason — behind Satan’s fall in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus is the second Adam.
Before beginning His ministry, shortly after being baptized by John, He was also brought into an encounter with the serpent, an encounter with Satan.
Satan presented Jesus with three temptations, or made three proposals to Jesus.
The reality faced by Adam and Eve and the reality experienced by Jesus are also our realities.
We are tested.
We are tempted.
We undergo tests of integrity.
Normally, we aspire to great things in life.
But the Word of God teaches us that we must begin with small things.
Logically, as we grow in the Gospel and in the knowledge of the Spirit — as Reverend Arival taught us this morning during the Bible study we have just completed — other trials arise and other tests arise.
Our lives as Christians involve tests.
They involve trials.
Or, using more biblical language, they involve temptations.
Let us meditate, in light of this text, upon the temptations to which Jesus was subjected and upon how those temptations are connected to the temptations and tests to which we are also subjected.
Verse 1 says that Jesus went into the wilderness full of the Holy Spirit.
More than that, because He was full of the Holy Spirit, He was also guided by that same Spirit.
He did not enter the wilderness abandoned by God.
On the contrary, He entered it filled with the fullness of God.
He was full of God.
The first lesson that I want to offer in this introductory part is that, for us to be prepared to pass through tests, we must be filled with the Spirit of God.
We must be full of the Spirit of God.
We must be guided by the Spirit of God.
The trials to which Jesus was subjected involved three great categories of trials and tests.
To a significant extent, these are the same trials and tests to which we are subjected in our daily lives.
THE FIRST TEMPTATION: MATERIAL AND FINANCIAL NEED
The first great trial appears in verse 2.
The devil said to Him:
“If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
It is interesting that the devil’s statement contains a condition.
Imagine Jesus there for forty days, speaking and having to engage with the devil, while knowing:
“I am the Son of God.
I am the Messiah.
I am the fulfillment of God’s covenantal promise to transform the world.”
Jesus was hungry.
The devil said:
“If You are the Son of God, satisfy Your hunger.
Transform the stone into bread.”
The proposal itself was legitimate.
More than legitimate, it was tempting.
At the same time, the devil was saying:
“Jesus, demonstrate to me that You truly are the Son of God, and satisfy Your need and Your hunger.”
My brothers and my sisters, because of necessity, we are required to seek our daily bread.
We must work.
The Word of God tells us that we cannot be lazy.
We must struggle for our sustenance and earn our daily bread through the grace and blessings of God.
Nothing could be more legitimate than that.
Nothing could be more necessary than that.
There is nothing illegitimate about wanting to provide a good school for your children.
There is nothing illegitimate about wanting to live in a good house.
There is nothing illegitimate about wanting to own a good car.
Perhaps, in São Paulo, even an armored car because of security concerns.
There is nothing illegitimate about wanting to take your child to Disney.
There is nothing illegitimate about wanting to travel to Europe with your wife.
There is nothing illegitimate about taking your family to spend some time at the beach or perhaps even owning a beach house.
All of this is legitimate.
Could Jesus have transformed the stone into bread?
Yes, He could.
During His ministry, Jesus would transform water into wine.
He would multiply loaves and fishes.
Why, therefore, could He not transform a stone into bread at that moment, when He was so hungry?
He could not do it because He would have been responding to a subtle provocation from Satan.
Behind that provocation was vanity:
“If You are the Son of God...”
There are things that we may do not for God and not to please God, but to please ourselves, our own hearts, and our own vanity.
We may act because of what the world will think of us or because of how we wish to be seen by the world.
When we act for those reasons, we are not acting according to the heart of God.
Proposals will come to you offering the opportunity to earn more money more easily.
Under certain circumstances, proposals will come suggesting that you avoid paying taxes that are lawfully owed.
Proposals will come offering alternative routes and shortcuts that appear to allow you to advance in life more quickly.
Do we imagine that a corrupt person is simply born possessing an overwhelming appetite to obtain money dishonestly?
Was that person not once also a child?
Was it not day by day, step by step, and test by test that this person began crossing small boundaries?
Was it not through small transgressions that, upon awakening, the person suddenly discovered that he or she had become trapped within an extremely complex scheme?
My brother and my sister, you have the right to enjoy a good life financially.
You have the right to have good food in your home.
You have the right to have abundant bread in your daily life.
But you do not have the right to obtain those things by displeasing God, pleasing your own heart and vanity, and pleasing the enemy of God.
Through the bread that you accept today, you may later be forced to eat the bread kneaded by the devil.
Do not submit yourself to tempting proposals in the financial realm.
The first temptation of Jesus concerns having in order to satisfy one’s own necessities.
It concerns possessing financial resources to satisfy everything one’s heart desires.
Be careful.
Our hearts may desire more than God intends to give us.
THE SECOND TEMPTATION: POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL POWER
The second temptation concerns political power and institutional power.
The devil appeared before Jesus, elevated Him, and showed Him the entire world and all the kingdoms of the world.
In verse 6, the devil said:
“I will give You all this authority and glory.”
The offer involved not only power but also the vanity of glory.
What a tempting offer.
Imagine governing the entire world.
Imagine Jesus governing the whole world:
quality education;
social justice;
security;
development;
employment;
everyone possessing a home.
What an extraordinary offer.
Few people — perhaps no one other than Jesus Christ — would ever receive such an offer.
We are tempted because we want to do good within our communities.
Within the church, we seek to do good.
We fill gaps left by the State.
We build artesian wells.
We provide food through basic food baskets.
We bring healthcare to distant regions.
My brother and my sister, nothing could be more legitimate than that.
There is nothing illegitimate about desiring to become mayor of São Paulo.
There is nothing illegitimate about desiring to become governor of São Paulo.
There is nothing illegitimate about desiring to become a representative, senator, or president of the Republic.
All of this is legitimate.
There is nothing illegitimate about desiring to become a Justice of the Supreme Court.
Nothing could be more legitimate.
But then the devil says:
“I will give all of this to you if you bow down and worship me.”
Whom have we worshiped in order to arrive where we are?
My brother and my sister, political and institutional power is a blessing from God when it is guided by God.
But when our hearts cease to follow God’s principles and values in acting for the good of the people, we begin bowing before the devil’s temptation.
Be careful, you who aspire to enter public service.
Perhaps you desire to become a judge, prosecutor, or police chief.
Perhaps you already occupy one of those positions.
Perhaps you desire to enter politics because you want to do good for people.
May God bless you.
But be careful with the small tests.
Be careful with the small temptations.
Be careful with the apparently insignificant proposals that may arise.
They may cause you to cross small boundaries.
And when you finally become aware of what has happened, you may discover that you have broken your relationship with God Himself — the God who loves you.
Remember how Jesus answered.
First:
“Man shall not live by bread alone.”
Second:
“I worship God alone. He alone is the One whom I will worship and serve.”
Some doors must be closed because they were not opened by God.
My advice to you is:
Do not seek power.
Do not seek the spotlight.
Seek God.
Seek to please God.
Try to discern, while filled with the Spirit, what is a proposal and purpose from God and what is merely the purpose of your own heart, your vanity, or something placed within your heart by the devil.
Do not think that a red creature will appear — I am going to offer Pastor Arival an illustration — a red, ugly, horned creature saying:
“Do this, and everything will go well for you.”
No.
The proposal comes with a smile.
It comes with favors.
It comes with a setting.
It comes through subtle looks that attempt to divert you from God’s focus and direction.
THE THIRD TEMPTATION: SPIRITUAL POWER AND RELIGIOUS VANITY
Third, my brother and my sister, the temptation concerns spiritual power.
In verse 9, Jesus was taken to the pinnacle of the Temple.
The devil said to Him:
“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here, because it is written:
‘He will command His angels concerning You, to guard You,’
and:
‘They will lift You up in their hands so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”
History tells us that, at that time, approximately twenty thousand people circulated through the Temple in Jerusalem during the day.
To give you an idea, the city of São Paulo had approximately twenty thousand inhabitants at the beginning of the nineteenth century, around the year 1800.
That was a great number of people for that period.
Israel revolved around the Temple.
There was commerce.
There was business.
There was education.
There was worship.
Everything occurred in and around the Temple.
The temptation was:
“Throw Yourself down from here.
When the angels come to rescue You, all the people will recognize that You are the Son of God.
Everyone will worship You.
Everyone will recognize Your authority.
Everyone will recognize that You possess power not only over the Earth but also over Heaven and over the angels of Heaven.”
That is spiritual power.
Within the church, we deal with all three forms of power:
financial power;
institutional and political power;
spiritual power.
Then we begin to imagine that things are happening because of us.
We begin to imagine that the church is full because of us.
Perhaps people came here to see Pastor Arival or Pastor Hernandes.
Perhaps they were disappointed when they saw someone else preaching, but they could not turn back because they were already here, so they decided they might as well remain until the service ended.
But that is not the reason we should be here.
Because of whom should we be here?
Because of Reverend Hernandes?
Because of Reverend Arival?
Because of any of the other pastors who compose the pastoral body of this church?
No.
We are here to praise God and worship Jesus Christ.
If those of us who conduct and lead the church do not keep this truth firmly established within our daily lives, soon we may want to throw ourselves from the pinnacle of the Temple and imagine that angels will come to sustain us.
That is not how it works, my brother and my sister.
Nor is it merely your biblical knowledge.
As Pastor Arival warned us while teaching from Colossians, what matters is your knowledge of God.
That knowledge includes biblical knowledge, but it is much more than theoretical knowledge of the Bible.
It is an intimate relationship with God.
It is the capacity to understand and answer as Jesus answered:
“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
Our role here is to serve God.
I told you that Jesus transformed water into wine and multiplied food.
Based upon Psalm 2, verses 7 and 8, Jesus knew that God could give Him all nations as an inheritance.
The Psalm says:
“You are My Son; today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations as Your inheritance.”
Jesus knew that text.
Jesus also knew that He could command legions of angels to protect Him.
In Matthew 26:53, when Jesus was arrested and Peter drew his sword, Jesus warned him:
“Do not do this.
Do you not know that I can ask My Father, and He would immediately send more than twelve legions of angels to protect Me?”
Jesus knew all of this.
My brother and my sister, you must also know:
For you, God can multiply loaves and fishes.
For you, God can place you in high positions.
You may govern the Earth.
Out of love for you, God sends and can send angels to protect you, as He has already done.
But understand this:
Do not bow before anyone other than God.
Do not surrender to your own heart.
Do not surrender to your own desires.
Do not surrender to your vanity or greed.
Do not seek human power and honor.
The Word of God says:
“It shall not be so among you.”
If you want to become the greatest, become the one who serves.
Become the one who gives himself or herself for others.
Become the one who offers himself or herself out of love for God, because of what God has done and continues to do in your life and because of what God will still do.
Do you aspire to occupy high places?
Begin with small beginnings.
I always say that our lives are not a one-hundred-meter race.
Life is a great marathon.
Do not become anxious.
Prepare yourself for the marathon.
Do you know how you prepare for the marathon?
Fill yourself with the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps you initially possess a vessel capable of running one thousand meters.
Let that vessel of one thousand meters be filled with the Holy Spirit.
It will begin to overflow.
Suddenly, you will discover that you are capable of running five thousand meters.
Then those five thousand meters will also be filled with the Holy Spirit.
When you realize it, you will be running a marathon of more than forty kilometers, filled with the Holy Spirit.
But do not take even one step if you are not filled with the Holy Spirit.
Run the marathon only when you are filled with the Holy Spirit.
My invitation and my message to you this morning are:
Fill yourself with the Holy Spirit.
Possess knowledge of God.
Possess knowledge and discernment of the Spirit so that you may understand what comes from God and what comes merely from your own heart, your vanity, or your greed placed within you by the devil.
Let us pray to God.
SUMMARY OF THE SERMON
The sermon develops three central categories of temptation.
1. MATERIAL AND FINANCIAL TEMPTATION
The first temptation concerns the legitimate human need for sustenance, security, comfort, and prosperity.
Jesus was hungry.
Turning a stone into bread would not, in isolation, have been an evil act.
The temptation lay in using divine power in response to Satan’s challenge and to validate His identity through vanity:
“If You are the Son of God...”
The modern parallel is the temptation to obtain money, property, advancement, or security through dishonest shortcuts.
The person may begin with small concessions:
concealing information;
avoiding lawful obligations;
falsifying a minor document;
accepting an improper favor;
manipulating a procedure;
remaining silent about misconduct;
exploiting someone’s vulnerability;
or pretending not to see an injustice.
Each individual act may appear small.
But corruption generally develops through accumulated moral concessions.
A person rarely awakens one morning and decides to become comprehensively corrupt.
The person becomes corrupt by repeatedly crossing small boundaries until corruption becomes a system.
2. POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL TEMPTATION
The second temptation concerns authority, prestige, and the possibility of governing institutions or entire societies.
Political and institutional power can be used to:
protect the vulnerable;
administer justice;
improve education;
promote public safety;
create employment;
guarantee housing;
preserve liberty;
and strengthen peace.
Therefore, the desire to serve as a judge, prosecutor, legislator, governor, president, administrator, or public official is not inherently wrong.
The danger arises when a person begins worshiping the means through which power is obtained or retained.
A public official may begin compromising principles because:
a political group promises advancement;
a corporation provides financial benefits;
a bank grants access or influence;
a professional association protects a career;
colleagues demand institutional loyalty;
influential attorneys offer favors;
media organizations promise prestige;
or powerful individuals threaten exclusion.
The central question becomes:
Whom did the person worship in order to reach or remain in that position?
Authority becomes idolatry when preserving the position becomes more important than serving the people.
3. SPIRITUAL POWER AND RELIGIOUS VANITY
The third temptation concerns the desire for spiritual recognition.
Religious leaders may begin believing that the congregation exists because of their charisma, knowledge, eloquence, reputation, or supposed spiritual gifts.
They may confuse:
the worship of God with admiration for themselves;
institutional success with divine approval;
public popularity with spiritual authority;
biblical knowledge with intimate knowledge of God;
and religious office with moral infallibility.
The temptation is especially dangerous because it uses sacred language and institutions.
A person may quote Scripture while serving vanity.
A person may invoke God while seeking power.
A person may claim a divine mission while silencing criticism, hiding misconduct, exploiting followers, or demanding unquestioning loyalty.
Therefore, spiritual authority must always remain subordinate to humility, service, truth, conscience, and accountability.
THE CHOSEN ONES: CHOSEN FOR SERVICE, NOT PRIVILEGE
The expression “the chosen ones” must not be interpreted as a declaration that certain persons are superior to others or entitled to rule without limits.
Within the Gospel, being chosen means being called to responsibility.
It means being chosen:
to serve;
to sacrifice;
to protect;
to speak the truth;
to defend the vulnerable;
to resist corruption;
to reject dishonest favors;
to remain faithful during adversity;
and to accept accountability before God.
The chosen person is not the one who receives unlimited privileges.
The chosen person is the one who accepts greater responsibility.
Jesus did not demonstrate His divine mission by accumulating wealth, accepting political dominion from Satan, or performing a theatrical spectacle from the pinnacle of the Temple.
He demonstrated His mission through obedience, truth, sacrifice, service, compassion, and the Cross.
Therefore, anyone claiming to have been chosen by God must be measured not by titles, wealth, influence, followers, offices, or institutional protection, but by fidelity, integrity, humility, service, and love.
APPLICATION TO THE UNITED STATES
1. FINANCIAL TEMPTATION AND THE FORECLOSURE SYSTEM
The first temptation has an evident application to the financial and foreclosure systems of the United States.
Owning a home, extending credit, investing capital, enforcing lawful contracts, and earning legitimate profits are not inherently immoral.
The moral crisis begins when financial institutions, mortgage servicers, debt collectors, trustees, law firms, homeowners’ associations, investors, or courts pursue financial gain through:
fabricated assignments;
false endorsements;
defective chains of title;
robo-signed documents;
misleading affidavits;
unlawful evidence;
concealed securitization records;
inadequate notice;
manipulated accounting;
unproven standing;
or proceedings in which the homeowner is denied a meaningful opportunity to defend the case.
The temptation frequently appears as an apparently lawful proposition:
“Enforce the debt.”
“Protect the market.”
“Preserve institutional efficiency.”
“Avoid unnecessary delay.”
“Treat the borrower as a frivolous litigant.”
But behind the apparently legitimate language may exist another reality:
the claimant may not own the debt;
the evidence may be unreliable;
the amount may be incorrect;
the homeowner may not have been notified;
the property may be taken from someone who never signed the alleged agreement;
or judicial efficiency may be used to avoid examining fraud.
The stone is being transformed into bread, but the question remains:
At whose command?
Through what evidence?
At whose expense?
And in service of whose interests?
2. POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL POWER IN THE COURTS
The second temptation applies directly to judges, attorneys, prosecutors, bar associations, guardians, receivers, trustees, government agencies, and courts.
Judicial power is legitimate and necessary when it is exercised:
impartially;
transparently;
according to law;
with respect for evidence;
with full observance of due process;
and for the protection of rights.
But judicial authority becomes a temptation when judges or institutions begin placing their own prestige, immunity, convenience, statistics, relationships, or institutional interests above truth and justice.
The danger is especially grave when courts:
refuse to examine evidence of fraud;
prevent parties from presenting a defense;
punish litigants for challenging institutional misconduct;
use “frivolous” or “vexatious” designations to silence legitimate claims;
impose financially destructive sanctions;
deny meaningful appellate review;
protect attorneys or financial institutions from accountability;
or decide cases in which institutional conflicts of interest have not been confronted.
The devil’s proposal was not simply:
“Do evil.”
The proposal was:
“I will give You authority and glory.”
Authority and glory can be used for apparently good purposes.
But power obtained or preserved through submission to injustice becomes corrupt, even when surrounded by legal ceremonies, robes, titles, courtrooms, citations, and formal orders.
3. BAR ASSOCIATIONS AND THE TEMPTATION TO CONTROL ADVOCACY
Professional disciplinary institutions also face the temptation of institutional power.
Bar associations have a legitimate responsibility to protect the public, establish professional standards, and discipline genuine misconduct.
However, that authority becomes dangerous when disciplinary procedures are used to:
punish attorneys for zealously representing unpopular clients;
suppress constitutional criticism of courts;
retaliate against lawyers who expose judicial or institutional wrongdoing;
prevent the presentation of complete defenses;
deny access to evidence;
manipulate hearing procedures;
or protect the reputation of the judiciary at the expense of truth.
The disciplinary proceeding WSBA No. 25#00042 involving Scott Erik Stafne raises precisely these questions from the perspective of Stafne and his supporters.
The issue is not merely whether a bar association possesses disciplinary authority.
The deeper issue is whether that authority is exercised with:
neutrality;
independence;
due process;
full opportunity for defense;
transparent evidentiary standards;
freedom from retaliation;
and meaningful review by an impartial body.
Institutional power is a blessing only when guided by justice.
When the institution’s primary concern becomes self-protection, control of criticism, or punishment of dissent, power ceases to serve the public and begins serving itself.
4. GUARDIANSHIP, PROBATE, AND THE FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF VULNERABLE PEOPLE
The first and second temptations also intersect within guardianship, probate, elder care, and disability-related proceedings.
Guardianship may be necessary in limited cases to protect a genuinely incapacitated person.
Probate courts must legitimately administer estates.
Healthcare systems must provide treatment.
However, the moral structure collapses when elderly, ill, or disabled persons are treated primarily as sources of fees, assets, insurance reimbursements, Medicare payments, real estate, or institutional profit.
The temptation comes through apparently respectable language:
protection;
capacity;
medical necessity;
best interests;
professional management;
safety;
and judicial supervision.
But the practical result may include:
involuntary isolation;
loss of family contact;
seizure of property;
forced institutionalization;
depletion of estates;
excessive professional fees;
medication without meaningful consent;
denial of independent counsel;
or deprivation of liberty without adequate evidence.
The Christian question is not merely whether a procedure has been followed.
The question is whether the human being remains recognized as a person created by God, possessing intrinsic dignity, autonomy, relationships, history, spiritual value, and rights.
5. FAMILY COURTS AND THE POWER TO SEPARATE CHILDREN FROM THEIR FAMILIES
Family courts exercise extraordinary authority.
They can determine:
where a child will live;
whether a mother or father may maintain contact;
whether allegations of abuse will be investigated;
whether a child will be placed with strangers;
and whether an entire family will be permanently divided.
This power may be necessary to protect children.
But it is also vulnerable to manipulation, institutional bias, financial incentives, inadequate evidence, conflicts of interest, and retaliation against parents who challenge the system.
The temptation may arrive through smiling professionals, formal reports, confidential proceedings, and assurances that every decision serves “the best interests of the child.”
Yet the central moral test remains:
Were allegations genuinely investigated?
Was the child heard?
Was evidence concealed or distorted?
Were family bonds unnecessarily destroyed?
Were protective parents punished?
Were financial incentives allowed to influence placement decisions?
Did the court distinguish genuine protection from institutional convenience?
Power over a child must never become a source of political, financial, professional, or personal advantage.
6. POLITICAL POWER AND THE CULTURE OF FAVORS
Mendonça’s warning that temptation arrives through smiles, favors, settings, and subtle looks has direct application to political and judicial networks.
Corruption does not always occur through an envelope filled with cash.
It may operate through:
invitations;
prestigious conferences;
employment opportunities for relatives;
consulting contracts;
campaign contributions;
favorable media treatment;
honorary positions;
access to private clubs;
promises of future appointments;
institutional protection;
speaking fees;
business relationships;
or discreet social pressure.
Each benefit may appear lawful in isolation.
The danger arises when the recipient’s judgment, independence, or willingness to expose wrongdoing becomes compromised.
A judge, prosecutor, lawyer, legislator, or public official may never receive an explicit command.
No one needs to say:
“Commit injustice.”
The message may be communicated through a smile, a favor, a setting, or a subtle expectation.
That is precisely why transparency, disclosure, recusal, independent review, and enforceable ethical standards are indispensable.
7. SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY IN AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE
The third temptation also applies to Christian leaders and political figures in the United States.
Religious language is frequently used in public life.
Politicians invoke God.
Judges speak about moral values.
Church leaders participate in political movements.
Organizations claim divine missions.
None of this is inherently wrong.
Faith has historically inspired movements against slavery, racial segregation, poverty, war, torture, and violations of human dignity.
The danger appears when Christianity is used as a shield for:
personal ambition;
institutional domination;
political tribalism;
hatred;
financial exploitation;
unquestioning loyalty;
or the refusal to confront injustice committed by allies.
A Christian leader must not confuse access to power with divine approval.
A crowded church does not prove faithfulness.
A successful political movement does not prove righteousness.
A judicial victory does not prove justice.
A large following does not prove truth.
The test remains the teaching of Christ:
The greatest must become the servant.
SMALL TRANSGRESSIONS AND THE FORMATION OF SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION
One of the most important insights in the sermon is the explanation that corruption develops through small transgressions.
A person may begin by:
signing a document without reading it;
remaining silent during an improper conversation;
accepting a favor that creates an obligation;
mischaracterizing evidence;
omitting an inconvenient fact;
denying a hearing to save time;
copying a prior decision without examining the record;
protecting a colleague from embarrassment;
or dismissing a vulnerable person as irrational, frivolous, or difficult.
Each act appears small.
But repeated acts create habits.
Habits create institutional culture.
Institutional culture creates systems.
Systems eventually normalize injustice.
The person may then discover that he or she is no longer merely participating in isolated misconduct but has become part of a structure that requires continuing misconduct for its own preservation.
This is how a small concession becomes systemic corruption.
THE MARATHON OF INTEGRITY
Mendonça compares the Christian life to a marathon rather than a one-hundred-meter race.
This analogy applies equally to public service, legal advocacy, journalism, human-rights work, and institutional reform.
Integrity is not demonstrated only through one dramatic act.
It is developed through daily decisions.
A person prepares for the marathon of integrity by:
studying;
praying;
examining motives;
refusing improper favors;
documenting facts;
respecting evidence;
admitting errors;
protecting the vulnerable;
accepting criticism;
remaining patient;
and refusing shortcuts.
The person who seeks rapid advancement may be especially vulnerable to corruption.
The desire to reach “high places” quickly can lead a person to cross small moral boundaries.
By contrast, patient preparation creates the capacity to withstand greater responsibility.
KNOWLEDGE, DISCERNMENT, AND THE WORK OF MINDD AND THE CHURCH OF THE GARDENS
The sermon also connects directly with the work of MINDD — Defend Your Rights and with the constitutional, legal, religious, and human-rights work carried out by Scott Erik Stafne and The Church of the Gardens.
The common principle is that knowledge alone is insufficient.
Legal knowledge without conscience can be used to manipulate procedures.
Religious knowledge without humility can become spiritual vanity.
Political knowledge without service can become domination.
Technical knowledge without moral responsibility can become exploitation.
Knowledge must therefore be joined to discernment.
Documentation must be joined to courage.
Faith must be joined to action.
Authority must be joined to accountability.
Law must be joined to justice.
The work of publishing evidence, legal arguments, constitutional analysis, human-rights reports, and public testimony through MINDD, The Church of the Gardens, Academia.edu, Substack, blogs, videos, and international networks can help expose the subtle mechanisms through which institutional corruption operates.
Such work does not exist merely to accuse.
Its deeper purpose is:
to preserve memory;
to identify patterns;
to educate the public;
to defend victims;
to strengthen due process;
to restore institutional integrity;
and to prevent future abuses.
FINAL REFLECTION
The most dangerous temptation is not always the proposal that appears openly evil.
The most dangerous temptation may be the proposal that appears reasonable, respectable, profitable, efficient, patriotic, lawful, religious, or benevolent.
It may offer bread to the hungry.
It may offer political power to someone who wants to improve society.
It may offer religious recognition to someone who wants to preach the Gospel.
But the moral question remains:
Who is making the proposal?
What motive is being activated?
What principle must be abandoned?
Who will be harmed?
Who will be worshiped?
And what will the person become after accepting it?
The message of André Mendonça is therefore a warning to every Christian and to every person exercising public, financial, judicial, political, professional, or spiritual authority:
Do not worship money.
Do not worship institutions.
Do not worship political power.
Do not worship professional prestige.
Do not worship judges.
Do not worship religious leaders.
Do not worship your own knowledge.
Do not worship your own mission.
Do not worship your own heart.
Serve God.
Serve truth.
Serve justice.
Serve the people.
Serve those who cannot defend themselves.
Reject the shortcut.
Reject the favor that compromises independence.
Reject the power that requires silence.
Reject the glory that demands the abandonment of conscience.
Reject every proposal that asks you to bow before anything other than God.
The chosen ones are not chosen to dominate.
They are chosen to serve.
They are not chosen to accumulate privileges.
They are chosen to accept responsibility.
They are not chosen to stand above the people.
They are chosen to kneel before God so that they may stand with integrity before humanity.
THE PROPOSAL COMES WITH A SMILE.
IT COMES WITH FAVORS.
IT COMES THROUGH SUBTLE LOOKS.
DO NOT SEEK POWER.
DO NOT SEEK THE SPOTLIGHT.
SEEK GOD.
IF YOU WANT TO BE THE GREATEST, BECOME THE ONE WHO SERVES.
VIDEO DESCRIPTION
In this sermon delivered at the Presbyterian Church of Pinheiros, Brazilian Federal Supreme Court Justice and Presbyterian pastor André Mendonça issues an urgent warning to Christians about the subtle strategies of temptation encountered in everyday life.
Drawing upon the fall of Adam and Eve and the temptations of Jesus Christ in the wilderness, Mendonça examines three central tests of integrity:
Material and financial temptation: the desire to satisfy legitimate needs through dishonest shortcuts, greed, vanity, or opportunities that violate God’s principles.
Political and institutional power: the danger of seeking authority, prestige, and public office while surrendering conscience, service, and fidelity to God.
Spiritual power and religious vanity: the risk that religious leaders may mistake popularity, biblical knowledge, institutional success, or public recognition for genuine intimacy with God.
The sermon concludes by comparing the Christian life to a marathon rather than a one-hundred-meter race. Integrity requires patience, preparation, discernment, and daily fullness of the Holy Spirit.
A CALL, A DREAM, A PROPHECY, A MISSION, AND AN INSTITUTE:
BUILDING TENTS AND ALTARS: THE COMPLETE SERMON AND PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF BRAZILIAN SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AND PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR ANDRÉ MENDONÇA
JESUS CHRIST Is the Way
Complete English translation of the sermon delivered by Justice André Mendonça
Analysis and international publication by Marcia Almeida — MINDD, Defend Your Rights with assistance of AI CHATGPT
INTRODUCTION
André Mendonça is a Justice of Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court — the Supremo Tribunal Federal, or STF — and a Presbyterian pastor.
On February 8, 2026, while preaching at the Presbyterian Church of Pinheiros, in São Paulo, André Mendonça delivered a sermon entitled “Tents and Altars.”
In this deeply personal testimony, Mendonça spoke about his faith, his family, his public responsibilities, his service as a minister of the Gospel, and his dream of establishing the Instituto Iter, an educational institution devoted to improving public administration, developing public and private leadership, and training future public officials and professionals.
JESUS IS THE WAY
The official website identifies André Mendonça as the founder of the Instituto Iter and states that the institution works with governments, businesses, and civil-society organizations to train professionals, promote debates, conduct research, and strengthen public and private governance.
During the sermon, Mendonça explained that the word iter means “way” or “path” and that the name was inspired by Jesus Christ:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
Mendonça described the Instituto Iter as a dream that began around 2013, after he returned from his master’s studies in Spain. His objective was to establish an institution capable of improving public administration and preparing future public managers, judges, prosecutors, government attorneys, police chiefs, educators, and other professionals.
The sermon was delivered on February 8, 2026, at the Presbyterian Church of Pinheiros. News reports published after the sermon confirm its date, location, central theme, and Mendonça’s public commitment concerning any future profits from his family’s participation in the Institute.
Mendonça declared that:
10% of any future profits or financial results attributable to his family’s participation in the Instituto Iter would be directed to the tithe;
the remaining 90% would be invested in education and social projects;
none of those profits would be taken for his personal benefit.
He described that commitment as the consecration of an altar to God and as a public testimony that a servant of God may relinquish earthly treasures in order to gather treasures in Heaven.
This sermon is particularly significant at a time when societies around the world are experiencing crises involving judicial integrity, public administration, institutional trust, moral responsibility, education, leadership, and access to justice.
Its central metaphor is clear:
Tents represent professional work, material life, institutions, careers, projects, property, and everyday responsibilities.
Altars represent consecration, faith, integrity, service, accountability before God, and moral responsibility toward society.
The message has a profound connection with the work carried out by MINDD — Defend Your Rights, by Scott Erik Stafne through The Church of the Gardens, and through the publication and preservation of legal, constitutional, religious, and human-rights research on platforms such as Academia.edu and Substack.
There is no assertion here of a formal institutional relationship between the Instituto Iter, MINDD, The Church of the Gardens, Academia.edu, or Substack. The relationship identified is one of principles: the conviction that knowledge, education, faith, ethical public service, judicial integrity, and responsible documentation can become pathways toward justice, institutional reform, and the protection of human dignity.
The report confirms that the announcement was made on February 8, 2026, during a Sunday service at the Presbyterian Church of Pinheiros, where Mendonça serves as a pastor. It also reports his explanation that Abraham built both tents and altars and reproduces the essential elements of his commitment regarding the Instituto Iter.
Poder360
Mendonça says he is not afraid of criticism for directing profits to the tithe
The report confirms the February 8, 2026 sermon, Mendonça’s pastoral connection to the Presbyterian Church of Pinheiros, and his commitment to direct 10% to the tithe and 90% to education and social projects.
Pleno.News
André Mendonça says that profits from his company will go to the tithe
The report identifies the sermon’s theme as “Tents and Altars” and confirms that Mendonça delivered it on February 8, 2026, while preaching as a pastor at the Presbyterian Church of Pinheiros.
CartaCapital
André Mendonça says that profits from his institute will go to tithes and social projects
Translated literally into English from the Portuguese transcript
Editorial note: Obvious automatic-transcription errors in biblical names, geographical names, grammar, and punctuation were corrected solely to restore the meaning of the spoken Portuguese. The substance, sequence, personal testimony, and message of the sermon were preserved.
[PRESENTER]
0:00–0:17
Hello, everyone. Today I bring a very powerful message here on the channel, delivered by STF Justice and pastor André Mendonça.
Go ahead and like this video, and watch it until the end, because it is very powerful.
Let us watch, everyone.
[PASTOR AND JUSTICE ANDRÉ MENDONÇA]
0:18–27:15
My brothers and sisters, I invite you to open your Bibles to Genesis 12.
Genesis, chapter 12.
The Word of God says:
Now the Lord said to Abraham:
“Go from your country, from your kindred, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great.
Be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you, and in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed.”
So Abraham departed, as the Lord had instructed him, and Lot went with him.
Abraham was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
Now turn with me to Genesis 13, beginning with verse 14.
It says:
The Lord said to Abraham, after Lot had separated from him:
“Lift up your eyes and look from where you are, toward the north, toward the south, toward the east, and toward the west, because all the land that you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever.
I will make your descendants like the dust of the Earth, so that, if anyone can count the dust of the Earth, then your descendants may also be counted.
Arise. Walk through the length and breadth of this land, because I will give it to you.”
And Abraham moved his tents and went to live by the oaks of Mamre, which are near Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Let us seek God in prayer.
Beloved God, Holy God, thank You, Father, for Your Word.
Thank You because Your Word is true, because it is life.
And now we ask You: speak to our hearts through Your Word.
You know the needs of Your people.
You know my needs.
You know my heart.
Use me in spite of myself, for I am a sinner, for the honor and glory of Your holy name.
It is in Christ Jesus that we pray.
Amen.
My brothers and my sisters, today’s message is a different message because it contains one part testimony and one part commitment.
Looking back, perhaps you will remember that, at the end of last year, I preached from the Book of Daniel, Daniel chapter 10.
In that text, Daniel was experiencing a time of conflict.
Daniel chapter 10 says:
In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a word was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar.
The word was true, and it concerned a great conflict.
He understood the word and had understanding of the vision.
In those days, I, Daniel, mourned for three full weeks.
I ate no desirable food, neither meat nor wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, until the three entire weeks were completed.
And that is what I did.
For three weeks, I ate basically fish.
I did not eat red meat or any other type of meat.
I did not drink wine.
That was essentially my diet.
I ate bread and butter in the morning.
One day, I ate pasta with tomato sauce, but I was advised, even at home, not to eat that either.
From that point on, I did not even eat that pasta.
And for three weeks, I waited for God to speak to my heart.
A short time before that, as perhaps you followed, some reports were published about the institute that I established, the Instituto Iter.
Iter means “way.”
And the name, not by chance, was inspired by Jesus Christ.
He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
The motto of the Institute is:
KNOWLEDGE IS THE WAY
I confess — and my family knows this — that I became very upset.
I was sad and upset.
That Institute represented a dream for me.
It was a dream that began around 2013, when I was returning from my master’s studies in Spain.
The university had a center for global governance, a research center.
I wanted to establish an institute to improve public administration and the preparation of public managers in our country.
That remained in my heart.
After I joined the Supreme Court, I began preparing the foundations for that Institute.
I conducted research.
I hired a consulting firm to guide me in establishing the Institute.
I invited some friends to dream together with me.
Within that context, when the reports were published and they saddened my heart, I had to stop before God.
“God, speak to me.
Should I continue?
Should I not continue?
Is that dream true?
And, if I continue, upon what foundations should I continue?”
I have already faced many adversities in life.
I have faced many discouraging words and, at times, many injustices.
Of course, I am not perfect.
I am far from being perfect.
On the contrary, I allow myself to say, as Paul did:
“I am the greatest of sinners.”
The only thing within me that has real and essential value is the grace and love of God, through Jesus Christ, who saved me.
That is the only essence.
That is my only victory and the only prize for eternal life.
There is nothing that I can do — no good decision and no good behavior — other than what Jesus Christ did for us.
That is the essence of the Gospel and of Christianity.
At the same time, I recognize that God has done more for me than I ever imagined in life.
When I look at the history of my grandparents, the history of my parents, and the history of my wife’s parents and grandparents, God has done much more for us than we ever dreamed of in life.
I joke that I came from the banana trees, from the banana plantations of Miracatu, because that was where my grandfather began his life.
My father helped on the farm, attended a technical school, and later passed a public examination to work at a public bank, Banespa — Banco do Estado de São Paulo.
And God continued guiding my life.
I did not even want to attend law school.
I wanted to go directly to the seminary.
But my father would allow me to go to the seminary only if I first completed a university degree.
Later, my father died while I was halfway through law school.
My mother would allow me to attend the seminary only after I had obtained a job.
For that reason, I began taking public-service examinations.
On February 7, 2000, I took office at the Office of the Attorney General of the Union.
In February 2000, I began attending the seminary.
My wife left the position she had obtained through a competitive examination at Petrobras so that she could follow this dream, this calling from God that I had received during my adolescence.
She relinquished a professional career to accompany me in my calling.
She has accompanied me throughout all these years: twenty-six years of marriage, plus four years of dating.
And there I was, wondering:
“Will that dream be misunderstood by society?”
I also wondered:
“How will the Church understand this?”
I was seeing one of its pastors being criticized with a certain frequency because of a dream concerning an institute of education and teaching.
My brothers and sisters, I dream that one day the ITER will become a great institution for preparing, through a law program, those who will become judges, prosecutors, government attorneys, and police chiefs in the future.
I dream of future teachers completing an excellent pedagogy program there.
I dream of helping to train good public administrators.
I dream of this, just as so many others have dreamed.
Mackenzie was born from dreams such as this.
Harvard was born from dreams such as this.
For those who do not know, John Harvard, after whom the university was named, was a pastor.
I spent those three weeks asking God for direction.
I confess that, on the Sunday that marked the completion of those three weeks, God had still not spoken clearly to me.
He had placed some things in my heart, but He had not yet spoken clearly to me.
On that Sunday, it pleased God that I had to travel to Londrina.
That was the city where I began working at the Office of the Attorney General of the Union and where I studied theology.
I very rarely travel to Londrina.
It is the city where my children were born.
There I met a pastor whom I had not seen for more than twenty years.
Pastor Messias Anacleto.
A pastor of the Independent Presbyterian Church.
I met with Pastor Messias for approximately two or three hours.
It was a privilege for me.
He spoke to me about several biblical passages.
I wrote them down — perhaps not all of them, because he mentioned many, but almost all of them.
At the end of our conversation, within an already different context, he spoke to me about Abraham and Lot.
He told me the story of Abraham and Lot from the following perspective, which I now share with you.
He said:
“Abraham takes his nephew Lot with him.”
The promise was directed to Abraham:
“Leave the land of your relatives.
Go forth as a pilgrim, and there will be a place, a land, that I will show you.”
There is a commandment given to Abraham:
“Be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you.
I will curse those who curse you.
And in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed.”
Then he makes the distinction.
Lot leaves with Abraham, but there comes a certain moment when Lot and Abraham separate.
There is a disagreement.
There is a conflict.
Lot and Abraham separate.
This is described in greater detail beginning in chapter 13, from verse 1 onward, and still more specifically later in the chapter.
Verse 12 states that Abraham remained in the land of Canaan.
Lot chose for himself to go toward the land of Sodom, the city of Sodom.
But beyond this distinction between their destinations, Pastor Messias told me something that caused me to see the entire context differently.
And in light of that context, I made my decision.
He said:
“During the pilgrimage, Abraham built tents, but he also built altars.”
When we look at Genesis 12:8, it says:
From there he moved to the mountain east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east.
There he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.
At the same time that Abraham stopped and built a tent, he also built an altar of worship to God.
Lot, on the other hand, is described in verse 12:
Abraham dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tents as far as Sodom.
Lot built only his tents.
He did not worship God.
In light of this text, my wife and I, with the blessing of our children, decided that our part of the Instituto Iter will be devoted to the consecration of an altar to God.
Everything that Janey and I may one day be entitled to receive...
We have never received a share of profits or financial results.
Everything that I have earned there until today was payment for teaching classes.
But from anything that may possibly generate profits or financial results in the future, I will separate 10% for the tithe.
The remaining 90% will be invested in social projects and education.
Nothing will be taken for myself.
The Apostle Paul says:
“All things are lawful for us, but not all things are beneficial.”
It is lawful for me — it would be lawful for me — to receive the results of any possible profits generated by the Institute.
I am not saying that it is unlawful.
It is lawful.
But two things weigh upon me.
One of them is the position that I currently hold in the public sphere.
The second, and more important, is my position as a minister of the Gospel.
My brothers and my sisters, all of us are subject to errors and mistakes.
But today, André’s possible missteps — the missteps of the Justice and of the pastor — have repercussions for the entire Church.
And I must provide a good testimony.
My brothers and sisters, I have a commitment before God:
If the day ever comes when I am going to provide a bad testimony, may God take me before that happens.
But while I have life, may my life provide a good testimony.
I would feel troubled before God, in my relationship with God and with the Church, if I entered a pulpit and, in some way, felt vulnerable before men.
I cannot be vulnerable.
I must be strong before God.
I must be completely on my knees and dependent upon God so that I may stand upright before men.
This commitment that I make is a commitment arising especially from my role as a pastor of the Church.
It is made so that I may provide a testimony on behalf of the Church.
The tents that God will give me will come from my salary at the Supreme Court and from my strict activity as a professor.
Any participation in profits or financial results will be my altar before God and my testimony before society:
That a servant of God relinquishes treasures on Earth in order to gather treasures in Heaven.
My brothers and sisters, I ask you to pray for me.
At the same time, I ask you to believe with all your hearts that, on my part, the only thing that gives full meaning to life is serving God.
It is honoring the name of Jesus Christ.
I want to tell you that I believe in this text.
And by undertaking this public commitment — especially before God and the Church — I also believe in God’s blessings and promises for our lives.
I remember, Reverend Arival, that last Sunday Reverend Lee, from South Korea, spoke about promises.
I believe that this commitment, this testimony, first of all, does not come from myself.
It is not because I am better than anyone else.
On the contrary, I say again:
I am the greatest of sinners.
Indeed, the closer we draw to God — I believe this — the more conscious we become of how much we err.
The closer we draw to the holiness of God, the more conscious we become of our limitations and our weaknesses.
But the grace and love of God, through the sacrifice of the Cross and the victory of the Resurrection in Jesus Christ, removed us from eternal death and gave us eternal life.
And I believe in the promises of God.
I believe that God will bless, just as He has already blessed, my descendants — the children He gave me.
He will bless, just as He has blessed, the descendants of my parents.
He will bless the descendants of my grandparents.
He blesses and will bless the descendants of my wife’s parents and grandparents.
I believe in this Word: that God will fulfill His promises in my life and in my wife’s life, through grace and mercy.
I know that I am already indebted to Him for everything.
As I said, God has done more for me than I ever imagined or dreamed.
At the same time, my brother and my sister, I have some questions to ask you:
How has your life been?
Have you been building only tents?
Or have you also been building altars?
I want to invite you to build tents and also to build altars.
Just as I embrace for myself and for my household this promise that God will bless me and my descendants, I want you to embrace this promise for yourself.
May God bless you and bless your descendants.
May God bless the generations that will come after you.
May those generations testify to the power and love of God.
May peoples who have not yet been reached be reached by our children and by our children’s children.
May the church that will be built here be not only a tent, but a great altar for the honor and glory of God.
Some friends with whom I spoke said:
“Justice, or André, it will do no good for you to do this. They will continue criticizing you.”
I know.
I will not be free from criticism.
Indeed, I told Reverend Arival, when he invited me:
“I am concerned because, as a public figure, there will always be someone criticizing me.”
I am not afraid of criticism.
One day, someone asked me whether I would have the courage to go to the Supreme Court.
I answered:
“I am not even afraid of death, much less of occupying a position that God has prepared or may prepare for me.”
The only fear and reverence that I have is the fear of failing to walk in the ways of the Lord.
My brother and my sister, you and I have a promise, but there are two paths.
There is the path of Abraham.
And there is the path of Lot.
Which path will we follow?
The Word of God and the promises of God say that, if we maintain our faithfulness and our integrity, God will not only make us a blessing, but will also bless those who bless us.
He will bless our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
May we continue as the body of Christ Jesus, testifying to His sacrifice and His victory until He returns.
Reverend Arival, pray for us.
May God bless all of us and His Church.
[PRESENTER]
27:20–27:41
Very powerful.
What a powerful message.
It is worth watching again.
It is also very worthwhile for you to leave your comment here and share it with someone whom you believe needs to hear this message.
That is all, everyone.
Leave your like here, and I will see you in the next videos.
Bye, bye.
THE INSTITUTO ITER: KNOWLEDGE AS A PATH TOWARD PUBLIC SERVICE
The official website of the Instituto Iter presents it as an institution devoted to executive education, leadership development, public and private governance, professional training, research, debate, and practical institutional improvement. It identifies André Mendonça as its founder and former Brazilian Minister of Education Victor Godoy as its chief executive officer.
According to the Institute, its work includes partnerships with governments, companies, and civil-society organizations and is guided by ethics, governance, compliance, technical education, and the pursuit of measurable social and institutional impact.
The Instituto Iter has also promoted educational programs concerning public security, public contracts, legal advocacy, public management, medical education, regulation, evidence, technology, and institutional governance.
The central idea expressed by its motto — “Knowledge Is the Way” — extends beyond professional qualification.
Knowledge can become:
a way to understand laws and institutions;
a way to expose fraud and injustice;
a way to prevent public and judicial abuses;
a way to train ethical judges, prosecutors, attorneys, administrators, educators, and public officials;
a way to protect vulnerable people;
a way to preserve evidence and historical memory;
a way to restore institutional legitimacy;
a way to promote dialogue among nations;
and a way to build peace.
THE CONNECTION WITH MINDD, THE CHURCH OF THE GARDENS, ACADEMIA.EDU, AND SUBSTACK
The work of MINDD — Defend Your Rights is grounded in the preservation and dissemination of knowledge concerning human rights, access to justice, judicial integrity, constitutional guarantees, institutional abuses, the protection of vulnerable people, and the responsibility of public officials.
Scott Erik Stafne’s work through The Church of the Gardens likewise connects Christian faith, constitutional advocacy, public testimony, legal education, and the defense of people who have suffered injustice.
Academia.edu and Substack have become important international platforms for preserving documents, publishing constitutional analyses, presenting legal arguments, and expanding public dialogue beyond the limitations imposed by courts, professional associations, traditional media, or national boundaries.
In this context, André Mendonça’s distinction between tents and altars has particular relevance.
Courts, universities, government offices, law firms, professional associations, research institutes, and digital platforms may all be regarded as tents: necessary structures in which human work is performed.
But structures alone are insufficient.
Without altars — without truth, conscience, responsibility, justice, faith, compassion, and accountability before God — those institutions may preserve their buildings, titles, procedures, and authority while losing their moral purpose.
A court without justice becomes only a structure of power.
A university without intellectual honesty becomes only a mechanism for reproducing prestige.
A religious institution without love and truth becomes only an organization.
A government without service becomes an instrument of control.
A legal system without due process becomes a mechanism of oppression.
Knowledge must therefore be joined to conscience.
Authority must be joined to responsibility.
Law must be joined to justice.
Professional success must be joined to service.
And every tent must also have an altar.
FINAL REFLECTION
André Mendonça’s sermon is more than a personal explanation concerning the Instituto Iter.
It is a testimony about the moral responsibilities of a public official, a Justice, a professor, a pastor, a husband, a father, and a Christian.
His central question applies to every human being and every institution:
Are we building only tents, or are we also building altars?
Are we building careers without conscience?
Are we building institutions without integrity?
Are we accumulating knowledge without wisdom?
Are we exercising authority without responsibility?
Are we creating laws without justice?
Are we constructing courts without impartial adjudication?
Are we developing technology without humanity?
Are we accumulating treasures on Earth while abandoning our responsibilities before God and toward one another?
The answer to these questions will determine not only the legitimacy of our institutions, but also the moral future of our societies.
Knowledge is the way.
But knowledge must serve truth.
Public office must serve the people.
Law must serve justice.
Institutions must protect human dignity.
And every human endeavor must ultimately become an altar of responsibility, fraternity, service, and peace.
“YOU HAVE BEEN BUILDING TENTS. BUT HAVE YOU ALSO BEEN BUILDING ALTARS?”
