For Sarah Lole, prayer comes before nearly every decision, from going to the gym and travel plans to questions about her future or even cosmetic surgery. The 31-year-old pastor and publicist describes evangelical Christianity as a way of life. She grew up attending the Assembleia de Deus da Penha, led by her grandfather. In 2010, the church was renamed Vitória em Cristo and came under the leadership of her uncle, Silas Malafaia.
Lole says she drifted from faith as a teenager after entering a relationship with a partner who repeatedly cheated. She later recognized emotional dependence in the relationship and says prayer helped her end it. She also describes another painful relationship with a man who later came out as gay. She met her husband, Matheus, at a church service through a friend from her CrossFit circle. They have been together since 2019 and plan to start trying for a child toward the end of this year.
She was ordained as a pastor at 29, which she considers young; she notes that many Assemblies of God churches do not grant the title to women. Lole ranks God first, followed by family, church and work. She once hoped to advance to senior roles at L’Oréal, but says the corporate environment gradually lost meaning for her. She now works from home managing Malafaia’s social media. Her pastoral role is voluntary, so she says she needs another source of income, particularly given Rio de Janeiro’s high cost of living.
Lole frames marriage around distinct responsibilities and trust between spouses. She rejects the idea that biblical submission means women are inferior, but argues that feminism disrupts what she sees as harmony in family roles. She criticizes what she calls a secularized gospel and contrasts religious values with popular culture. She says the church welcomes LGBTQIA+ people, while also believing faith should lead to personal change. As an example, she mentioned singer Ludmilla’s recent visit to her church.
Her views on public safety were shaped in part by a childhood robbery while she was traveling to church with her family. She links violence to poverty and poor education, opposes lowering the age of criminal responsibility and argues that people need opportunity and education. She also opposes loosening gun laws, saying Brazil is not ready to manage wider access to firearms. At the same time, she supports the Maria da Penha domestic-violence law and says men who assault women should be arrested.
Lole identifies with the political right and says she believes it offers the best path for Brazil. She plans to vote for Flávio Bolsonaro this year. She says her support for Bolsonarism reflects opposition to the left and a desire to defend family, country and religion, while acknowledging that some of Jair Bolsonaro’s statements were too extreme. She believes evangelical voters should take a more active role in politics.