Pulling Teeth to Share the Gospel with Elba Dolan (Part 1)

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Elba Dolan about growing up in the jungles of Brazil in a large family, moving to the city so she had access to school at age 7, working as a maid for a family who modeled Jesus with their lives, and her unique approach to planting churches. Join us next week for part two of this conversation, as we hear about Elba’s journey into church planting and sharing the Gospel in a practical way. 

Elba Dolan is a pastor, theologian, Christian leader, and author. Married to Steve Dolan and mother to Camilly and Alyssa, she serves as Senior Pastor of Vineyard Belém, Regional Coordinator for Northern Brazil, and a member of the national leadership team of Vineyard Brasil.

She is the founder and president of CDR (Centro de Desenvolvimento Regional – Regional Development Center), a non-profit organization dedicated to social transformation in Northern Brazil.

Elba holds a Master’s degree in Missional Leadership from Trinity Bible College. She is also the author of the book Kingdom and Discipleship, which explores the transforming impact of the Gospel of the Kingdom on disciple formation and the mission of the Church.

Throughout more than two decades of ministry, she has devoted herself to planting churches, training leaders, and strengthening communities of faith. Her ministry reflects a deep passion for integrating Kingdom theology, discipleship formation, and missional practice, equipping the local church to live out and demonstrate the Kingdom of God in tangible ways in the world.

 

Watch the video version of this episode here.

 

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Show Notes:
Heart of the Vineyard 8-part series
Vineyard Global 

Sponsors: 
Vessels
Planning Center  

September 16, 2026