It’s 8 p.m. on a Sunday inside the brand new World Revival Church — a colorful, million-dollar building on the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road in Oak Bluffs. Weeping men, women and children are belting out popular Brazilian evangelical songs. At the pulpit, a dozen harmonizing singers are accompanied by electric bass guitar, keyboards, and a full drum kit, while band leader Jorge Silveira plucks an amped-up Spanish guitar in front of an arcadian painted backdrop. As the song reaches its crescendo, some raise an arm, others both, with palms reaching skyward above the exultant crowd.

Though almost everyone knows the words, lyrics are helpfully displayed, karaoke-style, in both English and Portuguese on one of the flatscreen televisions framing the pulpit. A camera operator jogs up and down the aisles grabbing footage of the more enthusiastic singers; his film is fed to the control room above the crowd and beamed out on to the flatscreens. The few non-Portuguese speakers watch this wearing earphones while an interpreter delivers real-time translation of the song lyrics and sermonizing. It’s a truly interactive religious experience.

It wasn’t always like this. When the church got its start in 1992, services were in the basements of members’ homes around Oak Bluffs, for a congregation of just half a dozen. As the Island congregation grew, the church rented space in a West Tisbury church and in the Masonic Hall.

World Revival pastor Ronei Rezende has been busy since he got to Martha’s Vineyard from Brazil in 2004. Completing the 1.5-acre land purchase soon after arriving, he then won approval from the Martha’s Vineyard Commission for construction of the 5,500-square foot building, and secured a hefty bank loan to build the 200-seat church last year.

“It was not easy,” says the 39-year-old pastor. In a gold-buttoned navy suit, he sits behind his desk in the church office, recounting the church’s history through a translator, Geane Santos, 23, who is also the church secretary. “But I pulled up my sleeves and got the job done. Everyone is comfortable here, and the glory of God is stronger.”

To the right of the church pulpit are four flags, purposefully ordered by Mr. Rezende to spell out the church’s allegiances.

“It starts with the U.S. out of respect,” he says, counting off the banners on his hand, “because we love this country and we are praying for it. Next is Brazil, symbolizing the church’s founder, then the Israeli flag, because it’s the birthplace of Jesus...”

Last is the flag of evangelism. The World Church Revival is a Pentecostal organization headquartered in Boston, with more than one hundred ministries spread across the country and internationally. There are churches in India, Portugal, Japan and the U.K.

Mr. Rezende, already in charge of the Martha’s Vineyard and Falmouth congregations, also has established churches in Hyannis and Nantucket over the past three years. Downplaying his flair for management, he gave God ultimate credit for any achievements.

“God called me, that’s why I have this capability,” says the pastor, who was a technician back in Brazil. “What God counts on is courage and will, so a person can make His dream come true. That’s what I’m here to do.”

Mr. Rezende was a churchgoer when came to America in 1989, but it was in the following year that he decided to devote himself to Christianity, becoming a pastor at a Boston branch of the World Revival Church. “My faith was not as strong in Brazil. But God called me when I got here,” he says.

Mr. Rezende says that his transformative experience is typical of Pentecostal followers, citing the exuberant displays in the church services.

“The same as everyone else, I was physically and spiritually different [after the experience],” he says adding, “Salvation is for everybody’”

The World Revival Church Web site (revivalinboston.com) indicates how important seeking this salvation is for its followers: “We believe the lost will be sent to the lake of fire forever and that all the saints will be forever with God in eternity enjoying all the promises they kept by faith,” it reads.

However, the church is not packed with religious fervor alone. The church doubles as a social center. Sunday’s well-turned out crowd, sporting jackets and dresses and high heels, will typically follow the service with a potluck and stay late into the evening, chatting. And it is a lifeline for younger members of the congregation, says Mrs. Santos, who also takes the stage as a singer on Sundays.

“If we don’t do anything, winter can get crazy,” she says, “so we get together here in the evenings and have pizzas. Being Christian isn’t supposed to be boring.”

Mrs. Santos, who is preparing for tonight’s Easter service rehearsal, between fielding calls and translating for the pastor, also emphasizes that the church welcomes everyone.

“After tonight’s practice we’re having a party for everyone whose birthday is in April. We’re doing it a month in advance; it’s very efficient,” she says, with a smile. “And if anyone from the neighborhood appears at the door, we welcome them and invite them in and we have a great time.”