Archive for the ‘Italy’ Category
Rookie Notebook
When I presented the need for the gospel in Italy at Calvary Bible Baptist Church in Rochester last month, Pastor Drew Stewart recommended I read an article he found on the internet prior to my arrival that relates what it means to be a cross-cultural missionary to Italy.
The article was written by a Church of Nazarene missionary to Italy in the 1970’s who relives his first nine months on the field. He beings with a military illustration about priorities and relates it to ministry.
If you ask a soldier on the front line how things are going he may say, “Well it’s pretty rough up here. We’re attacking on that hill. We sent a few men up and some have been hit… I think one is my buddy. But we can’t get to him. Listen, when you get back there, tell them to send up more ammunition, we’re running short.” (Front-line problems)
But go back to the rear and ask, “How are things going men?” “Terrible. My tent leaks. I had a sand crab in my boot this morning. The guy next to me snores.” (Rear-line problems)
What are your concerns? What we talk about most displays whether or not we are concerned about the last marching orders of Jesus Christ – His Great Commission.
This article was very insightful about potential “front-line problems” we might face in Italy. He penned his thoughts on his first nine months to “preserve that fresh rookie perspective.” Although I disagree with him doctrinally, it is clear that this missionary had a heavy burden for Italy. The article spoke to my heart personally as I long to be with the people the Lord has called me to reach with the gospel. You can read the entire article by clicking here.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish” – Proverbs 29:18a
Spaghetti Western
We needed a place to stay the second week we were in Colorado. Through a number of phone calls I was connected with Silver State Baptist Youth Camp. Thankfully the camp Director graciously allowed us to lodge in a cabin. He also introduced me to an Italian man from his church named Davide.
Davide drove out to the camp in Sedalia to meet with me two days before we left for Colorado Springs. I listened intently as he shared his testimony as well as his thoughts on ministering in Italy. I would like to share his story and thoughts on Italy with you…
Davide is from Padova, Italy, about 50 km west of Venice. His parents raised him to have a good work ethic and through an acquaintance he was extended an offer to come to America for a job. He was a bartender in Italy and he moved to New Jersey to work in a restaurant. He started as a busboy and worked his way up, eventually moving to Denver to manage a restaurant. His idea of the U.S. was shaped by images of New York City – it was a place that never sleeps. Living in a land where you could get anything and do whatever you wanted appealed to him. He lived with no restraints and reveled in alcohol and drugs. It was in these circumstances that he met his future wife.
His loose living did not affect his adeptness of managing a restaurant but it did begin to cause a strain on his marriage. They decided to look at church as a solution to their marital strife. Davide was raised Catholic and knew he was a sinner from “Day 1” but there was never any solution presented to him to “dump his sin,” as he put it. They visited an evangelical church but the messages brought no conviction and he never heard the gospel. Things at home went from bad to worse and began to spiral out of control. As he drove home one evening in despair he cried out, “God where are you? I know my life is a result of my choices. I know you are there. I need you!” A few weeks later his sister-in-law told him about a Baptist church in the area. Davide and his wife visited and for the first time in his life he heard the gospel. At the invitation there was no hesitation on his part, he went forward and told the altar worker, “I want what you have!” That day he received Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour.
The Bible was the first book that he read in English. Right away the Lord began to convict him about his life. One morning as he read his Bible he began to brush the ashes off the page that had fallen from the cigarette he was smoking. Something in him said, “This is not right.” He quit smoking. Other things began to go as well. Before someone taught him about alcohol he realized it was wrong to drink. No more alcohol and drugs. He would soon quit the restaurant he managed because he was convicted about selling people wine. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Davide’s life is a testimony of the power of the word of God and the Lord’s willingness to give people light who are seeking light.
Many Italians are in spiritual darkness with no knowledge of how to “dump their sin.” Here are a few of the notes I jotted down during my conversation with Davide about Italians and ministering in Italy…
- Most Italians believe that their physical presence in a church is enough to “tip the balance” in their favor in regards to eternal life. Davide told me that in his home town of Padova that people visit the Basilica of Saint Anthony and walk the perimeter inside quietly talking about everyday life and then reach out and touch St. Anthony’s tomb as they pass as a silent gesture of devotion and to help estabish a relationship with God.
- Most Italians know their “faith” (Catholicism) does not work but they don’t have anything else.
- The Catholic religion is based on works which appeals to the flesh.
- Many Italians think of God as a kind of Santa Claus and that they are not bad enough to be turned into hell.
- Most Italians do not read the Bible nor are they taught the Bible so their impressions on religion is affected by what they have seen in the artwork throughout Italy.
- The regions of Italy are very different, not only in food and dialect but the way they think. Therefore, effective outreach with the gospel in one area may differ from that of another area in Italy. In the North, Italians are culturally more independent, less religious, and less influenced by their families.
- Davide stressed dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s leading but made a few suggestions in regards to approaching Italians about their soul… they know nothing about the word of God, they need to get through their mind that God is able to see their thoughts, get them to think about what happens when they die, be personal and relate to them, shake their thoughts about creation, the flood, etc. by going beyond the “fairy tale” with specific facts as to why God did what He did.
- There will be challenges in door-to-door witnessing. Italians are hesitant to talk with strangers at the door because there are a lot of door-to-door salesmen and Jehovah’s Witnesses that frequently visit homes.
- There are good opportunities for public witnessing in piazzas; witnessing at bus and metro stops may be less productive because people will be in more of a hurry and less likely to talk to strangers.
- Building relationships with people will be essential. Once one Italian is saved then they can try to reach their family as well and hopefully the effort will multiply.
- Italians are curious about the negative (hell, Satan, etc.) because it is never presented to them. It may be more effective to ask, “Are you 100% sure you will not go to hell?” rather than the typical “Are you 100% sure you will go to heaven?”
- Generally they are not interested in spiritual things until it is “served in a different plate.” When visiting Italy Davide would say, “Come over this evening and let me tell you what happened to me in America.” Then he could transition from the physical to the spiritual.
I told Davide that I hoped to find Italians that were searching for truth and a desire to know God. He replied, “We know someone in Italy is seeking because you were led of the Lord to go there.” Amen.
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” – John 16:13
Spiritual Darkness
Last month I presented our burden for Italy to Grace Baptist Church in Greenville, PA. While there I had the pleasure of meeting Tom and Carla. Carla is from Marina di Pisa in northern Italy. I spent the afternoon in their home for food and fellowship. Carla fixed a delicious meal for lunch including spaghetti, chicken, shrimp, and salad. I really enjoyed sitting in their living room and asking them questions about Italy. Carla moved from Italy as a young woman but her and Tom recently spent four years living there.
Here are a few of their thoughts about ministry and the spiritual condition of Italy…
- Keep Italians at the cross while witnessing. Use great wisdom when speaking about Mary. Carla witnessed to an older lady who seemed to be very open and listened intently until the subject turned to Mary. She then shut down and said, “Please don’t take Mary from me.”
- Italians seem to more readily receive Chick gospel tracts rather than regular tracts.
- To minister effectively, learn the culture and what offends them.
- Italians as a whole do not like Jehovah’s Witnesses. They come to the door all the time and their beliefs are very offensive to the Italians.
- It takes time to develop trust, just be friendly and develop relationships.
- The culture is Catholic. They trust the pope, their priest, and worship Padre Pio. When Carla’s brother was sick his girlfriend put a picture of Padre Pio under his mattress.
- Even many Italians that are Catholic are atheists and believe in evolution.
- There is a lot of witchcraft, tarot cards and palm reading in Italy.
- Most Italians cannot comprehend “free” salvation. Salvation by works is engrained within them.
- A missionary once brought a tent to preach in their area. No Italians entered the tent but listened from a distance.
- In order to minister effectively you must become an Italian, without compromise of course.
Italy is in spiritual darkness. Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians wrote…
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” – 2 Cor. 4:3,4
Italians have been blinded by Satan to where the gospel is hid to them amidst the darkness of false religion. There are three prevailing images of Christ throughout Italy… the baby Jesus sitting on Mary’s knee, the crucifix with Jesus still nailed to the cross, and the pieta, with the lifeless body of Christ being swaddled by Mary. These images speak of a powerless Christ controlled by Mary, an unfinished work of Christ
that is still perpetuated today by the good works of men, and a dead Christ which makes faith vain and leaves us in our sins (1 Cor. 15:12-17).
Carla told me her religious background in the Catholic Church kept her in a spiritual fog. She tried to be good but lived in fear of eternity. She had no concept of the gospel and could not comprehend of a free salvation apart from good works. She needed to know Christ personally and the power of His resurrection!
Carla’s salvation testimony is similar to Sandy’s except in one respect. Both were raised in a religion where they knew something was wrong with what was being taught and both desired to know the truth. The difference is Sandy prayed that God would reveal which 
religion had the truth; Carla had no concept that there was any legitimate religion outside of the Catholic Church and did not think of praying such a thing. But God knew her heart. When someone is seeking light – truth as found in the person of Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:1-13) – God will send them light. It is then the individual’s choice to either receive the light or reject it and stay in spiritual darkness (Jn. 3:17-21). Carla was seeking truth. When she came to America she said the Lord led her to a Baptist church. For three months she heard the gospel preached… it was foreign to her. The preacher would often say, “If the Lord touched you, please come to the altar and be saved.” She would go home and pray, “Lord, why don’t you touch me? I want to be saved.” She thought God was going to literally touch her. Finally one Sunday she went forward thinking that maybe if she was at the altar that God would “touch” her. As she stood there the preacher asked her why she came forward and she replied, “I want to be saved but God has not touched me.” The preacher then explained to her that he meant the prompting of the Holy Spirit and had someone explain to her what it meant to be saved. She received Christ as her personal Saviour.
My heart’s desire is to be a witness in Italy and shine the light of the gospel into a spiritually dark land. Please pray that we can move to Italy by June of next year that we might win Italian souls for Christ.
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” – Acts 26:18