What Does Missions in Italy Look Like?

“Go therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 29:19

It has been my biblical conviction for nearly as long as I have been in
ministry that a healthy, growing church must be involved in missions and
outreach both at home and abroad. Some Christians have struggled with going
abroad when there is so much to do at home, and from a logical standpoint this
concern makes sense. However a biblical analysis doesn’t support this idea. Jesus
journeyed regularly throughout the neighboring regions and when He sends His
disciples out in Mark 6:7 it is to the surrounding villages. So even then ministry
where they were was to be assumed while also moving into new locations. When
Jesus sends the disciples out in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20, He
sends them out to all nations. This was part of God’s plan from the beginning.
Look at the churches you know that are growing and healthy and I think you’ll find
that most of them are involved in international missions. Even though from an
earthly standpoint this may not make sense from a heavenly perspective it does.
God blesses us at home when we go other places.

In 1796 William Carey left for India in what began the modern mission
movement. That isn’t to say that before Carey that people weren’t going abroad
and sharing the Gospel but it is to say that it was the beginning of the first
concentrated missions effort in a very long time. He, being in Europe, England to
be precise, left all he knew and journeyed to a foreign land with a very different
culture and even though he endured numerous hardships, God used him to have
a lasting Gospel impact. Even though I had been to Mexico and Haiti to do mission
work, in my heart, I wanted to follow in the steps of Carey and make a missions
journey to India. I had met Pastor Cyril Antony who was heavily involved in
successful missions work in India but God had not opened the door for that trip.
Pastor Cyril and I became friends, probably a decade ago, and even though I hadn’t been able to make a mission trip with him I prayed for him and supported
him as best as I could.

Then in a conversation one day he caught me off guard by saying: “You
should come to Italy with me and minister to the South Asian migrants there. This
is a very overlooked group and we should start a church there.” I began to pray
about this and watched as God started to open doors. Although I hadn’t been at
FBC Bogalusa long I could see that the church had a clear heart and support for
missions. So four of us went. Across the ocean to a place where there was no
Protestant or Evangelical churches, to a place where there were few Christians.
While the beauty of Italy was captivating the lostness of it was heavy. These were
people that God loved and they didn’t know about Him. Neither the South Asians
we had come to reach and minister to or the Italians. Yet a group of Indians was
reaching both people groups. What was intended to be a mission to reach South
Asians became a mission to reach Italians as well. Like William Carey, those
ministering on the ground discipling new believers and sharing the Gospel were
having immense struggles. Yet God was working.

We returned this year, not with a group of four but a group of ten from
multiple churches. During prayer walks in large cities we were able to make
connections with people and invite them to the food festival or church services.
We spent time discipling new believers through Bible studies in homes. We
encouraged them as well as presenting the Gospel to those who were curious and
seeking. Tears rolled down eyes as the love of God was proclaimed and heard by
individuals for the first time. Questions were asked of us, people were counting
the cost of following Jesus. Muslims pondered with us how different Christianity is
from Islam and if maybe they ought to consider it, one man, a devout Muslim
quickly told us that he could not find God despite all his religious efforts.
In the next few months a new missionary is supposed to be on the ground
full time to work with these individuals and to firmly establish this church. Please
pray for this, it’s a big deal. Most previous mission trips I’ve been on involve lots
of large evangelistic services, but before this can happen in Italy there has to be a
discipled group of believers ready to pour into new converts. There must be a
solid church they can come into and grow. This cannot be overlooked.

As I reflect on the events of the previous weeks I have to smile a little.
William Carey left Europe over two hundred years ago to bring the Gospel to India
and the results are now evident. While there are still lots of lost people in India
who need the Gospel there are also thriving churches, despite government
persecution. There are seminaries and Christian orphanages, the Gospel is being
proclaimed and lives are being changed. Meanwhile so much of Europe, Italy
included is without the hope of the Gospel. Churches have been converted into
museums and cultural centers. People are desperate for Jesus and don’t even
know it. Yet God knows and is making a way for them to hear, how amazing is it
that people from India are sending missionaries to proclaim the Gospel to the
very places that once did the same for them.

Please keep our Italy mission partnership with Spice Road in your prayers. Ask
God to protect and build this work so that many may come to know Jesus Christ
as their Lord and Savior.