Open Air Campaigners
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Italy
| Continent | Europe |
| Population | 57 Million |
| Official language | Italian |
| Capital | Rome |
| Evangelicals | 1% |
The Christian church in Italy today
Roman Catholicism ceased to be the state religion in 1984 and at least in theory all religions have equal freedom before the law, although the religious education in the schools is strictly limited to the teaching of Catholicism.
Protestants compose only 1% of the population, with an annual growth of 0.2%, whilst the more active Jehovah's Witnesses are currently at 0.73% of the population with an annual growth of a staggering 7.9%. Occultism is widespread, and there are reckoned to be 100,000 full time consulting magicians - three times the number of Catholic priests. Satanism is also strong, with the northern city of Turin acting as a center for this. Many are turning away from the Catholic church and are turning to New Age thinking and eastern religion.
A lack of maturity amongst Italian evangelical leaders and a general lack of coherence in the local fellowships mean that the evangelical movement is not currently taking full advantage of the new openness.
The work of OAC in Italy
OAC ministry in Italy has moved ahead in fits and starts over the last 10 years. Whilst missionaries and other agencies like OM have brought OAC evangelistic techniques into Italy, the involvement of OAC really began in the 1970's when Jack Kreidler was sent by OAC USA to form a branch in Rome, and over the last 20 years he has worked with various groups in the Rome and Naples area before taking on an International ministry in the early 1990's.
OAC GB was introduced to Italy primarily through the work of Korky Davey of Bristol, who over a series of years led teams into the country and trained missionaries and nationals. His ministry led to the formation of some very active evangelists such as Dave Jones, who had a dynamic ministry in the 1980's evangelizing the center of Milan.
Mark and Cathy Detzler came to Italy in 1989 and they have represented the work of OAC first in Milan and subsequently in Rome over the last 10 years. Mark recently returned to Britain to be involved in a church-plant in Bristol, but still has a great concern for the work in Italy.
In recent years, OAC teams led by Rob Davis of Europe Now have been working in various areas in Northern Italy, with an aim to training and establishing a team of evangelists there.
How you can be involved
- Pray for the work in Italy, and for the work of Rob Davis there.
- Consider taking part in an evangelistic outreach in Italy. If you
do not already have a leaflet giving details, please telephone or
write to the Europe Now office. Or get in touch with Rob
Davis the coordinator at address that follows.
- You might consider joining the team in Italy. If you are considering
a career in evangelism, contact the Europe Now office for more information.
- If you would like to support Europe Now's work financially, whether in Italy or elsewhere in Europe, please send donations to the Europe Now office or ask for more details about how to give regularly.
BORDERLINES ARTICLES
An Italian trainee
in Nottingham (April '98)
Church-based outreach in Rome
(July 97)
Seeker-friendly churches in
Rome (Apr 97)
Generation X (Nov 96)
An outreach in Poggio Ruscoe
(Nov 96)
Balancing family and ministry
(Jul 96)
Financial needs (Apr 96)
Follow-up (Oct 95)
Time for revival?(Apr 95)
Planning for growth(Jan 95)
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