Italy
Date Entered: 1990
Major Ministries: Church planting
Country Profile
Population: 60,090,400
Italy is a land of contrasts. The ruins of ancient civilizations abound in the same areas as typical European industry. It is a land of old and new, a culture of the past with a vision for the future.
Though 88% of the people profess to be Catholics, the number that regularly attend mass has dropped dramatically over the past forty years. Over half of the 12million practicing Catholics want sacraments only for important moments of life, and believe that is all that is necessary to be a good Catholic. Most acknowledge the existence of heaven and hell, and accept that man has an immortal soul, but do not relate that belief to a personal relationship with God or daily moral living.
ABWE’s team ministry is located on the western outskirts of the industrialized city of Turin (Torino). It is famous not only for its car manufacturing, but is known for its beauty. Turin is nestled in the Po Valley which stretches toward Milan in the east, with the Alps visible on three sides.
Apart from its role as northwest Italy’s major industrial, cultural, and administrative hub, Turin is also a nucleus of education, science, and the arts. Turin is reputed to be Italy’s main center for mysticism and the supernatural; occultism is widespread, with the number of full-time consulting magicians estimated at triple the number of Catholic priests.
With its goal of establishing local, independent Baptist churches, the ABWE team is involved in Bible studies, teaching theology, teaching English, coaching sports teams, participating in local groups and clubs, and distributing literature. As a result of these concerted outreach efforts, a church plant in the suburb of Avigliana is experiencing steady growth, and a new work is in progress in Caselle.
The challenges of ministering are great with the pressures of spiritual antagonism and apathy toward the gospel. Italy needs missionaries with spiritual stamina, emotional maturity, and godly faith.