UPDATE FOR NOVEMBER 2005
Aprilia convention. Try to imagine 200 Italian Christians gathered together at Aprilia, south of Rome for a challenging convention theme: "The Church of Christ: Dwelling Place of God?" This non-instrument congregation invited us to a meaty, spiritual feast, and what a warm, loving reception we experienced! Although we already knew some of the convention-goers, we expanded our range of fellowship. Speakers developed satisfyingly mature presentations on questions like: "Religious Formalism," "Jesus Goes Beyond the Law," "What Kind of Church?" and "Mercy: God's Measuring Stick." The depth and far-sightedness of these brothers? messages bodes well for the future of the Italian church.
One of our major emphases is encouraging Christian unity by going to the other churches of Christ, to make acquaintance with our brothers and sisters there, to offer our personal fellowship so they may get to know us. Someone said: "It is easy to distrust someone whom you do not know well, but quite a bit easier to love someone who is willing to make the effort to love you." So we try.
Second Edition of Stroop's book on Bible interpretation. Harold is finishing a complete revision of J. Ridley Stroop's book: Why Do People Not See the Bible Alike? The first edition served preachers who asked just for the basic ideas; the second is geared to a wider readership in the churches. The book will go to an Italian editor to check literary clarity and smoothness of expression, after which we can go to press.
Books for prisoners. Mario Baldini, a Christian in Prato, works with rehabilitation of prisoners in the local penitentiary, and took us to meet some of them. One spin-off: our church at Matelica, wanting to contribute to his ministry, immediately sent 25 copies of the Pictorial New Testament: Acts of the Apostles, illustrated by Paul Nash (College Press, Joplin, Missouri). Lecce Christian Mission and the Literature and Training Ministries (Joplin) published this helpful book in Italian. Mario was thrilled to have these books for distribution in the Prato prison. He asked for this number of copies to "test the water," because he is limiting his ministry to 23-25 prisoners. He says, "It is better to work well with fewer men, than to commit oneself to too many, and end up working with no one well."
One of our major emphases is encouraging Christian unity by going to the other churches of Christ, to make acquaintance with our brothers and sisters there, to offer our personal fellowship so they may get to know us. Someone said: "It is easy to distrust someone whom you do not know well, but quite a bit easier to love someone who is willing to make the effort to love you." So we try.
Second Edition of Stroop's book on Bible interpretation. Harold is finishing a complete revision of J. Ridley Stroop's book: Why Do People Not See the Bible Alike? The first edition served preachers who asked just for the basic ideas; the second is geared to a wider readership in the churches. The book will go to an Italian editor to check literary clarity and smoothness of expression, after which we can go to press.
Books for prisoners. Mario Baldini, a Christian in Prato, works with rehabilitation of prisoners in the local penitentiary, and took us to meet some of them. One spin-off: our church at Matelica, wanting to contribute to his ministry, immediately sent 25 copies of the Pictorial New Testament: Acts of the Apostles, illustrated by Paul Nash (College Press, Joplin, Missouri). Lecce Christian Mission and the Literature and Training Ministries (Joplin) published this helpful book in Italian. Mario was thrilled to have these books for distribution in the Prato prison. He asked for this number of copies to "test the water," because he is limiting his ministry to 23-25 prisoners. He says, "It is better to work well with fewer men, than to commit oneself to too many, and end up working with no one well."
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