Milan's Spiritual Need

Italians esteem beauty in nature, the arts, and people. Ironically, with such rich appreciation for their environment, the Italians live in spiritual darkness. Most know little to nothing of the Scriptures. The majority of Italians culturally observe the main Roman Catholic rites while freely living and believing their own version of spirituality. Some turn to materialism, Buddhism, New Age, meditation, fortune tellers, or just their own idea of spirituality.

Indeed, there are three times the number of practicing magicians or spiritists than Catholic priests in Italy, revealing a significant hunger for something spiritual other than the Catholic Church (Operation World, 2001). With most of the spiritual and political life in Italy flowing out of the capital, Rome, the real ‘hotbed’ of national influence is found in the economic, banking, fashion, and industrial rich urban sprawl of Milan. Milan leads Italy in virtually every aspect of modern life except the evangelical witness.

Our goal as church planters in Italy is daunting. We offer them something they believe has already been tried for many centuries. They do not want to go back to the God and the institutional religion they have known.

Johnstone, Patrick.  Operation World, Gabriel Resources 21st Century Edition; Revised edition (December 31, 2000)