Critical New Study Tools to Assist the Italian Church Amidst the complexities of our 21st Century World.
June has been quite a month for ITA. There is much to be said and there is much to praise God for. This will be the subject of our next update in July.
At the present time, we at ITA simply wish to focus your attention on a significant moment of truth or progression in the truth in Italy for the Italian church. I am referring to the Italian translation and publication of Biblical Doctrine by MacArthur and Mayhue.
ITA has worked very hard and long — over three years! We personally thank our faithful donors for providing the financial resources to produce this resource and we thank our team, especially the coordinated effort made by Sebastian Mendez and Simone Marini who led the organisation of the work — translators, readers to read over not only the Italian but the theology more so (in this regard we thank several of the Master’s Seminary graduates on the field in Italy and still training at TMS who provided this critical supervision). This, in addition, to working with the publishing house in Italy, and, ultimately, reporting back to our US partners, especially the Master’s Academy International (TMAI).
Biblical Doctrine is a first for many reasons. Over the course of the seventeen years now that ITA is training church leaders and churches in expositional preaching and philosophy of ministry in Italy, doctrine and theology have gradually risen to the surface as a vital need more than preaching itself.
The church, for much of its history in Italy, has been characterised by an emphasis on devotion and evangelism. Doctrine has been relegated to basic elementary instruction. One of the blessings resulting from ITA’s influence over the course of its time in-country has been the growth of a steady body of disciples and churches who now desire to move from the milk to the meat of the Word. Biblical Doctrine has thus arrived at such a providential time as this.
We have already received numerous requests from believers for a copy if not more. ITA is persuaded that this tool will only enhance its training to greater and greater depths to God’s glory in Christ in Italy.