Beautiful new beginnings from the Mountains to Milan.

Imagine a small group of teenagers growing up in Catholic northern Italy, but largely unimpressed and disengaged from the church and eager to escape it as soon as soon as they can. Now imagine that one by one they each have an encounter with Jesus, and genuinely put their faith in him. Not in religion, not in the church, but in Jesus.

As this group learn to love one another, serve one another, pray and worship together, and grow in their love for God and his word, they become a community of believers somewhat set apart from the surrounding culture, but eager to share what they have found with their friends. The group grows, in number and in maturity. With very little input from others, it looks very like the early church.

The group in Valle Camonica

The group in Valle Camonica

This describes the origins of our new church plant in Valle Camonica, nestled between the mountains that look down on Lake Iseo, about an hour and a half North East of Milan.

Connection with Commission and the Decapolis Vision

The connection with Commission and the Decapolis Vision for Italy happened when one of the key couples in this group, Davide and Nicole moved to Southampton UK, and joined Life Church.

Here they witnessed something they'd never seen in Italy. A church that was founded on grace, that was a church of both Word and Spirit, which was organised and clearly led, but which also enjoyed a freedom and was genuinely alive. It helped them to imagine a greater future for their group back home in Valle Camonica, which they continued to join weekly online.

Davide and Nicole

I had the joy of travelling with Davide and Nicole to 'The Valle' recently and spending a precious week with this beautiful group of believers. As we worshipped, prayed, shared stories and meals, and walked in the mountains, it was clear that these connections were ordained by God, and our hearts were knitted together as we dreamed of what the future could look like. We are all excited to be on this adventure together. Some of them will be joining us for our leaders conference in Winchester later in the year, and I know you will welcome them.

Challenges and Partnerships in Italy

One of the challenges in Italy is the isolated nature of genuine groups of believers. You have to travel for hours to find others who carry the same heart and values, but God is doing something new and this group from Valle Camonica are not alone.

2 teams growing together

During the visit we had two opportunities to join with the new church plant in Milan, now called 'Speranza Milano' (Hope Milan). This is a group that we have been journeying with over the last year or so. It is a wonderful partnership between Commission and one of the other Newfrontiers spheres, 'Advance'. It was another one of those beautiful God orchestrated things that just makes you smile when you see the Lord at work.

The Moses Family and Divine Connections

Jeremy Moses, his wife Jen and their children have relocated from Grace London, where he was an elder and Assistant Pastor. He was introduced to me by his former Senior Pastor, Andrew Haslam, who I knew well from our days in Winchester when his father, Greg, was my Senior Pastor, and the man who first called out a leadership gift in me and encouraged me to leave teaching, and retrain for ministry.

Speranza Milano, a new church plant.

So it already feels like a divine family plan. Add to that the joy that the team from Advance who are sending them are dear friends, one of whom, Pete, trained in the same cohort as me all those years ago, and another, Richard, who is based in Poole with a church we have had long standing friendship with, and it all feels very natural.  The Moses family and Speranza Milano have been brilliantly sent and supported by the teams from Advance and Grace London, but on the ground will very much be working with us and are a key part of seeing the Decapolis Vision for 10 churches in Italy becoming a reality.

A New Day for the Gospel in Northern Italy

And here's the beautiful thing.

As the group from the mountains met the group from Milan, and as everyone realised we are part of the same family, friendships began, and there is a wonderful sense of being co-workers in the field of Northern Italy. There are already plans for a big 'get together' later in the year, and there will be many more opportunities for partnership, prayer and pizza in the years ahead.

When you add to these things the growing relationships with other groups in Northern Italy, it really does feel like a new day for the gospel in the region, and we are in awe of the God who brought us into his beautiful worldwide family, and who is sending us to the nations to see his kingdom come in every place we tread.