IMPATTO

Acts 29 in Italy

A growing family of theologically defined and driven gospel-centred, church-planting churches engaging, for God's glory and by His grace, to see healthy gospel-centred churches planted and grown throughout Italy.

ITALY: NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES

• 60 million people

• 8000 comuni (cities, towns or villages) of which more than 85% have no Evangelical church

• 50% of the population live in towns of less than 50,000 people

• 75% of people in Italy are Roman Catholic. Less than a quarter of these are practicing.

• 0.6-0.8% (4500 churches) are Evangelical/Protestant of all kinds

• In certain areas of Italy there is 1 Evangelical church for every 45,000 people!

• 0.004% (50 churches?) would identify themselves theologically as reformed Evangelicals

• Few Italian pastors have theological training or are full-time pastors

• Few churches have an intentional, well-defined vision or plan for church-planting

Some needs and gospel-opportunities:

• Unreached towns and specific areas of Italy: areas of Puglia, Sardegna, Abruzzo, Veneto, Brianza, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Toscana

• Prostitution & Human-trafficking: up to 9 million 'clients'

• Universities: only 30% have campus ministries

• Migration & Refugees: almost 6 million people - "...the world has come to our doorstep..."

IMPATTO LIFE

• Events: RELAZIONE - Impatto family retreat, FORMAZIONE - Impatto intense training weekends.

• Assessments in Italian and coaching for church-planters, churches and others, as needed. Strong emphasis on walking alongside the candidates to encourage them to be effective in their ministry.

• EDIZIONI SOPHOS - quality literature projects in Italian (some titles available in Italian: Total Church, Gospel-centred family, Meal with Jesus, TGC gospel-centered series, The Church...)

• Leadership team: Jonathan Gilmore (National Director), Rob Krause (Chairman), Elio Vannelli, Gian Luca Derudas (Administration Coordinator) and Michel Di Feliciantonio.

IMPATTO FUTURE

Over the coming years we want to grow and plant healthy churches. We prayerfully want to see:

• 10 new church plants from IMPATTO churches: intentional formation and conversations for Impatto members in terms of how they are or should be developing a vision for church‐planting in their churches, resourcing of churches in view of church‐planting (how, who, what).

• 10 new church‐planters recruited and trained: through Percorsi and other training options, internships, relational connections.

• 3 business in mission initiatives to be started as significant platforms of opportunity for church‐planting.

IMPATTO ON MISSION

An exciting project is the strategic partnership between Impatto & other SE Europe regions. Albania has been a focus area with encouraging blessings. Opportunities exist for connection with churches and plants in Slovenia. JD Gilmore is also Area Lead for S.E. Europe (12 countries). Together with help from Team Impatto steps are being taken to continue building the work of A29 in this region..