Search Results for: Rome series

God at Work in Rome

8
May 2018
AUTHOR admin

God at Work in Rome

Amelia’s life was spiraling out of control because of repeated bad decisions. She’d been away from God for over 20 years. A few weeks ago, she woke up in the middle of the night with a deep impression that God was calling her. Moved that God still had an interest in her, Amelia told her Christian sister about the nighttime encounter. That’s when her sister invited her to a series of Bible presentations at her church entitled, “Il Futuro É Una Storia Belissima” (The Future Is a Beautiful Story) with Pastor John Bradshaw. The first presentation particularly touched her heart as Pastor John talked about his own journey and how he found peace and joy in God. Amelia later confided to her sister that it was so fortunate that this Bible series is happening just after her nighttime encounter with God.

Fortunate? We don’t think so. It’s by divine appointment that Pastor John is presently in Rome, Italy, and that Amelia, like many others, is attending this eye-opening two-week series. Every night so far, the church has been full of people from all walks of life and different cultures with one thing in common: a desire to genuinely know God’s will for their lives.

Pastor John Bradshaw and his translator, Gianfranco Irrera, present at the church on weekends.

An enthusiastic audience enjoys John’s messages.

Home meetings are off to a great start!

Of course where good things are happening, the devil has to show up and attempt to disrupt it all. He almost succeeded on opening night. Before the meeting started, all the technology (video and audio) worked seamlessly. Everything had been tested multiple times. However, when the meeting started the video projector ceased to function. The tech guys did all the stuff tech guys do but to no avail. Thank God there was a second video projector in the building that was quickly connected and the program forged ahead. Bad luck? No. The enemy of God at work. But where God is present, the devil will never prevail.

Instead of doing the meetings at the church during the week, we are doing them in people’s homes across the city. Why? After a long day’s work it’s more convenient for people to go to a place near their home. Last night we were at the home of Carlo and Lucia. We weren’t sure what to expect. To our astounding surprise, over 60 people squeezed into an apartment to hear Pastor John teach (the photo doesn’t show the people behind John and in the other room). People in Rome are hungry for the Word of God.

Please keep our meetings in your prayers.  And please remember Amelia and all the guests searching and seeking a better life in Christ. Our meetings run every night until May 19.

500: It Is Written is in Rome

You often hear people refer to “the good old days.”

It’s hard to know exactly when the good old days were. Maybe it was back when it seems people had more respect for institutions and clung more firmly to family values. Which equates to about the same time period as Jim Crow and the Cold War and cigarettes being considered healthy. The good old days.

You might think that 500 years ago was the good old days. There were no cars, no planes, no plastic, and no industrial pollution. But there were no computers, no internet, no United States, no x-rays, no antibiotics, no anesthetic… and no Bible available to the people. 

Imagine a world with no Bible! Consequently, there was no understanding of the plan of salvation, no hope, and no knowledge of the true God. But along came people like William Tyndale of England, driven by God to translate the Bible into English. Tyndale’s translation provided a lot of what we read today in the King James Version and other translations of the Bible. Translating the Bible caused Tyndale to be banished from his home country and executed for his work of bringing God’s word to the people. 

While Martin Luther is rightly remembered as a great reformer, what’s often forgotten is that Luther was a Bible translator, translating the Bible into German. Luther’s New Testament was published in 1522, four years before Tyndale’s English New Testament.

Psalm 119:130 says, “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”

This week, the Reformation takes center stage at It Is Written. 500, our nine-part series on the Reformation, has begun airing and tonight Solo Cinque starts in Rome, Italy, just one mile from the Vatican City.

Rome has long been one of the great cities of the world. It is featured in the prophecies of the Bible, and it was the church of Rome that was the object of reform during the Reformation. Now, in commemoration of the events 500 years ago, I’ll be presenting a series of six messages in the heart of the Eternal City.

Like many of the world’s major cities, Rome is in desperate need of a revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray that the meetings held over the next week or so—and our follow-up meetings next year—will introduce many people to the beauty of God’s word and the gift of salvation in Jesus.

While I’m presenting God’s word in Rome, It Is Written’s Associate Speaker Eric Flickinger is sharing the Bible in Stuttgart, a major city in Luther’s Germany. So far, God has done great things in these meetings.

“Our attendance has been growing,” Pastor Flickinger said. “Even though the church is active in Stuttgart, it’s a tough city to reach with the everlasting gospel. Germany is a very secular country. But people responding, and we’re encouraged by what God is doing.”

As Eric speaks in Germany, the Holy Spirit is impressing hearts. And not always in ways you might consider to be the most obvious.

“Early in my series, I made the statement that the Bible can be trusted. At home, we take statements like that for granted, but it’s different here. One man heard me say that and it had a major effect on him. He had never, ever considered that the Bible could be trusted. That simple thought has changed his life and he has continued to attend the series. We’re praying hard for him and many others like him.”

The lands where the Reformation occurred are now mired in spiritual darkness. But we know that the everlasting gospel will go to “every nation, kindred, tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6).

Thank you for praying for these initiatives. Our 500 TV program series will be seen all over the world, taking viewers through the major themes of the Reformation. Our Every Word devotionals focus on this month on the Reformation. And our Reformation evangelistic meetings in Germany and Rome, Italy and going to present Christ and the power of His word.

We desperately need God’s blessing, so I’m asking sincerely that you would pray.

When we look back on opportunities like these, we’ll see that these are the good old days.

Watch the 500 series on It Is Written TV.


Watch the series in Rome at 8:00 p.m. local time: http://hopechannel.it/diretta-roma-lungotevere/

Topic schedule:

Wednesday, October 25
Sola Scriptura
Is the Bible the final authority?

Thursday, October 26
Solus Christus
What do you know about Jesus?

Friday, October 27
Sola Fide
Does it matter you believe?

Saturday, October 28
Sola Gratia
You are greatly loved

Sunday, October 29 OFF

Monday, October 30
Soli Deo Gloria
God in your life today

Tuesday, October 31
Non Solo (Never alone)
You can make a difference

The Reformation Revived

21
Nov 2017
AUTHOR admin

To commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, It Is Written returned to Europe. Two parallel series took place—one in Luther’s Germany where the Reformation began and the other in Rome, Italy, a place where much of the Reformation controversy centered.

ROME SERIES

In Rome, from October 25 to 31, Speaker/Director John Bradshaw preached an evangelistic series titled Solo Cinque. Solo Cinque focused on the five premises of the Reformation, known as the Five Solas. These are five Latin phrases that emerged during the Reformation to summarize the Reformers’ theological convictions about the essentials of Christianity. Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); Sola Fide (faith alone); Sola Gratia (grace alone); Solus Christus (Christ alone); and Soli Deo Gloria (to the glory of God alone). “It’s really a special privilege to be able to share the message of the Bible in Rome. The city is so historic. So much has happened here that impacted Christianity and the world. God has worked through these meetings,” John said. Mariarosa Cavalieri, It Is Written’s evangelism coordinator in Rome, trained and organized over 100 members from five churches across Rome for the series. They spent more than one year preparing for the bridge-building series, Solo Cinque, which was held barely one mile from the Vatican. The series climaxed on October 31, the day when 500 years ago Martin Luther nailed his history-changing theses.

The short October series has paved the way for a longer series which will follow in May 2019. There have been powerful evidences of God at work in Rome. In the meantime, the devil was also at work trying to slow down the positive momentum. Only one month before the series, the largest participating church had a fire, possibly caused by arson, that caused considerable smoke damage. The members, however, were undeterred in their service to the Lord.

“The church was full on opening night and got more full every night. People were so thankful to hear that eternal salvation is graciously given by God to all who desire it: No penance or works required. Now we are getting ready for the full-message series in May 2019. It’s exciting to watch God at work,” It Is Written Evangelism Director Yves Monnier said.

GERMANY SERIES

In Stuttgart, Germany, Associate Speaker Eric Flickinger presented an evangelistic series titled Macht. Glaube. Hoffnung. Was würde Luther uns heute sagen? (Power. Faith. Hope. What would Luther say to us today?). The series ran for three weekends from October 13 to 29. Pastor Flickinger explored the origins of the Reformation and the similarities between Luther’s time and our world today.

The series was the culmination of months of much work, prayer, and diligent preparation. Under the faithful leadership of Hartmut Winschaft, It Is Written’s evangelism coordinator in Stuttgart, hundreds of people attended the series each night. A broad advertising campaign invited the entire city to Liederhalle, a convention center in the heart of the city, to hear God’s word resonate like it did 500 years ago.

“Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther kindled the fires of a reformation that has impacted nearly every area of life in the Western world,” Eric Flickinger said. “Now, we have had the privilege of carrying his torch forward in Germany, the very birthplace of the Reformation.”


Please pray for the people of Germany and Italy. To donate to this evangelistic outreach, visit itiswritten.com/give.

Top 10 It Is Written Episodes of 2020

7
Jan 2021
AUTHOR Cassie Hernandez

Although the COVID-19 pandemic shut down travel for most of the last year, It Is Written was still able to conduct online evangelism, create new faith-building resources, and produce new and uplifting Christian programming. We thank God that He used the ministry of It Is Written to reach thousands across the globe! 

Here’s a look back at the top 10 most popular It Is Written episodes from 2020, based on YouTube and broadcast viewership info. 

To watch an episode, click on its title or image.

1. Black Wall Street

In 1921, more than 300 people were massacred, thousands were left homeless, and an entire town was destroyed when people turned on their fellow citizens—in the United States of America. Which raises an important question: What kind of person would do that? The answer is surprising. Join Pastor John Bradshaw on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as we look at the challenge faced by every person: the sinful heart.

2. 500: The Reformation

In 1517, on October the 31st, a priest in a small town in Germany changed western civilization forever. As Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Castle Church door, the Protestant Reformation began. Five hundred years later, is the Reformation over? Or is there still work to be done? Join John Bradshaw on location across Europe in the opening program of It Is Written’s 500 series. Filmed on location in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Rome. Features special guest Dr. Gerard Damsteegt.

3. Great Chapters of the Bible: Matthew 24

In Matthew 24 we are given a glimpse of what the earth will look like just before Jesus’ return. Follow along as John Bradshaw compares Bible prophecies with what is happening in our world today, and learn what we can expect in the days ahead. Don’t miss “Great Chapters of the Bible: Matthew 24.”

4. The Trail of Tears

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced American Indians to leave their ancestral lands and travel over 1,000 miles on foot. Thousands died on the journey that would come to be known as the “Trail of Tears.” Join John Bradshaw as he illuminates this tragic chapter in American history, and learn how a God familiar with suffering will one day wipe away all our tears.

5. David and Goliath

It’s one of the great stories of the Bible. A shepherd boy and a fierce giant face off in an unlikely battle. That battle’s unlikely result speaks to us today about faith, faithlessness, and the power of God in your life. Join John Bradshaw for “David and Goliath,” filmed on location in Israel, and discover how the God who brought victory to David can bring victory into your experience.

6. The Scottsboro Nine

It was a colossal miscarriage of justice: nine young men found guilty of a crime they didn’t commit, and the deciding factor was the color of their skin. Join John Bradshaw in Scottsboro, Alabama, for this story of brutal discrimination, and learn why it’s so important to serve a God who is just.

7. Great Chapters of the Bible: Revelation 14

Messages and warnings about the end of the world are given to mankind through signs and symbols in the New Testament. Join John Bradshaw as he decodes these messages in “Great Chapters of the Bible: Revelation 14.” Learn what you can do to prepare for earth’s last days.

8. Great Chapters of the Bible: Hebrews 11

Noah, Abraham, and Sarah are all considered luminaries of faith, yet they all made mistakes. Join John Bradshaw for “Great Chapters of the Bible: Hebrews 11” as he digs deeper into the stories of these imperfect heroes, and find inspiration in a God who promises to never quit on us.

9. “I Shall Return”

In his famous speech, General Douglas MacArthur boldly declared, “I shall return.” Having left the Japanese-occupied Philippines, MacArthur’s words brought hope to a captive people. Two thousand years earlier, Jesus made the same promise to a world held captive in sin: “I will come again!” Join Pastor John Bradshaw on location on Corregidor Island in the Philippines and learn what the Bible says about the Second Coming of Jesus.

10. Health Care God’s Way

John Bradshaw and Dr. John Westerdahl discuss a few of the health principles found in the Bible and show how some well-known biblical characters benefited—mind, body, and spirit—from God’s original diet.

For Such a Time as This

God at Work in Rome

On May 19, the It Is Written evangelistic series in Rome, Italy ended on a high note: 27 baptisms and many more people preparing for baptism! This is the result of much work and prayer. These numbers really are phenomenal when you consider that this evangelistic series was just one mile from St. Peter’s Basilica.

Mariarosa Cavalieri, the local evangelism coordinator for this project, received her evangelism training at SALT, It Is Written’s evangelism training school. Returning home to Italy, she worked tirelessly for more than a year with the pastors and members of the four churches in Rome that were participating in this evangelistic outreach.

Mariarosa

Behind the numbers are inspiring stories of people God had long ago prepared for such a time as this.

Marco had been drifting through life when he made contact with church members. They invited him to study the Bible, and as he did, Marco felt God calling him to surrender his life to Him and accept Jesus as His Savior. But life in Rome is filled with the distractions of a busy, bustling city, and Marco’s background in the Catholic church had left him feeling jaded towards religion. When Marco heard the message of the Bible, his heart was stirred. He met with the local church pastor and declared that he was ready to commit his life fully to Jesus. Marco was baptized on the final day of the evangelistic series.

When the Leone family attended It Is Written meetings in Rome eight years ago, the tires of their car were slashed. Refusing to be discouraged, they persevered in their faith, and during this It Is Written series they had reason to rejoice when their nineteen-year-old son, Giorgio, was baptized.

Three years ago in Moldova, Magdalena was diagnosed with a rare and potentially deadly disease. In order to receive the best medical care possible, Magdalena moved to Italy. While under treatment, she became acquainted with a Christian family and started taking Bible studies.This past January, after one year of intensive treatment, she was declared disease-free. Then in May, the family invited her to the It Is Written evangelistic series. At the end of Pastor John Bradshaw’s meetings, she was baptized. This has truly been a great year for Magdalena.

Jacob and Trust fled to Italy from Nigeria two years ago. They crossed the Mediterranean Sea from Africa to Italy crammed into a small boat. They described their experience from Nigeria as “horrific,” witnessing the beating and deaths of many people along the way. They arrived in Italy to a new life without fear and with the hope of a bright future and made friends with Christian believers who invited them to attend the It Is Written meetings. On May 19, both Jacob and Trust were baptized. Jacob is now considering becoming a pastor!

Julia grew up in the church in Brazil, but she drifted away from faith in God. Although she forgot about God, God never forgot Julia. Around the same time she started recognizing God’s voice, she connected with Sara, another Brazilian living in Rome. Sara was a member of one of the churches participating in the It Is Written evangelism project and invited Julia to attend. Julia attended with her atheist husband and was deeply affected by the moving of the Holy Spirit. Julia is now preparing for baptism!

For a time such as this God brought It Is Written to Rome so that Marco, Giorgio, Magdalena, Jacob, Trust, Julia, and many others could be blessed by the refreshing word of God. Even though our meetings are now over, the work is far from done. Mariarosa, the pastors, and the church members in Rome are committed to keeping the momentum going. They are so thankful for the “push” they have received in a place where evangelism is very difficult. As Mariarosa said, “God has brought us closer to one another and has motivated us to serve Him more.”

The best is yet to come in Rome and beyond.

Names have been changed.

People Are Watching

15
May 2018
AUTHOR admin

God at Work in Rome

Rosa, who lives across the street from a church in Rome, had noticed that the people going to that church were a little different. Good different. The members and their children were courteous and always respectful of their neighbors. And there was also something special about the way they interacted with one another. “Nice people,” she thought. And so for years, Rosa watched with an ever-growing desire to connect with the people of that church. What they had, she desired. And one day, it happened. She was standing in front of her apartment building talking to a neighbor when a church member politely approached them and gave them an invitation to a special series of meetings: “The Future Is a Beautiful Story” with Pastor John Bradshaw. 

The audience listens intently as Pastor John Bradshaw and his translator present the evening message.

Unlike most people who simply throw away handbills, Rosa excitedly returned to her apartment clutching the invitation. She finally had connected with one of the people at the church, and they had invited her to one of their programs! With great anticipation, she decided to go, and she was not disappointed. John Bradshaw that night preached on the glorious return of Jesus. Wow! Rosa had never heard anything like this before. Her heart was filled with joy.

Rosa is not the only one whose life is being transformed by what she is hearing. Burnt-out church members, young adults, and silver-haired elders are among the many who, on a nightly basis, are being refreshed by the powerful Word of God. One of the attendees is a gentleman who drives 120 miles one way to hear the messages. Someone told him he could watch it all online and didn’t have to drive. He responded, “It’s not the same thing as being there in person.”

Each night a book is given to an audience member.

Please pray for all of these precious people attending our meetings. They are hearing wonderful truths and its turning their world upside down or, actually, right side up. Many of them are gearing up for baptism next weekend. Also remember that there are people in your own community, just like Rosa, who are watching and waiting for an invitation to hear the good news of God’s love for them.

The Reformation Revived Through Evangelism

It Is Written Celebrates 500 Years of Reformation in Europe

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther walked to the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, and defiantly nailed a copy of his 95 Theses to the church door. The 95 Theses, or the list of 95 questions and topics Luther was proposing for debate, would later become the foundation of the Protestant Reformation.

This October will be 500 years since that iconic day. The Protestant Reformation was a religious and political revolution that would forever alter religion, art, music, and politics. It would also claim many Reformers’ lives as they dared to stand for the Bible. Today, we can thank God that Martin Luther followed His leading and brought Bible truth to light.

It Is Written will share God’s light throughout Europe this year in honor of the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.  Two parallel series will take place: one in Luther’s Germany with It Is Written Associate Speaker Eric Flickinger; and the other in Rome, Italy, presented by It Is Written Speaker/Director Pastor John Bradshaw.

Sharing the Gospel in Rome

In Rome, from October 25 to 31, Pastor Bradshaw will be preaching an evangelistic series titled Solo Cinque (The Five Solas). Solo Cinque will focus on the five biblical principles that were foundational to the Protestant Reformation. These are five Latin phrases that emerged during the Reformation to summarize the Reformers’ theological convictions about the essentials of Christianity. Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); Sola Fide (faith alone); Sola Gratia (grace alone); Solus Christus (Christ alone); and Soli Deo Gloria (to the glory of God alone).

“It’s really a special privilege to be able to share the message of the Bible in Rome. So much has happened in Rome that has impacted Christianity and the world. I’m praying God will do something in these meetings that will do the same,” Pastor Bradshaw said.

Mariarosa Cavalieri, It Is Written’s evangelism coordinator in Rome, has trained and organized over 100 members from five churches across Rome. These church members have not only participated in outreach but will assist with the Solo Cinque series, which will climax on October 31, 500 years to the day that Martin Luther nailed his history-changing theses. The short October series will then pave the way for a longer series which will follow in May 2018.

There has been powerful evidence of God at work in Rome. In the meantime, the devil is working to hinder the progress being made. A week ago, the largest participating church was damaged by fire, believed to be the result of arson. Although the building suffered considerable smoke damage, church members are undeterred in their service for the Lord.

“It Is Written is excited to be responding to God’s call and share the gospel with the people of Rome this year,” It Is Written Evangelism Director Yves Monnier said. “Imagine, going to the place where thousands of Christians died as martyrs during Nero’s persecution and where centuries later Martin Luther’s eyes were opened regarding the false teachings of the church as he climbed Pilate’s staircase. We pray that we will exhibit the faithfulness of the early Christians and the courage of Luther as we boldly proclaim the love of Jesus in a city that over time has become very spiritually dark.”

Evangelism in Germany

In Stuttgart, Germany, Associate Speaker Eric Flickinger will present an evangelistic series titled Hier Stehe Ich: Was Luther Heute Sagen Würde (Here I Stand: What Luther Would Say Today). The series will run for three weekends from October 13 to 29. Pastor Flickinger will look at the origins of the Reformation and the similarities between Luther’s time and our world today.

This series is the culmination of months of work, prayer, and diligent preparation. Under the faithful leadership of Hartmut Winschaft, It Is Written’s evangelism coordinator in Stuttgart, there has been a flurry of evangelism activity on the eastern side of the city. A broad advertising campaign will invite the entire city to Liederhalle, a modern convention center in the heart of the city, to hear God’s word resonate as it did 500 years ago.

“Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther kindled the fires of a reformation that has impacted nearly every area of life in the Western World,” Eric Flickinger said. “In October we have the privilege of carrying his torch forward in Germany, the very birthplace of the Reformation.”

Please pray for these historic series and the people of Germany and Italy.


Your support for this evangelism outreach is needed and would be greatly appreciated. To donate, visit itiswritten.com/give