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Give Your opinion, what tactics we must use?

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by zaderk, Jul 26, 2003.

  1. zaderk

    zaderk New Member

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    I own a Computer Shop in Rome, and I use it to develop contacts to preach the Gospel, I like writing and I use what I write to stimulate the attention towards Jesus. Each year for Christmas I prepare 500 small diary with a calendar with weekly meditations.
    The main problem I encounter with my Roman friends is that Christian faith is delegated to the priest of the local church. As I said in another message more than 80% of Italian population don’t like to read, and most of the 20% that like reading is atheistic, therefore the access to the Bible for most of the population is nearly zero. Just think that 97% of the people I know (excepted the Local Church) has never opened on it’s own the Bible.
    I do this work for the Gospel since 1993, and the results is very little, a positive evaluation about how many people now really understand the Salvation of Jesus in all these years, is probably less that 100, if You think that more than 5.000 agenda have been given, nearly 2.000 books have been given or sold. The problem I must face is that devotion to Saints and Mother Mary, is very much spread, and the explanation of the Gospel is refused when it comes from someone that is not a priest.
    To the direct question: If You die today, where are You going?
    The answer is usually: God is good, I didn’t do much evil compared to others, therefore I hope that in that day I will be saved, maybe I will go for sometime to the purgatory.
    Most people don’t understand that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is direct and personal for those that must believe to be saved, otherwise they are already condemned.

    On Your opinion, what tactics we must use to approach people that:
    Think to be saved, or thinks that don’t need salvation.
    Don’t know the Bible, is not interested in the Bible, and don’t like to read.

    Ciao, zaderk from Rome [​IMG]

    www.PlanofGod.net
    www.redwood.it/silent
     
  2. TaterTot

    TaterTot Guest

    What a wonderful thing you are doing! I think should keep putting out the Gospel, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. You are planting many seeds!!!
    I know some Catholic people who have never read the Bible, too. It is very difficult to get them to read it for themselves. I will be praying for you!!

    TaterTot
    Viva Lasagne!! ;)
     
  3. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Have to get them "lost" before they will have any desire to consider "salvation".

    Maybe asking them questions like

    1. If God asked you for a reason why He should let you into heaven, what would you give him?

    2. Can ANYONE go to heaven?

    3. How long will you spend in Purgatory?

    Most RC I know have a real problem with thinking through the ramifications of their doctrine of salvation, purgatory, heaven and hell.
     
  4. zaderk

    zaderk New Member

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    Thank You for Your support in prayer and with the precious suggestions that even if they appear obvious when you read them, they are not. In effect one of the most difficult things to do is to establish the concept of sin. And from that to go to the concept of being guilty and in need of jesus's salvation. Many people says that sin is a concept obsolete, specially those that do not recognize Bible's authority.
    keep praying for Italy
    zaderk from rome italy
     
  5. Circuitrider

    Circuitrider <img src=/circuitrider2.JPG>
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    Probably the most important element is faithfulness. It will take a liketime to gather a small group of believers in Italy. We have dear missionary friends in Italy and they have been there about 15 years with a small congregation of 12-15 to show for it. They have put over 100,000 tracts in mail boxes (legal in Italy) and their key man was contacted through that means. They are committed to staying to reach Italians with the gospel. We plan to visit them next spring (our second visit to their ministry). :cool:

    May God bless your faithful efforts to reach these people who are blinded from the truth by their religion. [​IMG]
     
  6. zaderk

    zaderk New Member

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    You are right, faithfullness is the key. I must say that everytime I start some initiatitive for the Gospel a new attack on earthly things appears. Last year I published in Italian my book "Il Piano di Dio" that makes familiar the concept of Prophecy and the "Rapture" translated is "The Plan of God" (in English is freely downloadable from the site www.planofGod.net until the 11th of Sept because there is also a tribute to the USA for Twin Towers attack)well, after the publishing I had so many problems at work I nearly risked to shut it down. Exactly the same thing happened in 1998 when I published the book "L'Amico Silenzioso" (The Silent Friend available in English at www.redwood.it/silent ) that year material for over USD 10.000,00 were stolen from my shop through two people I knew that gave me fake cheques. Is like Satan is using material means to distract a christian from any initiative he may undertake to spread the Gospel. In fact when you have tough economic difficulties is much more difficult to explain non believers that God is still blessing you. Non believers see only the practical side of things, can't understand that for a believer is enough to lift up his eyes towards the sky to enjoy the knowledge of God, feeling also emotionally that you are proud to be a witness.
    In Italy Computer dealers that are Christians have much more difficulties to go on, because if You are Christian you must pay the right amount of taxes, if people work for you must be regularly paid and enrolled, you will buy and sell regularly. But the market is different, there are "EU Intracom" laws that are creating, for dishonest people, the way to avoid to pay 20% taxes, also most of the concurrent companies don't pay all taxes, therefore can do better prices. All the people around me (non-believers) tell me, "why don't you do like the others? Often your prices are out by just 20% corresponding to the taxes not paid by your competitor. If you keep going like this You'll fail!" Probably they are right that if I keep going that way I'll fail, that's why I'm trying to convert my activity to just Technical Assistant.
    I believe that many of the problems are due to the Computer sector and the deceitful way of proceeding doing business in Italy (80% of games and software are fraudly copied) but my view and that of my brothers of the Church, is that when you actually do something for Jesus upon this earth, you must expect an action from the enemy. We are in a foreign territory, controlled by the enemy, is impossible and illogical to pretend to reach people for Christ being left alone and quite. I understand that with a Computer shop I can contact hundreds of people and companies that are unreachable otherwise, that has a cost. For now I'm glad to pay it, I only hope that the economic situation will change to shut all those voices that are keeping saying to me that I'm stupid to propose the Gospel in my shop (specially mebers of my family that are not Christian), and I do wrong when I pay all my taxes, and I don't buy like the others do.

    There is an old Neapolitan saying that goes: "Who has a mother doesn't cry" . I changed it to: "Who has a Spiritual family in Christ don't cry!"

    zaderk of rome
     
  7. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    I know that the circumstances look hard. But just remember, who is stealing from whom. The stolen materials are God's property and He will not let the matter pass without notice. Our God ultimatly will not let His Name be sullied by the ungodly. He will vindicate His children. Our problem is that He is in no hurry, as we count hurry, to carry out His actions.
     
  8. zaderk

    zaderk New Member

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    In this specific moment Your reply are particularly dear. When things are very difficult our Bible is the "auto-pilot". I believe that the situatione is never too dark, it is simply the only way our God has to teach us something useful for Him.
    You are right, sometimes it is difficult to be patient to wait, the target, on my opinion, must be always to preserve the opportunity to witness to the other person that is behaving badly towards us, Jesus died also for him.
    thank you brother
    zaderk of rome
     
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