October 2019

Dr. Michael Horton speaking at the first annual Milan Conference on Reformed Theology

Michael Horton in Milan

On Saturday, October 26, we held our first Reformation conference since my arrival last year. Dr. Michael Horton was our guest speaker. He gave two outstanding lectures from his book Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World. This book has been translated and published in Italian, and we provided free copies to all who attended. In addition to our members from our church, we had about 40 visitors from the city of Milan, which, by Italian standards, is an excellent turnout. Dr. Horton also did a Q&A session and spent ample time speaking to the people personally during the breaks. He also preached in our church on Sunday, October 27. We were very blessed by Dr. Horton’s ministry to us and pray that it will bear fruit for the mission to Milan in the coming years.

Pizza and Prayer
October has been a full and fruitful month in the mission to Milan. We launched our monthly “Pizza e Preghiera” (pizza and prayer) prayer meeting. This was a wonderful time of prayer, singing, and fellowship over food on a Friday evening. In a bustling, frenetic city like Milan, having an opportunity to gather together outside of regular Sunday services is important. We look forward to this meeting on the first Friday of each moth to pray for one another and eat dinner together.

Preaching the Gospel…in a Roman Catholic Church?
I have written a few updates about our next door neighbors and the relationship we have built with them. They are nominal Roman Catholics, like the majority of Italians. but have been very curious about the gospel. We continue to talk, eat meals and spend time together. During October, the eldest member of the family, Rosanna, died of lung cancer at the age of 85. I was able to visit her in the hospital a few days before she died. I read a lot of Scripture to her, asked her about her faith in Christ, and prayed with her. At her funeral, which was in a Roman Catholic Church, the priest, having discovered from the family that I was a Protestant pastor, asked if I would share a “parola di cuore” (a word from the heart) from the pulpit during the ceremony. I agreed, and took the opportunity to preach the gospel from John 11:25: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” I don’t know if anyone at the funeral had ever heard that complete salvation rests in Christ alone, and that we receive this through faith alone. The response from the family and the attendees of the funeral was very positive. Please continue to pray for the Livielli family. They are very precious. I hope that the Lord will bring them to church one day, and, more importantly, to true faith in Christ.

Young Peoples’ Meeting
On the third Friday of each month, the young people gather together in our home for a Bible study and fellowship. Or, we do something fun, such as go bowling. The idea is to spend time with the teens and young adults in order to build a relationship with them and cultivate their discipleship. Please continue praying for the youth in Milan, as they are faced with great challenges of living in a very secular society with almost no Christian friends.

Grazie di Cuore
As always, Janie and I want to thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. We simply could not be sustained without your partnership in this mission. We are humbled by the grace of God to us and the congregation here in Milan, who are growing numerically and spiritually. May the Lord keep us faithful with the time and opportunity he has given us to make disciples of Jesus in Milan. What a blessed privilege!

~ Rev. Michael Brown

This mission to Milan is only possible with the faithful prayers and generous contributions of people like you. If you would like to help us meet our goal by making a donation, you may send a check to: 

Escondido United Reformed Church
1864 N. Broadway
Escondido, CA 92026

Checks should be made out to Escondido United Reformed Church. Please indicate that the support is for Rev. Michael Brown as a missionary to Italy.

To subscribe to Rev. Brown’s monthly newsletter, send him a request at: michaelbrown1543@gmail.com