field
France
The Land
Saint Gaudens is located in the southwestern part of France. Sitting within sight of the Pyrenees Mountains, the city has beautiful views and cool breezes, even occasionally in the summer. The French are, of course, known for their cuisine—especially the bread and cheese, and Saint Gaudens is no exception!
The People
The French people are often hesitant about accepting religion. Most ministries built in France take much time to grow (Dr. David Price’s research has shown an average of 30 years for a fully mature church). The church uses many different outreach ministries to get the gospel in front of the people. Once a person has shown interest in the gospel or church, the development of a relationship over time has proven to be the best way to lead people to a profession of faith and to attendance in church.
The Missions Work
While the work in Saint Gaudens varies from year to year, one annual outreach is to the spectators of the Tour de France. With so many people gathering to see the race, we have a great opportunity to hand out thousands of pieces of literature quickly.
In reality, since the spectators are not just French, the literature reaches many different European peoples.
In the past, the team has also helped with updates to the church building that is a couple of centuries old. We have been able to replace the roof, stucco, and flooring in the last few years. As with all churches, there is always something along this vein that can be done quickly by a team of 8–10 people. We have been blessed to have the opportunity to do work that so quickly shows its reward.
One of our primary goals as a team is always to encourage. Since the slow growth of a European ministry can be discouraging, we strive to come alongside the Price family and the church in Saint Gaudens to show our support of the work they are doing. Although we are only there for a few days, as a team leader, I always pray that the ministry will stay in the hearts of our team and that they will continue to pray for the Prices long after we return home.
Spain
The Land
Spain’s geography is very varied, and the landscapes are very diverse. Spain is an extremely mountainous country with a large central plateau. To simplify, this plateau is divided into two major mountainous areas: the Sistema Central and the Montes de Toledo mountain ranges. Towards the edges are other mountain ranges, including the Galaico massif, the Cantábrica range, the Sistema Ibérico, and Sierra Morena. The Bética and Catalan ranges and the Pyrenees are the most peripheral mountain systems. The highest points in the country are the Teide, on the island of Tenerife, Mulhacén in Granada; and Aneto in the Pyrenees.
The People
Spanish people are friendly, highly educated, and very polite, with a population of 40.5 million. There are many who have never heard the Gospel. The major language is Castilian Spanish. After General Franco’s death in 1975, the authoritarian regime was transformed into a democratic government with King Juan Carlos as head of State. Historically, the Roman Catholic Church has predominated the life and culture of the country. Evangelicals and Baptists have suffered persecution in the past. Religion of any kind has been replaced in the lives by many by humanism and materialism as the nation has become more prosperous.
The Missions Work
Spain – The team will continue working with Hebron Valley Baptist Church, led by Pastor Josh Valcarcel in Barcelona. The team will also visit independent Baptist churches in the Barcelona area. Team members will participate in evangelistic outreaches, provide special music, and help with service projects.
Italy
The Land
Italy is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe, located primarily upon the Italian Peninsula. It is where Ancient Rome originated as a small agricultural community about the 8th century BC, which spread over the course of centuries into the colossal Roman empire, encompassing the whole Mediterranean Basin and spreading Roman culture and civilization across the empire. This civilization was so influential that parts of it survive in modern law, administration, philosophy, and arts, providing the groundwork that the Western world is based upon.
The People
Most Italians identify with Christianity, with roughly 80% identifying as Christians. The majority of Christians in Italy identify as Catholics, with 83.3% of Italians identifying as Catholics. Around 20% of Italians are unaffiliated with any religion. Less than 1% of Italians identify as Muslim or some other non-Christian faith. There are also several religious minorities in the country, including Protestants, Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Muslims.
The Missions Work
In Italy, our primary goal is to work with Missionary Kieth Bloyd and Missionary Fernando Justiniani. Fernando Justiniani is a new IBJM missionary who has just arrived in Italy. We plan to assist with distributing literature and invitations to the church in surrounding cities. We will also offer English Immersion Workshops in the evenings as an outreach for the church.
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