November 2022
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
As we pause this Thanksgiving Day to reflect on God’s goodness and mercy toward us, may we give God thanks for how he continues to make the light of Word shine forth throughout the world, including Italy. Here in Milan, as the temperatures have dropped and the leaves on the trees have changed colors, we are once again mindful of God’s faithfulness with every changing season. Indeed, “the grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever” (1 Peter 1:24). Moreover, this week marks our fourth anniversary on the foreign mission field. We give thanks to God for his mercies to us as a family, and how he has sustained our congregation, Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia, with his Word and Spirit.
Here are some of the highlights of the mission over the past month…
Third annual Milan Conference on Reformed Theology
On Saturday, November 5, our church hosted our third annual “Conferenza sulla Teologia Riformata a Milano” (Milan Conference on Reformed Theology). Modelled after the Philadephia Conference on Reformed Theology started in 1975 by Dr. James Montgomery Boice of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the purpose of this conference is threefold:
To awaken interest in Reformed theology and the doctrines of grace amongst people in Milan and throughout Italy.
Establish a forum at which men and women in the Reformed tradition in Italy might meet and be encouraged.
Marshall resources in Italian to strengthen the Church in Italy.
The first conference was held in 2019. Dr. Michael Horton was the keynote speaker. In 2020, we were unable to hold the conference due to Covid restrictions. In 2021, the conference theme was “The Five Solas of the Reformation”. The speakers were Rev. Keith Jones of Chiesa Veritas (a Calvinistic evangelical church in the Milan area), Rev. Humberto Arise de Oliveira of Chiesa Presbiteriana di Legnano (a confessional presbytrerian church in the Milan area), and myself. This year, the conference theme was “Catholics and Protestants: What’s the Difference?”, a very relevant topic in Roman Catholic Italy. The speakers were myself, Rev. Gavino Fioretti, a minister in the Free Church of Scotland who happens to be Italian and fluent in the language, and Dr. Leonardo De Chirico, who is the pastor of Breccia di Roma (a Calvinistic evangelical church in Rome), the director of Instituto di Formazione Evangelica e Documentazione, a noted author and an occasional speaker at Ligonier conferences. In addition, Rev. Andrea Artioli of Coram Deo publishing house was present to sell books and resources in the Italian language.
Like the previous conferences, it was a day filled with good teaching and warm Christian fellowship. We had a large number of people in attendance with many visitors. We give thanks to God that this annual conference has been a blessing to many. We pray that it will continue to bear fruit for our mission in Milan and Italy. Every generation must rediscover the Gospel and apply it to its own time. We hope to see a second reformation in the Christian church today, and especially in Italy!
Publication of “Core Christianity” in Italian
We give thanks to God that a project we began three years ago has finally come to completion. Michael Horton’s excellent book Core Christianity is now available in Italian under the title L’essenza del cristianesimo. We are very excited to see this book in print as it provides the reader with a clear and helpful understanding of Christianity, of its most important doctrines as well as the redemptive-historical flow of the Bible. This is an important resource in Italy, a country with deep and ancient Christian roots, yet very little knowledge of the Bible or how it all speaks of Christ. In a land where less than 1% of the population identifies as Protestant, Core Christianity will help its readers know what we as Christians believe and why we believe it.
Possible Future Church Plant in Turin
By God’s grace, we continue to hold monthly worship services in the city of Turin, which is about an hour and a half west of Milan. We have found a temporary home for the meetings in a small Brethren church that is willing to let us use their facility for an evening worship service on Sundays. We give thanks that there have been visitors the last two times we have met. We pray that, if it be His will, the Lord will bless this work, create a solid core group, and eventually provide a missionary to plant a Reformed church. The elders in Milan and I ask for your prayers, that all will be done to the glory of God, and that he will provide us with much wisdom.
Teaching and Preaching in Scotland
From November 9-14, I was in Edinburgh, Scotland by invitation from Edinburgh Theological Seminary, where I gave three lectures on pastoral ministry. I was also invited to preach at St. Columba’s Church (Free Church of Scotland). I also had much opportunity to speak about Mission Milan and Reformation Italy. The trip was very encouraging. It was an honor to speak to students preparing for the ministry, and a joy to meet brothers and sisters in Christ in Edinburgh. I pray that if God allows us to establish a Reformed denomination in Italy, it will have a warm relationship with Edinburgh Theological Seminary and the Free Church of Scotland.
Next Meeting of CPRI scheduled for December 7-8
From The next meeting of CPRI: the Chiese Presbiteriane e Riformate in Italia (the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches in Italy), the coalition of churches which is working toward the establishment of Italy’s first Presbyterian and Reformed denomination, will meet in Milan on December 7-8. The elders and I are very excited for this opportunity to host the meeting. So far, there are three churches who are officially part of the coalition: Chiesa Riformata di Perugia (the reformed church in Perugia, central Italy), Chiesa Presbiteriana “Pietra Vivente” (the presbyterian church in Lecce, southern Italy) and Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia (the reformed church in Milan, northern Italy). This time, however, the leadership of another church will join us for the meeting: Chiesa Presbiteriana di Legnano. We ask you to continue praying for our labors to establish a confessional presbyterian and reformed denomination in Italy. It will take a lot of work, sacrifice, love, cooperation and patience. But by the grace of God, we can continue to make progress, as we look to Jesus, the One who promised to build his church "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).
In addition, Rev. Vincenzo Coluccia, Rev. Andrea Ferrari, and myself will meet as a committee for two consecutive days after the meeting of CPRI, to continue working on a new church order for a future denomination in Italy.
Janie in the United States for Two Weeks
We are grateful to God that Janie was able to spend two weeks in Vermont with our daughter Alysia, son Isaac, son-in-law Kevin, and grandaughter Isabella. It is such a blessing to see our children and family in the States! I also want to give a shoutout to Janie and her writing on the blog of Mission Milan. Along with all that she does for the church in Milan (technical support, ladies’ book club, hospitality, etc.), she has been producing some great articles on our website. If you haven’t had a chance to read them, take a look. :)
Prayer Requests
For the spiritual growth and health of Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia
For the development of a future Reformed and Presbyterian denomination in Italy (CPRI)
For the new work in Turin
Grazie di Cuore!
As always, Janie and I give thanks to God for you. Thank you for reading these updates and remaining vigilant in prayer for us and Mission Milan. Thank you for your encouragement and financial support. Mission Milan is only possible because of people like you.
~ Pastor Mike
“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” ~ Acts 20:24
If you would like to help by making a donation, you may give online here on our website or send a check to:
Escondido United Reformed Church
1864 N. Broadway
Escondido, CA 92026
Attn: Mission Milan
Checks should be made out to Escondido United Reformed Church. Please indicate that the support is for Rev. Michael Brown as a missionary to Milan, Italy.
