18 new worshiping groups formed 68 churches / worshiping groups meeting 290 decisions for Christ 70 baptisms
Sicily is the primary port of entry for immigrants entering Italy . OMS missionaries have joined with other missionaries to form a ministry called Search Party in Catania , engaging unreached Sicilians and immigrants with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and making disciples who disciple others . Through initiatives such as Agape Bici ( a bike repair shop ) and the community garden , OMS actively engages with the local community to address practical needs and share the love of Jesus . By passing along everyday skills , such as bike repair and agriculture , our Italy team provides needed services that lead to discipleship and training opportunities with those whom God is leading to plant churches that will multiply and continue making disciples of all nations .
John *, a young Asian man , has been working as an apprentice in the community garden for the past five years . Through daily study and discipleship , he has grown to be a strong follower of Christ . Last year , John hired Luigi *, an Italian man , whom he taught to be an apprentice . They studied the Bible every day while they worked in the community garden . Eventually , Luigi believed in Christ and was baptized . Now , he is studying the Bible regularly with his girlfriend and family .
* Names changed for security .
OMS partner ministry Peace & Hope Network began in 2005 with a vision to saturate Spain with the Gospel . A focus on Latin American immigrants opened the doors to start healthy churches that have a vision for multiplication , and a strong emphasis on discipleship and training has yielded fruit . The children of immigrants are being raised with bicultural worldviews , so they have unique preparation to reach both Spaniards and other immigrants . Peace & Hope works diligently with this new generation by equipping them for ministry and providing structured opportunities for evangelistic outreach and missions involvement . Their vision is to mobilize these young people to plant and lead dynamic churches that multiply and then reach immigrant and native European populations . Recently , 25 such students completed studies in our School of Leadership and Missions and traveled to 3 cities for evangelistic events .
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