Learn About Italy
Pray4Italy is all about creating strategic prayer for a disciple making movement in Italy.
LEARN ABOUT THE CULTURE
AND HISTORY OF ITALY
WHY PRAY4ITALY?
Chritianity in Italy is in decline. Every year 700,000 Italians leave the Catholic Church and declare themselves atheists.
The majority of those who still call themselves Catholic have coined a name for a new category of “Christian”: Catholic non-practicing. The percentage of those who are actually practicing Catholics ranges anywhere from 7-13% depending on the region.
80% of Italians have never read the Bible.
Currently two-thirds of Italian youth abandon Catholicism after their Confirmation.
Only 22% of practicing Catholic families have children that would define themselves as convince and active Catholics.
Stats say that roughly 1% of the population are actively seeking to follow Jesus, but most of these are inward focused and divided. they are far from being unified in the mission Jesus gave His followers to go and make disciples of all nations.
70% of the Italian ‘comuni’ (cities and villages) are without the presence of an active community of Christ followers who daily seek to be led by the Spirit in fulfilling Christ’s commands.
Christianity has become a cultural identity and a moral code that loosley guides the Italian people. It is no longer the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus for all who would believe.
In the last 4 years 500 immigrants per day have entered the country, and at least half of them have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel in their home country. Instead of seeing this as an opportunity to share Jesus, many Italians see these immigrants as a problem.
Understands that there are privacy concerns in this context, so it never uses names or details that will endanger people or projects
Every day 30,000 people in Italy consult a medium, card reader or astrologist.
Every minute at least 1 person in Italy dies and goes into eternity separated from God.