<![CDATA[Fueling Faith in Italy - Blog]]>Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:06:32 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Ministry & Family News July 2010]]>Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:42:33 -0800http://www.fuelingfaith.com/1/post/2010/07/ministry-family-news-july-2010.htmlThe Latest... 

Sorry for the long silence on our end! As you can see we are using a new email program to update you about our ministry. It takes a lot of time to add the 200+ email addresses and names manually and set up this new system. So now that it's finished we hope to communicate more regularly with you.

We continue to trust the Lord to build a team of partners who will help send us to Italy to train disciples who can become disciple-makers. The sooner we raise our needed financial support the sooner we can head to the field. Will you help send us? See the side bar for more information on how to participate in our ministry.

We have completed one year of ministry in Espanola, New Mexico this month. We have been blessed by a church that is very supportive and to see God working here. It is a slow process but we are building a foundation for a biblical ministry that will last long after we are gone.

Massimo is heading up leadership development for the Santa Fe Baptist Association. To this end, he began organizing leadership training seminars with the first held last May on disciple-making (see church site for audio files). Our next seminar will be in October on biblical counseling with Daniel Schuman from Albuquerque's Renew counseling center. This fall we are launching a new seminary extension ministry to train believers for ministry right here in northern New Mexico. If you'd like to learn more you can download a brochure at the home page of www.fbcespanola.com.

The practical experience we are gaining in the local pastorate as well as leadership development will be very valuable to us in Italy. Massimo is also personally training/counseling men in the church to be leaders in home and church. Kimberly continues to lead in our monthly women's ministry events and working with the children. Last month we had 84 children in our week-long Vacation Bible School and in a separate track for teens we had 34. We praise God for the ministry He is doing here.

Prayer Requests

• Pray for us to figure out how to either begin to transition out of my current ministry as Pastor of FBC Espanola in the next year, or to be able to balance this ministry with partner development. The demands of full-time pastoral ministry which requires me to be in the pulpit each Sunday makes it difficult to find time to connect with other churches/individuals.

• For God to lead us to some people and churches who would be interested in our ministry. Many churches and individuals we've talked with are either struggling financially or are limiting their support of missionaries. (Perhaps God is leading you to join our team or introduce us to your church?)

• Our church is struggling financially and we just took a 10% salary reduction. While we have a core of committed givers and servants, some are passive specatators and sporadic in attendance. Praise! After I explained the situation to our church a couple weeks ago the following Sunday was the first time the giving exceeded our monthly budget since we arrived! Hopefully that will continue.

• Pray for our marriage and family to be strong and a source of joy and encouragement. We need to be more intentional in planning date nights more frequently. We are also in the midst of choosing between a local Christian school or homeschooling Aemilia and Gianna this year. Also, pray for us to stay close to Jesus and display the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

• Loris is still not talking (age 2 as of Aug. 13) and continues to drool. He is able to vocalize and says "mama" and "dada" and a few other simple words. He's seeing a speech therapist and is undergoing testing to determine the cause for his relaxed muscles around his mouth.

Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement. Drop us a short email sometime and let us know how we can pray for you. We always love to hear from you. Dio ti benedica (God bless you).]]><![CDATA[Great time in Louisville]]>Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:00:50 -0800http://www.fuelingfaith.com/1/post/2010/04/great-time-in-louisville.htmlPicture
I had a great time in Louisville at the Together for the Gosepl conference. If you missed it, you can listen or view the general sessions for free at http://www.t4g.org/.
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In addition to hearing some great teaching and running into many friends old and new, I stayed over the weekend to present our ministry to Italy with some of our friends there and a few churches.

Our previous church, Crossing Church, allowed me to present the ministry by video during the service and I gave out almost all of our prayer cards and signed up a few dozen people for our mailing list. Here's the video we produced for it:

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Later that Sunday I presented to a house church in Campbellsburg, KY and then Millville Baptist Church in Frankfort.
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Please continue to pray for us that we would be able to continue our partner development ministry on a regular basis and hasten our arrival on the field. If you'd like to make a commitment to join our team, please visit here. WorldVenture is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. For more information about our ministry visit http://www.fuelingfaith.com/.
]]><![CDATA[Networking in Louisville]]>Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:24:16 -0800http://www.fuelingfaith.com/1/post/2010/04/networking-in-louisville.htmlI'm in Louisville, Kentucky right now for the 2010 Together for the Gospel Conference. It's great to hear some of the best preachers in America with 7,000 hungry hearers. I continue to run into friends I've known since my days at The Master's Seminary 10 years ago, our time in northern California, and even making some new friends. I would appreciate if you would pray for God to provide contacts with whom I could share our ministry with WorldVenture. Our previous church here, Crossing Church, is allowing me to present our ministry this Sunday and to set up an information table. I'll be here until Monday, the 19th. This trip is very strategic for me as I cannot get away from the pulpit in New Mexico very often. I'm grateful to God and FBC Espanola to allow me to make this trip.

Also, as we look to the rest of 2010 and even into 2011, maybe you could help set up a presentation of our ministry to your group or church, or maybe just for you? As soon as we raise our sufficient financial partners for the ministry to Italy we can head out. Thanks for reading this and praying. Hope to hear from some of you, even if it's just a quick hello.

Grace and peace be with you.]]><![CDATA[Team Lorenzini News Nov 09]]>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:17:54 -0800http://www.fuelingfaith.com/1/post/2009/11/team-lorenzini-news-nov-09.htmlMINISTRY NEWS
We are keeping busy with church ministry here in Española. We had a Harvest Festival outreach on Oct. 31 that drew many from our community. Last Friday we had our Thanksgiving service and dinner that drew many new faces. In addition to leading and preaching two services each Sunday, Massimo is now teaching the newly re-formed youth group each Wed. evening.

Three weeks ago we launched a new radio ministry program called "Hope of Glory." It airs each Sunday afternoon on KKIM from South of Albuquerque to Southern Colorado. You can listen to it live over the internet at www.mykkim.com. It's on from 1:05 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time. You can also download complete sermons anytime from www.sermon.net/solafide.

Massimo will be ordained to the gospel ministry on Nov. 22 at FBC Española. Anyone in the area is invited to attend the service at 4 p.m. The pastors from Mars Hill Church in Albuquerque are planning to attend (yes, this is the ABQ campus of Mars Hill Church of Seattle).

At a recent annual meeting of the Santa Fe Baptist Association, I was elected team leader for leadership development. My goals are to develop regular seminar-type meetings with speakers who can pass on expertise in ministry. Also, I hope to initiate a seminary extension program for our association (www.seminaryextension.org.). There is a need for theological education in Northern NM to train church leadership.

We are hoping to make some presentations of our Italy ministry with WorldVenture in 2010. If you'd like to host a presentation for a group in your home or church, please let us know. We really need to make some headway on our partner development and being in New Mexico when most of our contacts are in other states makes it difficult. Please pray for us to be able to present our ministry on a regular basis.

Massimo is planning a trip to Louisville, KY in April to attend the Together for the Gospel conference April 13-15 and will remain in the area until April 19. If you are attending this conference or live in the area please let us know and so we can connect during this time. If you are unaware of this conference, it is a great time of hearing some of the best Bible teachers of our time. You can listen to past conference messages at www.t4g.org. If you'd like to attend you can also use the coupon code T4GINVITE to save $20 when you register.

Massimo's books are now available from amazon.com and if you'd like to purchase a copy of his Witnessing Without Fear you can save 20% by using the code HHEJBSV8 when you place your order at www.createspace.com/3370631.

FAMILY NEWS
Kimberly is staying busy managing the home and home-schooling Aemilia who began kindergarten this year. Loris is now walking and is a very happy child who enjoys tackling Gianna and screaming. We also are enjoying having a neighbor girl over very regularly who is an orphan living with her elderly grandfather. She repeatedly tells us how much she loves being part of our family and wishes she could stay with us.

Massimo recently became a Big Brother with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northern New Mexico. His Little Brother is an 8 yr. old boy named Christian who lives with his grandmother. He is a passionate boy who loves to talk and explore new things.

If you FaceBook, you can find us at www.facebook.com/klorenzini and www.facebook.com/mlorenzini. We regularly communicate on FB and Massimo is also on Twitter at www.twitter.com/maxmassimo. Our ministry web site is at www.fuelingfaith.com. If you haven't visited there yet, please check it out sometime.

PRAYER REQUESTS
·         For ability to schedule a lot of ministry presentations in 2010 (would you be one?).
·         That Massimo's time in Louisville would produce some meaningful connections with potential ministry partners.
·         For the ministry in Española to continue to develop towards biblical health and maturity.
·         For the radio program to bless listeners in NM and around the world via the internet and for God to raise up a donor base to pick up the expense.
·         For Massimo's work with Santa Fe Baptist Association in leadership development.
·         For our family to have time together and maintain balance in a busy lifestyle.
·         That God would draw Rebecca (the orphaned girl) to Himself. That we would be an example of God's love to her.
·         That God would draw our children to Himself and help them to understand the gospel.
·         That Massimo would be a good mentor to his Little Brother, Christian.

The Lorenzini Family]]><![CDATA[On Becoming a Missionary to Italy]]>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:05:10 -0800http://www.fuelingfaith.com/1/post/2009/09/on-becoming-a-missionary-to-italy.htmlAn interview with Bill & Maria Teresa Standridge
by Massimo Lorenzini

[This interview was done and written in 1999. The Standridges are still going strong in Italy today!]

Being a missionary to Italy is demanding work. How one approaches the task can make all the difference between frustration and failure or fulfillment and fruitfulness. The following thoughts have been gleaned from an interview with Bill and Maria Teresa Standridge. Bill has been a missionary to Italy since 1949. Bill and Maria Teresa met in Italy, married, and raised four children, three of which are also missionaries in Italy today. Bill and Maria Teresa lead a church in Rome, publish an Italian Christian newspaper, publish Christian books, and lead training seminars throughout Italy. Their insights into missionary life and work in Italy are very valuable to the person seeking to minister in Italy.

One of the greatest challenges facing missionaries to Italy is to obtain proficiency in the Italian language, especially if one plans to have a ministry of public preaching. Just to obtain a conversational level of language ability takes about two or three years of study. But in order to speak before groups, even further study is necessary. Italians will be more forgiving of language mistakes and inability in conversation. But when addressing a group, language mistakes or limitations will place a strain on the listeners as well as give the impression of ignorance. Communicating the gospel and teaching the Bible requires strong language skills and must be considered a priority for the missionary.

Another great challenge is to assimilate into the local Italian culture. Missionaries to Italy must be willing to let go of the customs and lifestyles of their culture of origin and adapt to the local culture of the people they are trying to reach. The missionary must become a student of the target culture and use the knowledge gained to adapt to it in order to remove any type of offense from the relationship and to make the Italians feel appreciated. For example, home-schooling missionary children may be interpreted by the Italians that the missionary thinks Italian schools are not good enough for the missionary.

Some suggestions in learning the culture and assimilating include finding a good Italian friend who can explain local customs and attitudes. Also, reading the daily newspaper is a good practice, not only for language proficiency, but also for understanding the areas' current events and culture.

Regarding ministry challenges, the Standridges mentioned the problem of setting goals for ministry that cannot be controlled. For example, a missionary may say they want to have ten converts within five years and a church started after ten years or they will quit. Gaining converts and starting churches in Italy takes a long time. Strong churches require mature Christians. The Standridges recommended patience in this area and not giving too much responsibility to immature people. Ultimately, converts, mature leaders, and strong churches cannot be produced by the missionary, but are in the Lord's hands.

The Standridges pointed out that Italy is still in its infant stages as it relates to a national church planting movement. Missionaries are still needed, but they must be committed to long-term ministry. When asked about the secret of their longevity in ministry in Italy, the Standridges stated that a strong conviction of calling, adaptation to the culture, and being strong in facing pressures and problems were essential. Other important factors for mission work in Italy the Standridges mentioned are a strong relationship with the Lord maintained by a devotional life – even if it is only for ten minutes a day, a strong husband and wife relationship devoid of rivalry, a strong relationship with a home church or at least two or three churches, and, lastly, discipline in daily life and ministry.

Being a missionary to Italy is a demanding ministry. But by having realistic expectations, preparing a strong foundation, and persevering through the difficulties, the Lord can work through the individual missionary to build His church in Italy.]]><![CDATA[Announcing Our Appointment with WorldVenture]]>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:32:04 -0800http://www.fuelingfaith.com/1/post/2009/08/announcing-our-appointment-with-worldventure.htmlWe are excited to announce our recent appointment as missionaries to Italy with WorldVenture! God has been leading us on this journey for many years and we are a big step closer to fulfilling His calling on our lives to take the gospel to Italy.

In June we were interviewed before the Career Interview Committee at the WorldVenture headquarters in Littleton, Colorado with eight other couples. We were thrilled when we found out soon after that we were appointed and given our WorldVenture nametags. Even our children were given the very same kind of nametags to express that they are being appointed as well.

We remained in Littleton for two weeks of orientation and afterwards moved back to our home state of New Mexico. Massimo is serving as Pastor of a church in Española (fbcespanola.com). We are thankful that God provided a home church that is supportive of our calling and provides a way to gain further ministry experience. Kimberly is staying busy managing the home and caring for Loris (1), Gianna (3), and Aemilia (5) and preparing for her first year of home schooling.

We now look forward to our pre-field ministry of sharing our vision with friends like you. We are looking to develop a team of ministry partners to enable us to make our ministry in Italy a reality. We can leave for Italy as soon as we raise 100% of our needed financial support. We wold love to send you a prayer card and a commitment card to direct you in joining our team if you are interested in partnering with us. Just contact us or visit our page at the WorldVenture site to make a commitment.

Of course, we would much prefer to sit down with you to tell you in person about the ministry God has set before us and to answer any questions you may have. It is our intention to do so as soon as we are able to travel to your area. There are also others way you can be part of our ministry team in addition to giving such as hosting a coffee for a group presentation, referrals to others who may have a heart for Italy or missions, video production, coming to Italy for short-term ministry, and more.

One of the most important ways you can partner with us is through prayer. We need God to divinely lead us not only in getting to the field, but to accomplish the ministry of changing lives with the gospel and building up believers and churches in Italy.

Thank you for your friendship and prayers as we embark on this challenging journey.

By His grace and for His glory,

Loris, Gianna, Aemilia, Kimberly, and Massimo

P.S. In case you were wondering…
It is not too early to begin giving to our ministry even while we are in the U.S. because your monthly gifts will be applied to our outgoing expenses as well as further training we need before we leave for Italy.

On mission with God to develop biblically healthy disciples and churches in Italy.]]>