July - Aug 2014 Walti Family Newsletter

May - June 2014 Walti Family Newsletter

Italians Are in Crisis More Than Ever!

 

Suffering: Something we should embrace?

One of the most misunderstood doctrines of the Gospel is the doctrine of suffering. Christ actually calls Christians to suffer for the Gospel. Christ makes clear what the lives of those who are His disciples would look like when He says, "You will be hated by all for My Name's sake" Luke 21:17. And in Matthew 14:27, Jesus says, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."

Paul in Romans 8:15 tells us that we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Phil 1:29 reminds us, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” And in Acts 5:41, Peter and John, “left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.”

Most importantly, it says of Christ, "For it was fitting that he [the Father], for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation [Christ] perfect through suffering" (Heb 2:10). And we know that it was "for the joy that was set before him [that Christ] endured the cross, despising the shame." So we know without question that our salvation came to us through suffering. So why would it surprise us that others who come to Christ will also come as they see us suffer for Him and the gospel? Willingly? Joyfully? Passionately?

In America and the Western world, I believe we have taken these words of Christ and about Christ's will for us to suffer as suggestions if needed rather than a commandment for the here and now. Our response is "God bless those who have to suffer but thank God its not me." And of course, we then will usually try to do everything we can in our lives to avoid any lack of ease, discomfort, or pain. We think, "Why should I have to suffer if I don't have to?" It's one reason there are fewer American missionaries in this day and age as a percentage (leaving lives of relative comfort to go some place uncomfortable so as to bring the gospel to others) than at any other time prior. And despite Christ’s command to evangelize, 67% of all humans from AD 30 to the present day have never even heard of His name.

Of course, it's not all our faults, we think. We live good lives. We don't murder. We don't steal. We are honest. We go to church. And we even try to mention His name once a week. And anyway, you say, we live in a culture that constantly bombards us with any and every thing in order to convince us we not only need stuff they are trying to sell us, but how can we resist making our lives more interesting and more convenient if it helps our lives? You say, It's just that we are privileged to live in America...the land of the blessed. So if it's fast, if it entertains me, and if it's really cool or hot or whatever expression you prefer, we of course feel we really need it (I'm guilty too!). So we surround ourselves with stuff to make our lives "easier" and "more comfortable" because it's not really sin and as a result, we obscure the true gospel by the life of leisure and luxury that we pursue.

When I was a kid and went to Christian camps in the mountains with other unbelievers like me, we often used to sing a popular Christian song around the campfire that goes, "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, they will know we are Christians by our love." It sounds really good and is even biblical. But if you read and study the gospel closely, you see that what proclaims Christ and His love more than anything is how we handle the commandment to die to self. Because it is when self is out of the way, that we can love others more purely. And suffering seems to be God's chosen prescription or medicine to help bring death to self.

The Puritans who became martyrs for their love of the gospel, appeared more content when dying at the stake than at any other time in their lives. During bloody Mary’s reign, John Foxe says of Bishop Hooper, the great martyr, as he walked to his death, “He looked very cheerfully on those he knew: and was never known during the time of his living among them, to have such a cheerful and cherry-red countenance as he did at that moment.” Even while suffering their bodies to be burned or their heads to be cut off, their joy and contentment was infectious. Hooper knew Phil 1:29 that says, "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for his sake!" They suffered that others might know Him! And did they ever as both the poor and the rich rushed to learn to read the Scriptures to know how men like this could have such joy in suffering! What was their secret? They had to know!  And scores of them came to Christ as a result!

Second Timothy 2:3-4 tells us, "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him." How do Christians share in suffering, you might ask, especially if they are not greatly persecuted? They share in Christ's suffering by seeing themselves as dying WITH Christ to self. Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me." We learn to say "NO" to self so that our true love will be Christ. And others will notice.

The result? When the world thinks of a Christian, we will find that he or she are not so defined by what they have but by what they have let go and what they have denied themselves for Christ's and for others' sake. Denying self and losing sight of our life for His sake is Christ's command! Can we get legalistic? Of course. Is this a way of gaining favor or merit with God? Of course not. Is this God's heart for us and our lives? No doubt. Are we, as the American part of the body of Christ, actually embracing suffering? No.

We are suffering as a people but it's a different kind of suffering. Our creature comforts are our idols that often draw our hearts away from sole worship of God alone (embodied in the first and second commandment) and amazingly have also become for many of us what keeps us from loving our neighbor well as we love ourselves (the greatest commandment, Jesus said).

What happens when we willingly choose discomfort to deny ourselves? When we are not wrapped up in our little worlds of technology and creature comforts, when life is not about entertaining ourselves or amusing ourselves to death, as a wise, unbelieving author once wrote, the real world around us suddenly becomes much more interesting. We begin to see our neighbors as people to meet who need the gospel instead of those we need to avoid (because we previously had bought into avoiding discomfort at all cost).

We begin to detach from "things" and attach to "people." If we embrace the doctrine of suffering, we see "self" as unimportant. Life is not about us. It's not about our comfort. It's not about ease. It's not about our rejection. In fact, we actually begin to embrace opportunities for discomfort and pain and rejection so that others might be saved.

Recently we watched as a family in awe a recent episode of "Survivor" when a participant, Brenda, was given a choice after winning a reward challenge to either: 1) Go with a friend she wants to honor and both see their loved ones who've come to visit and eat a feast together, OR 2) Choose the others who didn't win to be given the blessing of being with their loved ones and eating the feast. Brenda amazingly sacrifices her own comfort and pleasure and instead chooses pain and discomfort for her and for her friend, who she had originally chose for glory and honor, so that all the others might not suffer but instead experience great joy and pleasure and love and a great feast.

What an incredible picture of what God did for us! Brenda strategically chose to spare the others suffering hoping to win a million dollars by choosing her own and her "honored' one's suffering (by the way, her friend didn't handle it well). But God the Father strategically chose suffering for His only Son who accepted it joyfully so as to spare us the suffering of eternal damnation. And the result? We get to go to the Feast of the Lamb in heaven.

So what is God calling us to do now? Go and do likewise. Suffer now so that others don't have to later. Put off the feast now in this life so that others may be able to share in the feast later. Be such a demonstration of Christ's love to others that there is nothing you are unwilling to sacrifice, nothing you are unwilling to suffer, even if it means just one coming to know Jesus.

It is clear: it is through our suffering that Christ’s sufferings are magnified to others. Author John Piper says, “It’s not dressing the coolest, driving the coolest, typing on the coolest! This is not going to get any praise for the suffering Christ! We have to break free from the Disneyland of America and begin to live lifestyles of missionary sacrifice that look to the world like our treasure is in heaven and not on earth.”

Please don't miss the message! I like Disneyland, even more Disney World, especially Epcot! It's not the things themselves. It's our hearts. Where is your treasure? Where is your time, talent and treasure spent? Are you actively engaged right now in reaching an unbeliever for Christ? Is there a relationship you are building right now to share the glory of Christ's gospel? Is there someone you are helping by putting off your feast now so THEY can feast later? And why are you not giving it up if it means reaching them? By all means, go to Disneyland but why not go with an unbelieving friend? And even pay for them! It might not be as entertaining or as much fun for you and it may mean less pocket money but are you LIVING for your own comfort? Or are you living for the gospel of Christ and Him glorified?

It is not only that we actually think that forgoing these comforts is suffering; it is that we are unwilling to embrace even this kind of suffering when it could mean some who are heading to hell without the knowledge of Christ would instead know Him and eternal life! And that, friends, is not love.

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement!

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement!  

You make it possible, literally, for us to be here, doing this work, to save the lost of Italy.  Here is the most recent newsletter for our family and ministry of what God is doing by His grace.  We hope you enjoy it :-)  Love in Him, Lee, Jeannette and family.

PS.  If you click on the JPEG below, you can see the newsletter more close-up.  If you right-click on the image, you can save each file separately.  Of if would like us to send you an email copy (PDF), just request one in the comments section (pproviding your email address) and we'll send it right over!  

God's Grace is Amazing

God's grace is amazing and we are so thankful to you, our supporters, who make it all possible!  Thank you for all you do, Lee, Jeannette, Bethany, Hannah, Jacob, Elijah, and Abigail 

Note: to read our latest prayer letter, just click on the graphic and then, once you arrive at the viewing page, right-click and save to view in your browser, photo viewer or in Adobe Acrobat.

New Year Resolutions that Honor God will Last

This December, looking toward Chiavari (the city & hill is behind Lee)

Happy 2013!  We sure hope that you and your family had a wonderful 2012 and that this 2013 not only holds great promise for you but that all your dreams and hopes for this year will be realized.  

Looking at the challenges that lie ahead for family and ministry in Italy this next year, we could respond in two different ways: We can get discouraged and lose heart (there's so much to do and we're tempted to get tired and frustrated before we start) OR we can have faith in a great God who loves us and cares for us in all things.

As we look forward to the new year, you may be thinking a bit like Jeannette and I are.  The new year represents a great opportunity to start afresh; to make big changes that matter to our hearts and homes.  But when you think of broken promises or resolutions from past years, you may wonder will areas I want to change really change?  Possibly, two to three principles that have helped us may help you:

1) God's mercies are new each morning.  For me and all who seek to know Christ and be known by Him, we have the everlasting promise of pardon and new beginning.  Don't let Satan, the world's lures, or faith in flesh discourage.  And when we lack faith, remember that God still remains faithful to His promises (2 Tim 2:13).

2) Fools keep doing the same thing obtaining the same poor results.  Change the approach.  Don't forget that the world's wisdom is foolishness to God (1 Cor 1:18-31) and yet God's wisdom confounds the wise; choose instead biblical paths.  Try to base each motive in Scripture for every decision; be specific.  The more we do for Him in truth and deed, the more He'll honor us.

3) The means matters. Often my goals are so lofty, I forget God cares more about my approach and my heart and prefers small, consistent progress than flashy change that's often more like a flash in the pan.  Real, lasting change requires heart change; where we do the right thing for the right reason.  Remember Proverbs 16:9 which says, "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." Reward small steps, reminding yourself that each step glorifies Him.

In the end, as you already know, what we do for self matters not at all...Only what we do for Him and for others--to glorify God from the heart--really matters.  About 2,000 years ago, Christ was lifted up high on a cross so that now we could and would lift up the glorious Christ on high in our hearts.  One thing's for sure: God will glorify Himself in 2013.  Let's glorify God as well in 2013, in our choices and decisions, like His creation that already gives glory to Him.

Psalms 65:
11 You crown the year with Your bounty;
Your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.
12 The pastures of Your wilderness overflow,
Your hills gird themselves with joy,
13 Your  meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
Your valleys deck themselves with grain,
they shout and sing [praises] together for joy.

Thank you for all your prayers and support!

       In Him,

Italy is not all you think it is...

Reaching Italy for Christ and God's glory!!

NOTE: To save the newsletter to your computer to view better, simply click on the page, then right click (with Macs, control + click) and then select "save image." Then you can view in Adobe Acrobat or other viewer. 

Seeking Jesus, Sicilian-Style

Katia, Seeking Jesus, Sicilian-Style!! Would you like to support the Walti's ministry in Italia?  Click here: A Walti Family & Ministry Blog Update July / Aug 2012 Katia: Seeking Jesus Sicilian-Style!! What are the three most common things you would associate with Sicily?  Patton invading in WWII?  The mafia?  Passion for life?  Well, when we think of Sicily, we think of Katia.  Katia is a wonderful, young lady from Sicily with whom, we've had the privilege of developing a wonderful relationship and sharing the good news of the gospel!  One thing you should know about Sicilians...they like to do life with zest!  And Katia is no different.  She has a openness to and an interest in others which is, well, captivating!   Actually, Sicilians and Americans are very much alike.  And like us Americans, Katia loves to have fun and pursues life with zeal.  So either it's done with gusto or it's not worth doing. Katia, a wonderful, young lady and teacher is pursuing Jesus Sicilian-style! This is how we experienced Katia the first time we met her, with her "all-the-way" or "not at all" kind of attitude.  Katia was a teacher here in Chiavari for physically and intellectually disabled kids.  She received one of our flyers for our ESL classes (we distributed about 4,000) and she began attending our "avanzato" (advanced) course.  At the first activity, a pizza night with students, she was sitting at the same table as I was (Lee) and asked why we were doing these classes for free and don't we do something else for a living?  At this point, I shared I am an evangelical pastor and we are hoping to start an evangelical church in Chiavari. Acting pleasantly surprised, Katia then asked, how we share with others.  Incredible.  So I acknowledged that our genuine desire is that every ESL student will get to hear the good news of the gospel of grace at least once.  With everyone listening, she then asked, "Do you have like a bible study?"  Double wow!  Talk about God's grace.  So I shared about our "Incontro con Gesù" on Sunday nights, going through the Gospel of Mark, and she responded, "I'd like to come!"  God is so good.  And since this time, our relationship with Katia has blossomed and grown wonderfully.  More importantly, so has her relationship with God. One Sunday night at our incontro, Ramat--our first convert in Italy who saw his family killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan--was sharing his testimony of how he came to Christ in Italy through meeting us.  Again, showing how vibrant and interested in others she is, Katia stayed late, asking numerous questions of Ramat.  Later in the week, she said, "That's it.  I'm done.  His story was incredible!  If God can do that for him going through all that?  I must believe in God."  Katia, from Sicily, actually was once a strong Roman Catholic, even a leader and during one season, went door-to-door distributing bibles (some years back, the pope was trying to get Catholics to read the bible...praise God!).  But she became disillusioned seeing the hypocrisy first-hand and began to feel jaded by the religiousity and emphasis on rules, feeling it just wasn't real.  The result?  She gave up not only on Roman Catholicism but on God altogether. That night, Jeannette and I challenged Katia to give her life to Jesus.  She responded, "I want that so much but I want it to be real."  So, I gave her two books to read to encourage her (Crazy Love by Francis Chan and Justification by Martyn-Lloyd Jones) and we prayed over her, Ramat, Jeannette and I.  She ate up the book on justification (a tough subject in any language let alone, in Italian) telling me later that for the first time, after reading it, she now understands the real difference between the Roman Catholic Church's false teaching on justification (being something we must work for) as opposed to the bible's teaching on it!  It's a free gift!  That Jesus' work on the cross is sufficient!  That we don't have to work our way to heaven!  Wow! Katia now says she has really changed.  "You two have forever changed my ideas about God and a relationship with Him," Katia said recently.  We were curious what it was she was talking about, knowing we are far from perfect, and she responded, "You are real.  And I know that you really love Jesus."  And she also commented that she was drawn to our love for God's Word versus some impersonal institution.  "With the bible, I can see my way forward with God."   Katia began attending our incontro on Sunday nights in addition to attending another 2-3 nights a week (for the ESL classes and activities) with us!  She even brought her boyfriend, Vito, a couple times to our incontro, who says he is a Protestant and who, was absolutely elated at Katia's faith in God and an evangelical view of the gospel.  Katia, participating with us this last semester, from our Short Film Night to our Easter Banquet, to graduation night with her class! The last time we saw Katia in June before she left to return to Sicily for the summer, she was helping me translate a sermon I preached for a church in Parma (thanks to Katia, Jeannette said it was the best I'd ever preached in Italian!).  Sitting on a wooden bench near the sea with the breeze cooling us from the summer sun, I asked Katia, "So what's happening with God in your life now?  How do you feel you've changed?"  She responded, "Every single thing I think about now, every decision, I try to look through the eyes of Jesus."  It is always so awesome to see what God does by His grace to our lives, even this passionate Sicilian! Don't forget!!  God can save Italians!  Please be praying for Katia!!  Pray she will get another teaching contract here in Chiavari this year (she says it looks good).  And please pray she will continue to grow in faith in Christ and come 100% to Him, in repentance and faith.  If we will faithfully pray for her, by His grace, God will accomplish it in her!  Could you also please pray for: Our support...We went from nearly 70 people supporting us and being at 110% some times while in the states to having about 20-25 who support us faithfully and at only 75 to 80% of what we should have.  It seems there is a pattern when missionaries go over seas.  Maybe it's, "out of sight, out of mind."  Will you prayerfuly consider either beginning or even increasing your support?  Thank you. For an ESL student reunion we hope to do sometime in August.  It would be great to re-connect all the students before September. For Lisa and Ben DeBusk and their family (5 kids!) who are hoping to arrive in July of 2013 and begin work with our ministry full-time.  There are lots of details...pray God will keep them encouraged! For our three new teachers, Spencer, Jenna and Kevin, who are arriving Sept 17th to teach ESL classes through December 10th.   Please pray for them, that God would protect them against the evil one. A marriage conference in La Spezia scheduled for September postponed by the church until October due to a wedding (they're a small church of only 30-40 people, actually normal for Italy).  Please pray for Jeannette and I as we'll be teaching it. For our new friends, Franco Bosio, director of Agape Italia, and his wife, Luisa.  Agape Italia is the Italian arm of FamilyLife and Campus Crusade. Franco and Luisa do conferences all over Italy and visited us at our home in Chiavari. They've given us permission to teach the "Weekend to Remember" marriage manual and would like us to help with other conferences!  For our kids...Italian school is hard.  Abby will continue and though good in school, pray for humility. Jacob and Elijah will be homeschooled...Jacob, to shore up American coursework and Elijah, to get a break from some demeaning teachers.  Please pray Jeannette and I can still find time alone in the mornings to pray and plan, and the Italians won't be too discouraging of us or the boys! As always we are so thankful for your involvement in our ministry through your prayers and gifts.   We literally could not do it without you.  Thank you. In Him and His love, Lee, Jeannette and the fam. PS.  If you would like to help us by supporting our ministry either monthly or with a special needs gift, thank you very much and please click here: Italian Ministries USA KidsGames!!! If you look really closely... You'll see the kids, Jacob, Elijah and Abby, all in this pic!  That's because we traveled to Porto Mantovano to help with a week long church-sponsored program there called KidsGames which uses different fun-spirited, sports events to teach kids about biblical values and about a relationship God.  It was a blast!  And many kids were touched! New Teachers? Two unexpected surprises: This is Jenna Crake and Rachael Phenicie, KidsGames volunteers.  In our wildest imaginations, we didn't think we'd find two teachers for our fall semester 2012!  Later, Rachael decided it'd be better to come Spring 2013 but Jenna is now bringing one of her best friends, Spencer, to join Kevin, our other teacher, to make 3 teachers this fall! Spencer Spagnolo Spencer Spagnolo: 22 years old with a wonderful personality, Spencer loves the Lord, is very fun and easy to get along with, and she is very much a go-getter!  We have enjoyed getting to know her and look forward to knowing her even better when she arrives to teach ESL and reach Italians for Jesus. Kevin O'Brien Kevin O'Brien: Kevin is 24 years old, a sweetheart (say our girls), and has a good sense of humor.  Kevin also has a heart for seeing church-planting go forward and is encouraged to be a part of what God's doing here by teaching ESL and sharing the gospel!  We're glad to have you Kevin! Jenna Crake Jenna Crake: We met Jenna through KidsGames and are excited to have her!  She is 19-years old and has already traveled in mission to places like Egypt, Nepal and Italy.  We are encouraged Jenna wants to bring her heart for missions here in Chiavari to teach ESL and touch Italians' hearts.  Can't wait!  follow on blog | send us an email to say hi | forward to a friend | support us  Our blog address is: http://www.WaltiWorld.blogspot.com If you would like to support our family and our ministry, click here: Italian Ministries USA We are on Skype at: Lee.Walti We are on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/rlwalti https://www.facebook.com/juwalti God bless you and thank you so much for your love and support!!!! Love, The Walti Family