This year our church, Centro Evangelico Battista in Perugia (Central Italy), began hosting classes for the Italian Theological Academy’s “Expository Preaching” program.
Several men of our church accepted the challenge to participate in this three-year course, and now they are laboring to complete the homework assignments that the professors left them. The assignments are designed to help the students apply and practice what is taught in the classroom.
As a pastor of a local church in Italy, I consider the Italian Theological Academy (ITA) a great blessing for the spiritual health of Italian pulpits.
To have access to training of this level and this quality right here in the region of Umbria is a precious resource, especially considering that for many of the men, the necessity to travel outside of our region four times a year for classes, would make participating in this program doubtful.
Being able to interact with the professors of the Academy, in the classroom and during the breaks between classes, is a great benefit to our men. The love and respect that the profs have for the Word of God, and their desire to understand and communicate the message intended by the human author and the Divine Author, are a great example for our men.
Since this program begins by studying the Biblical text, and therefore by necessity includes looking at Italian grammar, the fact that these classes are taught directly in the Italian language, by men who live and work in Italy, is very helpful.
As a pastor it is encouraging to see our men’s interest, especially when they understand a new concept or make a connection for the first time.
I recognize that carrying on the ministry of ITA requires sacrifice on the part of the professors and their families, and I am thankful to each one of them for what they do. I am encouraged to see the weight that the profs have for the glory of God in the clear and accurate exposition of His Word. This weight is evident in their commitment to preaching today, and their preparation of the preachers of tomorrow.
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