Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Day 09

Final Day of the Summer Camp Bible Action 2012.

This morning for their devotional kids will read from 2 Samuel 11:1- 12:7 the story of David and Nathan.
They'll be challenged to think
that when the story told by Nathan spurred David to condemn the rich man, in reality he was condemning his own sin.
David had to come in repentance to the Lord who forgave him.

Yesterday evening at the end of the talk we had a free time of prayer and a few kids committed to walk with the Lord and to be witnesses of His love with their friends.

This afternoon kids will return to their homes, so please pray that they'll continue to be challenged by what they've learned during this week and that they'll continue
to read God's Word.


Tomorrow we'll have a special time with the staff and then, after clearing up the camp site we'll return home!

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Day 08

Day 08 of the Summer Camp Bible Action 2012.

This morning for their devotional kids will read from Genesis 3:1-12 the story of Adam & Eve.
They'll be challenged to think
that every time we do say:
"This is the way in which I'm made" as an excuse for what we've done, in the end we are blaming God for our sin.

Tonight Stefano will give a talk on the parable of the "lost sons and their father" from Luke 15:1-2; 11-32, challenging kids
to perceive that both sons are rebels,
both dishonour the father and that the father comes to welcome both.

Today we'll have our final walk at Lago Nero e Capanna Mollino 2320 meters.

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Day 07

Day 07 of the Summer Camp Bible Action 2012.

This morning for their devotional kids will read from Matthew 9:9-13 the story of those who are well and those who are sick.
They'll be challenged to think in which of these two categories they'll see themselves and why Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

Tonight Stefano will give a talk on the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin from Luke15:1-10; challenging the kids to realise who is the active character in both stories and in whom we should identify!

Today we'll have a walk to Jafferau
at 2800 m.

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Day 06

Day 06 of the Summer Camp Bible Action 2012.

This morning for their devotional kids will read from Ephesians 6:10-18 the story of the complete armour of God.
They'll be challenged to think that we are called to put on the whole armour of God because it doesn't grow on us automatically at conversion. Part of our walk of Sanctification is to put on the whole armour of God!

This morning Stefano will give a talk on
the parable of the tower builder and the
warring king from Luke14:25-35, challenging the kids to realise the cost
and the immense values of being
Christ's disciples!

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Day 05

Day 05 of the Summer Camp Bible Action 2012.

This morning for their devotional kids will read from Luke 12:22-31 the story of the ravens and the lilies.
They'll be challenged to think about what lies behind our worries and to learn that if really we recognise God's sovereignty over our lives, then we are in the hands of the most lovingly Father.

Tonight Stefano will give a talk on the parable of the foolish rich man from
Luke12:1-22, challenging the kids to
realise who is at the centre of our life:
God or ourselves!

Today we'll have a trip at the Poggio Tre Croci at 2117 meters

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Rockclimbing

We really enjoyed our rock-climbing experience and thanks to Anthony Testa and to all the team of  Into the Wilderness ministry.

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Day 04

Day 04 of the Summer Camp Bible Action 2012.
This morning for their devotional kids will read from Acts 16.1-2 and 2 Timothy 1:3-14 the story of Paul and Timothy.
They've being challenge to see how a team-work of family and church showed Timothy the way of faith!
They'll also be encouraged to think at how Paul was an example of fatith for Timothy.

Tonight Stefano will give a talk on the parable of the Friend at Midnight from
Luke11:1-13, challenging the kids to
realise who is the God and Father we can come in prayer!

Today we'll have a special trip at the
Parete dei Militi with Anthony Testa,
director of the Into the Wilderness ministry.

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Day 03

Day 03 of the Summer Camp Bible Action 2012.

This morning for their devotional kids read from Luke 7:36-39 the story of the Pharisee Simon and of the sinful woman.
They've being challenge to see that the actions of Simon and of the woman were revealing their feelings towards Jesus!
What our actions reveal of the way we think of Jesus?

Tonight Stefano will give a talk on the parable of the Two Debtors from
Luke 7:36-50, challenging the kids to
realise that we are really thankful to Jesus only when we understand the depth from which he saved us!

Now the 6 groups went for individual day trips, so please pray for Jenny and the other leaders as they'll spend the day just with the kids from their room, that the Lord will use this time for developing good conversations.

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Day 02

Day 02 of the Summer Camp Bible Action 2012.

In this moment kids are doing their devotional reading from
Acts 9:1-15, 16:11-15 the stories
of Saul/Paul and of Lydia.
The'll be challenge to see the differences in the two stories
and how Paul and Lydia where "searching", but how in the end they both have been found!

Tonight Stefano will give a talk on the parable of the Treasure and the Pearl
from Matthew 13:44-46; 53-58,
challenging the kids to search for the
right Treasure in their life.

Soon we'll go for the first walk of the camp to Forte di Foens at 2177 meters.

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 - Day 01

Yesterday we arrived in Oulx near Turin for the Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012.

We are surrounded by the amazing view of the Italian Alps and we are not too far from the French border.

Yesterday we met all the staff
of the camp and the leaders of
the groups, and this afternoon
will arrive 42 kids from 13 to
18 years-old.
 They all come from the area and most of them are from a Christian background.

Jenny will be leader of a group
of 7 girls being in charge to help them in their devotional and to lead the discussion group in the afternoon.

This evening Stefano will introduce the theme of this
year for the camp:
The Storyteller:
your story in the Big Story!

We'll see how Jesus is not telling us nice and comforting "tales", but how in his parables He's showing us that our story is part of God's Story, and how He's always directing us to a turning point: with Him or against Him!

Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012

Tomorrow we'll leave for the Summer Camp - Bible Action 2012 where we'll spend 12 days in the scenario of the Italian Alps.

This camp for teenagers is organized by some of our dearest friends included a fellow  member of the national board of YfC.

The theme of this camp will be:
The Storyteller:
your story in the Big Story!

The goal is to present Jesus to these teenagers through the challenging stories he told us (i.e. the parables) showing them how their story is already part of God's Story!

Every morning kids will have a personal devotion on Bible notes prepared by Stefano.

In the afternoon they'll have a discussion time with their leaders with questions aimed at bringing what they read in the morning at a more practical and personal level.

Then every evening Stefano will give a talk re-telling one of Jesus' parables and applying at our lives.
Every day there will be walks
in the nature and on Wednesday we'll have a special trip with Anthony Testa, director of the Into the Wilderness ministry.

Please pray for Stefano that through the talks kids will know more of Christ and for Jenny that will lead one of the girls' group.

Pray also for God's protection and guidance for the camp!

Interactive Bible-Study - Hebrews 11 - Christ in the faith of Noah

Tomorrow evening Stefano will lead an interactive Bible-Study on the series on Hebrew 11.

The goal is to see Hebrews 11 as a museum gallery full of portraits, but each one of them is pointing to the end of the gallery: that is Christ!

Tomorrow Evening we'll answer in groups at these questions:

1. How can Noah's faith have an impact in our lives? And how it can have an impact in the life of our church?
2. By faith Noah, moved by godly fear, believed, obeyed and preached. Do we have this godly fear about God's holiness and which is our sensitivity about sin?
3. How would you explain to a non-Christian that he/she has to be ready for Christ's return?

"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming."

Matthew 24:36-42

Series on Hebrews 11 - Christ in the faith of Noah

Tomorrow Stefano will continue the shared series on Hebrew 11.
The goal is to see Hebrews 11 as a museum gallery full of portraits, but each one of them is pointing to the end of the gallery: that is Christ!

This Sunday Stefano will preach on Hebrews 11:6-7 - Christ in the faith of Noah!

"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen,
in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became
an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.."
Hebrews 11:1-4 (ESV)
 
John Calvin
"Noah attended so much to God’s word, that turning away his eyes from the appearance of things at that time, he feared the destruction which God had threatened, as though it was present. Hence the faith which he had in God’s word prepared him to render obedience to God; and of this he afterwards gave a proof by building the ark."

(John Calvin, Commentary on Hebrews, AGES Software Albany, OR USA Version 1.0 © 1996)

Exch@nge 2012 - Evangelistic Service

Video of the Evangelistic Service we held at the end of the 2012 Exch@nge Camp in Bologna

(Everything is translated in English)

Exch@nge 2012 - The Movie

This is the official movie about the 2012 Exch@nge Camp!

Exch@nge 2012 - Goodbye

This morning we drove the Wheaton College Church team
to the airport.

Thanks ever so much for your love and joy for Christ's glory
and the real sense of partnership we experienced in these days.

We'll miss you so much and so the Italian teens from the camp.
Keep praying for us, our churches and for the work of the Lord
in the hearts of the Italian kids you have met!

Porterbrook meeting 2012-2013!

Tonight after the Exch@nge/My Space meeting, Stefano will meet with the other pastors involved in the Bologna Porterbrook local group.

Stefano will report the decisions and developments planned at a national level,
and we'll evaluate our first year of work with this training scheme and in which direction we'll go for next year.

Please pray that our Lord will guide and give us His Wisdom!

Exch@nge 2012 - My Space

The Exch@nge 2012 camp is over and yesterday we had a really good service.

We are really thankful to God for the way in which He answered our and your prayers because many of the Italian kids from the camp and their parents came to the service.

For most of them was the very first time that they participated at an "Evangelical" service and we had a good response also from their parents.

Please continue to pray for these teens and their parents that there will be an everlasting result as a consequence to the may ways they heard Jesus' name presented in this week!


Please continue to pray also for us as organiser of the Exch@nge camp as tonight we'll meet with all the Italian volunteers to evaluate this camp and to plan for the next "My Space" program starting on September!

Exch@nge 2012 - Evangelistic Service

Tomorrow we'll have a special evangelistic service at
the end of this week of Exch@nge 2012 Camp.

Five churches from the Bologna areas will join together and for this event we rented a cinema in Bologna.

Stefano will preach from Matthew 7:13-14:
"The broad and the narrow way"
pointing out that Jesus is the Way,
the Truth and the Life.

Please pray for us and especially that many of the
kids from the camp and their parents will be present
for this service.

Exch@nge 2012 - Trip & Swimming-pool

Dear Friends, yesterday we completed the days of the Exch@nge camp at the civic centre. Conversations with Italian kids are going really well and we do see the Lord working in their hearts.

Yesterday Ester gave her testimony pointing out how, from Titus 2:11-14, Jesus offered her perspective ...in a world that lives for the moment.

Today Caleb will speak from Hebrews 11:24-26 presenting how Jesus offers purpose ...in a world that can't be bothered.

Tomorrow Giulio will give a talk from Matthew 6:19-30 explaining how Jesus offers contentment ...in a world that never has enough.

Please pray for protection as today we'll spend the day at the swimming-pool

and then we'll spend the night at a holiday house in the hills near Bologna.

Pray that around the bonfire tonight, in the rooms and tomorrow we'll be able to show Italian kids God's love for them and to keep presenting them our Lord Jesus Christ!

Exch@nge 2012 - Prayer meeting

Dear Friends, the second day of the third Exch@nge camp has gone. We're really excited to see at how the Lord is sovereignly guiding so many conversations with the Italian kids.

Yesterday Isaac gave a talk on Mark 10:32-45 and shared his testimony on how Jesus offers service 

…in a world that looks after number one! 

Today Elisa explained how in John 14:1-11 we can see that Jesus offers certainty 

…in a world where everything is relative

Please pray for tomorrow when Amy will read Galatians 5:16-26 pointing at how Jesus offers

Power …in a world where anything goes

Tomorrow night in the church of San Lazzaro we'll also have a special prayer meeting for the camp and the campers!