Next week I leave for Italy, 15 days of service in Bologna, down to Florence, and eventually to Rome. Following is a little prelude… a glimpse of what it’s like to be a missionary on the peninsula by my colleague and good friend Mark Brucato (caution: don’t watch this on an empty stomach, lest your mouth salivate and cause you to drool upon your keyboard).
![](https://chriscastaldo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/corina-ardeleanu-sWlxCweDzzs-unsplash-300x181.jpg)
The Gift We Overlook
Early Christians saw themselves as the manifestation of Christ in the world. According to sociologist Rodney Stark, this understanding of Christ’s body fueled the church’s