Tag: missions

Only God: The Chosen’s Impact in an Italian Prison

Posted on by larry.lundstrom in Design
Pastor Claudio Ferro & Ministry Team from Paro la Della Grazia Orvieto at the Orvieto Prison facility.

By Larry Lundstrom, Founder CLLCTV.org +
Licensing & Distribution for Non-Profits, Churches & Ministry 
Come and See / The Chosen TV Series

When I think about the reach of The Chosen, my heart always comes back to the grassroots stories. Stories that aren’t happening on the big screen or at red-carpet premieres, but in places most of the world never sees.

One of those places is the prison in Orvieto, Italy, where Pastor Claudio Ferro and his ministry team from Parola Della Grazia Orvieto have been faithfully showing up every Thursday.

At first, Pastor Claudio used the Alpha course to begin conversations. But when The Chosen became available, he added it to the weekly rhythm. What happened next is nothing short of miraculous.

The prisoners — mostly Catholic by background — began to see themselves in the disciples. They resonated deeply with Simon Peter’s raw humanity. They felt represented. They felt seen.

Each episode sparked vibrant discussion. Each week, the Word of God came alive in ways they had never experienced before.

Giovanni Zappalà shared, “Pastor Claudio is faithfully showing up to the prison every Thursday. He meets with inmates who desire to learn more about what it means to know God and have a new way to live.”

“After I watched The Chosen, I opened and read my Bible immediately, that same day. If I hadn’t entered prison, I would not have discovered Jesus. I would not now have a relationship with the Lord.”

Doors began to open in ways that can only be explained by God’s favor. Claudio and his team even received the rare permission to bring cameras into the prison to document testimonies of transformation. Local businesses joined in — even the town’s ice cream maker, Nadia, bringing gelato to prisoners for a celebration tied to a Chosen screening.

And then came the story of Douglas, age 34, a convicted criminal who described himself with words like “scum,” “powerless,” and “empty.”

But then he encountered Jesus through The Chosen.

Douglas told us: “After I watched The Chosen, I opened and read my Bible immediately, that same day. If I hadn’t entered prison, I would not have discovered Jesus. I would not now have a relationship with the Lord.”

A man who once felt powerless now speaks with conviction about his new life in Christ.

ON THE FRONT STEPS OF FREEDOM IN CHRIST

In June, God provided a way for my wife, Myra, and I to travel to Orvieto and spend time with Pastor Claudio and his family. We walked the streets, shared meals, prayed, and learned more about the pioneering work of planting an evangelical church in a part of Italy where many towns have never had one.

As I stood on the steps of the Orvieto Prison, I couldn’t help but whisper a prayer of thanks. I thanked God for His Word going forth. I thanked Him for the faithfulness of pastors like Claudio who labor in hard soil. I thanked Him for the miracle of seeing The Chosen translated, distributed, and used in the most unlikely of places.

Only God could orchestrate this kind of impact — from a prison cell in Italy to the hearts of men discovering Jesus for the first time.

THE GOSPEL NEWS

This story is not just about Orvieto. It’s about what God is doing globally through grassroots ministry — through pastors, local leaders, and faithful communities who say yes to showing up with the gospel in their hands and love in their hearts.

Pray with us for Claudio, his family, and the church planting movement rising up around Rome. Pray for Douglas and others like him who are discovering a second chance in Christ. And let’s keep believing that God will continue to open doors — sometimes even prison doors — so that lives are transformed for eternity.

Only God.

BTW, reach out and encourage Pastor Claudio and team:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pdgorvieto/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paroladellagraziaorvieto