Erroll Hulse's Week on the Island of Malta in March 2001

In early March we flew to Malta. The purpose of our visit was to encourage Pastor Paul Mizzi and the Trinity Evangelical Church which he leads. This is a Reformed Baptist Church (1689 Confession of Faith) with 22 members. There was an ordination service which took place on Saturday 10th March. Some may wonder why we should agree to an ordination of a man already 13 years in the ministry? Answer: a public service of ordination is necessary in the island as a recognition of the pastor, giving him authority to conduct wedding services and to facilitate advertising the ministry and having a notice board outside the church meeting place. There is good evangelical unity on the island and five other churches were represented for the occasion.

Referring to Acts 27 which describes the shipwreck and Paul's three month stay in Malta, Pastor Joseph Hewitt gave a ministerial charge to Paul Mizzi. I then preached, exhorting the congregation from the theme of 1 Thess 5:18-24. and especially the text, "Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work." I rarely use alliteration but my outline fell into that pattern - Pray for your pastor, Provide for him, give him Practical (diaconal) support, and Protect him (see 1 Tim 5:19).

Paul Mizzi has a weekly radio programme which has a wide coverage and he has had the opportunity to debate issues with a Catholic on TV. Paul's brother Joe Mizzi is a paediatrician. Joe authors evangelistic booklets in Maltese and has, in addition, written a book upholding salvation truth and demonstrating how each of the principal doctrines of Roman Catholicism deviates from Scripture. Joe Mizzi has a website which specialises in counselling Catholics. It is www.stas.net/goodnews and if you are Italian speaking as follows 'sols per cattalici' at www.geocities.com/percatolici while John Blanchard's "Right with God" (Banner of Truth) is in Maltese and so is the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.

Malta, which measures about 12 x 8 miles, has a population of 370,000. The main industry is tourism and about 100,000 visitors are always present. Centred strategically in the Mediterranean the island has a fascinating history from the time of Paul up to the second world war when the island was the scene of fierce conflict and played a crucial role.

The native population is Roman Catholic. While Maltese is the first language, nearly all the islanders speak fluent English. They are friendly and easy to talk to. One method I used in witnessing: "If I was living in the year 1000, I would be a Catholic but since then many additions have been made to the Bible which makes that impossible now." This provokes a response which nearly always opens the way to talk about Gods way of salvation, that is, justification by faith alone.

Malta is an ideal place for a holiday week. For ten pounds one can take a ferry around the bays and harbours surrounding the walled capital city of Valetta. Buses are rickety but cheap and using them pleasant outings can be made to places like St Pauls Bay, the traditional site of Paul's shipwreck. Very popular is a day boat trip to the smaller sister island of Gozo.

If your visit includes a Sunday, contact Paul Mizzi (tel 804417). The service is well translated from Maltese into English through earphones which are provided.

We dedicated one day to an exploration of Mdina which for centuries was the capital city. It is set on a 213 metre high rocky outcrop commanding fine panoramic views. This prominence, about the size of six football fields, was built into a fortified mini-city and in olden times was impregnable.

At Mdina we learned that in 1546 there was a Lutheran awakening. The Inquisition set out to stamp this out. A converted RC priest, Francesco Gesualdo, along with a leading disciple, were burned to death at the stake.

A similar movement into justification by faith alone took place in the following century. One, Matthew Falsone, Jr. fell into the clutches of the Inquisition. However he managed to escape to Sicily where he survived. However, an effigy of Falstone was made and after a mock trial this was burnt at the stake. In May 1675 all Falstone's considerable wealth and property was confiscated, including a large home in Mdina which is now a museum. Perhaps as a condition for EU membership, Malta should be required to return to evangelicals all such stolen property, and thus make some amends for the barbarities of the inquisition!

For the inauguration of the new church building for Trinity Evangelical Church on March 11, Joseph Hewitt preached a fine sermon in which he compared Solomon's opening of the Temple with Ephesians 2:20&21. Christ's Church is a building of souls, fitly framed together. The new Trinity Evangelical Church building, about 90 by 30 feet, a former garage has been transformed into an airy and attractive sanctuary. Kenneth Link of Leeds encouraged the Maltese church members with practical help in completing the refurbishment work on time. Kenneth and his wife Gloria are totally dedicated to the evangelical cause in Malta and this is reflected by the fact that this was Kenneth's 68th visit to the island! He joins other believers in regular open air preaching, tract distribution and witnessing.

Pastor Paul Mizzi and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters, Christina, 8 and Janelle, 6. Paul is a gifted artist. He paints in oil but also produces pencil portraits. He gave me one of Adoniram Judson and I brought back one for Peter Parkinson of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Both portraits reflect impressively the strength of character that shone in these leaders.

ERROLL HULSE