ILLIANO Luca & Anca

Luca works in Mergellina which is a coastal area of the city of Naples, located in the quartiere of Chiaia. It is known to the Neapolitans as a place where you can get an ice cream and eat good pizza by the sea. The reality, however, is that this one area contains about 80,000 people, most of whom have never heard the gospel. Planting a new church there is the investment of a lifetime and this is the burden which God has placed on Luca’s heart.

Luca was born in the city of Naples and this is where he grew up, at the age of 23 he moved to England with the dream of becoming a famous artist like Picasso or Hirst. He wanted to be famous in life, not after death, but the ambition that Lord had for Luca was different.

Luca spent about five years in the UK and this was for that time where God wanted him. During the first couple of years Luca tried to become a famous artist and looked for an art gallery to show his work, but the Lord was gradually telling him that he was born for a different purpose. To cut a long story short the Lord showed him that He and His Word were much more important than art, and sharing the name of Jesus was more significant than being in an art gallery. Soon after this, Luca applied to join Tilsley College for the 2011-2012 year. Having given up his career in art, the Lord reminded Luca that when he last lived in Naples he had a desire to see a new church planted in his local area of Mergellina.

Since this reminder from the Lord Luca had a new ambition: to go back to Naples where he was born, where his friends were, to make known the Name of Christ to people who do not know Him yet and to see a new church planted.