BRAZIL

MALTA

Here are pictures of myself with His Grace Archbishop Michael Gunzi and the statute of St. Paul on the Island of Malta, taken in December 1973.

By the grace of God and the invitation of David Wulff (Chaplain to Norwegian sailors), I was privileged to preach the gospel to Roman Catholic Archbishop Monsignor Michael Gunzies and changed that country's 1000 year old law that prohibited anyone who was not an ordained Roman Catholic clergyman from preaching to the Maltese people.

As a direct response of our meeting with the Archbishop and the Chief of Police Enoch Tonna, the doors were opened for me to preach at the Roman Catholic Seminary and publicly for the first time since St. Paul and the early church, at a large auditorium.

Since that time, churches have been established in Malta, and unfortunately even a Muslim Mosque and some other cults!  But, praise God that the gospel is now preached freely in Malta, due to our 1973 breakthrough!                     -Max Solbrekken

Rev. Max Solbrekken with his Grace
 Archbishop Michael Gunzi, Dec 1973 in Malta

Rev. Max Solbrekken with
 statue of St. Paul,  Dec. 6, 1973 in Malta

Max Solbrekken Makes 

History In Malta !

Says Rev. David Wulff, Chaplain to Norwegian          sailors in Malta (1974)

Never in the history of Malta has so great a spiritual victory been won, as during Brother Solbrekken’s Crusade here. The devil launched all his forces to prevent God’s Kingdom from marching forward, but in the name of Jesus, his power was broken and he had to back off. 

  The first Full Gospel Crusade since the days of St. Paul , became a reality and a glorious victory for the persecuted Evangelicals.  Souls were saved and miracles of divine healing took place as Rev. Max Solbrekken brought forth the message of the Gospel under God’s anointing and as he reached out to the Lord for the needs of the people in compassion and prayer!

For hundreds of years Malta has been bound by a primitive form of Roman Catholicism mixed with mysticism and superstition.  They have been told repeatedly that all non-Catholics were trying to lead them astray and wanted only to split and confuse the Roman Catholic Church.  Little did they know that our main intentions were to bring them back to First Century Christianity, to signs, wonders and miracles with simple faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord!

A new era has now started in Malta as God is beginning to show the people that He is the same today as when Paul first came to this island.  Miracles began happening right from the very beginning, even before the Crusade started.  Every time the devil attacked, he was overcome by the mighty hand of God.  When the Police Department withheld permission to hold the Crusade, till the last moment, God opened the way for Brother Solbrekken to meet the Senior Superintendent of Police personally and God’s Servant won favour with him. Superintendent E. Tonna asked for Rev. Solbrekken’s prayers and he also promised all possible help in the future.  Since the Crusade, Mr. Tonna has been elevated to the most respected position of Commissioner of Police, (the highest position in the Malta Police Force).

When we tried to advertise the Crusade in the leading newspapers, we were denied that right, and one paper attacked us in no uncertain terms.  But, God prompted a Maltese journalist to publicly defend us, and this was the first time that the Full Gospel Evangelicals received public support in the Newspapers.

Since the Crusade, our weekly church services have been advertised with no charge in the church columns of a paper which denied us advertising for the Crusade. The Roman Catholic priests warned against the Crusade from their pulpits. Roman Catholic professors arrange a ‘Bible Week’ on Television each evening of the Crusade to prevent people from coming!

The situation seemed hopeless but God sent His servant Max Solbrekken to the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church, His Grace Monsignor Michael Gunzi, for a personal audience, which resulted in His Grace, the Archbishop, wishing Rev. Solbrekken all the best success in his mission of preaching Jesus Christ to the people of Malta!

Later, a prominent priest (Monsignor of the large Cathedral in Valeta) after meeting us on a busy market street (city square), asked Brother Solbrekken for his prayers, saying: “I feel sick in both body and soul”. One of the professors who had organized his own ‘Bible Week’ in opposition to us, later received Brother Solbrekken and myself in his office at the University of Malta, where we had a great time of fellowship. God’s servant was invited into a class of students.

Now, the doors are WIDE OPEN in Malta for a massive Crusade. This is the time for persistent penetration of this island with the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I extend on behalf of all the Christians of Malta an invitation to Brother Solbrekken to return to Malta as soon as possible for another crusade this year!

I wish to pass on many thanks and much gratefulness to my good friend, Brother Max, for coming to Malta and to the many Canadian Christians for sending him! I am praying that God will lay it on your hearts to support this Ministry, so that Max Solbrekken may be able to return for Phase 11 of the Malta Outreach! We are waiting with great anticipation for the new book, ‘What Is the Gospel?’ which we will be distributing to thousands of people in this country! Jesus is alive, and now is the time to let Malta know it!

Please note: The meeting between Max Solbrekken and Archbishop Michael Gunzi took place on Dec. 6, 1973 ! This letter is reproduced from the ‘Cry of His Coming Magazine’, June 1974.  m.s.

         the ARGENTINA crusades - click here