Kairos 2017: Praying for Unity and Revival

THE ROAD TO FAITH
Bruno grew up in an Italian home in Toronto with 2 older sisters and 2 young ones.  “It was a rough neighborhood,” says Bruno.  He got involved at a young age with family members who were in organized crime.  By the time he was 12, Bruno was so notorious, he was sneaking heroin into maximum security prisons!  “I was really bad and by 15, I had people working for me on the street,” he says.  When Bruno got caught, he was sent to a detention center but later was ordered to attend an Anglican boy’s school.  A few years passed, but he was still involved in the crime scene.  “It came to a point where I was involved with the Columbian drug cartel,” he admits.  Once during a drug deal, they thought Bruno was going to take the drugs so they stabbed him in the stomach and held him at gun point.  “I heard an audible voice say, You live by the sword, you die by the sword,” says Bruno.  He walked right up to the guy with the gun and tried to convince him he wasn’t stealing the drugs.  “They just ran from me!” Bruno was amazed.

After his encounter, Bruno told his mom he wanted to be a priest and ended up at a Christian university.  He met the Lord and had various encounters during this time.  “I had a vision of Jesus rescuing me from the darkness,” says Bruno.  He wanted to know more about Him so he read the Bible from cover to cover.  “I was on fire for the Lord,” he says.  

UNITING ONE ANOTHER
Bruno’s wife, Naomi, grew up in Carol Arnott's hometown and introduced Bruno to them in 1989 while they were planting the Toronto church.  He has been with John and Carol ever since.  Over the years, Bruno has met countless leaders who attended Catch the Fire conferences.  “When the outpouring first broke out, no one cared about who was from where,” says Bruno.  “We were there to worship and honor the presence of God. There were no barriers in terms of racial or denominational.”  Bruno reminds us that when we are in that type of environment, God does amazing things.  “He said, When I am lifted up, I draw all men unto me,” says Bruno.  

“There is nothing more powerful than unity,” he says.  “Jesus is coming back for one bride.”  He is gathering leaders of all different backgrounds and denominations to his Kairos 2017 conference to be held in Kansas City, MO from October 24-26, 2017. “It’s going to take a unified church to heal a divided nation,” says Bruno.  “We have to work together.”  The conference is a celebration as well as a chance for healing and reconciliation in the Body of Christ. “When we come together, our evangelization will be greater than ever.  By this, all men will know you are my disciples if you love one another. (John 13:35),” says Bruno.