So what’s with the title of this blog? France is a Christian country, right? Why should there be a need for a spiritual breakthrough?
As I write this, the population of France is estimated at 66 million (by INSEE). Evangelical Christians account for only 1% of the total (see the Joshua Project). These people live in over 36,000 communes (administrative districts).
The CNEF (Conseil National des Evangéliques de France, the French equivalent of the UK Evangelical Alliance) list a total 2,190 evangelical Churches as of today. You can see that the overwhelming majority of communes do not have an evangelical Church. OK, so a number of these communes are quite small, but even allowing for that, there are a very large number of towns of 5,000 to 10,000 people with no Church and no Christian witness.
But the Church is growing, isn’t it? Oh yes, God is moving in France! There has been encouraging growth in recent years. New Churches are being planted. Young French Christians, especially, have been growing in passion for Christ.
However, as of today, the CNEF’s data website (here) shows that within the last 2 years just 5 new Churches have been planted. I know of another that is not yet officially registered, so that brings the total to 6. Maybe there are more: it could be a total of 10.
It does not take much mental arithmetic to work out that this rate of planting new Churches is not enough. Not anywhere even vaguely near enough. Not to take away anything from all of those who have been working faithfully for many years, of course: praise God for each one!
But we need a breakthrough. France needs a breakthrough. The people of France need a breakthrough. Some how, some way, we need to see God moving in great power in France. For the rate of planting of new Churches to increase by an order of magnitude or more.
God’s heart is breaking for the people of France; He loves each and every single one, He wants each one to know His love, to experience His forgiveness and be overwhelmed with His joy.
Will you pray for a breakthrough for France?
Breakthrough France 