PARIS
At the end of January I ministered in a Chinese Baptist Church where Mr. Thomas Hung, a missionary from Hong Kong,
is the current pastor. There were about 40 people present. It was the beginning of the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Bull).
The atmosphere was very uplifting. Two Brazilian girls brought their musical instruments. We were able to converse
in Spanish and Portuguese. I had a good Mandarin-English interpreter who is now attending a Bible School in France.
He told me that when he finishes, he plans to return to China and open a language school so that he can invite foreign guests
to stay for a while.
February 2-3 I went to a seminar of the Mission Intérieure Baptiste (the French Home Mission Society). The theme was
"Construct Your Projects" and its focus was on evangelism and church growth. Each church was encouraged to seek
God's vision and make specific plans for internal growth as well as outreach. Because these mission posts are small
and have few resources, the recommendation was made that each one should establish links with an autonomous church.
This is one way of encouraging these mission posts.
The highlight of the month of February was the weekend at the Assemblies of God Church in Pontoise, near Paris.
I had visited this church before, about fifteen years ago. There are now 400 members and the church continues to grow.
They have bought some new property and will be building a church to seat 600. The church is about 85% Afro-Caribbean.
Wherever there is significant church growth in France, it is due in part to the ethnic population.
Pastor Boubacar Doumbia is from Mali and is a converted Muslim. He told me that he had heard me preach about
twenty years ago and he still remembered my Bible texts. I went to Pontoise to teach Friendship Evangelism in preparation
for a campaign there at the end of March with Franck Alexandre. The attendance was very good. I had a session
on Friday and Saturday evenings. On Sunday morning I preached at the two services. On Sunday afternoon, I thought
I was to preach at a third service, but it was announced that I would be concluding my Friendship Evangelism training.
Just before I was to teach, the pastor told me there were some new people present, and he asked me to speak to them also
during my teaching. So I weaved in a few points of the gospel and at the end of the meeting when a 14-year-old boy spoke to me,
he told me that he wanted to receive the Lord. I asked the choir director to counsel him. Also a mother brought
her daughter for prayer; her daughter had been suffering from terrible headaches. In the middle of the Saturday session,
a mentally-ill woman stood up and asked how she could be free from Satan's power. I asked one of the ladies to take
her aside and counsel her. One must be ready for all kinds of ministry.
UPCOMING MINISTRY:
March 13-15: I will be conducting a week-end seminar on marriage and family in an Assemblies of God church
in St. Avold, a town north of Strasbourg.
March 26-30: Marion and I will be in East London at David Foster's church. This is always a great experience.
April 13-19: I will be speaking in churches in Serbia. This will be my first trip there in 25 years !
May 11-17 : Local church campaign in Biscarrose (Bordeaux)
ARISE KINSHASA...
... is not dead. August 1-9 PJ Meduri and I will be there with four
other colleagues for a pastors' conference and several other meetings.
I will have the privilege of preaching at a large outdoor rally where
some 10,000 students are expected.
Do pray that God will grant safe travel and great blessings in all of these meetings.
I want to thank each of you for continuing to stand with me in
these difficult times. Remember that "Troubles don't last always".
Thank you for continuing to care and thank you for continuing to share as God enables you to.
More: www.bill-thomas.org