This is the beginning of 50 days of continuous Bible distributions and visiting people with the good news during the 2024 Olympic Games. We expect that the day by day and house to house church life among the local and visiting saints would open the way for the Lord to add to the churches, even raising up new districts and lampstands. As we read these reports may our praying spirit be so strong to stand with the Lord in what He is doing among the French people. This is a partial gleaning from all the positive testimonies coming in. The complete report will be available once the trip ends after 30 July.
Paris Palaiseau
22 July – The Lord opened the way to pass out Bibles today: There were so many eager ones who were hungry for the word and the gospel. One of the college brothers was speaking to one person and soon others gathered around to listen. One of these ones prayed to receive the Lord. We had many open university students and two of the students are also open to spend time with saints on Saturday. One of the students, who is studying at a local university, received a Bible and came to the meeting hall for a Bible study. She ate dinner with the saints and prayed to receive the Lord!
23 July – We were so happy and encouraged to see ones with so much openness to receive the Word: In only one hour, we ran out of French Bibles but continued to give out English and Spanish Bibles. One person, who spoke in Spanish, was interested in coming to dinner at the meeting hall. People wanted to take Bibles for their family members and friends!
Through fellowship, the saints opened the meeting hall in the evening for meals with new ones. Several new ones were invited and were open to come spend time with the saints. We had our first Bible study with a new one in the evening of the 2nd day of Bible distribution! Our burden is for new ones to spend time with the saints during the week.
24 July - We praise the Lord for opening the way to sow the seeds into so many French people. We believe the prayers from the saints have opened the way for so many to receive the gospel. We went to the same train station as yesterday with even more Bibles and again we ran out of French Bibles! Praise the Lord! One person who seemed reluctant at first to receive a Bible read the Mystery of Human Life and prayed to receive the Lord. He called on the name of the Lord with the saints. We met new ones who were open for more appointments and to come to the harvest meeting. We had two new ones come to the meeting hall for our daily Bible study.
Paris Versailles
22 July -We interacted with many open people, including a family who came back to talk with us for an hour. They were very happy to receive study bibles and had lots of questions. They were seeking and open and we got their contact information.
23 July - There were many open people who were happy to see us distributing Bibles and were excited to receive a Bible. We went to get food from a local cafe, and we told some of the employees that we were distributing Bibles: They got excited and wanted to receive free study Bibles as soon as they were done with their work shifts.
One of the Russian speaking saints, had been wanting to meet some Russian speaking people while distributing Bibles. A saint told him to trust in the Lord for this matter. During the distribution today, he prayed that some Russian speaking people would come by. Then, ten minutes later, two Russian speaking people came up to us and this brother was able to speak in Russian to them about the Lord. They were locals that moved to France several years ago and they were very open. They received study Bibles, as well. The Lord is faithful and always goes before us in our move within His move.
24 July - Today, we had even more meaningful conversations with local people, including several young people and teenagers who really wanted a Bible. There were some minors who wanted a Bible and quickly sought permission from their parents. Many of the new ones we met today were very open to come to our Monday evening meeting. An appointment was made with to meet them again on Friday.
A young person observed another person receiving a Bible and then she immediately came and asked for a Bible. We shared with her John 3:16 and 1:12: “As many as received Him to them He gave the authority to become a child of God’. After we preached this gospel to her, we continued with the Mystery of Human Life, and she was led to pray the last paragraph in the booklet. She was very open and happy to enter into each point that we shared. We exchanged personal contact information and invited her to the harvest meeting. We feel that Lord prepared her to be a son of peace. Praise the Lord!
Two sisters were on the corner opposite to the tabling area for quite some time, it was a busy area, but people were passing by and not wanting to receive a Bible. The sisters then began to pray desperately for at least one solid contact that will be open to read the Bible and receive Christ. Soon afterwards, a university student came and asked for a Bible. She is a new believer in Versailles to attend a university for her studies. The sisters began to show her how to use her new Recovery Version Bible. They then shared the Mystery of Human Life with her. She read verses 1 Thes 5:23 and Rom.10:13. Upon explaining the verses and the steps in Mystery of Human Life, the sisters realized that this new one was not aware of her human spirit. Sisters told her that it is in her spirit she can contact the Lord Jesus anywhere and anytime. She called on the name of the Lord Jesus three times. She was very open and gave us her contact information and we invited her to the seminar.
Paris Nanterre
22 July – The Lord really blessed our time today! It was touching to see how many were open to receive a Bible. Many of them were Christians and wanted further contact. So many came to the table! Out of the 10 people I spoke with today, several were believers but did not know that man has a spirit and that our spirit is the container that must contain God. Praise our Lord for these open hearts of people!
23 July – We shared John 10:10-11 and the footnotes with an extremely open and interested Christian. She appreciated seeing the aspect of the divine and eternal life and she also saw that the Lord laid down His soul-life in order to give us His divine life. She received a Bible and since she was so open and happy to receive the word, we asked her to join us for coffee at a local coffee shop. She accepted and we had a sweet time of fellowship with her. She actively pursues the Lord, reads the Bible and prays. We shared verses and footnotes concerning God's economy, our human spirit and prayer. She was quite impressed with the footnotes and the cross references. She is very hungry and would like further fellowship. She was very happy to be invited to upcoming events and she gladly accepted our invitation
24 July - I really enjoyed speaking with a woman who has only an Islam tradition, but open to know what is written in the Bible. She stayed for a significant amount of time with us and was enlightened by the difference between spirit and soul. She gladly exchanged contact information with us and she was anticipating to join the evening gathering.
We had a very encouraging, enjoyable encounter with a young lady in her 20's who grew up in a Christian home and has been a Christian all her life. When asked if she had a few minutes to see how to use the Bible, she said she always has time for God. She was quite open, wanted to read the footnotes for Matthew 6:3-4. She was very impressed with the footnotes and would like to meet to read the Bible together with us.
Paris 1
22 July – A woman came and asked for a Bible: She said that she loves to read the Bible, and she was excited to get to know us. Without hesitation, she left her contact number and wants further follow-up. We also met a woman who initially did not want a Bible because she had one at home, but later in the day she came back and wanted to know more. After introducing the Recovery Version to her, she wanted to receive a Bible. She shared that she passes by our area every day and it is usually depressing, but she noticed that the atmosphere was different today and felt that it was because we were handing out Bibles.
Another woman told us that she thought about getting a Bible yesterday but today, something in her told her to go a particular way, and that’s when she saw us. She was so happy to meet us and couldn’t believe that the Bible was free. She said that this was no coincidence: She was sure the Lord made her come this way to meet us and receive her Bible.
23 July - We met a young couple. The woman told us that she was saved in 2021 and her husband in 2018. She told us that she was looking for a Bible, so she was happy when she saw us distributing Bibles. We explained to her about the Mystery of Human Life, and she was very interested, and she asked for our contact information.
We met a person who was open to receive the truth, she simply gave her time to listen for 15 minutes and then she prayed to receive the Lord! She was a mum with a very young daughter. It was very encouraging to continue to sow the seed of the gospel, may the Lord continue to bless these gospel new ones.
24 July - We talked with a Lady who listened very carefully to us. She said she was baptized and loved the Lord and wants to receive the Lord. She was very open and read the sinner's prayer with us. We took her contact information and will ask her for an appointment.
There were two young siblings sitting on a bench waiting for their friends to play soccer. We walked over and started a conversation with them and told them about man being made of three parts. The older siblings’ eyes were wide open and marveled that we can talk to God and pray "Lord Jesus, I love You". He texted his mum to get her permission to get a Bible for both him and his younger brother. They came up to us all smiles to get their Bibles. Our highlight was to see them sitting back on the bench, opening their Bibles together and reading their Bibles.
I enjoyed the fact that we are one body, and we work as a team. A man was looking from afar, a brother went to talk to him and then brought him to the table. I shared the verse and the gospel with the Mystery of Human Life booklet. I was not sure if I could ask him to pray. This is when another brother jumped in and suggested that we pray the prayer at the end of the booklet. We read it together and prayed. Once we were done, he was smiling, and his face was shining. We exchanged personal contact information, and he said he was very open to come to the seminar.
Paris 2
22 July - This was our first time distributing Bibles in the heart of Paris, by a busy commercial center. At first there were not many people waking by. But the Lord is faithful and brought many seeking ones. Many of the ones we encountered were believers, and they were very open to have fellowship with us, to enjoy a verse with us and to share their experiences of the Lord. A young adolescent girl was walking with an older man who looked like her grandfather. She saw that we were giving out free Bibles and told the man she wanted a Bible. He seemed reluctant to turn back, but upon her insistence, they returned from across the street, and she came to receive her free Bible.
23 July - The Lord brought many people to us during today’s Bible distributions. After setting up our table to begin our Bible distribution, we had just barely begun to pray before many approached the table wanting a Bible. We encountered many young French people during today’s distribution. At the very end of the Bible distribution, we encountered a young man who first walked away, saying he didn’t speak French. Finally, he came back and said, “Español?” to which two of our team members immediately responded and struck up a conversation with him. Eventually, he prayed to receive the Lord and suggested meeting again for a meal.
24 July - All of the saints had many encouraging encounters today. There was one young man in particular who prayed to receive the Lord with us and was extremely open to everything we spoke to him. We began by speaking about the three parts of man and how man is like a glove meant to contain a hand, an analogy which he instantly understood and appreciated. He was surprised but happy to learn that the soul and spirit are different, and after sharing with him the Mystery of Human Life tract, he was happy to pray to receive the Lord and called on the Lord with us. He immediately responded that he felt something, and that there was an effect on him. May the Lord release him for an appointment tomorrow.
Two sisters had an appointment with a young Christian woman we met on the first day of our Bible distribution. Despite a slight language barrier, Christ was flowing! After getting to know one another, we had a very sweet time of fellowship. The young woman was very open to talk about the Lord and from our conversation, it was clear that she had a very personal and intimate relationship with Him. She was very clear about seeking to meet only where Christ is the center of everything. This was a great encouragement to us.
Rouen
22 July – For the first day, Rouen joined Dieppe for the Bible distribution (see Dieppe below)
23 July - During our Bible distribution time, our team gathered together to sing hymns in French. Many people walking by slowed down or even stopped to listen. At one point, a group of children ran over and asked to see the words of a song so they could join in. The singing really seemed to attract genuine seekers. Many of those who stopped to talk with us lingered and were open to hear the gospel and receive a Bible.
We met a number of young students who were eager to practice their English with us. One young man found out about his human spirit and God’s desire to come into him, and he prayed to receive the Lord! Our new brother received a Bible and asked for further contact to help him understand what he read.
24 July - At the beginning of our distribution time today, the enemy tried his best to hinder our labor by sending people to the table to bother us, argue with us, and distract others who were interested in receiving a Bible. Eventually, we gathered together and began to pray strongly that the enemy would be bound, and the Lord’s Word would run. Almost immediately, the bothersome ones left, and two seekers approached the table. The Lord continued to pour out His blessing and many positive contacts were made throughout the rest of the distribution time.
Today we were encouraged that many of the ones who received a Bible were willing to exchange personal contact information with us and expressed interest in meeting other believers in the city of Rouen.
Dieppe
22 July -Today the team in Rouen joined us in Dieppe for orientation and an hour-long Bible distribution. 8 Bibles were distributed. In the evening, we had a love feast with the saints in Dieppe, saints from Paris, and around 20 visiting saints (mostly young people) from Montréal, Canada! The fellowship and blending was very refreshing and encouraging.
23 July - Today we had our first official Bible distribution day. Local saints joined us for coordination in the morning, and then came to the Bible distribution with us. There was sweet blending among us! At the Bible distribution, we met four young men from Paris, three of whom received a Bible and two prayed to receive the Lord! There were two women we met who received Bibles and expressed an interest in joining the harvest meeting in Rouen where they live.
24 July - This afternoon we distributed 39 Bibles. Initially, there were many rejections. After the local brothers joined us, people started swarming the table for Bibles. One of them brought Bibles to his friends who work in nearby shops. One positive encounter was with a young man and young woman. As they were walking past the table, the young woman’s eyes lit up and a big smile came to her face when she read our sign. They were both eager to receive a Bible. We also offered a Bible to a young man we purchased coffee from, and he willingly took the Bible and gave us his contact information. We are praying for a follow-up appointment with him in the coming days!
Lille
22 July - The young people are really open! One brother called on the Lord with a young man and shared with him about baptism. A teenager asked for a Bible and also wanted to be baptized. Another young man came to the table and asked for a Bible for his mom, also mentioning that he wanted to learn how to witness for the Lord just like how the saints are sharing with others.
23 July - Due to the large number of new ones already contacted in the previous gospel trips, the burden for Lille has shifted more towards shepherding. We multiplied into two groups, one to continue distributing Bibles near one of the city’s train stations and another to fellowship and coordinate how best to care for the existing contacts.
A young sister, who has been accepted into a Lille university has been in contact with over 80 new ones. Saints were helping her organize a list of those who were very responsive. She eventually decided to stay in touch with 11 of these new ones and texted the rest to ask if she could give their information to someone else for shepherding.
We had a strong start distributing Bibles near one of the city’s train stations: Several people were asking for Bibles even before the Bible distribution table was fully set up! There were many testimonies of people not believing that the Bibles were free. One woman even pulled out her purse to try to pay before she was convinced it was free. There were many positive responses when the saints presented the footnotes to ones who came up to the table. Most of those who were open were young people.
24 July - We began our morning coordination time with strong prayers to bind the enemy’s tactics and declare the Lord’s victory in Lille. Our prayers were answered as we had our most fruitful distribution time to date. We met several believers who were looking for a place to meet. The Lord is really working to bring these seeking ones to us!
We have been learning to pray and coordinate together in our distribution and follow-up times with new ones. It has been really clear that the distribution was a work of the Body. So many new ones were gained through interactions with multiple saints. One young brother remarked afterwards that he had never experienced everyone functioning in so many ways during our gospel time. Some saints who didn’t know French very well were singing, holding placards, ushering people to the table, and even providing shade for conversations. A sister remarked that singing really created a spiritual atmosphere that caused people to stop and come to the table. May this sweet coordination grow stronger as we continue to labor as one!
A woman from originally from Ecuador, but is now living in France, approached the table saying she had been looking for a Spanish Bible. Some sisters in talking with her realized that she had not received the Lord. They read through the Mystery of Human Life in Spanish and led her to pray to receive the Lord.
Lyon
22 July - An elderly man and a mid-age woman came to our table this afternoon. When we showed them the footnote of John 6:19 and 6:21, the woman was so amazed. She said she never knew that the miracle in John 6:19-21 had such a profound significance. The man told us that they saw our banner from afar and decided to come take a look. They are living in 5th district. Both are Christians and appreciate very much our preaching gospel in a public place. Both promised to come to the Saturday night gathering.
23 July - Two people in cars were waiting for the light to change at an intersection. They saw our signs and banners and they wanted to receive Bibles! We were able to safely approach the drivers in the cars to bring them Bibles!
One young lady said she already had a Bible, just like the ones that we were giving out. I asked more carefully to make sure, and it turns out that one of her friends gave her a Bible from an earlier Bible distribution! She said she would be interested in joining a Bible study and we got her contact information to follow up with her.
For those like myself who are not fluent in French, I was able with the help of a translator app to prepare a simple gospel script in French to share my enjoyment of Galatians 2:20. Although many said no when I asked if I could share with them, one young lady stopped to listen as I shared my enjoyment of the Word and even encouraged me regarding my French! One of the local saints then continued the conversation with her, got her contact information and invited her to an upcoming seminar.
We were near a very high traffic area and many people of all different languages stopped by the table. We had those who asked for Bibles in other languages, such as Portuguese, Spanish, and English. French speaking saints were occupied the entire time talking to so many! This is truly a testimony to the openness among the people of Europe.
24 July - Our team set up at an area between a shopping center and a tram station, so there was a lot of traffic. Many people were stopping to get Bibles! A couple of young girls stopped by the table wanting to get Bibles. We asked if they speak English, and they enthusiastically replied yes! They were excited to practice their English with us and said that they’ve never known how to read the Bible and wanted to learn more! We talked with them for quite some time. Although we could not give them Bibles because they are underaged minors, we did give them cards to order Bibles and invited them to the follow-up session. During this Gospel trip, we have been in higher traffic places and lower traffic places. Some days we got good results and other days seemingly not so much. But no matter what the outward results are, I am reminded that it makes a difference that we are here for the Lord’s testimony. We are here before man and before God. We can be here sowing seeds into anyone who passes by and stand for the Lord’s testimony as a shame to the enemy!
Geneva (Switzerland)
22 July - Today was our first day distributing Bibles. We set up our table and banners in the downtown area of Geneva. We had many positive experiences. A Spanish speaking woman called on the Lord and touched her spirit. There was a Portuguese woman who lost her mother last year. A sister, who recently also lost her parent, had fellowship with her and there was a connection made. She will be returning to our table in two days receive a Portuguese Bible.
There was a lull of people coming to the table, so we started to pray, and a young man soon approached. He was very appreciative of what we were doing. We talked to him for a while about the Lord. He told us that when he came to Geneva a few years ago, he was very hopeful that he would see a strong Christian presence because of the history of the reformation in Geneva but he was disappointed as there seemed to be no life! He was so happy to see us and the testimony of Jesus. He took the QR code for more information and was open to meeting with us when he returns from a holiday.
23 July - The Lord is moving in the city of Geneva. On day two of our Bible distribution, we went to a different downtown area. There were many seeking ones with open and soft hearts for the Lord! Many personal contacts were made.
There was a group of young people from Lyon visiting Geneva for the day. One of them approached us and wanted a Bible. A brother talked with him and helped him to pray to receive the Lord and he received a Bible. The other four young people with him received gospel tracks.
A young woman we talked to shared how her parents let her choose her faith when she turned 18 and she choose to be a Christian. She prayed to receive the Lord with us and after she received the Lord her countenance changed! She received a Bible and the friend she was with, also received a Bible. They gave us their contact information.
24 July - We met a Romanian woman and her husband. She was worried about not having a job. She was desperate but happy to touch the Lord. She prayed and gave a sister her phone number. She received a Spanish Bible. She cried and was so happy even saying “I know God is with us.” She shared her experience being saved by the Lord.
There was a young local man who walked by and was looking at us. You could tell he was struggling with life from his countenance and demeanor. Two Brothers approached him. He started talking and it became clear he was in bondage and under by authority of darkness. One brother spoke words of life and truth to him while the other stood with him in prayer. The more the brother spoke, the more he got released. Eventually he said, “This feels good!” The brother gave him his number and a Bible. The brother was able to shepherd his soul. In the end the young man prayed with the brother.
We met a young man who is in Geneva by himself; the rest of his family is in the United States. We read the word with him and shared with him that he has a spirit! We also prayed with him. He scanned the QR code and was willing to come on the Lord’s Day. After our time with him, he said that he felt revived and supplied. Our speaking is life to others!
Mertzig (Luxembourg)
22 July - We spent time distributing Bibles in the Luxembourg City Center. A young man read the Mystery of Human Life with the brothers, and he prayed to receive the Lord! On the way home from preaching the gospel, we had a conversation with a lady on the train. She never had read the Bible, and she said, "I should, because the Bible has everything in it." We spoke with her the entire time we rode together on the train: We showed her verses with the footnotes and answered all of her many questions. She told us many times "I will read this; I will read this" and asked "How does the Bible End?". We told her that the Bible is a divine romance. She was so happy to meet us, she gave us a big hug and then deboarded the train. She even waited to see our train pull out.
23 July - On the bus back from the Bible distribution, we spoke with a fourth-generation Luxembourger who is working on his Master's degree. He mentioned that he reads his Bible every night and has been reading Genesis. When he asked for a book recommendation, we showed him the footnotes on the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew. As we shared the footnotes, he started to appreciate the riches in the Recovery Version. We were not able to get his phone number, so we prayed during our coordination time that we would reestablish a connection with him. A few hours later, our prayers were answered, and we reconnected with him!
