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.
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!
