Shepherding Trips Report - Part 1

“We first heard of the planned gospel trips during the Olympics from saints we knew serving in London. After much prayer and fellowship, we applied. The result is that the Lord arranged for us to serve in both OL 2 in Geneva and OL 4 in Lille. While I am 75 and my wife is 72, we stepped out in faith that the Lord would supply us and take care of our health and physical needs. We felt so energized during the whole time we were serving. It was so enjoyable serving with the other saints from around the world. The leading brothers surely looked after us, making sure we weren’t overburdened in our schedule. The best part was distributing the Bibles and sharing the Word with all these new ones we met. While a lot of them were French- speaking, it wasn’t a problem since there were French-speaking saints nearby to help.

After spending time in Lille, we went home but were both restless; we knew of the burden to shepherd all these new ones in Lille: How were the local saints going to do this? In fellowship with the saints in our locality and our family, they all gave us the green light to go! After we took care of some issues at home, the Lord arranged for us to return for nearly three months.
While back home we shared about our time in Europe, and the Lord encouraged others to come and help shepherd after us. 

What I shared with the saints is that the Lord needs ones here to come and shepherd these new ones; otherwise, they will return to the world. The churches need to be raised up in the different cities both in France and the other French-speaking countries in Europe. Once these lampstands are established, the Lord will have a way to return.

 

You can come, whatever your age; there is a need for saints of all ages to come and serve. A leading brother said, ‘Even if it’s just to come and drive the saints around, just come.’ 
On a personal note: Nearly every week my wife and I both shed a few tears when we hear the sharing from the local saints, especially with the load that they are under. Saints need to come and see. We can tell them how beautiful the mountains are in France, but until they come, there’s no personal ‘appreciation of the scenery.’ ”

HIGHLIGHTS FROM TRAINEES’ RECENT GOSPEL TRIPS
 

Sixty-seven from FTTA and FTTL arrived in Paris, where they met in the church in Paris' meeting hall for blending and orientation with the local saints. “We enjoyed Luke 4:18-19, where we see we should be those who proclaim the Jubilee to others!” An introduction weas given to the Christian history of France and how the Lord had some who were pure in heart and faithfully stood for His testimony over the centuries. 

The 67 saints were then put into 11 different teams and sent to the following places: Paris, Palaiseau, Nanterre, Versailles, Lille, Dieppe/Rouen, Bordeaux/Toulouse, Lyon, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, and Lausanne/Geneva, Switzerland, to join with local saints laboring in each city. They joined the Lord's move in French-speaking Europe from January 23 through February 7.

 

We were so thankful for the coming of the FTTA and FTTL trainees. They and the local saints experienced these three blessings:

1) Paris
During the Bible distribution, several students at the nearby university came up to us asking for Bibles, and we got contact information from several of them. In the evening we attended a small group meeting and met a French gospel new one. We had lunch with a new one in her home whom we had met from the Bible distribution to spend time with her and her children.

 

After morning coordination we went out on the gospel. We passed out 39 out of the 40 Bibles that we brought. One person we met was saved two years ago and is still enjoying the joy of her salvation. During the conversation, as the trainees shared verses, she wrote the verses down in her journal with her favorite verses. She agreed to an appointment the same day and said she would bring her friend (who was the one who preached the gospel to her). This time was very encouraging, and we will have another appointment with her tomorrow. We also talked to a Catholic student. We will read the Bible with her next Tuesday also. Another appointment was made with a family of four adults and three children. We will meet them on Thursday to deliver Spanish Bibles to them.

 

One particular student was very attentive and grasped what we were saying. We spoke to him for about 20 minutes before he invited us to have pizza. One of the trainee brothers went with him and spent an hour with him. The student shared his struggles and said that it was fate that he came to campus and met us today, because of his situation and his feeling like giving up. He is very seeking for human connection and is open for another appointment.

 

We met with a mother who invited us to her home with a burden for us to speak to her children about Jesus. We met this woman a few days ago during the Bible distribution. In the two hours that we were at her home, she opened up to us and also encouraged her children to share about their experiences of the Lord. We talked about the importance of prayer, and the children shared that Jesus is their best friend. We sang “It is I” with them and fellowshipped about the significance of inviting the Lord into our boats. Afterward, we had further fellowship about getting into the Word of God and calling on the name of the Lord. We gave two of the older children an English and a French Bible, which they were very thankful for. The mother expressed that she wanted to invite her other family members to meet us and have fellowship. She also wanted her overseas family members to receive Bibles. Before we left the mother invited us to come again.

 

We had a lunch appointment with a local French woman. We listened to her family situation, prayed for her, and encouraged her to contact the Lord. She was very touched. We will have another appointment on Monday with her before going to the home meeting that same night. Our prayer burden is for her to continue to be with the saints in the environment of the church, as well as that she will be open to the Lord in a personal way to have Him as her joy, supply, and rest every day.

The night before the home meeting we had a time with a French woman whom we had met a few days before.

 

A local sister joined us today during Bible distribution and led two young people to receive the Lord through prayer. In the afternoon two sisters went to have an appointment with a positive new one.  

Six new ones whom we had met during our distributions came to our harvest meeting!

 

Our team joined the saints for shepherding appointments: the sisters met with two new ones, and the brothers met with two other new ones. We had a very sweet time of singing, fellowshipping, and eating together.

 

Our team had a blending time in the home of one of the families in Lille. Their son got baptized! How precious it was to hear his testimony and to see him function in the meeting and call upon the name of the Lord with a very exercised spirit! 

 

We had a very sweet time of coordination with the local saints in the morning. In the afternoon we had three shepherding appointments together with the local saints and the new ones we had just met. In the evening one of the new ones who has been regularly meeting with the saints for a few months took us on a tour of the city. We were able to be with him and get to know him more. 

 

We had a Bible distribution in Lille city center. During the hour and a half, we distributed 115 Bibles, got contact information from 14 persons, and prayed with 4 people to receive the Lord. Although it was slightly raining and quite windy, the Lord still had a way to reach His people.

 

The brothers had a few appointments in the afternoon. In the first appointment we pray-read a few verses, sang a few songs, and were nourished by our time together. Another brother we spent time with is very open and was impressed with how the ministry opens up the Bible. He wants to meet again next week before we leave. In our final appointment over dinner, the brother we met has a desire to pursue the Lord in his university years. After

dinner we prayed that we would all continue to run the race together.

 

We spent time with a college sister from Lille who grew up in the church life in Brussels. She also joined us with the local saints in our appointment with a new sister she had met during the Olympics and who is still meeting with the saints! We had a very sweet time of singing, fellowship, and eating together.

 

We had a Bible distribution in the afternoon. The people were so open and willing to get a Bible, give their contact information, and talk with us! We distributed 103 Bibles, got personal contact information from 34, and prayed with 4 people to receive the Lord. In the evening we had a home meeting to shepherd a new couple who has been meeting with the saints since the Olympics. We had a very joyful and organic time of singing hymns, reading the ministry, and sharing our enjoyment.

 

The sisters with some local saints had a lunch-time home meeting to shepherd a new sister. She has been meeting regularly. After going through the three volumes of Basic Elements of the Christian Life, she is now pursuing The Economy of God with the saints.

In the evening the team gathered with all the shepherding saints to have an overflow meeting. We had a very sweet time of eating and enjoying the Lord together.

 

 We had 4 shepherding appointments. One of the appointments was with a new one we had met during the Bible distribution last week. The three other new ones have been meeting with the saints for a few months now.

 

The sisters had a home meeting with the local saints and one of the gospel friends. She really enjoyed our time together and got connected with two local sisters for continual shepherding. Praise the Lord!

 

We were very cherished to have the saints come to say goodbye to us at the train station. They and the many new ones in Lille are written on our hearts!

 

 

* This is my second trip (5 weeks) to participate in the Lord's move in France. I am here in Lille with the same travel companions that I had during this past summer gospel trips: I and couple also from New Zealand served in OL2 in Geneva and OL4 in Lille in July/August 2024. The three of us have all retired. I am 67.

 

After having several meetings with the new ones, the most striking thing on this trip is the new ones’ growth in life. It is such a privilege and blessing to witness this phenomenon!

I realized that through the consistent care and proper feeding of these new ones, the life in them is growing!  The life practices of calling on the Lord’s name and pray-reading are passing on from the shepherds to these precious lambs. They are singing and reading through the ministry materials each meeting!

 

The ministry materials are so NEW and FRESH to me when I read them with the new ones, though I have already read through many of them several times prior!

I sensed a mutual shepherding between the shepherds and the lambs! I am energized and revitalized after each meeting.

 

May the Lord gain what is in His heart in Lille, in France, in Europe and throughout the globe. May He move many more shepherds from many countries to France/Europe to continue His work here to close the age!

 

*What a privilege to come back again to Lille and enter into the shepherding of all the Lord’s lambs who were gained through the Olympic trips! I am eternally grateful to the Lord for allowing me to come and join with the local saints here, who have been very welcoming and cherishing to me. I never thought I would ever be able to be useful to the Lord in this way, but after our OL trips and the fellowship we received, I had the deep impression that the Lord really needs us, even in our “golden” years. I am 72 years old and retired, just a little member of the Body of Christ, not qualified in any way, but I had the realization that the Lord had given me my health, the means to participate, and a window of opportunity, so I should simply say Amen and answer His call. Amazingly, my husband had the same feeling! I knew that we would never regret this! It has been so worth it! We have been here for nearly 3 months, and already I feel the Lord has perfected me. 

 

My spirit has been refreshed and released! My oldness and staleness seems to have disappeared, and the Lord has been so real and living to me. He has shepherded my soul in giving me the opportunity to shepherd these new ones. How sweet and faithful He is. All the new ones here are so accepting of us, and already I feel they have been wrought into my heart. 

 

When I look around at all the local shepherding saints in Lille, I realize that when we go home, they will be under a tremendous burden, and even some of these dear new ones may be lost. Oh, this really stirs my heart and causes me to pray to the Lord to thrust out the workers. Come and see the saints in Lille! Come and see the saints in one accord! O Lord Jesus, we love You!

 

3) Nanterre
We arrived in Nanterre, joined the young people’s meeting, heard the testimonies of many young people, and also shared some of our own testimonies as well. It was touching to see how the more experienced saints were caring for the young ones in order to cultivate their taste for the Lord.

 

The local saints and the brothers and sisters on the team had appointments with new ones to shepherd one another. We felt a seamless immersion into the burden of the saints for these new ones.

 

41 Bibles were distributed, and we exchanged contact information with 11 new ones on a rainy day in Nanterre. The people of Nanterre were intrigued as to why we were out in the cold and rain. This testimony of the Lord seemed to draw people in!

 

We met a French student for lunch, and later her fiancé joined us. We gave her fiancé a Bible, and we are praying that they will join the meetings.

 

We have been enjoying the weekend conference with all the local saints. Quite a few newer ones (contacted in Nanterre during the OLs) came to this small conference! Praise the Lord for the way He has been building and knitting us together!

 

We had a coordination time with the local saints and then went out for Bible distribution in a busy intersection near the Palace of Versailles. In total we distributed 22 Bibles and got contact information from 7 people. We were surprised by how many people were open to talking about the Bible and then received a Bible, especially the younger locals. Even though most of us couldn't speak French, they still were willing to speak to us in English to receive a Bible. In the evening we had blending time with the serving team, and two families also joined us with their kids. We had an enjoyable time of fellowship, hearing their testimonies and their sharing about their life in Versailles, and playing with their kids. Though these local saints work full time and are busy with family life, they poured out for us. They cooked meals and joined us in our contacting of people whenever possible. They are so active and burdened for the Lord to raise up the church in Versailles.

 

We passed out more Bibles today and received more contact information from people (more than yesterday!). Like yesterday, the young people seemed particularly open and eager to receive Bibles, but we also had a good number of middle-age locals who were interested. We invited these new ones to dinner and Bible study. In the evening we had a gospel dinner. The Lord answered our prayers by bringing a seeking middle-age Haitian man, whom we met today while distributing Bibles. He was happy to see us and also had many questions, which led to much fellowship. In the end after singing a song, we invited him to come to the Lord’s table meeting and conference outside of Paris this Lord’s Day, and he left with a brighter countenance.

 

We moved to a major train station. We had many meaningful conversations, and two people prayed to receive the Lord.

 

We preached the gospel and distributed Bibles at a busy intersection. One of the students who prayed to receive the Lord mentioned that she had been reading the Bible and was struggling to understand what she was reading. She was looking online to purchase a study Bible but could not find one that she liked. As she was walking in our direction today, she was praying to the Lord for a way to get a study Bible so that she could know Him more, and then she found us! We had good fellowship, led her to pray to receive the Lord, and exchanged contact information.

 

Today we distributed 46 Bibles, obtained contact information from 11 people, and led one to receive the Lord. We also had an appointment of sweet fellowship with one of the students we met during the Bible distribution. We shared our testimonies with each other, made deeper connections, and made plans to read the Bible together over the phone on a regular basis. In another appointment with a university student, we had open fellowship concerning our experiences being a Christian.

 

In the evening we had a gospel dinner where one of our new ones came. At the end of the meeting, she said that this was her first time joining a Bible study, and that she loved it. We invited her to the harvest meeting and will pray for the Lord to open the way for her to come. 

 

Lord, cause some to migrate to Versailles to labor together with us for the church life in this city!

Giving

Saints who are burdened to give for the Bible distribution and other expenses can give through LME by following instructions at lordsmove.org/offerings.html. Designate offerings for “Paris Olympics.”

Archived Reports

Read all the past gospel reports here.