Focus on the French Mission World

Three hundred million people in 47 French-speaking countries need the Good News of Jesus. There are presently 54 American workers and 46 nationals (counting husband and wife) in 16 French-speaking countries. Though much mission work has been done since the early 1950s, no country can be said to have been "evangelized" in the French world. There is no known presence of a New Testament church in 31 French-speaking countries. France, a country of almost 60 million people, has about 300 members scattered in nine small congregations. Paris, with an area population of over 10 million people, is one of the largest unevangelized cities in the world, in spite of many years of diligent work by a handful of dedicated, talented brethren.

There have been several positive developments in the French world. A new team of three couples has begun the work in Marseille, France. A team of five couples has targeted a tribal area in Togo, and a team has done the same in Benin. A Bible Training Center for French Africa has opened in Cotonou, Benin, with 18 students. A central office for Bible correspondence course students in French Africa has opened in Cotonou. New publications have begun: two for French Africa, Chemin de verite from the Ivory Coast and La voix de la verite, from Benin, and an information bulletin, Dunamis, for all of the French world from Geneva. Two families of national workers have moved back to French Canada after being trained at the International Bible College. A number of new tracts and books have been published in Quebec City and Geneva. New correspondence courses in French have been produced. Extensive evangelism has taken place in Romania among French-speaking correspondence course students. European French- speaking churches have supported their first full-time missionary. Two medical campaigns in French Africa have been partially staffed by European Christians. A leadership training school by correspondence, the Ecole du Maitre (School of the Master), has been functioning for the last four years.

These developments are encouraging. There are, though, discouraging aspects. A number of experienced workers have returned to the States. The work of several others has been limited because of a lack of adequate personal and working support. The few in the States who are wanting to move into French missions are having a difficult time finding sponsoring/supporting churches. Some older churches in French Europe are stagnating or are disappearing. French and Bible departments in the States do not seem to be producing as many students with foreign French-missions interest. The resource of young people in apprenticeship programs has just about dried up for the French world. These factors should not be just discouraging, but an impetus to push ahead with the resources available and to pray for more workers for the harvest which is truly fruitful.

Campaigns are planned this summer for Europe and Africa. Interns are coming to work with mission teams. More diversified methods are being explored in French Europe to reach the masses and the religious leaders. A new program for leadership development is beginning with the monthly publication in French of the English printed preachers' school, Truth for Today. Three new mission teams are forming: one targeting a tribe in central Benin, another the city of Strasbourg in France, and a third the island of Madagascar. After several years of absence, a summer camp will be conducted this year for children from the French-speaking churches in Europe. In a general movement in African missions of Africans taking the gospel to Africans a priority focus is on French-speaking nations. A series of teaching videos for French television stations are to be produced.

French-speaking missions are not static. Though there is much to be done, there is much being done. Many brethren are committed to the task of entering doors which God opens.