Love France Christian Media Press Release 140824

Media Release
DATE: 14 August 2024

BEGINS
Encounters with Jesus Christ at the Paris Games

Many people in Paris for the Games came away with something much better than a gold medal. They came away with a Savior.

The following report is collated from some initial conversations with Ensemble 2024 partners at the conclusion of the Games.  More details over the coming weeks.

Missionary organizations and Churches trained and practised for the games, just like the athletes. At least 2,500 people from France and overseas mobilised for mission fanning out across the city and across France. As a result, a very conservative estimate is that over a thousand people have come to faith.

Youth with a Mission (YWAM) saw 250 people over three weeks make commitments. They report sharing the Good News with over 3,500 people.  2,800 people were prayed for, 100 people were healed and over 170 people were connected to local church communities across Paris.  200,000 Sports New Testaments printed by the Bible Society in French and in English were given away.

“Unite Paris24”, led by the evangelistic group Awakening Europe, drew together 200 people to serve in Paris. They saw 152 people come into the Kingdom, from over 1,600 conversations where the Gospel was shared.  Like YWAM they experienced miraculous healings. A Parisian man was planning to go and steal some money when he encountered one of the team. After a long discussion, he responded to the invitation to accept Jesus. He had a bullet wound that had handicapped him for a number of years. They prayed over him, and he was healed. A few days later, he attended his first church service. 

‘Next Move’ - a sports movement from the Netherlands chose to concentrate their campaign outside of Paris. They sent two teams to the south – St Etienne and Grenoble, where they worked alongside local Christians using sports and festivals to reach the communities. They helped strengthen and grow local Christian sports movement projects. 

Each outreach across France used tens of thousands of Sports Bibles and tracts. Thousands were ministered to through acts of kindness particularly to the homeless community.

The Arts

There have been a number of creative mission initiatives, including a week-long Paris Praise Festival and two Christian Art Galleries. One was just two streets from the Louvre and a two-minute walk from the Olympic flame in the Tuileries Gardens.

It was a solace for both Parisians and tourists. Many returned over the 17 days, some bringing friends and enjoying daily performances, concerts and artistic moments.  The organising team reported, “We have welcomed more than 900 people for an art exhibition based on the theme “Humanity Gathered.”  It has been amazing experiencing the number and range of spiritual conversations as they visited and enjoyed the works of art.”

Chaplaincy

Christians (Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants) worked together in a common Chaplaincy space at the Olympic Village to welcome the athletes and their delegations from all over the world. They were among 120 chaplains from 7 faith groups on site.

30 Protestant chaplains welcomed delegation members and athletes and offered three Services each day (with prayers, worship and devotions). The athletes were grateful to have the opportunity to share their challenges, hopes and joy.

When their competitions were completed, many Christian athletes came to celebrate God and share their faith with the chaplains. A highlight was when several Olympic medalists came to share at the Service and invited their friends.

In this period of social and community tensions in France, the Olympics has demonstrated the power of unity and love between nations and people, like the celebrations experienced in the streets of Paris during this Olympic period. Now, Chaplains are preparing for the Paralympics to serve God in the village again

Prayer

24/7 prayer took place across the city during the Games. Just before the Closing ceremony 300 young French Christians from across Paris gathered to worship and pray for their city.

International Prayer Connect - a network of 5,000+ prayer networks, has been mobilising prayer through the www.lovefrance.world website, with an online prayer guide and an invitation for people to be part of a worldwide gift of 1 million prayers for France!  The project, which runs through to the end of the Para-Games has raised 833,000 prayers from 110 nations, to date.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information, interviews, resources, please contact
Matthew Glock in Paris
[email protected]
+33  6 70 41 52 85

Information about the ‘organizations’:

Love France is run by International Prayer Connect and Ensemble 2024. Our aim is to create a window into all that is happening across France this Summer and to connect and inform the worldwide Church as it prays for and blesses and encourages France in this pivotal year!

The Love France campaign brings together an informal coalition of umbrella organizations, churches, ministries, community organizations, and prayer and mission ministries across France with the support and involvement of a number of worldwide partners.

International Prayer Connect is a network of 5,000+ worldwide prayer networks. It is comprised of intercessors, church groups, houses of prayer, ministries, organizations and prayer networks who share a common vision of:

Exalting Jesus, Catalysing united prayer across nations, denominations, movements, and generations for the fulfilment of the Great Commission

Across each year, 100 million+ believers connect with them in prayer through the 110 Cities Global Days of Prayer, a Global Family 24-7 Prayer Room, World Prayer Assembly & Summits, regional gatherings and online initiatives.

Ensemble 2024 is an umbrella organisation that was set up for the duration of 2024 to support and publicise the projects, events and initiatives taking place within France. There are 76+ partner organisations from across the French Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Chinese and non-denominational churches.

Ensemble 2024 aims to support, promote collaboration and build partnerships across the Church communities.

Although Ensemble 2024 will cease after the games, their ongoing vision is to see an enduring legacy after the games - seeding transformation across communities, people, the Church and the nation!