FRANCE AtHome MINISTRY

—walking alongside the local church globally—

Summary

Over the past decade, the influx of refugees and immigrants to France has created a pressing need for support. Social services play a crucial role in addressing this crisis, and a dedicated missionary church is vital for effectively serving this population. The AtHome project supports a young and vibrant church community growing amongst this diverse population. Through building relationships, sharing the gospel, and making disciples, AtHome serves as a bridge between refugees, immigrants, and their new host country.

Cost

The total project cost is $50,000 per year. These funds support the AtHome church community and their outreach to refugees and immigrants.

Project # 42.30501

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Resources

Background

The Church of God in Paris has historically been an Arabic-speaking congregation. It was planted in 1989 by the Church of God in Lebanon. Their church services have been in Arabic with translations into French, but they have primarily maintained their Arabic heritage.

Vision

Now, the Church of God in Paris has been given an incredible Kairos moment to make an impact. The Arabic speaking church in Paris has now seen an influx of refugees, many of which are Arabic speaking themselves! Samir Salibi, a young leader in the church, has made this an opportunity to utilize their language skills to reach out to the vulnerable refugee populations descending on their city.

STRATEGY

This Global Strategy project partners with AtHome by financially supporting the following elements of their ministry:

1. CHURCH RENT: Helps cover the rent of the building where Sunday services and weekly small group Bible studies are held

2. AtHome HOUSE: Subsidizes the rent of a transitional home where a group of new believers live together for the purposes of safe housing, Christian community, and intentional discipleship

3. OUTREACH: Creates opportunities for engaging events and weekly visits to refugee and immigrant communities

“And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” –Deuteronomy 10:19 (NIV)

The Refugee Situation in Paris

The refugee situation in Europe took a dramatic turn in 2015 with an incredible influx of people seeking safety from the increasingly volatile situations in their home countries. The numbers are staggering…

There are approximately 89.3 million people forcibly displaced worldwide.

21.3 million of them are refugees

Over half of the refugees worldwide are under the age of 18

69% of the refugees come from just five countries: Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Venezuela

An unprecedented 1,015,078 refugees arrived in Europe by sea in 2015.

The journey is dangerous. Nearly 3,500 were dead or missing in 2016 from their journey to Europe. When they arrive, sometimes living on the streets is the only option. Refugees are searching for hope in the despair they are living. Some are being visited by Jesus in their dreams.

One visiting partner tells about the stories he heard when visiting with refugees in Paris. “One refugee we met saw their boat enter into a dangerous storm, but everyone called on the name of Jesus and were saved. That refugee is now on a quest to find out who this Jesus is that he owes his life to!”

AtHome: a place of refuge

AtHome leader, Samir Salibi, has an answer to this crisis. And it is the church!
Samir calls AtHome, “the church in action and on the ground.” AtHome engages with refugees in four ways: 1) Evangelism, 2) Sunday Services, 3) Bible Studies & Counseling, and 4) AtHome House. Learn more about each below:

EVANGELISM

AtHome outreach ministries are centered around going to where refugees reside, cultivating relationships, and sharing the Gospel. Each Thursday, a core group of volunteers travels to a popular city square where many refugees, immigrants, and people experiencing homelessness reside. There they provide warm meals, worship, and other fun outreach activities. Additionally, special Nights of Hope events are often prepared and hosted by short-term mission teams who come to visit AtHome in Paris.

SUNDAY SERVICES

Sunday services provide time and space for believers to gather for fellowship, teaching and worship. All services are translated into three languages- Arabic, Farsi, and French- and welcome people of all different cultures and backgrounds into their midst.

BIBLE STUDIES & COUNSELING

Different small groups are created for men, women, and new believers to come together and receive intensive discipleship. Professional counseling is also offered to survivors of extreme change and trauma. In these spaces, a special emphasis is placed on Christ’s forgiveness, which releases hearts from bitterness and trauma and opens the door to freedom and healing.

ATHOME TRANSITION HOUSE

Several new believers- each from a different country- live together in an intentional, micro-church community where they find safe housing, friendship, and discipleship. The individuals living in this home come from different nations, including Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt, and Qatar. Though they face the challenges of navigating many cultural differences, they share a hunger for learning more about Jesus and the new life He has called them each to live.

Will you join Global Strategy in preparing a path for the next generation of leaders?

Ways to make a difference

Online—Visit this link
Check—Make checks payable to “Church of God Ministries” and specify “France AtHome- 42.30501” in the memo line

For more information, contact Global Strategy Projects at 800.848.2464 or GSProjects@chog.org.