History
Celtic tribes originally settled the land known today as France. The Roman
Empire conquered and annexed the land in the second century BC, naming it
Gaul. After the Roman Empire fell, other peoples inhabited the land, most
notably the Germanic Franks (from whom France gets its name). In the Middles
Ages, France gained power and influence over much of Europe’s affairs,
fighting several wars with Britain and participating in the Crusades.
After several centuries, the French crown was deposed and one of the world’s
first republics rose up. Napoleon Bonaparte came to power in the 1800s and
briefly gave France a place of power in the world. After Bonaparte’s
defeat, France expanded its influence overseas, mostly in Africa and North
America. During World Wars I and II, France was invaded and became host
to some of the bloodiest battles ever fought in history. France emerged
intact and is a hub of culture, art, cuisine and tourism in Europe today.
Church
History
The Pentecostal Movement has been present in France for at least 92 years.
In 1909, Helen Biolley opened a Christian boarding house in Le Havre. Missionaries
on their way to French-speaking nations frequently stopped there to learn
the language. Biolley and a group of women began to pray for revival and
evangelism in France. Later on, an Englishman named Douglas Scott came to
the boarding house and began to minister. God used Scott’s ministry
to establish many churches in France. In 1932, these churches formed the
Assemblies of God in France.
The
Movement Today
About 80 percent of France’s population claim to belong to the Roman
Catholic Church. Ten percent say they have no religion at all, and the rest
belong to Islam, Judaisim and Protestantism. Missionaries from the American
Assemblies of God are working with French pastors and believers to change
the country’s spiritual condition. The Assemblies of God of France
constitute the largest evangelical church in the country.
The Assemblies of God in France report the following statistics: 429 ministers,
743 churches and outstations, and 60,626 members and adherents.
“Vie et Lumière” meaning Life and Light is the gypsy
Pentecostal movement in France. Clement LeCossec founded the minstry among
this “traveling” community.
Today the movement consists, in approximate numbers, of 100,000 baptized
believers and 210,000 adult, youth and children adherents. They report 1350
ordained ministers, 160 churches, 40 home missions works, and one Bible
school with 150 students.
Additional
Facts About France
Capital:
Paris
Area:
210,026 square miles
Population:
60,180,529
Urbanization: 75 percent
Agriculture: Grains, corn fruit, vegetables and livestock
Industry: Steel, chemicals, textiles, tourism, wine, perfume,
aircraft, machinery, electronic equipment |
