COVID-19 contaminations keep rising in France, and deaths are at an all-time high. The next two weeks might be the peak of the epidemic. Like many of you no doubt, Meg and I have been locked down in our home here in France just on the outskirts of Geneva, Switzerland. We need special passes to leave the house for whatever reason, even just to take a walk (see video below). Heavy fines are being given to those who don’t respect the lock-down. The borders to Switzerland are shut to all non-critical traffic. All businesses except for grocery stores and pharmacies are closed. Meg and I are both “high-risk” people because of my Crohn’s Disease and Meg’s Lupus. So, we are being extra careful.

Our First Church Livestream Ever!

 

Like thousands of churches all the around the world, our church in Geneva ventured out into cyberspace as well and has now livestreamed two Sunday services. I preached from our home. This virtual connection with church has actually been really appreciated and encouraging.The sign I made and am holding up to the camera says: Live transmission will begin in a few minutes. How professional! Here is a 38-second video that was filmed prior to starting my very first livestream.  

Found! A New Pastor for Our Church!
 

 

After a 9-month process by our search committee, last Sunday our church unanimously voted (via ZOOM) to call the new pastor of our church, Franck Ségonne! Franck has been pastoring in Dijon, France for the last 20 years, and was in transition when he heard that we were looking for a pastor. Franck and I have been friends for 23 years. He is a teacher at the Geneva Bible Institute and just wrote a powerful book on evangelism, all while working on his Master’s degree in theology here in France. He is  a wonderful expositor of the Word of God, having been trained by Florent Varak who himself is a graduate of the Master’s Seminary. Franck will officially start on September 1, 2020, and we will transition together for one year, Lord willing, until September 1, 2021. That gives Meg and me 1 ½ years to consider future ministry options as we seek the counsel of our sending church, Grace Community Church. We are very grateful for the way the Lord has led in this process and trust Him to take this church-plant to the next stage.
 

 

Some might be confused over the fact that we will be turning this church over to someone else, even though I am not ready to retire (I am only 63). The reason is that I am a church-planter. And church-planters plant churches. When the church is small and can’t remunerate its own pastor, the missionary serves as the pastor, receiving his funding from outside the church. But once the church grows, becomes mature, and is able to remunerate its own pastor, the missionary turns the church over to a national. This is the sign that the church has at last reached adulthood, and is the ultimate goal of all church-planters. And from that moment on the church is no longer dependent on the missionary. Meg and I thus greatly rejoice at this final step of our church plant – that of turning the church over to a local pastor. The Lord is good. 

 
Thank you once again for praying for our long-term future goals, and that God would lead us in His perfect will.