February 16, 2011
By Brad Reynolds, serving in France
It was a surprise for us to learn at the end of January, mid-way through our home assignment year, that our young church plant in southwestern France had a grand total of 67 euros ($97) in the bank account. Due to recent renovations on the rented facility that we use for worship and Sunday school, the final bills had depleted the account that normally covers all of our costs. Facing invoices of more than 3,500 euros ($4,700) due in a week, the church board had no idea how they would come up with the funds. From the very outset of this church plant, the first church to be established in this community in more than 700 years, God had been teaching us to live and walk entirely by faith. This would be one of the greatest challenges we had faced.
The weekend prior to receiving this news, Tina and I had spoken at Risen King Alliance Church in New City, New York, where several members of the congregation had given us words of encouragement from the Lord at the conclusion of the service. One member told us that she had received a picture of trucks loaded with provisions, waiting in a warehouse and ready to leave for our church. She believed that this was God’s encouragement to us that all that was needed to purchase our rented facility would be provided. A few days later, we learned of the church’s need.
Requesting prayer from those who support us, Tina and I were waiting for God’s answer as we left for a special tour of two churches in the South Pacific District, leaving our regular tour of Metropolitan District churches. During our time in Arizona, we learned that on the last Sunday of January, the French church had received one-fourth of the needed amount in the offering and another member had promised a gift that would cover another fourth of the amount. But where would the rest of the funds come from to pay the rent and other bills?
While traveling to the second church, we told Pastor Steve Redden of Cross Point Church in Murrieta, California, about how God was teaching our church to live and walk by faith and how the members were excitedly waiting to see how the final amount would come in. At that point, Pastor Redden told us that we could phone our church and tell them not to worry because Cross Point would take care of the rest. He said that as a young Alliance congregation, the Lord had met all of their needs and that they had a heart for other church-planting situations. He said that they were “a warehouse church” because they meet in a space that was used in the past for a small business. We were so excited and touched by the generosity of this church that we had never even visited.
Later we realized that this was the picture that our friend had received, a warehouse with all of the provisions that we needed-the trucks just waiting to leave. God had provided once again as we waited in faith and trust.
On Sunday morning, Pastor Redden told his congregation about the gift that had been given in their name. Spontaneous applause filled the room. On the other side of the ocean, EPI members had learned of God’s provision and were deeply touched by their caring Father and the partnership of the Alliance family. Tina and I believe this is one more expression of what it means to “live the call together.”
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in France.
What You Can Do
Praise the Lord for this pioneer ministry in Léguevin. Pray that all those who hear the life-changing message of the gospel in this house of prayer will receive Him as Savior.
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