Joel and Becky Kennedy

The French need Jesus. Churches are literally everywhere in France. In every city, town and even the tiniest of villages, you will find a church. Yet despite this rich Christian heritage, most churches today remain as empty monuments; symbols of an old, dead religion.

Long ago, the people of France turned away from God. When the French Revolution began in 1789, revolutionary leaders were influenced by the intellectual minds of the Enlightenment, which eventually led to the creation of a French society closed to Christianity. The goal was to promote a secular society and “free” the French people from the bondage of all things related to faith, God and the church.

This legacy still lives strong today. Looking to the arts, culture, science and the pursuit of health, the French believe humanity can exist and find meaning in logic and reasoning alone. In fact, the majority of French people today deny the very existence of God, with 58% of the population claiming to be atheist or agnostic and only 1.6% claiming to be Jesus followers.

Believing they can find fulfillment, identity and meaning in life apart from their Creator, the French culture of today is centered around the pursuit of happiness at all costs. But there remains an insatiable void. Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), a French mathematician, physicist, inventor and philosopher, insightfully wrote about the futility of this pursuit:

“What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him… this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself.”

Discipleship in the Savoie

We live in the department of the Savoie, a mountainous region bordering Italy that has its own unique history and rich farming heritage. Heavily influenced by the surrounding alpine culture, the people of the Savoie value healthy living, sports, the outdoors and, of course, cheese. But beyond the beauty and cultural heritage lies a vast spiritual desert. With a population of 445,000, there are only 13 small evangelical churches, with less than 1% professing to be Christ-followers. In fact, the Savoie is one of the least-reached departments in all of France.

God has given our family a deep love for the people of the Savoie. We love their regional slang, laid-back attitude, love for the outdoors and their celebration of all things cheese. But these people are lost, broken and lonely. They do not know their Creator, who loves them. They have heard about Jesus for millennia, but they have not met Him. This is why we are here—to introduce them to Jesus and make disciples in our neighbourhood, our city, in the Savoie and beyond.

Our broader ministry vision is to see the gospel message transform society around us through holistic community development. Simply stated, we have been called to partner with God to establish discipleship ecosystems. Seeking the Holy Spirit to direct and guide what comes, we desire to see people coming to Christ in healthy community where they can grow, be fruitful and multiply in a regenerative and sustainable way. Church planting will come when the ground is fertile for it.

If you are inspired to see discipleship ecosystems grow through the work of committed, long-term missionaries, would you consider partnering with us?