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Something Unusual in France

Frank and Marlea Pfeifer

Beziers Church

When driving along the Mediterranean Sea in the South of France you may stumble across the ancient Roman city of Beziers and its rare gem—a new, stand-alone church building that was completed in the year 2000. While most evangelical churches in France are held in rented storefronts or buildings, a modern stand-alone church building is a rarity; especially in a country where the percentage of evangelical Christians is comparable to that of Egypt or other Muslim countries.

The money for this new building came from twenty church members. In fact, one member believed so fully in the project that she left a large portion of the financing in her will. Other members lent their personal funds to the church to help complete the building. In the wonderful provision from our gracious God, those loans were paid in full in 2007.  

This small, but generous congregation of less than 50 people has also pledged to support not one, but three missionaries! Although they are not able to give a large amount of money, they have a huge heart for missions. Currently, two of their missionaries are former pastors who have relocated to separate, French-speaking countries in Africa. The third missionary is sharing the gospel in Eastern Europe.

On any given Sunday morning, you can find this group of Christians worshipping together in their new building. The love that these members have for one another, however, is expressed through the deeds that extend beyond their church walls, long after Sunday morning has passed.

There is one important element missing from this picture. The church is without a French pastor. Currently, ABWE missionary Frank Pfeifer is filling in as interim pastor, while the church body continues to pray for and seek the leader God has planned for them.

When Frank and Marlea Pfeifer first came to Beziers in 2003, it was their intention to help establish a daughter work in the needy and growing area around Beziers. Upon their arrival, though, it became apparent that the work within Beziers needed strengthened first. In the meantime, many contacts have been made and several cities have been targeted for possible daughter works. While that goal is still in view, the work is slow. Still, God has been good in blessing this congregation of believers. He has promised that His church will prevail. He bought it with His blood. It is His work not ours. Please pray for this fragile work; that God would raise up a pastor and that the Bezier church might become an important part of a growing church planting movement in France.