I don’t even know where to begin. Maybe I shouldn’t, but here it goes…
Writing is weird. You order your thoughts with your mind, and then, through some unseen forces, they go through your fingers to a writing instrument. This is perhaps what God does with the plans he has for us. He has good things planned for us, and through unseen forces, His will is manifest in the physical world. Sometimes, it seems mundane until, all at once, that which seemed insignificant bursts into the light in a dramatic display of His glory. Such has been the case in the last few weeks.
Perhaps articulating God’s works is futile, but I would feel unappreciative of His goodness if I did not.
6-10 May: Our evangelism team embarked on a 🎥 nightly prayer walk through Paris’ 17th arrondissement, specifically in the area of Porte de Clichy. This area, on the direct *opposite side of Paris* from our church, is where we are feeling led by the Holy Spirit to plant another church. If you are unfamiliar with prayer walking, it is an intercessory prayer involving walking in an area to pray. During the walk, our prayers extended beyond our own concerns, focusing directly on the needs of others and opening ourselves to see them with God’s eyes and heart. We prayed for the blessings of God to be manifested in this particular area, for us to be connected with hungry souls, and also for spiritual discernment to know its needs and cautions.
18 May: This Pentecost weekend, our evangelism team gathered in Porte de Clichy to worship and pray for people.
19 May: With much anticipation, the people of Paris Centre Church gathered early before church service for prayer. These are people of prayer. 45 minutes before the service began, a kind French lady came into the building. She was looking for a church in … PORTE DE CLICHY, and someone had told her to come to PCC on the opposite side of the city. She was happy to hear we intend to plant a church in the Porte de Clichy area.
The church service was amazing. The Holy Spirit moved so deeply and tangibly that people could feel the presence of God in a unique way. People told us that the moment they entered the room, they got “goosebumps” because the presence of God was so strong. One man came to me after service and said it felt like a whirlwind had surrounded his body as he prayed. Even as these thoughts are parsed into words, I feel water seeping into my eyes.
The worship was with abandon. The preaching was with passion. The response to receiving the Holy Spirit was electric. Though the hot, thick atmosphere of the room only contained 160 souls, it felt like we were in a stadium with thousands. As hungry souls surged to the front to embrace the power of Pentecost, at least 11 testified that they experienced the Acts 2 blessing for the first time, with one spontaneously deciding to be baptized.
We had 3 baptisms previously scheduled, including 1 from the deaf community who has been attending PCC. Also in this community, is a lady who is confined to a wheelchair.
Our evangelism director and his wife live about 15 minutes from the church meeting space, and they have graciously opened their home for baptisms. They live on the top floor (4th) of a building with NO elevator.
A faith-filled band of believers made their way to their home to witness and celebrate the four baptisms that were to take place. The deaf community had been warned about the lack of accessibility and that it might be wise if the lady in the wheelchair did not attend. As we looked down from the roof awaiting the arrival of everyone, we saw them, with her, happily making their way off the sidewalk, and many minutes later, she emerged in the room as they had carried her upstairs!!
The first baptism was a young Frenchman who has been coming to our church for a few weeks. God has made a remarkable transformation in his life. His Romanian girlfriend and her family came to witness this happy occasion.
The second baptism was when the deaf man and his friends silently gathered to celebrate with him. Prior to baptism, I shared instructions and explanations so that people know what is happening. This is AMAZING… I spoke in English. It was translated into French. Translated into Spanish, which was spoken into Google Translate. That was read by a deaf friend that was THEN translated into LSF (French Sign Language)!!!!
The third baptism was of a Sri Lankan lady who attended church for the first time that day. As I had preached, she felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit that she must be baptized. It was beautiful.
The fourth baptism was a kind man from Pakistan who started attending our church at the end of February. He is a manager at a very large hotel in Paris in… PORTE DE CLICHY!! He has offered us a place to have service in his hotel.
Now we come to the FIFTH and most UNPLANNED baptism. The deaf lady in the wheelchair watched all of this with much emotion. At some point during all of this, she decided that she must be baptized. They found a change of clothes for her to wear, and people helped her get changed. The next thing we know, our evangelism director, now out of his suit and into jogging pants, came carrying this precious lady through the doorway and into the water with her. We again went through the English – Spanish – Google – Sign Language cycle to pronounce the precious name of Jesus over her. When she emerged from the water, she was a new creature. The joy on her face filled every empty space in the room.
Spontaneous moments of worship erupted. In English. In Romanian. In French. In Spanish. And in Sign Language.
This was the closest I have ever seen to the biblical story of a lame person’s friends tearing a hole in the roof so their friend could get to Jesus. It also made me think of the story in John 5 when the lame man told Jesus that he had no one to place him in the pool. Sister, today you have someone.
This Pentecost weekend, “waters were troubled” in Paris. Revival is here, and we are here for Revival.
