Gustav Krös
20/11/2025
France has been a global leader for centuries, with prominent figures like Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles de Gaulle contributing to its rich history. Today, it continues to wield global influence as one of only nine countries that possess nuclear weapons, and also one of only five countries that hold a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. From a Christian perspective, Catholicism has been the primary religion for more than a thousand years, but a dramatic shift took place in the religious landscape of the country during the French Revolution of 1787–1799.
A new foundation was laid for the governance of the country in the form of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which placed all authority in the hands of man. God’s Word thus no longer carried any authority in the governance of the country, and this led to fierce persecution of the Church. This paved the way for France to become a world leader in liberalism and humanism, as was showcased during the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.
According to the Joshua Project, 62.1% of the population are Christian adherents, but only 1.3% are Evangelical. It is estimated that in 1950 there were about fifty thousand Evangelical believers, and that today there are more than one million. Evangelical Christianity is seen as one of the fastest-growing faiths in France, with noticeable growth among young people. God is thus at work in the country despite the growing influence of humanism and the growth of Islam, with 8.7% of the population identifying as Muslim.
We spoke to a missionary who serves in France as part of an organisation that focuses on church planting, and we wanted to know what excites him about the Church in France. He responded as follows:
“What excites me about the Church in France is the effort to live together in unity. Indeed, the CNEF (National Council of Evangelicals of France) has launched several initiatives in recent years that allow Christians to come together around common themes. For example, on October 5, 2025, a few weeks ago, nearly 90 celebrations took place in several cities across France. Churches from various denominations came together to worship together. This event, called “Celebrations 2025,” was a first and perfectly illustrates this surge of unity that encourages me about the Church in France.”
“The Universal Week of Prayer is also one of the activities that brings the Church together. For several years now, a week of prayer for unity, organized by the European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) and supported by the CNEF in France, has brought together many churches in prayer. For 2026, it will be held from January 11 to 18, 2026.”
“A final example of this effort at unification and gathering is the shared vision surrounding the missionary initiative “Together in Mission.” The preamble to the text, adopted by 33 unions of churches and 180 organizations at the CNEF plenary assembly on December 5, 2023, states:
“CONVINCED THAT GOD IS SENDING US TOGETHER INTO THE WORLD, WE, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNIONS OF CHURCHES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE CNEF, PROPOSE A UNIFYING VISION THAT ALLOWS THE VARIOUS EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT ACTORS TO FIND THEIR PLACE IN A MOVEMENT OF UNITY IN SERVICE OF THE MISSION THAT GOD ENTRUSTS TO US.”
“Isn’t this a beautiful illustration of the desire to be and to live together in the unity of the body of Christ? This is what encourages me about the church in France today.”
The collaborative effort to pursue unity and promote missions is truly exciting, for we know that Psalm 133:1–3 tells us that where God’s people live together in unity, there He bestows His blessing. But we should not be surprised that one of the devil’s main strategies is to bring division in the Church. When asked what the greatest challenge currently facing the Church in France is, our contact responded as follows:
“Even though efforts to live in unity are commendable and important, it seems to me that the greatest challenge for the church remains unity itself. Unity is fragile. In a world where positions are becoming increasingly radicalized, the church faces the challenge of maintaining unity according to the text of Ephesians 4, particularly verse 3: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
“This challenge also involves accepting diversity. For example, churches originating from the diaspora sometimes struggle to find their place within the French evangelical landscape. Yet, there is a desire to include them, without always achieving satisfactory results. This is one area where efforts must be maintained or even strengthened.”
France boasts a diverse population that is made up of 123 different people groups. Economic migrants and refugees have certainly had a widespread impact on the country and on the Church. We therefore asked our missionary friend what impact he would say refugees have had on the Church in France, to which he responded as follows:
“This is a difficult question. To my knowledge, there are no official sources close to the CNEF (National Council of Evangelical Churches in France) that detail the impact of people from immigrant backgrounds on the evolution of the Church. That being said, the CNEF mentions that the reasons for church growth should not be limited to the diaspora church movement alone. It must be acknowledged, however, that several communities composed of members of foreign origin have been founded in recent years, but these simply reflect the realities of French demographics, particularly in the Paris region.”
“For Sébastien Fath, a historian and sociologist of religions at the CNRS (specializing in the study of evangelical Protestantism), immigration plays an important but not exclusive role in the growth of evangelical churches in France. Christians from Africa, Haiti, Asia, and Latin America have contributed to revitalizing many communities, bringing dynamism, missionary commitment, and cultural renewal. But Fath emphasizes that the evangelical movement’s growth is not limited to migrants: a significant portion of this growth stems from conversions of French people from diverse religious and secular backgrounds.”
He also highlights the strength of the social bonds offered by these churches, which are very attractive to vulnerable or isolated individuals. Finally, he notes that the cultural diversity resulting from migration constitutes both a challenge and an asset for contemporary evangelical Protestantism.
This, along with the conflicts and migration movements of recent years, has undoubtedly led to the arrival in France of people from various origins, including European. It is not uncommon to encounter Ukrainians, or people of other nationalities, in many French cities. This is a mission field that should not be overlooked. It is no longer necessary to travel to the ends of the earth to bring the gospel to others when people on the other side of the world are our neighbours.
In relation to this, of the 123 people groups in France, 43 are still considered to be unreached. The fast-growing Evangelical Church thus surely has a vast mission field right on its doorstep.
When one looks at the general news reports coming from France—with political division, protests turning into riots, and the growth in humanism—there are certainly enough reasons to be concerned about France’s future. But it is encouraging to know that in the midst of it all, God is growing a remnant Church that is shining His light to the lost and the seeking.
Please join us in prayer:
- For the French authorities and for political stability; that social tensions will ease and for lasting social peace.
- For the Church’s witness in the community, and that it will have a greater impact in the country.
- For the unity of the Church. Even though France is easily divided on almost every issue, may the Church display unity that can only be found in Christ.
- For the Church to reach the unreached people groups within its borders.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France
