Gospel Festival
Go and tell them
Christian Youth meeting
Big thank you to the church of Villefranche and to its pastor Dominique
Papayanni. The 1st, 2d, 3d of November 2002 in Villefranche sur Saône.
More than 2000 young people gathered together to disclose the purpose
of their meeting – “Go and tell them”.
Plenary meetings
)
The
pastor Claude Houde was taking the floor. He is a professor at the Biblical
Institute of Quebec and the pastor of the growing church in Montreal.
Throughout 5 plenary meetings of the week-end, he had been sharing the
message that God had put in his heart.
“Beyond our own realisation, there is such a thing as destiny. For
a long period of time I’ve been preached to be saved not by our
works but by works prepared in advance for us to be the expression of
God’s abundance and grace. We have to be a living message.
Time difference we are facing now in comparison with that one of Paul’s
is that we are drawing to the end. The opposition grows but so does God’s
abundance, grace and unction.”
“God has a dream of the town where people love each other without
colour distinction.
God has a dream of the town where forgiveness and reconciliation govern.
God has a dream of the town where Jesus Christ is the only ruler.”
(Claude Houde)
Worship time
)
Thierry
Noel, the pastor of Philadelphia Church in Paris, animates worship time
with his instrumental team. The quality was superb, the same as it was
the meeting.
Friday, 18:00 o’clock, that’s the point at which Autumn CIJEM
begins…the hall is packed of course. The first part was dedicated
to honour the laureates of the CIJEM 2002 Open Podium. Mylène Quéry
arrived on this occasion directly from Montreal. The team of Amiénois,
the rapers from Pau, Jerry and Marcel made unforgettable impressions upon
us!
Concerts
)
And
then Maggy lit the fire with her fascinating gospel songs accompanied
by the choir and the audience. How amazing was it! And her testimony?!
It knocked everyone’s socks off! God set her free from show-bit,
drugs, loneliness and spiritual void inside her heart which had been capturing
her since the years of adolescence.
Through delighted and enthusiastic sketches, the troupe from Paris, the Acts Company, made its intervention with the purpose to present God and christian values.
)
Pastor
Tchng from Singapore, who has been living in France for about three years,
gave the conversion testimonies of those who reside in the Chinese district
of Paris. Having nothing but faith, he is responsible for the church which
comprises 60 members. )
Delphine and Guillaume, who make the part of this church, shared the experience of their ministry in China. They worked with women, kids, students and French-speaking people.
)
He
arrived at about 15:00 o’clock. The one who was impatiently expected
by everyone. He was accompanied by his wife, his little daughter and a
couple of friends. In a very modest manner he stayed with us and praised
our Saviour! The youth was looking forward to meet the super star of OL,
the winner of the World Cup, the Brazilian celebrity – Edmilson.
Those who took him only for the football player were probably disappointed,
but for us to listen to this man of God, who shared with such passion,
power and conviction his testimony of salvation, was real encouragement.
Filled by the Holy Spirit, he was speaking directly to the hearts of the
youth. “The best moment of my life is an encounter with God”,
he underlined. Sometimes it’s difficult for young people to admit
in public that they are christians. Someone of them can think - “it’s
easy for him to read the Bible wherever he wants and more often in the
presence of the team mates, trainers and friends”. Get rid of these
thoughts! Fame is nothing in the sight of God. He accepts us just as we
are: rich or poor, weak or strong, famous or unknown.