The Lyon GBC: abundant fruit and vision

The average Sunday attendance of a French evangelical church is 45 people. So what is going on in Lyon, France where the Grace Brethren Church averages 250?!

A Lyon GBC Sunday celebration

Due to growth, church leadership decided to do something unheard of in evangelical France… hold two Sunday services! When I was there in January, the first service (mostly families with young children) was about 3/4 full. The second was brimming with young people and college students. The first Sunday in July, when the church went back to one service for the summer, it was standing room only!

Florent Varak is one of evangelical France's most highly sought speakers


Florent mobilizes people for ministry, has authored numerous books, is a professor of homiletics and a truly spiritual leader with vision

The Lyon GBC is a fruitful church that typifies the spiritual reproduction that we would like to see in all of our European churches. Pastor Florent Varak has multiplied himself over and over again. Here is some proof:

• The church has four lay elders, plus a new crop of elders in training.
• Franck Segonne, pastor of the Dijon church, is from the Lyon GBC.
• Fred and Marie Sanchez, Charis Associates serving in Madrid, are from the Lyon GBC.
• Zac and his wife, Charis Associates serving in Marseille, are from the Lyon GBC.

Charis Associates being commissioned and sent out from the Lyon GBC

The Lyon GBC is a church with vision. The plan is: 100, 4, 3, 2, 1. GBIM missionary, Patty Morris conveys, "We are asking God to give our church:

100 additional people,
In the next 4 years,
With 3 points of light to the north and/or the west,
With 2 elders in place,
To begin 1 daughter church."

This is mother/daughter church planting, a proven model in France. The baby is already in gestation and will have the same DNA as the mother.

The church currently has eight points of light scattered throughout the greater Lyon area. Florent has issued the challenge to the leaders of those home groups that the point of light showing the most growth will be the prime candidate for the new church plant. The goal is then to send a group of 80–100 people from the mother church to that point of light thus birthing the daughter. From its inception the new church will be fully functional.

Prayerfully, some of these people will be part of the new daughter church

GBIM missionaries Mark and Joy Sims are involved in two of those points of light: Francheville and St. Andéol. Just recently the local boulanger (baker) and his wife began to study the Bible with Mark and Joy. Joy has developed a wide outreach network through her quilting groups which has led her to open a quilting store in the Lyon area next month. Mark has numerous evangelistic bridges (archery, English conversation, scuba), is involved in leadership training and oversees the Biblical Counseling Foundation (BCF) training in the Lyon church.

Mark and Joy just outside of St. Andéol (west of Lyon)

Patty Morris, my administrative assistant, is involved in another of these points of light east of Lyon. Though being Europe administrator is a full-time job (she is responsible for the France team administration and coordinates a team of six administrators scattered across Europe), Patty does accounting and consulting for Charis Associates, is active in promoting missions in the church, extends hospitality, is sharing the gospel with neighbors and discipling/encouraging several women in the church.

Patty (upper right) is quite active in home group ministry and discipleship

How can you pray for the Lyon GBC?
Please pray for:

- conversions in St. Andéol (where the Sims live) and new contacts through Joy’s quilting business and other outreach activities.

- adequate resources. The reason the church went to two services is because the purchase of a new building fell through. They are now deciding whether to refurbish the present facility or to tear it down and rebuild on the same property, but need $240 - $480k to do the work.

- spiritual protection for the Varaks, the elders and their families. There has been fierce opposition to the vision presented by the elders.

- the unity of the church and each person's participation in the 100 – 4 – 3 –2 –1 initiative.