Why France?
In the city where Sarah and Jack Winterburn live there are some 30,000 students — but only around 15 in the student Christian union.
Nonetheless, God is on the move!
Hello! My name is Sarah, married to Jack, mum to Benjamin, from the Southeast of England, but lived 9 years in Durham.
Why France? France is a secular country. What does that mean? There isn’t religious education in school, you can’t wear obvious religious symbols in spaces linked to the government (e.g. parliament, schools) and most people know very little about Jesus. As one example, in the city in which we are serving there are 30,000 students (or thereabouts) and about 15 people in the student Christian union.
But God is on the move, as everywhere, calling people back to himself. A couple of weekends ago, at a youth weekend away, three of the young people there gave their lives to Jesus.
The church here needs encouraging – there are indeed people ‘out there’ who are hungry for God, whether or not they know who they are looking for.
So why did we go? I first encountered how secular France is while on a French exchange at age 16 and also developed a love for the French language. My husband Jack had a heart for overseas missions having done many short-term trips to Eastern Europe. Through prayer, discussions with wise people and visits, it became clear that God had work planned for us to do in France.
Is God speaking to you about working in Europe? Find out more here
Find out more about Sarah and Jack’s ministry here
Did You Know? Only 1% of people in France are evangelical Christians.