This week we are praying for the Eglise Evangélique le CEP (Pastor Jean-Pierre and his wife Danielle to the left).

This church is located in Vichy, France situated in the Allier department (03). Allier has only 12 Evangelical Churches for about 350,000 people.

Please sign this petition and let hem know we're praying for them!

AREA PROFILE

Allier, with population of less than 350,000, is in decline due to loss of both jobs and more deaths with an aging population. It boasts of beauty with the Allier River, the mixed woodlands and pastureland, the mountains, and over 500 castles nestled throughout. Wine barrels from its cherished oak trees is a specialty industry.

Vichy, France (pop. 25,325, 2013-15 data) is located in the southeast corner of the Allier Department. Vichy served as the seat of the Vichy Regime otherwise known as the collaborators during WWII. However, its history wasn’t always tainted and the city and region would rather forget about that part of their history. Instead, prior to WWII, even dating back to 52 BC in the time of Caesar, and later from the 17 C through 19 C, Vichy became a very highly celebrated thermal spa resort area for the rich and famous. Some boasted healings. Napoleon III, John D. Rockefeller, and Prince Rainier III of Monaco were among many dignitaries that frequented the Vichy thermal spas.

With the persevering spirit of the French, after the war, Vichy climbed once again to be rated among the top 3 spa destinations in Europe, an international center of hydro therapeutic techniques and thermal spas. The big news for Vichy this summer of 2016 is hosting the Slovakian soccer team’s training camp for the Euro 2016 games!

CHURCH PROFILE

Website: http://www.egliselecep-vichy.com/
Pastoral Couple: Jean-Pierre and Danielle Vandebrouck

Priorities of Church

• Evangelism, discipleship, and, training Christian leaders, and missions. Grounding all believers in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, and, not a religion with laws, is foundation for this church. Their Bible School of Transformation takes its students from the fundamentals of the faith through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Training believers to walk in the Love of Jesus Christ, devotion to the family of God, with a heart for missions, and a worship lifestyle.
• Youth – The Maison des Jeunes: With vision to reach the younger generation, L’Église Évangélique le Cep, demolished an old building and constructed a brand new youth house, near a local high school, complete with a café bar, place for meals, tables for studying, and a corner for relaxing, all with updated, modern décor. Their volunteers serve and reach out to high school students during the day, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

• Prayer and Intercession. Weekly, two different prayer groups meet, one for prayer for each other, and the other for their missionaries they support or have sent out.
  
  
• The message of the Grace, Mercy, Power, and Love of Jesus Christ, The pastors have strong desire for believers to walk in Grace, not the law, nor out of obligation to the law or to please man. Staying close to The Vine (le Cep), abiding in the vine, and how to walk out the Christian life is priority.

A Few Prayer Points

• Pray for the pastoral couple: Jean-Pierre and his wife Danielle, originally from Belgium, answered the call of God 40 years ago to start a church in Vichy to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to this region. They have labored long and hard, playing a significant role in leadership, mentoring many. Pray for their health, overflowing provision, and, stamina, that they would not grow weary in doing well but that their joy of the Lord would spring up and be their strength with even greater anointing in their latter years. That they would experience a continual outpouring of the Holy Spirit as He unfolds their next ten year vision for their church and raising up a new generation of pastors, leaders, and missionaries to go into all the world.
• Pray that the message of Grace and relationship with Jesus Christ, the Vine (le Cep) takes such deep root in the hearts and spirits of the congregation, and, that knowing who they are and what they have because of Jesus, they would be truly transformed and changed forever, being the Light, carrying the Love of Jesus, to their neighbors, workplace, and to those they daily encounter. That they become known as the place of healing, over and above that of the thermal spas. That their congregation would be known as a church who truly loves like Jesus and that this becomes the magnet drawing many to Christ.
• Maison des Jeunes – Youth House: Pray for continued financial provision to keep their doors open, and, for the manning of the church volunteers/workers to serve the youth. Pray that this would become the gathering place for young adults, a place of evangelism and discipleship, that would make Jesus “contagious” and that revival would break out, removing the historical stain of Vichy, and transforming Vichy through their lives with the true Freedom, Peace, and Joy found in Christ.
• The Bible School of Transformation: that the Holy Spirit would embrace all those who attend, imparting vision and mission for their lives and calling in Christ Jesus. That God would continue to give His wisdom and strategy for discipleship and development of the school. For financial provision as needed for carrying out the day to day responsibilities of this school, for resources. That families would be transformed and strengthened. That pastors and missionaries and evangelists would be thrust out into the region and the world from this school.
• Expansion of outreach into the community and what they call, “social action,” what we might call, “Servant Evangelism.” For creativity, wisdom, and God’s plan for their city.