Testimony from France
In summer 2017, we invited Mike and Lisa Neifert (Grow in Faith Ministries) to come teach and encourage our congregation. It must have been on God's
agenda to bless us because they came with Frank Shelton and his wife, who also blessed us with a remarkable evangelistic ministry.
Our church has around 80 people and 45 kids, located in the Paris suburban area. The spiritual ambiance in France is very heavy as France rejected God a long time ago. In this context, Grow in Faith is, and has always been, a real encouragement to our church. We have known Grow in Faith for 5 years now and we were amazed to witness the steadiness and growth of Mike and Lisa's ministry. We are a multi-national congregation and Mike and Lisa could relate and reach each one of our people. Along with the ability to speak to the crowd, Grow in Faith has a tremendous "one on one" ministry. As the pastor, I saw them reaching and loving one soul at a time, starting with both my wife and I as a pastoral couple. As for an anointing, it first starts with the head that is us, before it runs on the body, our church.
This year 2017, many souls were touched, hearts were mended, and for some, paths were straightened as the precious name of Jesus was lifted high. They met with several local French pastors and the Church Federation representative in order to encourage and unify the body of Christ.
Among these leaders, they met with Jacques Buchhold, former dean of the renown French Faculty of Evangelical Theology located in Vaux Sur Seine. Jaques is a theologian, specialized in teaching Greek and the New Testament. Having known him for 12 years, the word that best summarized his work for the kingdom is "excellence". As Professor Buchhold invited us to lunch, I witnessed Mike ministering prophetically to a waitress and a waiter in the restaurant. As the waitress heard the translated words of knowledge and encouragement from brother Mike, tears filled her eyes and a big smile illuminated her face. She opened up to us and was enthusiastic about coming to our church to hear more of the gospel! Within the next minutes, it was the waiter who came to us and told us that he had an issue with pain in his finger. I was sad for him as he told us that he was a guitarist and that this pain bothered him quite often. My friends Lisa and Mike relentlessly prayed for him to be healed and be blessed with the good news of Jesus, I believe he is well now. It was a huge encouragement for us as we could see that seeds were sown with love and power effortlessly.
As Professor Buchhold was giving us a tour of the faculty facilities, he asked if Mike would write his testimony of his encounter with Christ so that it could be included in a book he is writing about the miracles Jesus is still doing today. I was astonished because I thought that Professor Buchhold did not believe in miracles for our times! I was filled with joy because for me, it was two worlds merging; theology striving for excellence and the mighty works of the Holy Spirit coming together.
But what touched us the most, besides Mike and Lisa's love, is their amazing faith and passion for an awesome, powerful, loving, righteous God. They inspired all of us and made us want to experience and manifest the kingdom of God on earth. I can say that even if the enemy is at work in France, he is now losing ground. We are looking forward to more opportunities to serve alongside with Grow In Faith Ministries and are expecting more moves of God, as our Father in heaven takes pleasure and delights in seeing the brothers getting together and work in His fields.
Cyril