Paris: The Most Populous and Diverse City in Europe

There are more than 2 million inhabitants in the city of Paris. That’s 52,200 people per square mile! There are 12 million inhabitants across the whole metropolitan area, making it the most populous urban area in the entire European Union.

Paris is considered the most diverse city in Europe. It is estimated that 23% of the population migrated to the city after they were born. 20% of Parisians are first generation immigrants and 40% of children in Paris have one parent who is an immigrant.

According to Joshua Project, only 1.23% of French residents are Evangelical followers of Jesus. There are 113 people groups in France and 37 of them are unreached. They include: Arab-speaking Algerian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Moroccan, Tunisian, Bamabara, Imazighen, Kabyle, Moabite, Rif, Southern Shilha, Western Cham, Gujarati, Iu Mien, Japanese, Khmer, Lao, Persian, South Asians, Tay, and Thai.

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15)

270 Nations in London

In London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, there are over 9 million people.

More than 270 nationalities speak more than 300 languages.

1 in 5 Londoners are Muslim.

Less than 5% of Londonders know Christ as Lord.

Pioneers workers here are engaged in ministry to Muslims and immigrants, as well as local nationals.

Men, women, boys, and girls from the ends of the earth have come to London. Will you come too?

The fields are diverse and plentiful. Come, labor in the harvest in London (Matthew 9: 37-38)

A Famine in the Land of St. Patrick

There is a famine far more severe than the loss of potatoes which has been making its way across the Emerald Isle for many decades. The land of St Patrick, home of rock band U2, is in need of Gospel seed to be sown among the many communities where a historical Catholic church has fallen into the background of tradition and culture, offering an unengaged path of religiosity through a distortion of the Scriptures.

While some of the larger cities, such as Dublin and Cork, have an evangelical presence, most of the country is without sufficient Gospel witness. In partnership with local networks such as Calvary Mission, we are engaged in church planting in various rural communities, especially in the West of Ireland. We work amongst real people, with real needs, who need a real Jesus displayed in the true Gospel.

As if the need for Gospel workers weren’t already great enough, recent changes in the requirements for a Minister of Religion visa have created new roadblocks against more laborers coming to these harvest fields. Currently, we are praying for those who have EU citizenship—and thus open access to enter and reside in Ireland—to ask the Lord if He might be calling them to be a fresh source of Gospel seed in the Emerald Isle!

In addition to engaging rural Irish, there are also opportunities to pioneer ministry amongst Irish Travellers (similar to Roma/Gypsies) as well as the growing Muslim populations in Ireland.

As the famous Breastplate Prayer of St Patrick says, we are seeking those who would come to engage in relational, incarnational evangelism, so that we might see Kingdom fruit…

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

Related Links

https://calvarychurchballina.ie/

http://www.calvarymission.net

For a great article on the need for Gospel work in Ireland please read: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/reaching-ireland-christ/