Why France?
France - Materially rich but spiritually poor?
France, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. You might think that they have little in common. It might shock you to know they have a similar amount of committed Christian believers.
Statistics:
France: 0.8% of population
Saudi Arabia: .9%
Pakistan: 1.5%
It’s easy to think of France as a glamorous holiday destination, with great scenery, beautiful beaches, good food, etc. The fact is that it is rich materially but poor spiritually. Church attendance is one of the lowest in Europe.
- 80% of French people have never owned or even seen a Bible.
- There are approx 50,000 full time practitioners of the occult arts, tarot reading, fortune telling, psychic healing.
- These outnumber the 35,000 full time Christian workers in France.
- Muslims make up almost 10% of France’s population – this is the highest percentage in any European country.
- A poll published recenty in Le Monde des Religions showed the number of self-declared French Catholics has dropped from 80% in the early 1990s, and 67% in 2,000 to 51% today.
- Of that 51%, quite a high percentage would say they are not sure whether they believe in God or not.
In its institutions, but also its mentality, France is no longer a Catholic country wrote the editor of Le Monde des Religions. The number of atheists has risen sharply to 31% from 23% in 1994, making France one of the most atheistic countries in the world.
These are not just statistics, but people who Jesus died for and longs to have a relationship with.
That’s why we’re here.