France: Speaking to Church Leadership

Aug 22

Written By Maureen Abley

Pastor Brad Abley: Biblical Educator

France: Mission to the Missionaries

France Mission to Missionaries!

This is part #2 of Pst Brad's 18-Day Mission Trip to Kenya and France

Pst Brad invested a week with Pastor Jordan Abina and his wife, Vanessa and their three children. They are American Missionaries from California, ministering in Grenoble, France. Pst Brad has been mentoring Jordan since he taught both he and Vanessa at Bethany Bible College, in California back in 2008.

This family has been ministering in France for 4 years! Jordan and Vanessa, both Assembly of God Pastors, are doing a herculean Mission work

•Pastoring a growing church in Grenoble: Le Refuge Grenoble - Church

•Started a coffee house and running it as an evangelistic outreach

•Heading up the local 24/7 prayer ministry in that region

However, Jordan had been asking me to come and minister to since they've been there. Jordan affectionally refers to me as “His apostle Paul” and with all he carries, he deserves everything I can pour into him!

◇ His focus will be: One-on-One Leadership Development / Mentorship

France: Speaking to Church Leadership

This event was a major highlight that I've been looking forward to for a few months and that was to speak to the following men from Jordan's church in Grenoble, France about their possible call to full-time ministry:

Abdiel from Mexico
Leslie from Ghana
Marcos from Brazil
Venkat from India
Pastor Jordan from Rocklin, CA
Jadwin, Pastor Jordan’s 13 year old son from Rocklin, CA

**Pst Brad’s Teaching Notes:**

*Subject shared with the leaders*

Pst Brad spent three hours teaching them from the subjects from this picture and jumping off into other areas. He began with the story of Gideon from Judges 6, and some of the ways that God calls people to ministry.

Pst Brad says, he has a tendency to go long in his teaching (for sure), so he smiled real big when Jadwin exclaimed, "It seemed like only an hour!"

You may have noticed that none of these men are French! But half the congregation Pst Brad spoke to on Sunday are from France.

It amazes Pst Brad, that what began in 2008 -- me having the privilege of teaching Jordan and Vanessa at Bethany University -- has continued to this day as a vital relationship. I'm so proud of the parents they are, how they lead The Refuge Church in Grenoble, plus other vital ministries here in France!