PHARE FM - Trans World Radio -
Vincent & Trina Collet
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According to a recent poll, France is the 4th most atheist country in the world. Even though the country was named, in the 19th century, the eldest daughter of the church, France is now a post-Christian land where the Islamic culture is well-established and where Evangelical Christians count for only 1 % of the population. France is also a country where occult pratices are widespread.
France, like many Western countries, needs to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. More generally, the whole French-speaking world needs to hear the life-transforming message of the gospel. French is the 7th most spoken language in the world and the official language in more than 29 countries. In France, there is a network of Christian radio stations, called the PHARE-FM network (phare means lighthouse) whose aim is to reach all inhabitants of the country with the Gospel. The network is made up of eight stations, six in France, one in Belgium and one in Switzerland. Considering the fact that 8/10 people in France listen to the radio for an average of three hours a day, radio broadcasts are a good way to reach people. Given the need that exists in France, Vincent and Trina Collet (née Jelsma) are getting ready to serve in this country, in the Lyon area, with the PHARE-FM Aux Portes du Dauphiné station, which currently broadcasts Rev. Kayayan’s capsules once a week on Sunday mornings. There is also an interest in broadcasting these capsules on the other stations of the network. Broadcasting Christian music and biblical teachings, PHARE-FM serves a population of 2.5 million people and has had a role in the conversion of some. This ministry is in partnership with Trans World Radio Canada. Alongside the work at the station, Vincent will continue the Reformed Translation Project, whose purpose is to make available to French-speakers good books with a Reformed perspective on the topics of Apologetics, the Christian worldview and covenant theology. As of today, two books have been published in French, Creation Regained by Al Wolters and Reasons of the Heart by William Edgar. Several others are forthcoming, including The Covenant of Love by Clarence Stam, Infant Baptism by John Sartelle, and What is the Christian Worldview? by Philip Ryken. This project is supported by the ERQ (Reformed Church of Quebec) and the books are published by Publications Chrétiennes, a Christian publishing house based in Trois-Rivières, Qc. The Collet family are members of St-Marc Reformed Church in Quebec City. |
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