Year-end Stock Giving

Year-end is fast approaching!

The S&P 500 is up nearly 30% from a year ago, representing a significant gain in many portfolios. If you are an investor, please consider giving a gift of stock to the Huguenot Fellowship. By donating appreciated securities, you avoid paying tax on associated unrealized capital gains—more money for advancing the kingdom of Christ in the French-speaking world!

If you prefer, you can use a donor-advised fund for making a stock donation.

If you would like to donate stock, download our stock donation form by clicking here.

Thank you!

We Value Your Feedback

We Value Your Feedback

As we celebrate Advent and the birth of Christ, we reflect on the incredible work God is doing through Huguenot Fellowship. Together, we are equipping future ministers, missionaries, and lay-workers at the Faculté Jean Calvin Seminary to spread the gospel across the French-speaking world.

To continue this mission, we need your input. Our board is eager to hear how we can better serve and communicate with you. Your feedback will help shape our plans for the future.

Please take a short survey and share your thoughts. The board will review the results before Christmas, so we ask for your responses by December 20.

Click here to take the survey: huguenotfellowship.org/survey

Thank you for being a part of our community in this important work.

Blessings,

The Huguenot Fellowship Team

Simultaneous Training

I am a second-cycle student in the “professional” track at the Faculté Jean Calvin (FJC) and a pastoral intern at the Evangelical Reformed Church of Lyon-Gerland. I have been studying at the FJC for 7 years now, since I also did the first cycle remotely in 6 years. I would like to share with you a few words about the influence that the FJC has had, and continues to have, in my life and ministry.

(1) Simultaneous field/theological training:

"One cannot […] expect an institute to provide all the training required for a pastor […], especially in terms of character, convictions and practical skills. The bulk of this work should be provided "on the field", at the heart of the life of the local Church. The ideal would be a harmonious collaboration, hand in hand, between the training centers […] and the Churches, but it is not always possible to conduct these two types of training simultaneously." (C. Marshall & T. Payne, The Essentials in the Church, p.27)

With the programs offered by the FJC, this harmonious collaboration is possible and has been very useful to me. I can't imagine everything I would have missed, or taken longer to learn, without the 6 years of internship that I was able to do alongside my studies and I can't imagine everything I would have missed without the theological training.

I was also able to have a family life without too much difficulty even if my family had to make some sacrifices. I would like to thank my wife Noémie for all her support. The autonomy in studies makes the training at the FJC compatible with the birth of children and the needs of a family.

(2) The tools given by the studies at the FJC for the ministry:

The studies are intense, we don't necessarily manage to integrate everything we learn. But we discover methodological tools, we build up a bank of resources, we learn to know where and how to look for the information we need, we learn to write.

This is extremely valuable for the future, especially for the ministry. I cannot count the number of times that, in the context of my service for the Church, I return to my courses, I resume a required reading that I had perhaps skimmed, I re-listen to courses and I apply working methods learned here.

(3) Affirmation of convictions through theological study:

I arrived at the FJC somewhat by chance, because the programs offered corresponded to my schedule and my budget at the time. At first, theological studies have a destabilizing side: we are confronted with traditions different from ours, with other positions on the theological level. This calls into question many personal convictions inherited from the environment in which we had been walking until then. But it is really for the best. My evangelical theological convictions have been strongly strengthened. I have gained confidence in the face of liberalism. I understand better the blind spots that we can have because of our theological heritage. The professors are always there to accompany us in this spiritual journey that is sometimes difficult to live.

I can only note that my love for God my creator and my redeemer, for his word, the most holy rule of life and faith, and for his Church, the people he constitutes and whom he calls me to serve, has only grown.

Thanks to the sound doctrine that I have been taught here, I have an immense desire and joy to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, my faithful savior who has totally paid for all my sins and who has delivered me from all the power of the Devil by his precious blood. My ship has been ballasted so that when I am struck by the waves, I do not capsize but that I arrive at the heavenly port full of faith and overflowing with joy.

I pray therefore that God continues to provide for all the needs of the FJC so that it continues its important ministry of formation and so that it bears fruit in the lives of many other people.

Antoine Fréchet
Student, FJC communications officer

(Translated)

Reclaiming

In partnership with Iain Wright, Pastor in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Faculté Jean Calvin professor Yannick Imbert has published a new book, Reclaiming  the “Dark Ages”: How the Gospel Light Shone from 500 to 1500.   

Huguenot Fellowship Trustee Ruth Ann Leduc sits down with Imbert and Wright to talk about their book, looking at the Medieval church and what we can learn from ten theologians from this period 500-1500.     

Click here to view this 18-minute discussion. 

Available from:
Christian Focus Publications
Amazon

Yannick Imbert Interview

As the Faculté Jean Calvin approaches its 50th anniversary in September, 2024, Professor of Apologetics Yannick Imbert shares with Ruth Ann Leduc, Huguenot Fellowship Trustee and missionary, some of the strategic changes to the course offerings at the seminary.   The professors have worked over several years to discern how to even better prepare FJC graduates for the needs of pastoral work and the practical realities of this ministry, in addition to the theological rigor of the program.  Listen to this 17-minute interview here.

Carrefour 2024

For over 30 years, Faculté Jean Calvin has hosted the Carrefour – “Intersection” – weekend, which brings together various speakers on a theme for further growth, reflection, and discussion.   The theme for the 2024 Carrefour was “To Live with and Move Beyond Doctrinal Differences”. 

The participants included the President of the French Council of Evangelicals, the Director of the Belgian Bible Institute, a pastor of an Evangelical Reformed Church in Lyon, and the professors of Faculté Jean Calvin.  

The topics that were addressed were:
-       The “hierarchy” of doctrines;
-       The weaknesses of our human interpretations;
-       The role of non-rational factors in the diverse theological landscape;
-       The positive and negative effects of social media on this discussion;
-       The place of Christian liberty in secondary questions;
-       Theological diversity within the French Council of Evangelicals;
-       An attempt at theological reconciliation within a reformed movement of the 16th century.

The desire is to provide some avenues for reflection and application of these varied questions in order to navigate our doctrinal differences with a balanced approach within our Protestant Evangelical context and beyond. 

Below is the French text and links to the different presentations in French on the Faculté Jean Calvin YouTube channel. 

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On pourrait penser que la théologie est une affaire de gens calmes et rationnels tirant des conclusions logiques de textes clairs et cohérents. Comment se fait-il, dans ce cas, que des chrétiens partageant les mêmes convictions sur l’autorité et la clarté de la Bible puissent parvenir à des points de vue aussi différents sur des questions doctrinales ou pratiques ? Comment expliquer qu’à partir des mêmes textes étudiés avec le même respect, ils puissent aboutir à des conclusions aussi différentes concernant, par exemple, le baptême ou les dons spirituels ? Que devrions-nous faire de ces divergences d’opinion en tant que chrétiens soucieux de l’unité de l’Eglise visible ? Sont-elles un obstacle infranchissable ? Toutes les doctrines méritent-elles que l’on se batte jusqu’à la mort pour elles ? Quelle attitude Dieu attend-t-il de nous dans la gestion de ces désaccords ?

C’est à ces questions éminemment pratiques que vont tenter de répondre : Erwan Cloarec, pasteur, président du CNEF James Hely Hutchinson, professeur d’Ancien Testament, de théologie biblique et de langues bibliques, directeur de l’Institut Biblique de Belgique, Alexandre Sarran, pasteur et les professeurs de la FJC.

Ils aborderont les sujets suivants : la hiérarchie des doctrines, la faillibilité de nos interprétations humaines, le rôle des facteurs non rationnels dans la diversité théologique, l’effet amplificateur et enfermant des réseaux sociaux, la liberté chrétienne concernant les questions secondaires, la diversité évangélique au sein du CNEF et un exemple de tentative de conciliation théologique au sein du grand mouvement réformateur du 16e siècle. Ils espèrent donner ainsi quelques pistes de réflexion et d’application pour une manière plus sage et sereine de vivre les désaccords au sein du protestantisme évangélique et au-delà.

Introduction – Jean-Philippe Bru, Doyen et Professeur de Théologie Pratique - "Vous rêvez d'une Église où tout le monde serait d'accord sur tout ? Et bien ça existe et s'appelle une secte..."

C'est avec ces mots que Jean-Philippe Bru, notre doyen, introduit le "Carrefour théologique" 2024 sur les désaccords doctrinaux dans l'Église !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTwdJDn0Gik

Le triage théologique : Quelle hiérarchie dans les domaines doctrinal et éthique ?  James Hely Hutchinson, Directeur de l’Institut Biblique de Bruxelles - Toutes les doctrines théologiques ont-elles la même importance ? Sinon, comment les hiérarchiser ?

C’est à ces questions que James H. Hutchinson, directeur de l’ Institut Biblique de Bruxelles , tente de répondre dans cette conférence. Si le sujet vous intéresse, il a publié un livre chez BLF Éditions portant le titre de « sacrés désaccords ».

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZGzj8owlpk

La Règle de Foi – Pierre-Sovann Chauny – Professeur de Théologie Systématique - Après une première approche de la hiérarchie des doctrines proposée par James Hely Hutchinson, notre professeur de théologie systémique nous propose de considérer la question à partir d’une notion peu connue mais pourtant très ancienne : la règle de foi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNuQa8oqiEQ

Pourquoi des conclusions différentes malgré la même méthode ?    Gert Kwakkel, Professeur d’Hébreu et d’Ancien Testament - Pourquoi les bibliques parviennent à des conclusions différentes malgré des méthodes d’interprétation similaires ?

C’est une question que vous vous êtes peut-être déjà posée… et notre professeur d’Ancien Testament y répond à partir d’un exemple concret : les lectures baptiste et pédo-baptiste de Jérémie 31.31-34.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E42LwKsplnk  

Le respect des frères en la foi :  réflexions tirées de Romains 14 - Alexandre Sarran, pasteur de l' Église Lyon Gerland - Réformée Évangélique et auteur de "Job, le malheur et la foi" publié chez Publications Chrétiennes, nous propose, avec humour, quelques principes concrets pour bien vivre nos divergences dans l'Église sur la base de Romains 14.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q99S4t2URZA&t=2141s

Vivre et dépasser les désaccords au sein du CNEF - Erwan Cloarec, président du CNEF, nous a donné quelques principes au sujet de la manière dont les désaccords pouvaient se vivre au sein du CNEF compte-tenu de la grande diversité théologique qui s'y retrouve !  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCaQJkwMyf4

La Cène, sacrement de la rupture – Controverses du XVIème siècle - Daniel Bergèse revient aujourd'hui sur un cas d'école des désaccords théologiques, la question de la sainte cène. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly-QeJriMwc

Le rôle des émotions :  Jean-Philippe Bru - Quelle est la place des émotions  dans nos désaccords théologiques ? Jean-Philippe Bru, notre professeur de théologie pratique, répond à cette question en nous disant que, contrairement à ce qu'on voudrait le croire, elle est très importante !    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bktLOBz2VA

Synthèse :  Yannick Imbert - Et concrètement, qu’est-ce qu’on fait ? C’est la question que nous pose Yannick Imbert, notre professeur d’apologétique en guise de conclusion du carrefour théologique 2024. Il nous donne quelques pistes de réponses dans ce dernier replay des plénières !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-vAaaG4UBA

Joel Da Costa

I was born in Lisbon, in 1993, to a Dutch mother, who grew up in Suriname (South America) and comes from a family of missionaries of the Reformed Church of the Netherlands; and a Portuguese father, born in Congo (ex-Zaire), where he converted in the early 1980s. My parents were both missionaries.

With my sister, we grew up in faith and the fear of God, in Morocco, as well as in Mauritania and Senegal. Our parents also passed on to us the use of English, our mother tongue and communication language, in our multicultural family.

It is often very difficult for someone who grew up “in the church pew” to talk about their beginnings in Christ. However, as far as I am concerned, what emerges most from my teenage years is a mysterious paradox. Eager for biblical reading, I nonetheless remained blind to the central message of the grace manifested on the cross. Thus, while maintaining an impeccable exterior facade, I slowly began to sink into various questions and addictions, which made me doubt the reality of my faith. Around the age of 16, I was able to talk about my doubts to my father, who listened to me patiently and subsequently took regular time to encourage me and support me in my struggles. His constant fatherly love helped me realize something of the love of God.

When I arrived in France in 2011 to study geography, I was motivated by a desire to live for Christ, but having grown up in a predominantly religious Africa, I suddenly found myself confronted with the postulate of atheism. Christian apologetics was of great help to me in these moments, but above all it was a personal conversion experience in April 2013 which brought me solid assurance of my salvation, acquired by the blood of the Lamb, and applied by the Holy Spirit. At the same time, I discovered the deep peace and overflowing joy that comes from belonging to Christ.

Little by little, the Lord dawned in my mind the desire to dedicate myself more to his service, which I did through works such as the GBU or my local church. But for many years I resisted his call to serve full time. It was only after my plan to become a history-geography professor collapsed, and a year off, that I finally resolved to study theology with a view to full-time ministry. On the advice of my pastor, I chose the Jean Calvin Faculty.

Arriving in Aix in September 2018, I had the joy of being able to begin my training in a serene environment conducive to healing, surrounded by teachers who fear God and who love their students. Living on campus allowed me to establish very strong contacts, both with my classmates and with the other young Christians in the area. The small classes allowed for real exchanges, in an almost family atmosphere. Our teachers excelled in this difficult balance between doctrinal rigor and openness to discussion, and I felt full of confidence and freedom to tackle the complex hermeneutical questions, bottled up in me for so many years. Currently in the United Protestant Church of France (UPCF), I see how privileged I am to have been able to develop a solid doctrinal framework to frame my thinking. The 2nd part of my degree, marked by the deprivations linked to Covid, was nevertheless a period of greater interiority, with a lighter course schedule, and the opportunity to deepen my relationships with the residents.

My master’s degree, which I started in September 2021, allows me to move away from theory and train myself in the crucible of concrete ministry. My first internship, with a church on the outskirts of Marseille, in the particular sanitary conditions that we experienced, was for me a very good experience, the opportunity to confront myself with my faults and to learn certain fundamentals of pastoral service.

My second year of Masters, which I am currently finishing, is taking place in a project to revitalize the in Dreux (Eure-et-Loir), where I serve as project manager. It is a rich and beautiful experience. I am surrounded by a dynamic and visionary team, baptized in the love of Christ. We are experiencing a period of renewal and growth: the premises, which were for sale in 2019, now welcome 35-50 parishioners to worship. So much so that this project has become a beacon of hope for this denomination which so badly needs a Revival.

And this beautiful harvest in the Lord's vineyards is also made possible thanks, among other things, to the tools that have been provided to me over the last 5 years in Aix-en-Provence.

To God alone be all the glory!

Joel Da Costa