Inner~Views
#034
NPPN
interviewed
Jacky Minard
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Inner~View
#34
Note from Adam
Shields, an NPPN
Team Member:
I met Jacky
Minard while
visiting missionary
friends in France.
Jacky had traveled
about six hours to
witness the baptism
of his niece. We
happened to strike
up a conversation
(because of he
happened to be
standing near me
while waiting for
lunch and he knew
English). It was
only after the
pastor of the church
joined us and we got
a formal
introduction did I
find out that Jacky
was a significant
prayer leader in
France. (And a
member of one of the
leading evangelical
families. His
extended family
includes many
pastors.) We were
only able to talk
for a few minutes
more at that time
(lunch was being
served). But I was
able to get his
email and website. I
couldn't pass up the
opportunity to ask
him if he would be
willing to be
interview for NPPN.
It is
important to find
out what is going on
in other countries.
Especially those
countries like
France that are
often misunderstood
or mis-characterized
by us in the United
States.
NPPN ~ Jacky, can
you tell us about
"40 Days of
Blessing"?
The 40 days
of blessing came
after 7 years of 40
days of prayer and
fasting for France.
We can't tell you
about the days of
blessing without
sharing what
happened before… and
it is a ten years
story…
Ten years ago, some
events were showing
that France could be
on the edge of
something very
important.
For myself, I was
just finishing a
political
involvement. You
know, in this mater,
it can stop
radically when you
lose elections!
After some very
intensive years, I
was free and seeking
God's will. What was
the next step of my
commitment for my
country?
In the same time,
the Lord sent a
prophet to France.
Pastor John Mulinde
came from Uganda
with a word for our
country. He was
feeling "that God is
pushing France into
a position that it
has not experienced
for a very long
time, being at a
crossroads… If the
Church of France
will arise in unity
to cry out to God to
remember mercy; if
it will work at
cleansing the Land,
reconciliation, and
instituting prayer
all over the land;
yes, if deep
travailing prayer
will rise to God in
desperate seeking,
then the Lord will
certainly visit
France with a new
refreshing touch…
The church can
determine the course
of this great
nation."
We can say that with
the prophecy, the
Lord gave the tools
and the means to do
so. As soon as I
said yes to this
word, I had the
privilege to live a
powerful visitation
of the Lord that
changed my life
forever. I spent 18
months in the
powerful presence of
the Lord, just
praying and often
fasting…
During that time,
the first 40 days of
prayer and fasting
for France were
launched and the
Lord raised up an
English prayer
leader to organise a
worldwide 40 days of
prayer and fasting
for France in 2001.
He is the one who
had the prayer
guide's idea so that
Christians all over
the world would pray
the same targets for
France on the same
day.
John Mulinde said
also that we had to
be a great number to
pray and in unity, 2
millions Christians
prayed and fasted
for France that
year!
But the greatest
miracle is that the
French church had
been caught by the
Holy Spirit to join
the movement! It was
the one that had to
repent for the
French situation! We
continued till 2006
with a prayer guide
each year that put
into practice what
the Holy Spirit had
been saying through
his servants. Tens
of thousands of
French Christians
have been involved
in this wonderful
season.
All these prayer
guides and
prophecies are
available in English
on our website:
www.objectiffrance.fr
NPPN ~ When did you
start working on the
40 Days of Blessing
and what brought it
about?
After 7 years
repenting and
fighting against the
evil, we felt that
the task was
accomplished. 2007
was the time to
enter in possession
of God's deeds by
blessing. You know,
French people are
not used to bless
others, we are used
to criticise, to
blame, and we are
very suspicious… so,
asking to spend 40
days in blessing
everybody,
especially the
authorities, was a
spiritual
earthquake! Some
Christians did not
understand the
message and the
utility of blessing
but many did.
The main vision is
launched by a
national prayer
consultation,
gathering prayer
leaders (3 times a
year) from all
denominations
including
charismatic
Catholics.
One of the ways to
see the Lord acting
powerfully is to
change our own mind.
We must change
radically (metanoia)
if we want to see
His Kingdom come.
Learning to bless is
one of the means. We
know that these 40
days had opened some
doors, especially
for the national
elections.
NPPN ~ Can you tell
me about the
spiritual state of
France?
France has
one of the most
opposed histories
against faith in the
world, especially
during the last two
centuries. The
French Revolution
was fighting the
king and the church,
battling for a
society built on
reason and rights.
One of the main
tools was free
masonry leading all
the priority domains
by a militant
secularism (French "laïcité").
The result is a
weakened traditional
church and only 0.6
% born again
Christians, a record
number! Evangelical
churches are very
little (generally 50
members) and
parcelled out mainly
because she is
issued from so many
missions and
denominations. You
can see the gap and
the task!
These last years, we
see a new spiritual
openness among
French people,
specially the young
generation, some
authorities have
understood the
necessity of faith
and the utility of
the church. Some
mega-churches,
generally
multi-ethnic, have
been founded,
especially around
Paris. Leaders feel
the necessity of
working together
like never before.
The media speaks
more kindly about
Churches and
Christians, and that
is really new!
NPPN ~ Do you think
that the role of
Prayer is changing
in France?
Two things
have really changed.
Prayer was centred
on Church life and
Evangelization. The
40 days helped
Christians to turn
also toward society
and the nation's
destiny.
In many cities,
Christians from
different
denominations and
churches learned to
pray together or at
least to speak to
each other…
Generally, we can
say that the
priority role of
prayer has been
understood and
emphasized. We see
prayer spreading and
prayer groups rising
everywhere.
NPPN ~ Who is
participating in the
"40 Days of
Blessing"?
We touch
Christians from
every denomination,
mostly Charismatic,
Pentecostal and
Catholic. Every
year, some ten
thousands of
Christians are
participating in
some way.
NPPN ~ What have you
learned about
encouraging prayer
in the local church?
It is quite
difficult to touch
churches in our
country. Many have
no full time
pastors; most of
little denominations
that have no
communication means.
We write to all the
churches every year.
We encourage
Christians to
organize prayer
meetings in their
own church and to
join other churches.
We encourage also
24/7 prayer weeks in
partnership with
other churches so
that there could be
a continuous prayer
during the 40 days.
The N°2 and 3 prayer
guides gave also
some practical
teaching about
prayer meetings and
24/7 prayer weeks.
Since 2003, the
prayer guides
included special
pages for families.
The vision has
always been to "pray
without ceasing" (1
Thess.5,17) and to
be as many as
possible in unity.
Prayer increased at
individual, family
and collective
levels.
NPPN ~ What words of
wisdom do you have
for the church
outside of France?
The success
of this mobilization
did not come from
our strength, means
or qualification but
from obedience to
what God said in a
particular time for
our country. This
powerful word of God
put into action with
faith and
determination did
the work. We just
had to follow what
the Holy Spirit was
doing in the hearts
and saw God's
miraculous
provision.
We are still a very
little church with
very limited means,
we have much to
learn from your
experience and we
are very open to any
form of
collaboration.
NPPN ~ Would you
write a prayer of
Blessing for France
that we (the
readers)can pray
with you?
Lord of
glory, we bless you
for this beautiful
country you created,
its varied
landscapes, cultures
and foods, this home
of freedom,
democracy, equality
and brother-hood,
this land of love,
romance and "good
life" and the
leading place you
gave to it in the
nations. We bless
these riches so that
they may be used, by
your mercy, to let
your Kingdom come on
France as we see it
coming on so many
parts of the world.
We bless the French
authorities and pray
that you inspire
their words and
actions. We bless
you for each church
tower in every
village, may your
Spirit of life and
truth fill them and
the entire country!
Amen. Come, Lord
Jesus!
>>>Check their site
@
http://www.objectiffrance.fr
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