Nimes – The French Baptist Federation grew by one percent during the past year and now numbers roughly 7.000 members. That was reported at its annual conference in the southern town of Nimes, where it convened from 13 to 15 May. A total of 236 delegates and 80 visitors gathered there under the theme: ‘You are the Salt of the Earth’. One new congregation - Hénin-Beaumont in northern France - was accepted into the Federation. This increases the Federation’s total number of congregations to 121. Worship services appear in demand: Approximately 20.000 persons (including children) attend Sunday services. The Federation employs 160 pastors, some of whom are also active outside the church as chaplains in hospitals, at airports or in the military. Some also serve in congregations not belonging to the Federation.

French Baptists enjoy wide recognition – readily apparent in the words of greeting addressed to the Assembly. Guests included Claude Baty (Paris), President of the French Protestant Federation, Stéfane Lauzet (Nimes), General-Secretary of the French Evangelical Alliance, Robert Wattebled, the Roman-Catholic Bishop of Nimes, as well as local pastors and members of French parliaments. Baptists from neighbouring countries also attended, including Christoph Haus (Elstal near Berlin), General-Secretary of the EBM International mission society, and Jorge Pastor (Denia), a Vice-President of the Baptist World Alliance. Louis Schweitzer (Massy), Director of the Federation’s theological seminary, called on believers to act as salt and light in society. That concern was fleshed out in working groups, which concluded that Christians also need to struggle for ecological concerns and fair trade. Also mentioned was the campaign against human trafficking, care for the aged and youth as well as support for the Micah-Initiative. Believers must help combat the needs in Haiti and be active in both politics and evangelisation.

Delegates made two important decisions: they voted for a new logo not unlike the former one and similar in style to the one used by British Baptists. The words ‘Living and proclaiming the Gospel together’ were added to the logo. Delegates also voted in favour of membership in a new Evangelical platform, the CNEF (National Council of Evangelicals in France). This new organisation will combine and replace a number of older evangelical groupings, including the French Evangelical Alliance. Roughly 80% of all French Protestants will be represented by the CNEF, including Pentecostals, Charismatics and some evangelicals remaining highly-critical of the ecumenical movement. Following a lively and lengthy discussion, 73% of all delegates voted in favour of joining.