France: Cafe for Connection

France is a country marked by secularism, where religious expression is often considered a private matter and open discussions about faith can be seen as inappropriate. While Catholicism once shaped much of the culture, it now holds little relevance in the daily lives of most people. Evangelical believers represent less than 2% of the population. Still, beneath this surface, there is a growing hunger for meaning and spirituality—one that often leads people in France toward Eastern religions or new age philosophies rather than toward Christ.

In this cultural context, spiritual dialogue tends to emerge organically through trusted relationships, often over coffee, meals, or shared interests and activities. This is why there is such a great need for “third spaces” in France: public, neutral spaces, where people feel safe to connect, ask questions, and engage in honest conversations.

This project seeks to establish a welcoming, non-profit neighborhood café that meets this need. The Café will be volunteer-run, offering coffee, baked goods, and an atmosphere of warmth and openness. More than just a café, it will host a variety of activities that naturally bring people together—English conversation, creative workshops, live music, philosophical discussions, and Bible studies.

At the heart of this initiative is not simply hospitality or good coffee, but intentional presence. The team of volunteers will seek to embody the love of Christ—listening well, serving compassionately, offering hope, and creating space for spiritual curiosity to grow. Through both direct approaches (like offering Christian literature or initiating spiritual conversations) and indirect expressions (such as attentive service and community engagement), the café aims to be a place where people encounter Jesus and witness the beauty of gospel-centered relationships.

The project is being led by one of our missionaries serving in France alongside members from both an Avant church plant and another evangelical church. With this support and partnership, we hope the Café becomes a launching pad for transformation: lives changed by the gospel, neighborhoods strengthened by authentic community, and the church expanding into spaces it might not otherwise reach.

A gift to this project will help make this vision a reality, providing the resources needed to rent a building and establish the space. Every contribution helps open the door for someone in France to encounter the hope of Jesus in a meaningful, relational setting.