How do we believe what we cannot see? Why does the sower part with the seed, leave it in the ground and expect a harvest? Because of faith and previous experience.

This faith led Romuald Lasnes on the path of church planting, joined by his wife, Liz. For years both have been walking with the Lord, have experienced His faithfulness and have seen His promises fulfilled.  Therefore, when they heard His calling, they joyfully obeyed and stepped out in faith.

Romu comes from a nominal Christian background. In his teens the family was approached by Jehovah’s Witnesses and following three years of regular conversations with them Romu and two of his siblings grew more and more curious of the truth. Friends directed them to an evangelical church where they understood the gospel and were saved. Romu professed faith at the age of 17. Although he immediately felt a calling to ministry, his parents wanted him to have a “proper degree and a good job”. The young man was actively involved in CU and went on to graduate and work in a secular job, where he stayed for over 15 years. But “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” and in 2019 Romu found himself in London, studying at London Seminary. It was during his studies that he met his future wife. At the time Liz was a pastoral staff worker at Christ Church, Mayfair, having previously worked for UCCF, spending two years in China as a missionary. Her cross-cultural experience, her work among students and in the local church as well as her mission-minded spirit are all a perfect fit for a church-planter’s wife. How amazing that while serving the Lord, He uses people not only in the present but prepares them for the future too.

Romu and Liz got married last August and started their life together in the 11th district of Paris, an inner-city area with young professionals, most of them single and if married mostly no family. They lead a busy life but Romu and Liz are acutely aware that they need Christ. Their vision is to establish an evangelical church in the heart of the 11th district, reaching out to those who have so much materially but so little spiritually.

The Lord’s blessing on these plans is very visible in how He walks before them in many ways. After being an assistant pastor in another area of Paris, “in April last year Romu was contacted by a pastor whose former church owns a 40m2 space in the 11th that is now empty. To them, the obvious thing to do was to pray for this space to be used once again to bring the gospel to the neighbourhood. Normally church planting teams must go searching for a place to meet, in this case the meeting place came searching for us!” - they share in their latest newsletter.  The space was recently renovated with Romu and Liz’s full involvement. The church is hoping to sell the premises as an office space to a Christian owner, with the view of the church plant renting on Sundays. Please, pray for these plans to come to fruition!

At the moment Liz is busy attending French classes and making new friends, Romu works as a travel agent and hopes to meet more and more locals through his job. His boss is supportive of his plans to plant a church and ready to let him work part time when it becomes necessary. Connexion church where Liz and Romu worship at the moment will be their sending church. Some of the congregation already live in the 11th district, some are young and mobile, happy to move if the Lord calls them. Romu is working on setting up a prayer group soon to pray for the church plant and after a well-planned Christmas outreach the first meeting could be held in January. Prayerful and material support are much needed as this young couple have a burden for the seed to be sown, for it “to grow and became a tree”. They are sowing in faith and pray for a harvest.