Europe was off the mission map until American servicemen returned from WWII with their accounts of the dire spiritual condition there. The land of the Reformation and the birthplace of the Brethren movement had become a post-Christian continent.
As a part of the initial wave of postwar missionaries, Fred and Maurita Fogle left for France in 1951, joining the staff of the European Bible Institute some years later. Tom and Doris Julien left in 1958 and, after a year of French studies in Geneva, moved to Grenoble. There they engaged in literature distribution, camp work, and collaboration with some of the few evangelical churches.
Soon realizing that the French could not be reached without seeing evidence of Christ in the lives of His followers, they were able to begin a ministry in a 14th century castle which the Lord provided in the village of Saint-Albain. The Chateau became a bridge both in evangelism, bringing believers and unbelievers together in personal relationships, and in church planting, allowing new believers to learn what they would later experience in a church.
Six churches were planted in surrounding cities during the first two decades of the ministry. The Chateau also became a Bible training center, an encounter center for strategic discussions between mission organizations, and a center for a European branch of Grace Theological Seminary. The Chateau was used of the Lord for putting Europe on the map of Grace Brethren missions, with more than 100 missionaries later coming to Europe for varying periods of ministry.
As a part of the initial wave of postwar missionaries, Fred and Maurita Fogle left for France in 1951, joining the staff of the European Bible Institute some years later. Tom and Doris Julien left in 1958 and, after a year of French studies in Geneva, moved to Grenoble. There they engaged in literature distribution, camp work, and collaboration with some of the few evangelical churches.
Soon realizing that the French could not be reached without seeing evidence of Christ in the lives of His followers, they were able to begin a ministry in a 14th century castle which the Lord provided in the village of Saint-Albain. The Chateau became a bridge both in evangelism, bringing believers and unbelievers together in personal relationships, and in church planting, allowing new believers to learn what they would later experience in a church.
Six churches were planted in surrounding cities during the first two decades of the ministry. The Chateau also became a Bible training center, an encounter center for strategic discussions between mission organizations, and a center for a European branch of Grace Theological Seminary. The Chateau was used of the Lord for putting Europe on the map of Grace Brethren missions, with more than 100 missionaries later coming to Europe for varying periods of ministry.
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