The Rise of Evangelical Christianity in France
For a long time, France has been viewed as a deeply secular nation — a country where faith was fading and churches were emptying. But something unexpected has been happening quietly over the past few decades. Evangelical Christianity is growing, and it’s doing so in places where faith once seemed all but forgotten.
The Numbers Tell the Story
In 1950, there were around 50,000 evangelical Christians in France. Today, that number has jumped to roughly 745,000, according to the Conseil National des Évangéliques de France (CNEF). There are now more than 2,700 evangelical churches across the country — that’s about one church for every 25,000 people. What’s even more striking is that evangelicals now make up over half of all Protestants in France.
While the Catholic Church continues to see declining attendance, evangelical churches are doing the opposite — they’re multiplying.
Why People Are Turning to Evangelical Churches
The rise of evangelicals in France isn’t about tradition or inherited religion. It’s about personal conviction and community.
- Conversions are common. Many evangelicals weren’t raised that way. They come from Catholic, agnostic, or secular backgrounds and are drawn to the personal nature of evangelical faith — a direct relationship with God rather than rigid religious formality.
- Church planting is active. On average, around 30 new evangelical churches open every year. That growth is intentional, not accidental.
- Diversity brings life. A large portion of the evangelical population has roots in Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia. These communities bring passionate worship, music, and energy that have helped reshape France’s Protestant landscape.
- The message is simple and relatable. Evangelical churches tend to focus on practical faith, real-life transformation, and hope — not ceremony. That’s connecting with younger generations who want authenticity over tradition.
A Different Kind of Church
Step into an evangelical service in Paris, Marseille, or Lyon, and you’ll feel the difference immediately. The atmosphere is lively — music, clapping, heartfelt prayer. The preaching is direct and often centered around how faith applies to daily struggles. Congregations are multiracial, multiethnic, and full of people who are first-generation believers.
The CNEF’s long-term goal is ambitious: one evangelical church for every 10,000 residents. It’s a vision built on small but steady progress.
The Road Ahead
Evangelicals still make up less than two percent of France’s population, so they’re far from mainstream. They also face skepticism from a culture that prizes secularism and tends to view religion with suspicion. Some churches are small and fragile, run by volunteers juggling limited resources. But despite the challenges, the movement keeps growing.
What It Means
France’s evangelical growth isn’t just about numbers — it’s about people rediscovering faith in a country long considered post-Christian. These churches are building communities where people feel seen, supported, and spiritually alive.
In a nation where religion has often been pushed to the margins, evangelicals are proving that belief still has a place in modern France. It’s not loud or political — it’s steady, personal, and deeply human.
Faith, it seems, hasn’t disappeared from France after all. It’s simply found a new home.