An upcoming mission trip to France will now only host senior, male theology students due to logistic and safety concerns.
Those attending from Southern Adventist University are planning to preach an evangelistic series at more than five churches in Paris, France, and surrounding areas. The students will take a traditional approach to evangelism and doctrinal theology.
Originally, the trip was open to students of all class-standings and majors, but the requirements have changed due to logistical issues. The churches in France are all spread out to different locations, and students will be required to take public transportation by themselves to each destination. Theology students must also preach an evangelistic series before graduation, so the ERC team, wants to give those students the opportunity to fulfill those requirements.
The trip was planned for 20 or more students to be able to go and preach, but many of the churches in France were not open to holding evangelistic series. In the past, ERC has planned very few trips to Western Europe due to the amount of secularism and unwillingness from churches to plan evangelistic meetings.
“We want students to go to places where they can experience evangelism and be blessed. Those who go on mission trips are there to make a contribution, but we would never want to put them in a bad situation,” said Paul Riverto, ERC coordinator.
Thirteen of the students who are no longer going have been placed on other ERC summer mission trips.