According to Statistics Canada and the 2016 census, Francophones (those who reported French as their mother tongue) make up just over 20.6% of the population of Canada. Only 0.8% (just shy of one percent) of Canada’s Francophones identify themselves as evangelical Christians, which makes Canada’s French-speaking population the most unreached mission field in North America.
A couple generations ago, Quebec was a “religious” society, persecuting evangelicals. Today it is a secular society, ignoring evangelicals. The reality is there are multitudes that have yet to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel.
Even though there are about 9,000 believers who worship every Sunday in our AEBEQ (Fellowship French Region) churches, there are still another 6,000,000 Francophones living in Quebec—as well as the 1,000,000 elsewhere in Canada—who are largely unreached with the Gospel. The stark reality is that almost no one from beyond our borders is seeking to reach the Francophone population in Quebec or the rest of Canada, and so that vitally important mission falls to our Fellowship of churches.
REACHING FRANCOPHONE CANADA
The unfinished task of church planting among French Canadians.
Mission + VisionFrancophones make up just over 20% of the population of Canada.
The strength of the French Mission lay in its wonderful team of missionaries. Most of them were born in Quebec, and experienced a dramatic conversion experience when they met Jesus Christ and committed their lives to Him. They devoted themselves to ministry and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to their own people.
But just because the Fellowship French Mission has retired does not mean that the work is done. In 1958, Quebec was a “religious” society, persecuting evangelicals. Today it is a secular society, ignoring evangelicals. “The reality is,” writes Dobson, “…right now, still less than 1% of the population would self-identify as evangelical Christians, and so there are multitudes that have yet to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel.” This is one of the lowest percentages in the world.
Even though there are today about 9,000 believers who worship every Sunday in our AEBEQ churches there are still another 6,000,000 francophones living in Quebec-as well as the 1,000,000 elsewhere in Canada‐who are largely unreached with the Gospel. The stark reality is that almost no one from beyond our borders is seeking to reach the francophone population in Quebec or the rest of Canada, and so that vitally important mission falls to our Fellowship of churches.