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ABOUT THE AUTHOR… Contact Vince Esterman via e-mail Vince Esterman has been an evangelist pastoring churches all of his life ! Born in Australia of French parents he found Christ alone one night at the age of 15. Having grown up in a practicing Catholic family Vince immediately felt the call of God on his life. He knew little of the Word of God and the Gospel he would spend the rest of his life preaching. The Catholic priesthood seemed the only option. After two years of seminary training he stumbled upon a copy of “The Cross and the Switchblade” by David Wilkerson. He had found what he was looking for! In the months that followed he left the seminary, joined a prayer group and experienced the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. His home town of Sydney was at the time a spiritual desert. Vince wanted to be where God was moving. When news filtered through of a move of the Holy Spirit in Brisbane, he threw his few belongings in his small car and headed north. It was then that he discovered alive, Spirit-filled churches that powerfully preached the Gospel. Vince was hooked! In the ensuing years he completed a university degree in religious studies and became youth pastor of a significant church in Brisbane. In 1979 he married Denise, a member of his youth committee and the following year the newly–weds headed to Ipswich, Queensland, to pioneer their first church. It grew rapidly with people coming to Christ each week in the evening service. Coffee shop outreach, street witnessing and door-knocking was all part of this pastor’s weekly programme. In 1986 Vince and Denise moved to France in response to the heavenly call. After an initial period of itinerant evangelism in local churches they established an office in the southern Paris area. A new church was born. It grew quickly over the ensuing years and many from around France came to see what God was doing. A number of couples sensing God’s day returned to their cities to plant an alive church. Now a new movement was born! From those early days Vince has been involved in helping plant over 25 churches throughout France and Belgium. Never having lost the call to the streets, Vince began to operate on the streets of major cities in France and in particular Paris, with a sketch board telling amusing but heart-touching stories to the many that would stop to listen. It is estimated that Vince has spoken to over 60,000 people who have heard him through on the streets of Paris alone. In 1995 Vince and Denise pioneered another church in downtown Paris, in the Sorbonne University area. Many who heard the Gospel for the first time were sceptical atheistic students. He launched a School for Evangelists to train church leaders in effectively reaching the community with the Gospel. Hundreds of Christians from all over France were trained in this school. Vince has been the upfront evangelist but has also been the caring pastor who understands the fears and discouragements that Christians experience in evangelism. He has especially worked on the questions of understanding the way into the hearts of secular people. The principles he shares come from his up-close experience. Even to this day , after 30 years of ministry, on a Friday afternoon you’ll find him surrounded by university students touched by the truth and the powerful simplicity of his message. He now travels extensively in Europe helping pastors and churches develop a soul-winning culture in the local church. Vince has produced a CD album of his own humorous Gospel songs and has performed in concerts in various piano-bars and restaurants throughout Paris. He has appeared on French national television clearly presenting the Gospel in this faith-resistant country. He is the author of 3 books in English of which Miracle Conversions is the first. It has been published in several languages. |
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