Often nicknamed "pastors' pastor" ("le pasteur des pasteurs"), French Evangelical leader André Thobois (1924-2012) passed away on the 26th of March, 2012.
A memorial service was held on the 31th of March, 2012, in the Avenue du Maine Baptist Church (Paris, France).
Christians from all denominations came to express their thanksgiving for what they considered to be such a lasting and fruitful ministry.
French Baptist Pastor André Thobois is the most prominent Evangelical leader in France since 1945.
Apart from his pastoral ministry, André Thobois has presided over dozens of Protestant bodies, including the European Baptist Mission (1976 to 1994), the French Baptist Federation (from 1963 to 1987), the French Bible Alliance (from 1975 to 1998), the French Evangelical Alliance (from 1973 to 1991) and the French section of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (1969-1990).
He also served for 24 years as vice-president of the French Protestant Federation, the main French Protestant body (from 1968 to 1992). Famous for his unique ability to combine deep piety and managerial skills, André Thobois was a man of action and vision.
Also author of several books and hundreds of articles, he can be considered as the main architect of the growing networking process which strenghtened the French Evangelical minority since 1945 (with figures going from 50.000 believers to more than 600.000 in today's France).
More information (in French) is provided on the French Protestant Federation website and blogdesebastienfath.hautetfort.com/
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Rest in peace