What is 2 Timothée 2,2?

If you’ve not heard of 2 Timothée 2,2 before (2T22 for short), let me provide a brief introduction. The organisation exists to help young people train for Christian ministry in francophone Europe. Its name is a direct reference to the following Bible verse: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”  

2T22 was set up by Laura Nelson after her husband Édouard tragically died in a mountaineering accident in 2020. Édouard was pastor at L’Eglise des Ternes in Paris and Vice-President of the CNEF (National Council of French Evangelicals). Laura and her family still worship at L’Eglise des Ternes and France Mission is involved in their financial support. The following update is taken (with permission) from their 2024 Donors’ Report.

In 2023, 2T22 supported a record number of interns: 25 men and 12 women, about one third of whom were doing their second year. 75% were working throughout France, 22% in Belgium, and 3% in Switzerland. Each intern is allocated a supervisor in the local church who commits to a weekly meeting for spiritual oversight, prayer, and feedback.

Mentoring is complemented by gathering the interns for a monthly Zoom training session, where they hear a variety of experienced gospel workers sharing crucial biblical wisdom on ministry subjects such as healthy authority, reaching millennials, marriage and ministry, or why personal evangelism should remain a priority. In Paris and Brussels, 2T22 offer the chance to do this in person and to add a morning of Bible-handling training, including giving practice sermons (Ateliers 2T22). In January they gather interns and spouses (for those who are married), for a three-day retreat, a highlight of the year.

Here's some feedback from Toni, one of this year’s interns:

Before getting married, Ludivine and I wanted to serve the Gospel in France. That is why, once married, we planned to study at a Bible institute. When I was young, I had to drive an hour to go to church every Sunday – it was heart-breaking that there were so few churches in my region (Var, France). Only eight months into my job as a Physics teacher I asked for a career break. What followed was impossible to understand, but God allowed that request to be accepted. Normally in the French educational system, you must have three years of experience before being eligible to ask for a break.

We were delighted with our plan to start training at the Belgian Bible Institute, but we didn’t have any savings. Without 2T22’s bursary, we couldn’t have imagined taking the course. Now we are extremely happy to have completed the first year, which has literally changed our lives. This past year was especially precious by helping us to better understand Word ministry as we served in a local church as interns. Being supported by 2T22 allows us to concentrate fully on our training.

Former interns have been going on to serve in church-planting, pastoral ministry, and evangelism. But 2T22 are keen to do more. Their plan is to organise a Saturday event in a major city where they already have several partner churches, so the pastors can invite widely and get more people thinking about God’s glorious cause, and how we can each play our part. Please pray for God to raise up many more workers for this harvest field through these Journées 2T22. The pastors in Strasbourg, Lyon, Brussels, Toulouse, and Paris that 2T22 have contacted are very enthusiastic about the idea.