Christian Open Door Church 1.65

The Christian Open Door Church is a French Pentecostal church whose main place of worship is located in Mulhouse. It is the second largest Evangelical church in France, with over 2,200 members, and is frequently considered a megachurch as 1,500 members regularly attend the church. Every Sunday, the broadcast of the worship is seen by about 4,000 people on the church's official site. The church in Mulhouse is part of the Federation of Full Gospel Churches in France, created in 1992. In the 1990s, the church was criticized by former members, their families and anti-cult associations.HistoryThe church was founded by Jean Peterschmitt, a son of a Mennonite. In 1963, he joined the Pentecostal community affiliated with the French Assemblies of God led by Pastor Gilbert Ringenbach, after the miraculous healing of his wife by the pastor. He became a translator within the community. In 1965, despite the pastor's opposition, he decided, with the help of his cousin, Jean Widemer, a pastor in Valentigney, to open a small meeting room in Thann, then in Mulhouse in 1966. This assembly was registered under its current name as cultural charitable organization. He joined pastor Albert Burkhart who consecrated him as pastor in 1970.The movement held a place of worship in Pfastatt, then developed in Alsace and Germany, with three annexes. However, after an organizational disagreement, Peterschmitt broke his ties with the annexes, and the place of worship in Pfastatt was cancelled. Thereafter, the group grew up again and the worship association "Mission of Full Gospel. The Christian Open Door" was created in 1987. The association established its new premises in a former supermarket and had over 600 regular churchgoers in 1989. The number of believers grew quickly and a church was opened in Cayenne.