Death of Pastor Jean Peterschmitt, founder of the Christian Open Door

Pastor Jean Peterschmitt, founder of the Christian Open Door, a large evangelical Church in Mulhouse, died on Saturday June 11. 

Jean Peterschmitt, founder of the Evangelical Church of the Christian Open Door, died on Saturday June 11 according to a statement of the community, which expressed "its immense sadness".

“The Christian Open Door has the immense sadness to inform you of the death of Jean Peterschmitt, founder of the church and servant of God until his last breath. He left us peacefully this Saturday, June 11, but in the face of this human sadness, there is this firm hope that he has joined his heavenly Father whom he loved so much and this divine joy that he has gone before us with the fervor that characterized him. »

John Peterschmitt was born on April 17, 1927 in Alsace. Following the miraculous recovery of his wife Suzanne and while he owned a business, he began to evangelize his customers by telling them about the miracle he had witnessed.

“We weren't used to seeing God at work at home. But something extraordinary happened: Suzanne, then dying, was miraculously healed by the prayer 'in the name of Jesus' that a young pastor had made”, explained the pastor when he testified of his story.

Thus began the pastoral adventure of Suzanne and Jean Peterschmitt who are also parents of four children: Michèle, Carine, Samuel and Daniel.

In a small restaurant in Thann (a town near Mulhouse), the couple shared the Gospel, distributed Bibles and prayed for the sick. It was in 1966 that they officially founded the Church of the Christian Open Door. Over the years the church has grown exponentially and has more than 2.300 members in 2020.

In 1987, Jean Peterschmitt was replaced for his son, Samuel, who thus became the senior pastor of the community.

On Twitter the historian of religions, Sébastien Fath pays tribute to the Alsatian pastor who was, according to him, "one of the great engines of the revival of French Protestantism".

➡️ Alsatian pastor Jean Peterschmitt (1927-2022), founder of the #megachurch #ChristianOpenDoor (#POC) of which he was pastor until 2002, bowed out
➡️ He was one of the great drivers of the renewal of the #Protestantism French, & authored 3 autobiographical books pic.twitter.com/98w8XlrR2C

- FATH Sébastien (@SebFath) June 13, 2022

The new president of the National Council of Evangelicals of France (CNEF), Pastor Erwan Cloarec, hailed him a “man of heart, and a great man of faith”.

It is with sadness that I learn this morning of the passing of Pastor Jean Peterschmitt. A man of heart, and a great man of faith who left last night for his savior. On behalf of @lecnef, all our messages of consolation to the family and to the Churches of the @OpenDoor68. pic.twitter.com/6EOJoCZSC9

— Erwan CLOAREC (@PresidentCnef) June 12, 2022

The pastor's funeral, which will be broadcast on social networks, will take place on Saturday June 18 at 9:30 a.m. at the Porte Ouverte church in Mulhouse.

Camille Westphal Perrier

Image credit: Christian Open House Photo