New Trees in Holland - Hollands Christian Heritage Anew
7“For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. 8 Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground,
9 yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant. Job 14:7-9
This is a beautiful picture of the possible future of Christianity in Western Europe. In many ways, people may think that Christianity here may seem like a dead stump in the ground compared to what it used to be. Gert Maak, a dutch historian, writes in De eeuw van mijn vader that in 1899, 97% of people in Holland said that they belonged to a church. Now in 2013, it is estimated that around 2-3% of people in Amsterdam go to church.
The Netherlands has a Christian heritage which is hard to ignore. For example Maak says in another publication that the reason the social system of Holland cares so well for the poor is because this was a predominately Christian nation where people believed the words of the Bible where it said "There shall be no poor among you." (Deut 15:4). This can be seen today in the care not just for the Dutch poor, but the large amount of money which is given to developing nations by the government.
The theme Job speaks about concerning old roots touching water and new life sprouting forth is often spoken about in the Bible. In Isaiah 6, God speaks of a holy seed sprouting up from an old stump. Also in Isaiah 11, the prophet speaks of a shoot coming from the stump of Jesse. These are all prophecies concerning a remnant of Israel, but more importantly the Messiah: Jesus Christ.
Memories of strong churches are hard to miss in Amsterdam. The faith of Vincent van Gogh and Rembrandt are evident when you visit the museums. Scripture verses are written on apartments for the poor in Amsterdam Osdorp. You can drink tea or watch a music performance at the Mozaik in Bos en Lommer. This was a church where thousands of people used to attend in the 1950s. The roots are there and I believe that as the Holy Spirit touches the hearts of people in Amsterdam there will be growth in established churches and even new churches will be planted. It probably will not look or express itself in the same ways or forms as churches one hundred years ago. I suspect they will look much more multi-cultural and in many different languages. You can't miss the more than one hundred primarily African Pentecostal churches in Amsterdam Zuid-Oost or the large English speaking international churches such as Crossroads(www.xrds.nl) in Amstelveen (with an attendance around 1500 every sunday).
As a Dutch-American, my prayer is that we will continue to rediscover the deep and authentic faith that many people in this nation have experienced in the past. Perhaps not in the same forms or with the same words, but of course connected to the same source: Jesus Christ. May the new trees continue to grow while honoring and cherishing the rich Christian heritage of the Netherlands.
9 yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant. Job 14:7-9
This is a beautiful picture of the possible future of Christianity in Western Europe. In many ways, people may think that Christianity here may seem like a dead stump in the ground compared to what it used to be. Gert Maak, a dutch historian, writes in De eeuw van mijn vader that in 1899, 97% of people in Holland said that they belonged to a church. Now in 2013, it is estimated that around 2-3% of people in Amsterdam go to church.
The Netherlands has a Christian heritage which is hard to ignore. For example Maak says in another publication that the reason the social system of Holland cares so well for the poor is because this was a predominately Christian nation where people believed the words of the Bible where it said "There shall be no poor among you." (Deut 15:4). This can be seen today in the care not just for the Dutch poor, but the large amount of money which is given to developing nations by the government.
The theme Job speaks about concerning old roots touching water and new life sprouting forth is often spoken about in the Bible. In Isaiah 6, God speaks of a holy seed sprouting up from an old stump. Also in Isaiah 11, the prophet speaks of a shoot coming from the stump of Jesse. These are all prophecies concerning a remnant of Israel, but more importantly the Messiah: Jesus Christ.
Memories of strong churches are hard to miss in Amsterdam. The faith of Vincent van Gogh and Rembrandt are evident when you visit the museums. Scripture verses are written on apartments for the poor in Amsterdam Osdorp. You can drink tea or watch a music performance at the Mozaik in Bos en Lommer. This was a church where thousands of people used to attend in the 1950s. The roots are there and I believe that as the Holy Spirit touches the hearts of people in Amsterdam there will be growth in established churches and even new churches will be planted. It probably will not look or express itself in the same ways or forms as churches one hundred years ago. I suspect they will look much more multi-cultural and in many different languages. You can't miss the more than one hundred primarily African Pentecostal churches in Amsterdam Zuid-Oost or the large English speaking international churches such as Crossroads(www.xrds.nl) in Amstelveen (with an attendance around 1500 every sunday).
As a Dutch-American, my prayer is that we will continue to rediscover the deep and authentic faith that many people in this nation have experienced in the past. Perhaps not in the same forms or with the same words, but of course connected to the same source: Jesus Christ. May the new trees continue to grow while honoring and cherishing the rich Christian heritage of the Netherlands.
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