Monday, July 25, 2005
REC 11
From Emily Brink:
Today the whole group took the bus to Rotterdam to attend migrant churches. In groups of about 10, we each attended parts or all of three different services, then met together for lunch and discussion at the Scots International Church. So many stories!
People often think of the decline of the church in the Netherlands, but the pastor said he could see a quiet revival going on in ways never envisioned by Dutch churches. There are now more than 150 migrant churches in the Netherlands, some dating all the way back to the time of religious refugees in the 16th and 17th centuries. Others came to help rebuild Rotterdam after the heavy bombing in World War II and then stayed; more recently, people have come from Eastern Europe (after the Balkan conflicts), Middle East, and different African countries. One challenge is how to receive the gifts of Christian brothers and sisters coming from so many places and traditions. The ministry of healing is very large and important in these churches, with so many people displaced from their homelands for one reason or another.
Another challenge in large cities (not only Rotterdam, but globally) is dealing with very mobile congregations. The Scots International Church (more than 300 years old) now has more than a 50% turnover every 4-5 years. Five different “congregations” meet in that building each week, including a Middle Eastern Bible study.
In such ways, God is building up his church.
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