DUTCH BAPTISTS REVITALIZED
By Lauren Weaver

The Union of Baptist Churches in the Netherlands, ministering in the country where the Baptist faith was
founded, is launching a series of new initiatives to strengthen relationships between its churches, as well as with
other denominations and the worldwide body of Baptists.
Although the Baptist church was first established in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, in 1609,
the Baptist faith did not take root in the country until the mid-1800s. Some of the British exiles who founded the
first church returned to Britain, while others who remained in the Netherlands became part of the Mennonite
church.
The Baptist faith returned to the Netherlands in 1845 with the missionary work of Julius Kobner, an assistant
of Johann Oncken. In 1881, the Baptist union in the Netherlands was founded with seven churches.
Today, according to General Secretary Albrecht Boerrigter, the 128-year-old union has 84 churches and
11,500 members. The Baptist church is a small church in Holland, with the largest denomination being the Roman
Catholic Church and the second largest being the Dutch Reformed Church, the former “privileged” church in the
country.
However, the union has a big vision. At its recent annual meeting, Dutch Baptists recognized that they had
been isolated for the past few decades, said Boerrigter. The union is now intentionally becoming more involved
internationally and with other denominational groups in the country.
While it is still at the beginning stages of initiating its vision, said Boerrigter, the union has already made strides
toward its goal of being less isolated. Hosting the Baptist World Alliance Annual Gathering was a significant step
that helped Dutch Baptists to connect with Baptists from around the world. Within the Netherlands, the Baptist
seminary is developing new theological courses with schools of other denominations, such as the Pentecostal
seminary and the Center for Reformed Theology.
The union is also working to strengthen relationships between Baptist churches within the country. The
churches are currently involved in a “prayer relay.” Since the beginning of 2009 and culminating with a final
celebration on November 14, each church in the union is responsible for praying for another church in the union for
an entire week, 24 hours each day. The church receiving prayer informs the praying congregation of its particular
needs and concerns. After the week of prayer has concluded, the young people from the praying congregation
carry a light on a stick to the church for which they were praying, and then that church begins its week of prayer
for the next congregation on the list.
Planting new churches is also a priority for the union. While previously most churches began as a mother-
daughter relationship, now Dutch Baptists are utilizing a pioneer model. For example, families living in areas
where there are a lot of Muslims and few churches began building relationships in their communities. This led to
the start of two new churches in the towns of Utrecht and Amersfoort.
While the church is declining in the north of the country, which is where the Baptist church began, it is growing
in the south and middle of the country. The union is exploring new ways to bring excitement and revitalization to
the churches, especially among the youth.
The Baptists of the Netherlands are moving forward with vision, and, Boerrigter says, there are “a lot of chances
in the coming years to get more people and churches involved.”
(Lauren Weaver is a graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, in the
United States and former assistant editor in the Communications division of the Baptist World Alliance.)

PHOTOS: Dutch volunteers at the BWA Annual Gathering in Ede;
Albrecht Boerrigter, general secretary of the Union of Baptist Churches in the Netherlands, extends welcome to
worshippers at the quadricentennial service in Amsterdam

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2009
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