What has been known as a European country without much faith, the Netherlands has recently become an epicentre of Christian believers coming together.
In the middle of May about 63,000 Christians in the Netherlands gathered to praise God during the 54th annual Opwekking Pentecost Conference in Walibi, Holland.
"Revival means following Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit," says opwekking on Instagram. "This is our desire: The Netherlands full of Jesus."
A survey taken in 2021 by the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) concluded that 57 per cent of the population aged 15 or older in the Netherlands declared no religious affiliation. As this European country has embraced atheism, legalized drugs, and publicly glorified prostitution, many previously believed that the Netherlands was post-Christian. However, this gathering with so many believers could show a change in people's hearts.
"The effect of the coming of the Holy Spirit is more powerful than miracles and signs: it causes people to go into the world to bring the gospel," says Opwekking General Director Ruben Flach. "We read in the Bible that God draws near to those who draw near to Him," he shared. "People who respond to His invitation to come closer...It makes us grateful for what God is doing in the Netherlands and also digitally to so many other places. And that is also why we organize this conference every year: we desire that people become familiar with who Jesus is and with the powerful work of the Holy Spirit."
The events had Travis Greene leading worship over four days and included many speakers including Pastor Pete Greig, founder of THE 24-7 Prayer Movement.