More Together in the Netherlands

By Keiko Tasin

KEIKO: Recently I told a friend that I had been asked to write an article about the Relational Mission weekend in the Netherlands, and she laughed and said, “Why would they ask you? You say what you actually think!” Of all the cultural adjustments I’ve made over the past 16 years living in the Netherlands, this might be the area in which I have changed the most. The Dutch are known for being very direct, as opposed to Americans, who like to use the sandwich technique – say something positive, then what the problem is, then something positive again.

However, 16 years is enough time to change. I have now discovered the secret of Dutch directness! You can say almost anything, just so long as you begin with “I think…” That way, you’re not implying that what you believe is fact, or that you know best, or that how you see things is how things really are. You are simply letting the other person know what you think might be the case.

So, what would a person who says what they really think have to say about a weekend conference attended by 400 people, representing all different ages and stages of life? A conference packed with four main meetings, four seminars, children’s work, youth work, and prophetic ministry time, as well as the added complexity of making everything available in two languages? …Well, I guess we will find out together!

The Heat Wave

I’m sure many of you have experienced the recent heat wave in Europe. While it had not yet reached its peak during our weekend together (June 19-21), we certainly had a little taste of what was to come. It turned out to be hot, very hot!

As we unpacked our bags in our little oven of a caravan, I felt more thankful than ever that the place where the main meetings were to be held had air conditioning – and that I would need to be there early to help with translation (a perk of serving in a team).

A quick walk around the campgrounds showed me I was not the only one feeling the heat. Red cheeks were visible everywhere. The kids fled to the pool, and the adults made for the shade.

The Teaching

At the first meeting, many people were still catching up with one another. There was a lot of embracing friends we had not seen for a while. For several of us, it would also be our first experience of Stef Liston. What a delight! I’m not sure what I appreciated more, his depth or his humour (okay, it was his depth, but his humour was also great).

The theme of our weekend centred on being ‘Strong and Courageous’, and both his first and second sessions were helpful in providing perspective on the subject. Stef encouraged us not only to weigh the risks of faith but also those of unbelief.

The other main meeting speakers included Bas Visser (Wijnstokgemeente in Berkel en Rodenrijs) and Wouter Vertegaal (Novio in Nijmegen). Bas spoke from Joshua 3 about the courage the Israelite priests needed to step into the moving water before God stopped it, and reminded us that the soles of our shoes are enough for God to do miracles. Wouter emphasised that we are all on this journey together, particularly as Relational Mission churches in the Netherlands, and discussed the different steps being taken in various churches. For example, there is a new church plant starting in Eindhoven this summer. RM churches across the Netherlands (and England) are giving some of their best people to this mission. They are praying for them, financing them, and encouraging them. This weekend we got to see in person the people about to take this leap of faith, and we collectively said to them, ‘We’re all in this together.’

There isn’t enough space for me to name everyone involved with the worship band, youth ministry, child ministry, preschool ministry, and the many other practical ministries, but I certainly want to say a big thank you to everyone who served so faithfully.

The Swimming Pool

The reality is that the memorable moments that make up these weekends do not just take place in air-conditioned conference buildings, where one person stands at the front and speaks, while everyone else quietly listens. They take place in caravans and tents, full of mature believers, as well as those new to the faith. They are filled with happy children and teenagers, whose overtired parents stay up later than usual to catch up with people they don’t always get to see. And they are filled with people who are there to serve, and people who have come with empty tanks in dire need of fellowship. A weekend like this asks everyone to practice flexibility and take others into account.

For me, the real highlight of the weekend was the swimming pool! Anyone who knows me even a little bit would find this hard to believe. I don’t tend to like crowded areas, nor do I like being splashed, and although I’m probably not alone in this, I really don’t like being in my bathing suit in front of the whole church.

It started out as a necessity, a way to avoid the heat. But before I knew it, I was fully immersed (no pun intended), going down the waterslide, splashing and laughing and having actual FUN with my church family. There is something very disarming about seeing everyone’s different shapes and sizes all splashing about in the same awkward setting, which really put me at ease. And seeing leaders playing with their kids and doing cannonballs just made them seem human in a way that no amount of personal stories told from the podium can. It was in that moment that I looked around for the first time and thought, this is my church family. Yes, the meetings are great, really great! Yes, I LOVE singing worship songs together! Yes, I’m immensely thankful for all the different kids and youth ministries that help people of all ages engage with God. But having fun together – now that’s what really makes us a family, I think.

So here in the Netherlands, the question is: are we prepared to have wet feet by taking a step of faith? I hope so. And will we make time for fun along the way? I hope so too.

by Keiko Tasin

Keiko lives with her husband Romero and their creative daughter Eva in the Netherlands. Keiko and Romero divide their time between paying the bills and building the church, while focusing on their marriage and ever-changing parenting needs. The family is part of Novio Church in Nijmegen.