Everyone counts

This is a part of yesterday’s Pentecost message that I really want to share with you:

Whenever you think that you are ‘a grey mouse’, a ‘nobody’ who is not able to make a difference, this is what you need to know:
-It is not right to think like that
-It is not true at all
-It is like ‘cursing in the church’ - especially during a Pentecost sermon!

Everyone counts – was the theme of yesterday’s sermon. Eleven 'foreign' members of our church read John 3:16 in their own language. It was like being part of the first church gathering (2nd Chapter of Acts - The Continued Story). Wow! What will the Church look like if you could see this beautiful bride through the eyes of Jesus...? We are anticipating a great wedding - really can't wait to be part of it.

‘In the Last Days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters; Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams.’ (Acts 2:17 - The Message)


This picture was taken during one of the BreakPoint youth events from our church. The teens gathered in the former church building. Yesterday they have kicked off their own Youth Church - which will take place in the new church building, simultaneously with the 'sermons for boring grown-ups' (my phrasing!)

Talking about excluding / including people… Wigle Tamboer also told us about his own teenage years. Tamboer, born in 1955, was the first teenager in his home town wearing a real Afghanistan coat (hard to describe what that looks like, - I am from 1961 - but according to Tamboer this was the coolest thing to wear for teenagers back then. His mum paid almost 200 guilders for it = approx. 100 euros for an awful looking coat). So, our pastor used to be a Joseph type, I guess. Anyway, he was so happy with this expensive piece of clothing that his mother gave him, that he wore it every day. He showed us this old worn-out coat. It was not looking very attractive at all and – according to Tamboer – it didn’t smell nice either. (I take his word for that). But, you could also see a little red heart that was attached to it. A picture of this heart shaped add-on was projected on the screen. This was what the little red heart was proclaiming: ‘Jesus Loves You!’ Now we know for sure that our pastor used to be a member of the Jesus People. Far out, man!

Tamboer explained: ‘My parents accepted my long hair and my extravagant taste for clothing. They didn’t care too much about that. They looked at my heart and they knew that God was looking at my heart as well.’

I think this is great! Look how the Lord has used this man: today he is a servant of the Lord, ministering a fast growing church in a new area with a young, well-to do, well educated, but highly secularised population. The majority of the inhabitants of this area don’t care about church at all. They care more about their careers and about earning enough money to live in expensive houses and drive fancy cars. Sure, they also care a lot about their children. They want to make sure that they will all have the same standard of living in the future. They don’t want them to stand out in the crowd, they must fit in and become even more successful than their parents. They must all have the standard teenage gear, consisting of cell phone, MP3 player, a scooter, the right clothes etc. And, of course, they must develop the same materialistic attitude as ‘the rest of us’.

Yesterday we had the first official meeting of our Youth Church. In a fenced of part of the church building they now have their very own meeting place to ‘be church’. All kids were asked to sign their names on one of the freshly painted white walls. During our Pentecost celebration all these 12+ boys and girls stood up to go to their very own sermon in the same building. Their exodus was filmed, transmitted ‘live’ and projected on the huge screens on both sides of the stage. The congregation watched how the next generation kicked off their own Youth Church. I couldn’t help crying. Lord, I am so thankful!

While we were watching ‘our kids’ on the screens – trying to look as cool as they possibly can – we were all listening to a recorded song performed by Kees Kraayenoord (worship leader and youth pastor, now acting as a modern day's Joshua - leading the next generation into new teritorry...) I don’t know if all my brothers and sisters were able to understand the English lyrics, but these words really touched my heart. Especially because I could also see my own son Robin projected on the big screens, looking a bit insecure, but proudly wearing his ‘Do U Have A Problem?’ T-shirt.

Picture this, and imagine listening to these words while all the grown-ups are applauding and encouraging their teen kids, exiting and exciting the ‘adult’ church:

We worship you together
Our hearts have been restored
What a privilege to share in
The forgiveness of the Lord
And to see your children dancing
Celebrate your grace
What a joy to be at home
We’ve come into the
Father’s place

(‘The Father’s Place’, written by Kees Kraayenoord and Henk Pool, from the CD called ‘Broken’ – highly recommended!)

I know, I am an oversensitive guy, but it touches me again while I am typing these words. It is a good thing that my face is not projected on a huge screen now!

Need I say more? I want to pray with you – just to thank the Lord for what He is doing in my little hometown called Hoofddorp:

Thank You, Father, for providing this beautiful place for our teens. Thank You for entrusting us with the care of your children. You are taking some risks with us, vulnerable people! We don’t want to disappoint You, we want to be generous and forgiving parents, just as You are, Father! We want to witness this miracle that is taking place right before our very eyes. We want to see a new generation that is singing your praises and that is completely and shamelessly devoted to you. We want to learn from our kids, we want to become more like them in order to see more of You. We need your Spirit to understand their language, to guide them, to feel their pain, to answer their questions to the best of our abilities. We want to share their burdens. Bless your children, Father. Build your Church in our midst. Transform us into One attractive Family. Make us an undisputable sign of your miraculous power. Help us to be kind and open minded and teach us to reach out to EVERYBODY. I love You and I love your kids. Amen!