More News about Tony Anthony's recent visit to the Netherlands

The tour with Tony Anthony is over... and what an exciting experience it was! Since my last update we've been visiting the city of Rotterdam, where Tony gave his testimony in Evangelical Centre Europoort - a multicultural Pentecostal church where we also enjoyed the great Caribbean praise and worship music, gospel, rap and break dancing. Yes, this is Church 2006! The music, the audience, people we've met - it was just great!! It was also nice to meet Hans (a.k.a. Supergans - see his comment on my last posting) - and Eddy and his wife Debby who asked us to come to their church. (If you want to know more about Eddy Boevink, just watch this TV documentary - sorry only in Dutch... Eddy used to be a heroin addict - he is a walking, talking testimony of God's changing power!)

Unfortunately we couldn't stay at this church, because we had a next appointment in prison 'De IJssel' (Krimpen aan den IJssel). This was our first visit to a Dutch prison together and it was an impressive experience. I've been visiting prisons before, but this time it was quite different... having a guy like Tony with me!

Tony--a former three times world champion Kung Fu, top body guard and ex-prisoner now working as a full time Evangelist-- brings a radical message and of course I was wondering how the Roman Catholic priest, a very friendly man, would react. He gave Tony the opportunity to tell his story to the prisoners and every one of them received a free copy of Tony's award wining autobiography Taming the Tiger. (Dutch title: Getemde tijger). Several inmates responded to Tony's invitation to a) be willing to turn away from everything that is wrong in their lives and b) surrender to Jesus Christ (accept Him as God and Saviour). All reactions were very positive.

In the evening we visited Thug's Church, a Youth for Christ initiative in one of the more problematic neighbourhoods of Rotterdam (Millinxbuurt). A nice guy, his name is Daniel de Wolf (pic left), is doing some impressive work as a modern day's urban missionary among the unchurched. Also in this meeting several visitors decided to turn away from bad things and accept Christ as their Saviour! Hopefully this will prevent some of them from ending up in prison too... I pray that the Lord will bless Daniel and his friends!

On Monday morning we went to prison again, this time to Boschpoort Breda (so called 'koepelgevangenis' - see pic below). We arrived very late, due to traffic jams... and I was tired and stressed-up. Tony's radical presentation of the Gospel was well-received by the inmates. They asked great questions, looked very interested and some of them decided to respond to Tony's invitation by raising a hand while praying. I think these guys are very courageous, because in a place like this it is very hard to be vulnerable or to show emotions. I had friendly discussions with some prison volunteers and inmates. I also talked and prayed with the prison ministers (some of them clearly couldn't relate to Tony's radical way of presenting the Gospel - but all of them were really very nice and caring...)
I was exhausted by lack of sleep and an overdoses of stress... and everybody tried to help and encourage me. One guy, a volunteer, kindly offered to drive us back to Hoofddorp in my car. I called this young man (his name is David), an angel of God. This was the second time that somebody spontaneously offered to help us in this way, last Saturday a brother from our church, his name is Hans, brought us to Drachten and Gouda in his Renault Espace... this was a VIP treatment and I am sure God will bless these guys for helping us in this practical way!! It is truly amazing to see how God is providing. He really showed us His fatherly love, protected us and encouraged us when we really needed it!
All in all I can only say that the meeting in Breda went very well. I highly appreciate all the good work that is being done by prison ministers. I guess some of them are actually social workers - they don't share the Gospel like Tony did - in such an explicit, radical way. But they are truly representing God by showing love to broken people and by listening to their stories! But I have to say that I am afraid that only love and care will ultimately be insufficient to change sinfull lives. In order to radically change your life, you first have to ask God for forgiveness. I am personally convinced that there is no alternative route - you need to bow down at the cross of Christ! (see here and here!) This message has always been radical and provocative, but I don't know what else could change lives in such a dramatic way. Tony is living proof of this, there's no denying.

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God
for the salvation of everyone who believes!
Romans 1:16

In the afternoon we had a special meeting with sex offenders in the same prison. I can assure you: these people are the same as you and I, but they have made some terrible mistakes / done some horrible crimes. The same thing can be said about 'normal' criminals, but the sex offenders are marginalised by society and by the other inmates. I talked and prayed with one of them and I was moved by his honesty, openness and vulnerability. Please pray for these guys. They are hard to forgive, but still God asks us to do so... We did the crime, Jesus did the time!
In the evening Tony had diner with Bart & Cateleijn Schenk - a young couple from Ede that has volunteered to help us with starting a department of Avanti Ministries in the Netherlands! Tony was also interviewed by EO Visie (TV magazine), while I took some rest at home. Later that night, Wigle Tamboer, our pastor from De Meerkerk, visited us at my place to listen to our stories, encourage us and pray with us. Praise and thanks be to God for his good shepherds!

On Tuesday we had a great breakfast meeting with church leaders in Hoog Brabant, Utrecht. Tony explained his vision for an ongoing evangelisation campaign in the Netherlands. I trust that this meeting with 13 people is the kick-off of something really special. Please pray!

On the same day we also had a completely different meeting within prison walls. This time we were invited in Amsterdam's so called Grenshospitium. This is a special prison for foreigners with visa problems - there only crime is that they left their home and families to find a better life / some safety. Who can blame them? I really feel sorry for these people, they don't deserve to be behind bars! The cynical thing is: their 'house' is build on 'no man's land' between a luxurious golf court and some ugly fast food restaurants. It is sickening! The rich people from the Netherlands are filling their stomachs with too much food and too much fat and some of them are having a good time hitting little white balls on beautiful green lawns. Who cares about refugees and prisoners!? It is an outcry, a national shame!!

I was touched by the reactions of the hospitium guests, the friendly imam and the prison minister. Most prisoners are from African countries and they all speak English. During Tony's testimony I constantly heard them whisper: 'Amen!', 'praise God' and 'hallelujah'. One of them thanked us for the visit on behalf of this special group of people. The pastor also reacted in a touching way by singing 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord' - after Tony finished his story. All guests joined in - it was a moment I will never forget!
I talked for a while with Freeman (!) a young man from Liberia. He is a Pentecostal Christian and - even though he is in prison now - he truly is a free man on the inside! Please pray that God will help him and that he will be released from prison soon. Please also pray for all the other, anonymous prisoners.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.
2 Corinthians 2:14-17

Our last meeting was in Ede at Christengemeente Adelaarsnest. This was like playing a 'home game', everybody was very positive and again several men and women decided to surrender to Christ. On Wednesday I brought Tony to Schiphol Airport. Now I am very tired, but I am truly thankful for this special experience. Please pray for Tony, for his wife Sara and their two boys Ethan and Jacob. Please also pray for all the teenagers, the street youth, the prisoners, the refugees and all other special people we've met over the last couple of days. I trust that God will bless them, because He always finishes what He has started!

I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—
the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
Acts 20:24

If you want to watch the TV documentary about Tony's life, you can go to this page. You have to select Windows Media Player or Real Player and band width! Please let me know if you have any queries.

Tony Anthony Outreach - a brief update

Yesterday we had a great meeting with approx. 500 teenagers in a so called Youth Event organised by our church in Hoofddorp. Tony Anthony (see earlier posts) shared his life's story with us and we enjoyed the music of the young praise and worship team. After hearing Tony's testimony several teens decided to turn away from wrong things in their lives and totally surrender to Jesus Christ and accept him as their Lord and Saviour. I don't know what you think of this, but I think they made the best decision a human being can ever make!

And guess what? The same thing happened this morning in Drachten at the Square 2006 youth meeting - where approx. 400 teens were camping, celebrating and having a good time together! Youth pastor Martin Koornstra (pic below, Martin & Tony speaking) from De Bethel, Drachten, was our friendly host and translator. We had a very special discussion with a teenage girl during lunch. She asked some direct, difficult questions and it was obvious that she had some bad, painful experiences. I will pray for her, trusting that God knows her and loves her unconditionally!

We've just returned from Gouda where we had a meeting with approx 60 people from different age groups. Some guys from Impact World Tour, a DJ called Phat B and our friends from NOA and their Nomads band took good care of the music and entertainment parts of the programme... This meeting was organised by a Christian bookshop called Samma. Again several people made a decision for Jesus this night, so there will be even more joy in Heaven! Afterwards I talked and prayed with some very special people. I am sure we will meet again!

Thanks to Irene and Annemijn from Samma Gouda for their efforts, hospitality, the great food & friendship! Tommorow we will go to a Pentecostal church, a prison and a Youth for Christ multicultural meeting for the 'unchurched' in Rotterdam... I can't wait to see what the Lord will do next. He truly is faithful! Keep on praying for this outreach campaign, please...

Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
John 8:34-36

On tour with Tony Anthony - please pray!

I am very excited about the next couple of days... I will go 'touring' with British author / evangelist Tony Anthony - check out Avanti Ministries to find out more about him. We will go to 2 churches, 3 youth events and 3 prisons to share the good news of Jesus! At some of these meetings we will be joined by two Dutch hiphop / rap artists - see Noa Ministries (it's in Dutch, but you'll get the idea).

Friday 23 June > 20:00 > Youth Event Meerkerk > Hoofddorp info
Saturday 24 June > 10:00 > Square Weekend 2006 Bethel > Drachten info / promo video
Saturday 24 June > 20:00 > Goudse Waarden > Gouda info
Sunday 25 June > 10:00 > Evangelisch Centrum Europoort > Rotterdam info
Sunday 25 June > 12:30 > Prison De IJssel > Krimpen aan den IJssel > no public access
Sunday 25 June > 20:00 > The Mall Youth for Christ > Rotterdam > only for the unchurched
Monday 26 June > 09:00-16:00 > Prison Stadspoort (Koepel) > Breda > no public access
Tuesday 27 June > 8:30-10:00 > Breakfast Meeting with church leaders in Utrecht
Tuesday 27 June > 12:00-15:00 > Prison Grenshospitium > Amsterdam > no public access
Tuesday 27 June > 20:00 > Adelaarsnest > Ede > info

If you are a Christian coming here 'by accident' - I ask you to please pray for the outreach activities in our little country during the next couple of days... Yes, there is a spiritual battle going on, but the victory belongs to the Lord!

God, the one and only— I'll wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not? He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I'm set for life. My help and glory are in God — granite-strength and safe-harbor-God— So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be. Man as such is smoke, woman as such, a mirage. Put them together, they're nothing; two times nothing is nothing. And a windfall, if it comes — don't make too much of it. God said this once and for all; how many times Have I heard it repeated? "Strength comes straight from God." Love to you, Lord God! You pay a fair wage for a good day's work! Source

Enter the Mystery: 32000 Dutch teens praising GOD

Hi - not too much blogging recently (too many things to do, too little time to do them). I feel I must post something about the EO Youth Day where my teenage kids Robin (boy, 14) and Sosha (girl, 12) went. The whole event was broadcasted live on national TV... 32000 teens singing, dancing and shouting for Jesus in a football stadium - can you believe it? Just visit this website and get an impression of what it was like... You can also watch some pics here and see a lot of video footage here

If you want to view the online videos at the EO site, you need to select one of the clips in the list on the right hand side of your screen. A window will pop-up, displaying the information showed in the pic below:
I have translated the options for your convenience. You have to select Windows Media Player (recommended). If you don't have WMP, you can select Real Player (however, this plug-in needs to be installed on your PC first, visit Real Player if you don't have such a plug-in yet). You also have to select the 3rd or 4th option given in this window, this is about the speed of your Internet connection (slow / smallband or high-speed / broadband). 'Sla op' is Dutch for: Save settings / Store. Just have a look - it is worth the effort!

While watching, remember Martin Smith's words:

This is not a youth movement. This is the Church.

How God tamed a tiger

Above: Tony Anthony speaking at Opwekking 2006 (10,000 people in the audience!) Below, left: Tony speaking on stage with interpreter Joke Tan. Click pics to enlarge (c) Opwekking.

From Buddhist Kung Fu Master to Christian Missionary
Tony Anthony’s story is quite remarkable, perhaps even too far-fetched for a Hollywood action flick. Born of mixed Italian and Chinese parentage in the UK, Tony was sent to the Canton region of China at the age of four to study Kung Fu under his grandfather, a grand master of the martial art. It was here that he was raised as a Buddhist, understanding discipline and undergoing extreme physical hardships. He also started cultivating the intrinsic energy of “Ch’I”- the “life force”. “It was in China that I learnt the Tiger style of Kung Fu and studied the movements of an actual tiger,” says Tony. He lived in China for eight years before returning to the UK where he had to learn English as Cantonese was his first language. At first Tony wasn’t accepted in either culture due to his mixed race; that was until his extraordinary skills proved his making and earned him the respect of his peers and superiors. Travelling internationally he fought to become the Kung Fu world champion. He was in control of his life.“I knew much about honour and virtue,“ he says. “These things were beaten, quite literally into every cell of my young body. But love? What was love?”

Read the rest of this review and some comments from readers here.

At Ark Boeken we have published the Dutch edition of Tony Anthony's autobiography. From Friday 23rd to Tuesday 27th I will accompany Tony during his visit to some youth groups, churches and prisons in the Netherlands! On Tuesday 20th (tomorrow!) the Dutch Evangelical Broadcast Organisation (EO) will show a documentary about Tony's story on national TV. If you want to see this programme afterwards, you can try to watch it online here!

If you are living near Hoofddorp, why not go to the Youth Event next Friday? Read all about this meeting here (in Dutch). If you are living close to Gouda, Rotterdam or Ede - drop me a line and I will tell you where to go on Saturday June 24, Sunday June 25 or Tuesday June 27...

In the press...

Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again... (Ecclesiastes 11:1)

Recently I was interviewed for VISIE - the TV magazine from EO (Dutch Evangelical Broadcast Organisation). If you are able to understand Dutch, you can read this article here. Anyway, it was a great opportunity to share my faith with many readers! I received some nice feedback and friendly comments from both strangers and friends. Several new names and addresses have been added to my mailing list for Oppeppers (weekly prayers / Bible devotions - also uploaded in English as Monday Boosters).

OK, it's all vanity, all vanity - I agree. Of course this TV magazine will also end up in the waste paper basket, if not in the cat's litter box! But still...