Photo: Kerstin Hagedorn, Neues Leben 2023

Hello, Connie and Jan! You have both been in this EEA Gen-Sec role for a little over one year. How has this adventure been?

Connie: “Adventure” is the best word to use! This is not what you would classify as a typical job, you get to learn different things around lots of different corners; it is walking into the unknown, being able to take the journey with friends. For me it has been a great adventure, because I have never been bored (always a concern of mine), I have often been challenged – many times, had a hard time sleeping out of excitement!  

Jan: It was not a completely new setting for both of us, we had been working together in the Board for quite some time. Basically, we just swapped seats. In shipping terms, one could say, from the shipping company’s office to the bridge. Doing that together has helped me to adjust easily. It is a joy to work with Connie, and with the rest of the team. 

Could you share one thing that surprised you and one thing that continues to challenge you in this role? 

Connie: What has surprised me is the sheer amount of things that are happening all over Europe. We have 31 Evangelical Alliances, 18 active Networks, several Affiliates and all are doing amazing work, and a lot are doing work together. I get to see the bigger picture and am just amazed at the sheer movement of the Church in Europe. I find it challenging to get to know everyone. All the General Secretaries, the Networks, the Affiliates—we all kind of know each other, but I really like to get to know people, and to do this in the midst of two big wars which affect some of our alliances, to show love, to know that Jesus is in control of it all, so that I don’t need to be.  

Jan: The warmth with which we have generally been received as General Secretaries has surprised me the most, perhaps because we are not new to the network. I feel that there are a lot of expectations, both from our members and from our networks. The challenge, of course, is how to meet these expectations. Also to balance the two jobs I have with my responsibilities in the Churches and with time for myself. It is like two ships: a coaster sailing from one port to another (EEA) and a sailing yacht on a voyage around the world in search of unreached places (Faith2Share). I am helicoptered constantly from the one to the other. And when I am in the helicopter I have time for my family, for the churches, for some board roles. So yes, it is exciting, but also challenging. I don’t feel I have ‘found my feet’ yet, I am still trying to get a grip on my life. On the other hand, I have really seen God at work, in the world, in Europe, in the Netherlands and even in my own life. 

We just held our 2023 General Assembly, a little different this time for being a consultation. What were your impressions about how it went, and the ideas shared?

Connie: Not what we had hoped or dreamed about as our first GA as General Secretaries. Our dream had been to meet in person. But because of the events happening after our GA with the World Evangelical Alliance, we really felt that this was the only way to make it financially feasible. So when I look at the limitations that we had, then I think this GA was phenomenal. I really like the topic of the 5 Marks of Mission, I was hesitant about how we were going to do it online, as putting things online always gets more complex – would people stick around?  But I was a facilitator and I really enjoyed my group and thought that the way they thought about things was really good. And at the end, when we all got our thoughts together, I thought, “wow! That was some pretty good thinking!”  

Jan: I was impressed by the engagement people showed. I have been at many General Assembly meetings of the EEA. Many times, there were amazing speakers. This time was therefore really different. We didn’t bring in expertise from outside, but tried to tap into and mobilise the expertise our members have. For me, that was an amazing exercise. One thing that stood out was the call to pray in nearly every working group. This really fits the EEA as one of the major purposes, from its beginnings in 1846, has been prayer. Not only for unity, but also for this world and for the testimony of the Church in this world. 

You have also just participated in the WEA Future of the Gospel Forum. What were your main takes from this gathering of world evangelical leaders?

Connie: The conference was focusing on the Future of the Gospel, and we are treated the cutting-edge stuff, so there was a lot of talk on how technology is now being used to reach unreached people, how AI is being used, for instance, in Bible translation. It was quite moving to see how some of the scary things we talk about have a good use to it. We also learnt about the brain and how it works, which was an interesting area, because it related to how people can be discipled – what it takes for people, in their brain, to have a new idea, even when that new idea is Jesus Christ. Obviously, at almost every conference that we have, the best part is the times that there isn’t a meeting, that you are sitting around and you are talking, and it was a great chance to meet The World, to find out how different groups are doing the same things that we are.  

Jan: Yes, the Forum was an excellent opportunity for connecting with many people from all over the world. During mealtimes or coffee breaks I had a lot of conversations with friends and connections I hadn’t seen for a long time, but also a lot of new people that are doing amazing things in God’s Kingdom. What I noticed, though, was a major shift happening, and I am not sure yet how to understand it. There were less ‘Westerners’, but from the global south it was especially the Asian continent that was very prominent. Very interesting! 

The EEA is a large family of people that come from many different regions, countries, generations, faith traditions… how do you keep the unity of this movement?

Connie: I am really glad that it is actually not my job to keep the unity, it is the job of the Holy Spirit. I can help bring people together, sit down and we can share thoughts and ideas. But this is a family decision that we all make together and every single day we decide that Christ is bigger and more important, Christ is essential. I could be the most diplomatic, unifying person ever but if others did not want the unity, nothing would happen. And the amazing thing is they all decided they want unity. Yes, we have disagreements, every family does, we have different points of view, that is healthy and we encourage that. But at the end of the day, we are focused on Jesus and that is the only way to seek unity. 

Jan: You said it very well: we are a family. In a family, there are also times when things are tense, sometimes even arguments. But that doesn’t make you any less of a family. And you don’t stop being family either. For me, it is always important to appeal again and again to the family bond that is unforgiving. Which is easier said than done. I would say 2 factors play an important role: the J-factor and the R-factor. The first is the most important, as Connie mentioned, Jesus is the one who binds us together. The R factor is about relationship: the way we interact with each other. There is only one word for this in the New Testament: love, agapè love! Not based on preferences, but on choosing unconditionally for the other: as God has loved and loves us. 

This has been a challenging few years for Europe (and the world) – do you see new trends, things we should look out to when thinking of Christian mission in Europe?

Connie: One of the big trends we have talked about and need to keep talking about is migrant churches. That is a huge resource to be tapped, and a group of people we need to embrace, to bring into the family, to listen, to share. They are part of the Kingdom of God and now they are living in Europe, which means they become part of our people and that is something we can’t overlook. I will keep on tapping on the key of Youth, Youth, Youth. Europe has somewhat of an ageing population, but we still have youth, and in times such as these, it is important to make sure that every generation has resilience built into it, that we have a firm foundation. Also, as things get complicated to live as Christians openly, we are going to have to be very good at teaching every generation to be resilient, to be able to face the challenges and the persecution that I think is inevitable and actually already here. Things are happening in Europe all the time to limit freedom of religion and belief and to limit freedom of expression. So it is coming and that is the trend that we are just going to learn to live with. Jesus said this is coming, so how do we live life to the full in complex times of hostility and persecution? 

Jan: I see that the crises we have had in recent years and some of which we are still dealing with, have at least put a dent in our faith in social engineering. That creates a lot of uncertainty and sometimes even fear, in both young and older people.  Sometimes this leads to a new idealistic activism, for example care for creation. But I also see people dropping out. They have no hope left. This is an incredible opportunity for the Church and for the followers of Jesus Christ, we need to start thinking again about what our hope actually is. Europe still has an important role to play in the global church and mission. We have learnt a lot through trial and error, have grown a lot older, but as older sisters with a piece of life experience, we can serve and help younger churches.  

You are both busy people, involved in many ministries… how is your work-life balance?

Connie: It depends on the month, and maybe even the season. I would say I have a topsy-turvy life-work balance. In the Autumn there is no balance whatsoever, it is completely tipped over into work, not only as a Gen-Sec, but also as a pastor of a church, this is when everything kicks-off. But then I am moving into November-December, and those tend to be quieter months, as we look towards Christmas and preparing for that. There my balance is much more reasonable, so there is time to catch up on what I didn’t do. Then January through May is also heavier, but heavier reasonable. Summer, again, no balance, because there is mostly rest and no work. There are some people who can have a work-life balance on a weekly basis, but I have to look at my whole year, it all kind of balances around in the year. I also have a really really good staff team, who are always reminding Jan and I to make sure we are resting.

Jan: It’s a mess! It many times feels like I am constantly in the surf, just trying to keep my head above water and stay on my feet. I used that metaphor earlier of those two boats between which I have to constantly shuttle. At the same time, we also work a lot from home, which gives a certain flexibility to be there for Beppie, the children and grandchildren, and to do something in the churches every now and then. Our move to the Hague, where Beppie is pastoring a small missional congregation in a multi-cultural and multi-religious ward of the residential city (there are 5 mosques, 2 mandirs and only 2 small churches), has really been blessed. We feel at home, and I can sometimes help in the church. I love preaching in churches and sharing what God is doing in Europe and in the world. So, I find it hard to say no when a church invites me. Hence, even my Sundays are quite busy. 

What do you look forward to for the EEA in 2024?

Connie: I look forward to finally getting to meet everyone! Jan and I are putting together a plan where we get to meet more people, it will definitely be online, but we also have some regional meetings we want to set up, and I find that very exciting. I keep looking to the East, we have had some interesting contacts and conversations we want to do more, and I find that exciting, it is such a different cultural experience, a faith that I find refreshing. Already, some movement happening with youth, and I am excited to see where that is going to go. We want to get youth together, where they are running things themselves, and they don’t just have a place at the table, they have their voice. Then finally, our GA will be in-person, Lord willing! It will just be good to be with one another, and apply some things we have learnt in these other conferences that we have been going to, to put together a conference that makes sense for Europeans and within the time that we are living. 

Jan: I am really looking forward to meet again in person with all our members for the next General Assembly. I am also looking forward to meeting with smaller groups of members in different regions: the Balkans, the Baltics, the German speaking countries. I really hope that we can go out to help new National Evangelical Alliances to establish themselves: in Armenia, Belarus, Moldova – and to reconnect with some of our family members that have been alienated a bit and didn’t come to the table for some time. To pray together, to have fellowship, to share blessings and challenges, to encourage one another and to work together as this is so important if we want to make a difference in Europe. That is why Jesus prayed for unity among His believers: so that the world may know that He is sent by the Father, the Christ.