What if I told you the Evangelische Christen Gemeente in Amsterdam has roots stretching back to a movement seeking renewal? This church stands as a testament to a desire for a more vibrant Christian life. Let’s explore its origins.
In the mid-19th century, a need arose for Christian communities independent of the established church. Jan de Liefde, a former Mennonite pastor, founded the first Vrije Evangelische Gemeente in Amsterdam in 1856. He hoped to revitalize Christian life in the Netherlands. De Liefde felt the Dutch Reformed Church didn’t allow him to realize his ideals.
De Liefde was a multifaceted man. He published extensively. He founded the Tot Heil des Volks association. Moreover, he trained evangelists. These evangelists then established free churches throughout the country. The Evangelische Christen Gemeente’s story connects to this pioneering work.
Another key figure was Hermanus Willem Witteveen. He led a free mission congregation in Ermelo starting in 1859. The catalyst was a dispute over religious education. The government wanted neutrality in religious teaching. Witteveen resisted. Dismissed from his post, he formed a free congregation.
Like De Liefde, Witteveen rejected adherence to creeds. Inspired by the Moravian Brethren and the Ru00e9veil movement, he engaged in extensive missionary work. He established shelters in Ermelo. His congregation became the seedbed for the Bond van Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten. Witteveen’s students became evangelists. They founded new congregations.
A third figure, H.J. Budding, shaped the Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten in Zeeland. Initially a Reformed pastor, Budding became involved in the Secession. Later, he distanced himself from it. He rejected the doctrine of the Trinity. He also opposed strict adherence to creeds. In his congregation in Goes, he introduced weekly communion. Despite being polemical, he desired a community that testified to Christ’s redemptive work in love and simplicity. His preaching led to the formation of free congregations in Zeeland.
These early leaders laid the foundation. By 1865, their followers began to connect. Despite differences, the ideal of free, independent congregations resonated. Although De Liefde’s followers didn’t join initially, Witteveen’s circle initiated the Bond. It officially formed in 1879.
The Bond began with only five congregations. Arend and Marinus Mooij, students of Witteveen, drove the movement. Johannes Gesinus Smitt, from the Christian Reformed Church, also played a key role. He led the largest congregation in Amsterdam with over a thousand members.
The early Bond was influenced by the Brighton movement, a Holiness movement. Smitt and the Mooij brothers were involved. The movement fostered connections between leaders. It also spurred growth in the Bond. De Liefde and Budding did not witness this development. Witteveen remained detached.
In 1892, the Bond joined the International Congregational Council. Later, Johannes de Heer’s message influenced the Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten. A confession of faith was written. Missionary activities expanded. In 1927, a training school was founded.
After World War II, the Bond co-founded the World Council of Churches in 1948. However, it withdrew a year later due to differing views on ecumenism. In the 1980s, research examined the Bond’s missionary function. Agreements were made with the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. Some congregations felt alienated and formed the Federatie van Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten in 1994.
Today, the Evangelische Christen Gemeente continues this legacy. It participates in the International Federation of Free Evangelical Churches. It is also a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. The Evangelische Christen Gemeente stands as a living embodiment of a movement born from a desire for Christian renewal and community.