25 June 2025

Eurasia Region

Breda, Netherlands

The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579. Throughout the 17th century, the Dutch became a leading seafaring commercial power, establishing colonies around the world. The Kingdom of the Netherlands (which means “the lowlands”) was formed in 1815. In 1830, Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands is a country of wide diversities due to its rich past in trade around the world. Approximately one quarter of the country lies below sea level, with only half of the country’s land higher than one meter above sea level. The work of the Church of the Nazarene was established in the Netherlands in 1967.

1,915 Members

12 Fully Organized Churches; 2 Not Yet Organized Churches

6 District Licensed and 27 Ordained Ministers on 1 District

On Monday morning, 13 January 2025, the building that the Breda Church of the Nazarene called "home" was destroyed by fire. The church immediately turned to Jesus. They gathered for prayer that evening while smoke still rose from the ruins. They mourned. They shared memories and prayed for some small businesses in their neighborhood that were also affected by the fire.

When Sunday came, worship continued. The church’s next-door neighbor, a rooftop bar, opened its doors. One of the building’s occupants—a Christian student organization—served a meal to the congregation. Hundreds of messages poured in online, lifting up prayers.  A church in Ukraine even offered to send workers to help rebuild.

When the owner of the rooftop bar had to leave his building, a new home for the congregation opened up, just down the road, in an empty Capuchin monastery. The Capuchins arrived in Breda in 1625, celebrated their 300th anniversary in 1925, and continued to worship and serve there until 2014. So, on the 400th anniversary of Christian witness in Breda, the Church of the Nazarene is in that building and serving in that community, carrying out some of the same ministries of compassion and social engagement that the Capuchins were doing for so long.

Pastor Stephan Overduin shares: “Our desire as a community to serve God in Breda is great. We feel blessed, but also challenged to dream big. We do not receive for ourselves, but to pass on. It is uncertain how long we can stay in this monastery; as soon as it has found a new purpose, we will have to leave again. Or maybe…maybe we are that new purpose of the monastery?”

“It’s very overwhelming and very encouraging,” said Pastor Stephan.
 
“When you have a lot, it is sometimes easier, or you don’t realize that you don’t trust Him a lot. But when things get stripped away, like with Job, what’s real comes to the surface,” Stephan said. He adds that the 23rd Psalm is the perfect prayer right now. “When you have everything you need, it’s an easy prayer,” he said. “But when you don’t, it becomes more complicated—but also more true. Because with Him, we have all that we want. All that we need. That’s my prayer for the congregation.”
 
“God’s core business is to make beautiful things out of ashes,” Stephen said. “At the same time, I feel like He is calling us to go deeper with Him. Not to be dependent on the gifts but on the Giver, and committed to Him."

Could You Serve?

Is God calling you to join in his mission on the Eurasia Region?

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