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Just found this and thought I'd put it in Google translate.
gebedstrijd.blogspot.com
The revival of Nijkerk 1749
Theo Veldhuis
In the Nijkerk of anno 1749 life goes on as usual. Most people work on the farmland and earn their living from the proceeds of the land and the cattle trade. There is unrest. Circumstances are not improving now that the cattle plague has broken out here and there, and the collapse of the tobacco industry forms a dark cloud over the Gelderland village on the edge of the Veluwe. Despite these setbacks, people seem unwilling to seek God. Oh yes, everyone attends the Dutch Reformed Church, but the Sunday suit disappears after the church service together with the spiritual life in the closet to be taken out again the following week.
When the young reverend Gerardus Kuijpers takes over as pastor of the reformed church in Nijkerk in April 1749, it seems that he will have a tough task to lead the churchgoers in their life with God. Yet there is hope in his heart. Reports are coming from all over the world that God is bringing revival. Like a wave, the revivals are going all over the world. Several revivals have broken out in Scotland and England, led by John Wesley and George Whitefield. The first 'Great Awakening' has broken out in the United States, led by the famous theologian Jonathan Edwards, and George Whitefield is also involved. The young colonies on the east coast of America are being visited mightily by the power of God. The world is on fire for Jesus. And if it is up to Kuijpers, the Netherlands will soon be the turn of a supernatural visit from God.
Gerardus Kuijpers was born on October 11, 1722. His parents are Godly people, who raise Gerardus in a life devoted to God. He was fascinated by spiritual matters from an early age and decided to study theology. The ancient Eastern languages in particular have his attention and he gets to know God's Word from those original languages. In 1744 he began his ministry as assistant pastor in the Reformed congregation of Amsterdam. Kuijpers enjoys the Bible. Day and night he sits in his study bent over God's Word and discovers that real life with God must be very different from what he sees around him. Kuijpers' sermons are penetrating and compelling and call on people to examine themselves and to break with sin. As a result, a small spiritual revival takes place in the church of Amsterdam. In the village of Jutphaas, Kuijpers is given the opportunity to lead a congregation himself. In the conversations he has with the old widow Mientje, Gerardus is prepared for the task that God has for him. He decides to surrender completely to God. It often happens that Kuijpers prepares his sermons, praying and struggling late into the night. When Kuijpers is called to 'Nieuwkerk' in 1749, he is aware of his dependence on the Holy Spirit and he often prays for a powerful working of God's Spirit in the hearts of the Nijkerkers. He is moved with the people, and sees the spiritual poverty that prevails, but feels powerless. Desperate, he continues to pray. Together with his colleague Roldanus, he calls the people to live a life in accordance with God's purposes, and slowly but surely the Spirit of God begins to work the hearts of the people. At the end of the summer of 1749, more and more people began to worry about their spiritual condition. Every meeting is defined by this question, "How can I be sure of my salvation?" Because the number of visitors is now increasing rapidly, Kuijpers decides something that is revolutionary in the existing church structure: he uses lay preachers (untrained preachers) at the house meetings, which are growing explosively in number. This garners a lot of criticism from his colleagues because at that time the pastor is supposed to do all the work. After all, he studied for it. His colleague Reverend Roldanus also criticizes this decision by Kuijpers, but because he sees the benefits in people, his criticism largely melts.
People come to Nijkerk from all over the country. The fire therefore spreads quickly to the surrounding villages and towns. Putten and Amersfoort also know the phenomena of revival and Reverend De Roy in Aalten can no longer make himself understood after a series of sermons about the rebirth due to the loud howling that can be heard from homes away. A revival also breaks out in Aalten. Kuijpers himself is not happy with the violent demonstrations taking place in the services. He would rather not have them, but he does not want to stand in God's way. "I wish I could reduce the tumult, but the conversion of souls has my full attention," he says in a response to his colleagues. Kuijpers is convinced that it is God's work. Who else would convert people so deeply? The movement is also finding international connections; Jonathan Edwards maintains contact with Kuijpers and invites him to join the circle of American and British pastors who regularly separate themselves for prayer and fasting for the expansion of God's kingdom. From the pulpit, however, there are often calls for calm, because Kuijper's conviction is that if the Word cannot be delivered, the tumult should not be accepted. A soft sigh and moan is the only audible sound. When in the course of 1750 the consistory decides to no longer allow the demonstrations, the services begin to run smoothly again, although deep sighs can still be heard now and then. However, this does not stop the revival. As with every work of God, there is also a lot of criticism of the events in Nijkerk. When Kuijpers writes a letter to his father about the events in the first month of the revival, this letter is copied and published by people. This creates a lot of criticism of the revival. Delegations of professors and ministers label the manifestations as work of the devil. The biggest critic claims that the throne of satan is set up in Nijkerk. Kuijpers loses some of his best friends due to his involvement in the revival. There are also people who try to copy the events in Nijkerk by also preaching about Psalm 72:16 or imitating the manifestations. This results in crazy scenes in a church in Hoogeveen, where the police have to be involved to restore order. This, of course, fuels the critics' fire. The commotion is great, but people continue to flock. The fire of God burns in the heart of the Netherlands. In 1753, however, it came to an end. By order of Stadholder William IV, the synod introduces a ban on 'expressions' (manifestations) in the Church. This step ensures that the revival fire no longer spreads, but slowly dies down.
De opwekking van Nijkerk 1749
Theo Veldhuis Bron: Herstel In het Nijkerk van anno 1749 gaat het leven zijn gewone gangetje. De meeste mensen werken op het boerenland en v...
gebedstrijd.blogspot.com
The revival of Nijkerk 1749
Theo Veldhuis
In the Nijkerk of anno 1749 life goes on as usual. Most people work on the farmland and earn their living from the proceeds of the land and the cattle trade. There is unrest. Circumstances are not improving now that the cattle plague has broken out here and there, and the collapse of the tobacco industry forms a dark cloud over the Gelderland village on the edge of the Veluwe. Despite these setbacks, people seem unwilling to seek God. Oh yes, everyone attends the Dutch Reformed Church, but the Sunday suit disappears after the church service together with the spiritual life in the closet to be taken out again the following week.
When the young reverend Gerardus Kuijpers takes over as pastor of the reformed church in Nijkerk in April 1749, it seems that he will have a tough task to lead the churchgoers in their life with God. Yet there is hope in his heart. Reports are coming from all over the world that God is bringing revival. Like a wave, the revivals are going all over the world. Several revivals have broken out in Scotland and England, led by John Wesley and George Whitefield. The first 'Great Awakening' has broken out in the United States, led by the famous theologian Jonathan Edwards, and George Whitefield is also involved. The young colonies on the east coast of America are being visited mightily by the power of God. The world is on fire for Jesus. And if it is up to Kuijpers, the Netherlands will soon be the turn of a supernatural visit from God.
Gerardus Kuijpers was born on October 11, 1722. His parents are Godly people, who raise Gerardus in a life devoted to God. He was fascinated by spiritual matters from an early age and decided to study theology. The ancient Eastern languages in particular have his attention and he gets to know God's Word from those original languages. In 1744 he began his ministry as assistant pastor in the Reformed congregation of Amsterdam. Kuijpers enjoys the Bible. Day and night he sits in his study bent over God's Word and discovers that real life with God must be very different from what he sees around him. Kuijpers' sermons are penetrating and compelling and call on people to examine themselves and to break with sin. As a result, a small spiritual revival takes place in the church of Amsterdam. In the village of Jutphaas, Kuijpers is given the opportunity to lead a congregation himself. In the conversations he has with the old widow Mientje, Gerardus is prepared for the task that God has for him. He decides to surrender completely to God. It often happens that Kuijpers prepares his sermons, praying and struggling late into the night. When Kuijpers is called to 'Nieuwkerk' in 1749, he is aware of his dependence on the Holy Spirit and he often prays for a powerful working of God's Spirit in the hearts of the Nijkerkers. He is moved with the people, and sees the spiritual poverty that prevails, but feels powerless. Desperate, he continues to pray. Together with his colleague Roldanus, he calls the people to live a life in accordance with God's purposes, and slowly but surely the Spirit of God begins to work the hearts of the people. At the end of the summer of 1749, more and more people began to worry about their spiritual condition. Every meeting is defined by this question, "How can I be sure of my salvation?" Because the number of visitors is now increasing rapidly, Kuijpers decides something that is revolutionary in the existing church structure: he uses lay preachers (untrained preachers) at the house meetings, which are growing explosively in number. This garners a lot of criticism from his colleagues because at that time the pastor is supposed to do all the work. After all, he studied for it. His colleague Reverend Roldanus also criticizes this decision by Kuijpers, but because he sees the benefits in people, his criticism largely melts.
Meanwhile, the house meetings have become the talk of the day. Services are even held in the pubs. Gerardus is amazed to see the people so busy with their salvation and when he comes home in the evening after a house meeting, he finds that all the rooms of his house are crowded with people who do not know where to go with their sins. It is November 17, 1749. Reverend Kuijpers preaches that Sunday about Psalm 72:16 - "Let corn be in the land in abundance; on the tops of the mountains his fruit ripples as on Lebanon, and the townspeople may flourish as the herb of the earth ." The church is full. People have come from all over. The Nijkerk disturbances have begun. While Kuijpers brings God's Word from Psalm 72, people everywhere begin to tremble and cry. The defeat resulting from a sense of sin is common. In the church, people begin to cry out for God's grace. The groaning and shouting is so great that Kuijpers can hardly make himself understood. During the later sermon discussion, everyone becomes convinced of sin. Some suddenly fall to the ground, as if they had succumbed to an unbearable burden. Others fall to their knees and weep aloud for their sins. There is a deep hunger for the quickening word of God. Kuijpers speaks about the working of God's Spirit in the human heart, and when he starts to read from the Bible, unstoppable howling breaks out. Can the people be delivered from their lofty sins? When Kuijpers gives the blessing to the people at the end of the service, a number of them fall to the ground. People can no longer speak because of their sense of sin. There is a spiritual battle raging for human souls. It goes on late into the night and people learn that there is redemption and forgiveness for sinners. Harvest time has now begun. Everything in Nijkerk is about to be totally transformed. Nick is changing. Instead of shouting and cursing, sounds of psalms and prayers come from every house. Children are quietly praying in a corner, and people everywhere are taking an interest in studying the Bible. Even in the pubs, people gather to seek God, until finally only one pub remains. There are the people who don't want to know anything about God. But here too things are going badly, because the majority of Nijkerk's population is inspired with a passion for God. The young people no longer talk about the annual fair and the gambling games. They seek God's will for their lives and go to the meetings. The church is crowded. Sometimes more than 2,500 people crowd together and the majority have to stand still.People come to Nijkerk from all over the country. The fire therefore spreads quickly to the surrounding villages and towns. Putten and Amersfoort also know the phenomena of revival and Reverend De Roy in Aalten can no longer make himself understood after a series of sermons about the rebirth due to the loud howling that can be heard from homes away. A revival also breaks out in Aalten. Kuijpers himself is not happy with the violent demonstrations taking place in the services. He would rather not have them, but he does not want to stand in God's way. "I wish I could reduce the tumult, but the conversion of souls has my full attention," he says in a response to his colleagues. Kuijpers is convinced that it is God's work. Who else would convert people so deeply? The movement is also finding international connections; Jonathan Edwards maintains contact with Kuijpers and invites him to join the circle of American and British pastors who regularly separate themselves for prayer and fasting for the expansion of God's kingdom. From the pulpit, however, there are often calls for calm, because Kuijper's conviction is that if the Word cannot be delivered, the tumult should not be accepted. A soft sigh and moan is the only audible sound. When in the course of 1750 the consistory decides to no longer allow the demonstrations, the services begin to run smoothly again, although deep sighs can still be heard now and then. However, this does not stop the revival. As with every work of God, there is also a lot of criticism of the events in Nijkerk. When Kuijpers writes a letter to his father about the events in the first month of the revival, this letter is copied and published by people. This creates a lot of criticism of the revival. Delegations of professors and ministers label the manifestations as work of the devil. The biggest critic claims that the throne of satan is set up in Nijkerk. Kuijpers loses some of his best friends due to his involvement in the revival. There are also people who try to copy the events in Nijkerk by also preaching about Psalm 72:16 or imitating the manifestations. This results in crazy scenes in a church in Hoogeveen, where the police have to be involved to restore order. This, of course, fuels the critics' fire. The commotion is great, but people continue to flock. The fire of God burns in the heart of the Netherlands. In 1753, however, it came to an end. By order of Stadholder William IV, the synod introduces a ban on 'expressions' (manifestations) in the Church. This step ensures that the revival fire no longer spreads, but slowly dies down.
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