In a nation where most people claim no faith at all, something is happening that statistics did not predict. Tens of thousands of believers are gathering in fields and tents to sing the name of Jesus out loud. 60,000 Christians Rally for Jesus in One of the World’s Most Secular Countries, and the country is the Netherlands, a place long written off as spiritually cold and culturally post-Christian.
This is not a small church event tucked away in a village. This is one of the largest multi-day Christian gatherings in all of Europe, and it is growing.
Key Takeaways
- More than 60,000 people, many of them young believers, attended the 56th annual Opwekking Pentecost Conference at the Walibi grounds in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands [1]
- Around 60 percent of Dutch citizens report no religious affiliation, yet Gen Z is leading a quiet return toward Christian faith [2]
- Organizers estimated roughly 20,000 people attended the main Sunday worship service alone [1]
- The 2026 conference theme was “I Am,” drawn from God revealing Himself to Moses at the burning bush [1]
- Christian leaders across Europe say a wider move of God is stirring, with similar gatherings reported in France [2]
A Gathering That Defies the Statistics
The Netherlands is often held up as a case study in secularization. The vast majority of its citizens, about 60 percent, claim no religious affiliation at all [2]. For decades the cultural assumption has been that faith in Europe is fading and will not return.
Yet each year tens of thousands of Christians stream into a large amusement park to fervently seek God at the Opwekking Pentecost Conference at Walibi Holland, located in Biddinghuizen, about an hour from Amsterdam [2]. The word Opwekking means “revival,” and the gathering has become one of the most visible expressions of evangelical Christianity in the entire country [1].
In over thirty years of pastoral ministry I have watched the so-called experts declare the church dead more than once. They are usually wrong. God has a long history of moving precisely where He is least expected, and the Netherlands is becoming a living example of that truth.
Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV) reminds us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” The culture may shift, but the God who draws near to the hungry has not changed. Those who want to understand the deeper connection here will benefit from studying how worship fuels revival through church history and Scripture.
Inside the 2026 Opwekking Conference
More than 60,000 people gathered for the 56th annual Pentecost Conference organized by Stichting Opwekking, the Revival Foundation, at the Walibi event grounds in Biddinghuizen [1]. Worshippers came from across the Netherlands and beyond, with many camping on-site throughout the four-day event held from Friday through Monday [1].
Thousands packed the central conference tent on Sunday morning, while many others followed along from nearby fields and large outdoor screens [1]. Organizers estimated that about 20,000 people attended the main worship service alone [1].
The 2026 theme, “I Am,” pointed back to the biblical moment when God revealed Himself to Moses through the burning bush [1]. Organizers said the theme symbolized God’s closeness, faithfulness, and strength, even in difficult seasons [1]. During the Sunday morning service, conference director Lourens du Plessis preached from Exodus 17, recalling how Moses held up his hands during the battle between Israel and the Amalekites at Rephidim [1].
“As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed. What happens above becomes visible below. Heavenly power translates into earthly victory.” [1]
Du Plessis was honest about the reality of spiritual struggle, telling the crowd that believers still face battles even when walking closely with God [1]. He then pointed every story back to its source, explaining that every biblical mountain ultimately points to Christ Jesus and the mountain of God’s glory [1].
Communion, the Cross, and a Message of Reconciliation
One of the most striking moments of the conference was the shared celebration of Communion. Although believers usually take the Lord’s Supper in their own local churches, organizers stressed that this gathering offered a rare opportunity for Christians from many backgrounds and denominations to worship together as one [1].
Thousands of worshippers received a small cup and bread to remember the final meal Jesus shared with His disciples before His crucifixion and resurrection [1]. A large empty cross stood at the center of the conference grounds, anchoring the entire gathering in the heart of the Gospel [1].
“Through the blood of Jesus we are forgiven and reconciled. The relationship with the Father has been restored.” [1]
Leaders explained that the cross is the place where the old self is crucified with Christ, and that believers receive new life through His death and resurrection [1]. This is the unchanging center of the faith, and it is worth remembering that the difference between a Christian marriage and a good marriage, or any genuinely transformed life, always traces back to this same reconciling work.
For anyone who has wandered from this foundation, learning what it actually means to worship God is often the first step back toward the kind of encounter happening under that Dutch tent.
Testimonies of Faith in the Valley
What makes this gathering more than a spectacle are the stories of ordinary people meeting God in their pain. Among the international speakers was Bobby Schuller, grandson of the late televangelist Robert H. Schuller, who spoke openly about the struggles surrounding his disabled son who nearly died [1]. Schuller told worshippers he had witnessed the great miracles of God and encouraged believers to hold on to faith despite suffering and uncertainty [1].
His words struck a chord. One mother, identified only as Hennie, spoke about losing her 18-year-old son Rafaël earlier this year after a battle with illness [1]. After his death in January, she said she still believed God had healed him, “not on this side of life, but on the other side” [1]. She described his final moments with stunning faith, saying he opened his eyes toward heaven, stretched out his hand, and that she believes he took the hand of Jesus [1].
Another woman named Sanne shared that she had become pregnant after years of struggling to have a child, and the entire crowd rose to their feet cheering when she and her husband appeared on stage [1].
I have sat with grieving parents and with couples who had nearly given up hope. I know how holy these moments are. Testimonies like these are exactly why we keep teaching people how to have faith when life gets hard, and why studying what the Bible says about divine healing matters so deeply.
Romans 8:11 (NKJV) declares, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” That same resurrection power is what these worshippers were reaching for.
Worship That Lasted Into the Night
The hunger at Opwekking did not clock out when the main sessions ended. Worship often continued late into the evening, with groups of young people gathering outdoors to sing and pray together [1]. Du Plessis described people standing together on the field singing songs late into the night, some even beginning to dance, creating what he called a beautiful atmosphere [1].
His reflection captured the spirit of the whole event.
“There may not have been a real campfire because of safety reasons, but there was fire from God’s Spirit.” [1]
This kind of spontaneous, Spirit-led praise is not new. It echoes through Scripture and church history alike. For those wanting to understand it more, what soaking worship is and whether it is biblical and the role worship plays as a weapon in spiritual warfare are both worth a careful study.
A Gen Z Awakening Across Europe
Perhaps the most surprising detail is who is showing up. In 2025, approximately half of the attendees were under the age of 30 [2]. Gen Z, the generation most often dismissed as post-Christian, has been leading a growing return toward Christian faith in the Netherlands [2].
This is not happening in isolation. European evangelist Jean-Luc Trachsel described the gathering as a historic moment, writing that the Holy Spirit is moving in a glorious way across Europe and that the wind of revival is blowing stronger than ever in the Netherlands [2]. He also reported that across more than 20 cities throughout France, tens of thousands of believers recently gathered to pray, march, and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ [2].
The Opwekking Foundation, which traces its roots to the Dutch Pentecostal movement of the early 1970s, has held to one mission over its history: to follow “Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit” [2]. What began with only a few hundred people has grown into a continental movement.
These developments line up with the broader encouraging trends in global Christianity in 2026, and they should encourage every believer who has been praying for the next generation.
Acts 2:17 (NKJV) records the promise, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.” What is unfolding in Europe looks a great deal like that promise coming alive.
What This Means for the Church
It is tempting to read a story like this and simply feel encouraged for a moment before moving on. But the gathering in the Netherlands carries a challenge for the wider church, including believers here at home.
For pastors and church leaders:
- Refuse to accept the narrative that your community is too secular for revival
- Prepare your congregation to disciple and integrate new and returning believers
- Make room for genuine, Spirit-led worship rather than only polished production
For small group leaders:
- Study revival history and theology together using consistent Bible study practices
- Pray specifically and persistently for your city and your young people
- Create space for testimony, because shared stories build shared faith
For individuals:
- Examine your own hunger for God and ask Him to deepen it
- Reach out to someone in your life who is far from Christ
- Commit to drawing near, knowing that God draws near in return
James 4:8 (NKJV) says it plainly: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Revival in the Netherlands began with people who responded to that invitation, and it can begin the same way anywhere.
Conclusion: The Wind Is Still Blowing
The headline that 60,000 Christians Rally for Jesus in One of the World’s Most Secular Countries is not a one-time curiosity. It is a sign. In a nation where faith was supposedly finished, an empty cross stood in a field while tens of thousands of people, many of them young, lifted their hands and their voices to a living God.
The lesson is the same one God has been teaching His people for centuries. He is not bound by our statistics, our headlines, or our low expectations. Where people draw near, He draws near.
Here are three actionable next steps:
- Pray for revival in your own community. Commit to interceding specifically and consistently for your city and your church.
- Strengthen your foundation. Revival flows out of people who know God’s Word, so begin with a practical guide to deeper Bible study.
- Make worship a lifestyle. Learn how to build a personal worship rhythm that actually sticks so you are ready when God moves.
The cross is still standing. The Spirit is still moving. And the wind of revival is still blowing.
References
[1] Tens Of Thousands Gather At Dutch Pentecost Event Seeking Spiritual Revival – Worthy Christian News – https://www.worthynews.com/114608-tens-of-thousands-gather-at-dutch-pentecost-event-seeking-spiritual-revival-worthy-news-in-depth-video
[2] 60,000 Christians Rally for Jesus in One of the World’s Most Secular Countries – CBN News – https://cbn.com/news/world/60000-christians-rally-jesus-one-worlds-most-secular-countries
[3] Dutch Pentecostal Event Draws Huge Crowd – Vision Christian Media – https://vision.org.au/read/news/dutch-pentecostal-event-draws-huge-crowd/
[4] 63,000 Gather for Revival in the Netherlands, A Powerful Move of God – Vision Christian Media – https://vision.org.au/read/articles/63000-attend-dutch-revival-event/
[5] In One of the World’s Most Secular Countries, Some Gen Z Christians Are Finding Faith Again – The World by PRX – https://theworld.org/stories/2025/07/24/in-one-of-the-worlds-most-secular-countries-some-gen-z-christians-are-finding-faith-again-but-not-at-church
[6] Over 60,000 Gather at the ‘Opwekking’ Dutch Conference – Evangelical Focus – https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/22230/over-60000-gather-at-the-opwekking-dutch-conference
By Duke Taber
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