Rotterdam has been flooded with evangelists who brought the gospel this past week, but who also invited people to come to the mega event Awakening Europe in Ahoy Rotterdam. About 2000 people accepted the invitation and came to the event – in addition to the more than 15,000 registered people who were already there. For three evenings in a row the altar was packed with these people, who accepted Jesus. The last evening was the absolute climax, there were huge queues for the baptism pool. Certainly more than 100 people have been baptized.
All that while during the Sunday evening session speaker Daniel Kolenda warned: “If you follow Jesus it costs you something. It will cost you everything! Your ego, your reputation, your whole life. Otherwise you cannot follow Jesus.”
It was an intense message about the cross and the importance of repentance. However, the stadium was already buzzing when Kolenda worked towards a call to repentance. When the call finally came, many could not contain themselves and rushed forward. Even from the highest places in the stadium. The hallways were full. This also happened during the evenings before with Todd White and Christine Caine. However, this evening was extra special, because the baptismal pool was behind the stage with pleasant summer temperatures late at night. Something that was striking was that most of the people who were getting baptized came from the Rotterdam area and had come to Awakening Europe spontaneously.
A Rotterdam family consisting of a mother, two sons and a daughter was also baptized. One of the sons said: “I got rid of negativity, I was baptized, and everything is different now.” His mother added: “It happened very spontaneously, I hadn’t planned it. I saw it on TikTok and I thought it was just Bible reading and preaching. But that there were also baptisms is fantastic. I haven’t gone to church for a while, but I’m going to pick it up again.” Her other son commented: “I prayed in tongues for the first time tonight.”
All in all, many tens of thousands of people heard the gospel in the city and more than a thousand people accepted Jesus in the city. They are being taken care of in local churches in Rotterdam.
Morning session
The morning session of Awakening Europe was a national church service. The church service was led by a Dutch choir that was led by Rebekka Sahertian. During the opening of the service a large white cross was carried inside by Rotterdam pastors, which was really special. (The cross has been used before and was created for ‘The Passion’, an annual play of the crucifixion of Jesus that takes place in the streets of the Netherlands during Easter and is broadcasted on national television). People prayed, sang, but also interceded for the nation. Pastors asked for forgiveness for lukewarmness, division and sins in the land.
Watch the entire evening service here, including the baptismal service:
