Establishing a Beachhead
Contributed by Randy Schafer
Isaiah 43:19: “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”
Recently a group of brothers and sisters from the Texas and Wisconsin communities visited the Netherlands: Brother Howard Wheeler, Brother Asi and Sister Rebecca Adams, Brother Daniel and Sister Erin Anz, Brother Judah Jacobson, and Brother Zack Schafer.
This visit was a time of sharing, serving, and teaching with two groups of believers: one group lives primarily in the north and one in the middle of the Netherlands.
These two small groups, together totaling 69 people, have been steadily growing in faith and relationships within their separate groups step by step over the past two years.
God brought both groups together for nine days this March 2026 in the small village of Renswoudde.
Step by step, as God moved through the sharing of His word, through incredible times of worship and prayer, and through the love we all felt as the power of the Holy Spirit fell, drawing hearts together in unity, God brought these two groups together and the two became one!
On the final Sunday of the nine days together, fourteen people were baptized in the Name of Jesus!
The work of God continues to grow as this one united body is meeting together weekly. We gather for Sunday church and a luncheon fellowship; on Wednesday evening those who can meet for dinner and a study on Building Christian Character—and those who are farther away connect via Zoom to participate in the study—and we gather on Tuesday evenings for prayer. These brothers and sisters continue to seek the will of God and His purpose as they grow together.
On Easter Sunday another couple were baptized. How fitting that on resurrection day, two people rose up out of the waters of baptism as new creations in Christ.
God is building His church! As Brother Howard said when he was here, “We are establishing a beach head here in the Netherlands.” From this beach head the Word will go forth, first to Netherlands and then to all of Europe.
Thank you all for your support and prayers. We are all on the battlefield for the Lord, and He will lead us to victory!
