A podcast with stories from the Dutch church for the sake of the North American missional conversation. In one of the most secular societies in the Western world, the church in the Netherlands lives truly at the margin of society. As it turns out, this has, however, freed up creative energy for the church to missionally reach out to its post-Christian neighbors. Through a series of interviews with Dutch journalists, academics, denominational leaders, and practitioners we explore how this works and what we in our North American setting could learn from this.
S1, E12: Secularization, Church Structures, and the Missional Witness of Unity
This episode features Marco Batenburg discussing how the Protestant Church in the Netherlands maintains unity amid diverse theological perspectives, viewing unity as an expression of purity while navigating secularization and political divides.
22 Oct 2025
S1, E11: Theological Education for a New Missional Era
This episode features theologian Klaas Bom discussing how the Protestant Church in the Netherlands is reimagining pastoral education in response to shifting ministry contexts and changing models of ordained leadership.
15 Oct 2025
S1, E10: Preaching within the Immanent Frame
This episode features Dutch pastor and theologian Kees van Ekris, who explores how to preach about God, salvation, and the transcendent in a culture where many people—inside and outside the church—no longer have a sense of faith or the divine.
8 Oct 2025
S1, E9: Secularization and Salvation
Recent research discussed with Jan Martijn Abrahamse reveals that while many pastors affirm Jesus as central to Christianity, they struggle to articulate how he makes a difference, as traditional language around salvation often feels outdated or inadequate in today’s secular context.
1 Oct 2025
S1E8: Church, Art, and Secularity
Though the Netherlands is largely secular and not Anglican, traditional Choral Evensong has seen surprising popularity there—a phenomenon explored by Hanna Rijken, whose research led to the formation of a new worshiping community in Utrecht rooted in choral music.
24 Sept 2025
S1 E7: Being Church in Groningen
Pieter Versloot, a former missionary and church leader, now pastors the historic Martini Church in Groningen, where he uses traditional liturgical practices—like confessional prayer and candlelit events—to engage a largely secular city in missional and spiritual conversation.
17 Sept 2025
S1, E6: Being Church in the Frisian Countryside
Hinne Wagenaar, a theologian trained in the Netherlands and the U.S., returned to his Frisian village to found a worshiping community that grew into a monastic movement, blending ancient tradition with new missional outreach through silence, native language, and spiritual renewal at the edge of church and secular society.
10 Sept 2025
S1, E5: Church Planting in Amsterdam
In this episode, we explore church planting in secular Amsterdam through the ministry of David van der Meulen, who engages post-Christian millennials with innovative approaches like ”Master Classes” and mixed-faith Scripture discussions, inspired by the concept of a “court of the gentiles” as a shared space for believers and non-believers.
3 Sept 2025
S1, E4: Being Church in Amsterdam
This episode features Rev. Rosaliene Israel, former secretary-general of the Protestant Church in Amsterdam and leader of a new monastic community, reflecting on ministry in deeply secularized Amsterdam and how churches creatively use their historic sanctuaries as spaces of holiness, hospitality, and gospel witness.
26 Aug 2025
S1, E3: Secularization in the Netherlands: Exploring the Landscape
This episode features Dutch journalist David Boogerd, host of a popular religion podcast with Stefan Paas, reflecting on five years of interviews about secularization, meaning, and community in post-Christian society, while also highlighting his English-language conversation with historian Tom Holland on Christianity’s lasting impact on the West.
26 Aug 2025
S1, E1: Being Church in a Post-Christian World
In the first episode, Kendra Buckwalter Smith and Edwin Chr. van Driel introduce the podcast by exploring how stories from the Dutch church—shaped by advanced secularization—can inform the missional conversation in North America, offering insights, inspiration, and a preview of future episodes.
26 Aug 2025
S1, E2: What Do We Mean by a Post-Christian World?
In this episode, we explore the meaning and origins of a “post-Christian world,” drawing on insights from Charles Taylor, Hartmut Rosa, and Herman Paul to frame how secularization and modern cultural dynamics shape faith and will inform future conversations.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.0 / 5
1 ratings
Contact Being Church in a Post-Christian World
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Being Church in a Post-Christian World?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
