Sharing the Gospel, Sharing Life: Lessons from the Proefplekken Movement
Interview with Erik Verwoerd
Proefplekken ("places of experimentation") are one of the most influential initiatives for pioneering and new forms of church in the Netherlands. They bring together projects as diverse as Pioneer Places, Messy Churches, diaconal communities and monastic initiatives, all united by the goal of building new, inclusive communities shaped by Christian faith. Since 2008, Erik Verwoerd has helped shape this movement – first as a local pioneer and later at the national level. In conversation with Thomas Schlegel, he reflects on what Proefplekken have learned, why pioneering is ultimately about people rather than programs, and why authentic mission begins with listening—and transforms not only the people we meet, but ourselves as well.
Hey Erik! Over the past few years the Proefplekken movement has evolved significantly. One visible change is that the former Pioniersplekken are now known as Proefplekken. Where does the movement stand today, and what does this change of name reflect?
In 2023 we changed the name from Pioniersplekken to Proefplekken ("places of experimentation[TS1] " = dt.: Erprobungsräume ). The change reflects a broader understanding of what these initiatives are about. If you look at the missional journey, Proefplekken are initiatives that intentionally build new communities. Pioniersplekken, on the other hand, go one step further: they intentionally seek to become new forms of church by exploring discipleship and allowing church to take shape in new ways.
We realised that we shouldn't decide in advance how far an initiative ought to go. Our role is to support local communities, not to prescribe their future. If an initiative wants to continue on the missional journey, we can help them take the next steps. But the ownership remains entirely with them. That has made the programme both broader and more effective. Instead of investing only in Pioneer Places, we now support all initiatives that intentionally build community.
For us, this also opens the movement to many churches that previously felt excluded. In the past they would say: "We're not a Pioneer Place, so this programme isn't for us." Now they are very much part of the conversation – we just have to help them realise that.
You distinguish between initiatives that intentionally become new forms of church and those that primarily build community. Does that mean some projects remain mainly social? Or is the gospel always part of the journey?
It depends on what we mean by sharing the gospel. We usually speak about three dimensions. Faith can be shared through deeds, through words, and through sharing life. Every initiative combines these three elements, but the emphasis differs. Some communities express the gospel primarily through practical service. Others communicate it more explicitly through teaching and conversation. Still others place the strongest emphasis on sharing everyday life with people. Ideally, all three belong together. But every initiative has to make its own decisions, depending on its context, the people it wants to reach and its theological tradition. Some evangelical communities naturally emphasize words. Some more liberal communities naturally emphasise deeds. I think both have something to learn from each other. After all, people cannot discover Christ if they never hear about him. At the same time, our words lose credibility if they are not reflected in the way we live. The challenge is not to choose one over the other, but to hold them together. For some diaconal initiatives, the next step may be to speak more openly about faith. Others may need to spend less time explaining Christianity and more time listening, serving and simply being present with people.
Why is the aspect of sharing life so important?
Because that is what I see in almost every fruitful initiative. You don't run an Alpha course, go home afterwards and keep your real life separate. You invite people into your home. You celebrate birthdays together. You stay in touch during the week. When people face difficulties, you're there. That changes everything.
How do you experience the relationship between your movement and the institutional church?
I often describe that relationship through the image of parents and their child. When the movement began, we were like a small child. We were completely dependent on the institutional church, we made mistakes and needed a great deal of support. Then came our teenage years. We wanted to spend time with our peers, discover our own identity and create some distance from our parents. That was a necessary stage of growth. Today I think the movement has reached adulthood. We have our own experience, our own story and something valuable to contribute. That allows us to have a much more mature conversation with the institutional church. The challenge is that, at the same time, many of our "parents" are growing older. Much of the church's energy is understandably focused on declining membership, finances and institutional survival. But that also means it sometimes overlooks one of its greatest resources. The pioneer movement cannot solve every problem facing the church. But we have learned a great deal about building communities, engaging people beyond the church and experimenting with new forms of ministry. Those experiences are not only relevant for pioneer initiatives—they may also be vital for the future of the wider church.
When we met in Utrecht, one participant made an interesting observation during the conference: He suggested that Fresh Expressions had, in some ways, adopted a more “Christendom way” of doing things. Would you agree? Is that something you also see in the Netherlands?
I understand what he means. Whenever Christians start something new, they inevitably bring their own culture, language and assumptions with them. But the more people from outside the church become part of a community, the more that culture begins to change. That doesn't mean we lose the heart of the Christian faith. There are things that remain non-negotiable. Jesus remains at the centre. But I do think we could become much better at contextualising the gospel—not only in the way we organise church, but also in the way we speak about faith. Too often we begin with answers to questions people are not asking. We may begin with sin, salvation or the cross, while many people today are wrestling with very different questions: How can I find hope? How do I deal with anxiety about the future?How do I live in an increasingly polarised society? What does it mean to care for creation?
Those are the places where many conversations actually begin. So perhaps the question is not whether the gospel has something to say—but where we choose to begin telling the story. If we start with the questions people are already asking, we can discover together what the gospel means in that context. The cross and the resurrection remain central. But they may not always be the first sentence of the conversation.
That reminds me of conversations I had with Margarita Reinders (Editor’s note: Margarita Reinders is a pastor from Amsterdam and the founder of a proefplek (“place of experimentation, dt.=Erprobungsraum”).
Instead of approaching people from a position of certainty – saying, “You need Jesus!” – she made herself vulnerable and invited others to join her in building a new community and seeking justice in the neighbourhood. Is that the kind of approach you have in mind?
Exactly. What fascinates me about Margarita is that pioneering didn't only change the people she met – it changed her. She began her ministry with a particular theological outlook. But through living and working alongside people outside the church, her own convictions continued to develop. I think that's an important lesson. When we genuinely invite people with different experiences and different beliefs into our lives, they are not the only ones who are transformed. We are transformed as well. And strangely enough, that doesn't weaken our identity. It often strengthens it. Because it forces us to ask a fundamental question: What is truly essential – and what is simply part of my own tradition? Every Christian has to answer that question. For me, the centre is not primarily a set of doctrines. The centre is a person. Following Jesus is not about defending a collection of ideas. It is about following Christ.
One thing that also struck me about Margarita was her posture. She approached people with vulnerability rather than certainty. She didn't try to occupy the whole space, but created room for others to enter the conversation. To me, that feels like a compelling way of communicating the gospel today—not from a position of strength, but from humility.
I completely agree. And I would add another word: equality. If we approach people believing that we possess the truth and simply have to deliver it, we automatically create a relationship from the top down. But that's not how genuine relationships are formed. People need to know that their own story matters. And if we truly believe that, we also have to accept that their story may shape us in return. Mission is never just about speaking. It is about listening. It is about learning. And it is about allowing ourselves to be changed through the encounter.
That almost sounds like a mutual process of conversion.
In a sense, it is. Pioneering is not only about helping others discover the gospel. It is also about rediscovering the gospel ourselves through the people we meet—their questions, their experiences and the way they see the world. That is one of the greatest gifts of pioneering. Even after all these years, it continues to shape my own faith.
One final question. If you had to point to one place in Europe where churches should be looking right now, where would that be?
For me, it is still England. That is where much of this movement began, and there are still many visionary people there. We continue to learn a great deal from what is happening in the Church of England. What interests me most is not simply the projects themselves, but the questions they are asking now. For example, they are beginning to ask whether the era of Fresh Expressions is coming to an end and what the next chapter might look like. They are talking about worshipping communities. They are exploring how fresh expressions and existing congregations can work much more closely together. And they are increasingly focusing on the renewal of the whole church rather than creating something new alongside it. Those are conversations we follow with great interest. The important question is never, "How can we copy England?" The real question is: "What can we learn—and how do we translate those insights into our own context?"That is the challenge for every church.
Looking back over everything we've talked about today, what gives you hope for the future of the church?
Ultimately, my hope has never rested on structures or programmes. It rests on people. Again and again I see ordinary Christians creating spaces where people experience genuine community, ask questions about faith and encounter Christ. That is happening in large churches, in small churches, in living rooms, around dinner tables and in neighbourhood projects. Whenever people are willing to listen carefully—to God and to the people around them—new things begin to grow. That gives me hope.
Erik, thank you very much for sharing your insights and experience with us.
Thank you. It was a pleasure.
About Erik Verwoerd: Erik Verwoerd is a theologian and pioneer from the Netherlands. He has been involved in pioneering and new forms of church since 2008, first as a local pioneer and later at the national level. Today, he is project leader for new forms of church and co-leads the Proefplekken movement, a collaboration of 15 organizations and denominations.