{"id":4506,"date":"2023-08-17T10:43:44","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T08:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/?post_type=project&#038;p=4506"},"modified":"2026-06-16T14:24:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T12:24:16","slug":"mission-area-the-netherlands","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/projecten\/zendingsgebied-nederland\/","title":{"rendered":"Mission in the Netherlands"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The choice to focus on students is strategic: today's student is tomorrow's policymaker. Students pursuing higher education often end up in leadership positions in our society and have a great influence on the spiritual climate in our country and in the church. Yet of the 750,000 students receiving higher education in the Netherlands (and this number is still growing), only an estimated six per cent are active Christians.<\/p>\n<p>Mission made Rev Aart van der Maarl available to IFES as a staff member from 1997 to 2008. He was considered a missionary with a 'domestic' mission. In his hometown of Eindhoven and the surrounding area, he made many contacts with Chinese students.<\/p>\n<p>Even after Rev Van der Maarl became church pastor in Eindhoven in 2008, mission and IFES remained linked. In 2010, the General Synod even explicitly mandated continued support for the work among foreign students.<\/p>\n<p>Mission's annual financial contribution goes to the following projects: nationwide, Rotterdam, Leiden, Eindhoven and Amsterdam. Information on these projects can be found at the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ifes.nl\/\">IFES-Netherlands website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>IFES-Netherlands<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>IFES-Netherlands is part of the global organisation IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) and acts in the Netherlands as a national umbrella organisation of some 3,000 Christian students spread across the universities and colleges in the Netherlands. It also has links with 16 working groups for international students.<\/p>\n<p>The way IFES-Netherlands works is that it equips students to preach the gospel among students and at universities and colleges. It does so because it believes that universities and colleges together constitute one of the great mission fields in the Netherlands.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":4880,"menu_order":0,"template":"","countries":[107],"continents":[30],"projecttype":[298],"department":[37],"audience":[],"class_list":["post-4506","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","countries-nederland","continents-europa","projecttype-zendingsgebied","department-zending"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Zending in Nederland - Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken: CGK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"CGK Zending steunt het werk van IFES onder internationale studenten, zowel zinzoekers als studenten die al christen zijn.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/projects-2\/mission-area-the-netherlands\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Zending in Nederland - Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken: CGK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"CGK Zending steunt het werk van IFES onder internationale studenten, zowel zinzoekers als studenten die al christen zijn.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/projects-2\/mission-area-the-netherlands\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken: CGK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ChristelijkeGereformeerdeKerken\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-16T12:24:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2022-BZ-Bollevelden-Host-2022-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1182\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Dienstenbureau\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"Rachel van Grootheest\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/projecten\\\/zendingsgebied-nederland\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/projecten\\\/zendingsgebied-nederland\\\/\",\"name\":\"Zending in Nederland - Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken: CGK\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/projecten\\\/zendingsgebied-nederland\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/projecten\\\/zendingsgebied-nederland\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/2022-BZ-Bollevelden-Host-2022-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-08-17T08:43:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-16T12:24:16+00:00\",\"description\":\"CGK Zending steunt het werk van IFES onder internationale studenten, zowel zinzoekers als studenten die al christen zijn.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/projecten\\\/zendingsgebied-nederland\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/projecten\\\/zendingsgebied-nederland\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/projecten\\\/zendingsgebied-nederland\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/2022-BZ-Bollevelden-Host-2022-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/2022-BZ-Bollevelden-Host-2022-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1182},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/projecten\\\/zendingsgebied-nederland\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Projecten\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/projecten\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Zending in Nederland\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/\",\"name\":\"Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken: CGK\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken CGK\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/logoCGK-christelijke-gereformeerde-kerken-RGBweb.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/logoCGK-christelijke-gereformeerde-kerken-RGBweb.png\",\"width\":502,\"height\":291,\"caption\":\"Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken CGK\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cgk.nl\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/ChristelijkeGereformeerdeKerken\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/Dienstenbureau\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Missions in the Netherlands - Christian Reformed Churches: CGK","description":"CGK Mission supports the work of IFES among international students, both those seeking meaning and those who are already Christians.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/projects-2\/mission-area-the-netherlands\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Zending in Nederland - Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken: CGK","og_description":"CGK Zending steunt het werk van IFES onder internationale studenten, zowel zinzoekers als studenten die al christen zijn.","og_url":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/projects-2\/mission-area-the-netherlands\/","og_site_name":"Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken: CGK","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ChristelijkeGereformeerdeKerken","article_modified_time":"2026-06-16T12:24:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1182,"url":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2022-BZ-Bollevelden-Host-2022-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@Dienstenbureau","twitter_misc":{"Estimated reading time":"5 minutes","Written by":"Rachel van Grootheest"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/projecten\/zendingsgebied-nederland\/","url":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/projecten\/zendingsgebied-nederland\/","name":"Missions in the Netherlands - Christian Reformed Churches: CGK","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/projecten\/zendingsgebied-nederland\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/projecten\/zendingsgebied-nederland\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2022-BZ-Bollevelden-Host-2022-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2023-08-17T08:43:44+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-16T12:24:16+00:00","description":"CGK Mission supports the work of IFES among international students, both those seeking meaning and those who are already Christians.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/projecten\/zendingsgebied-nederland\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/cgk.nl\/projecten\/zendingsgebied-nederland\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/projecten\/zendingsgebied-nederland\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2022-BZ-Bollevelden-Host-2022-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2022-BZ-Bollevelden-Host-2022-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1182},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/projecten\/zendingsgebied-nederland\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Projecten","item":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/projecten\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Zending in Nederland"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/#website","url":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/","name":"Christian Reformed Churches: CGK","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/#organization","name":"Christian Reformed Churches CGK","url":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/logoCGK-christelijke-gereformeerde-kerken-RGBweb.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/logoCGK-christelijke-gereformeerde-kerken-RGBweb.png","width":502,"height":291,"caption":"Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken CGK"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ChristelijkeGereformeerdeKerken","https:\/\/x.com\/Dienstenbureau"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/4506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"countries","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/countries?post=4506"},{"taxonomy":"continents","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/continents?post=4506"},{"taxonomy":"projecttype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/projecttype?post=4506"},{"taxonomy":"department","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/department?post=4506"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cgk.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=4506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}