60,000 Christians in the Heart of Secular Europe; Netherlands Witnesses Young Generation’s Return to Faith
In one of Europe’s most secular countries, tens of thousands of Christians gathered in the Netherlands during Pentecost celebrations; an event that many see as a sign of growing interest among the younger generation in Christian faith. Around 60,000 people participated in a four-day conference called “Opwekking” (meaning awakening or revival) in the city of Bedinghuyzen; a gathering that in recent years has become one of the largest Christian assemblies in Western Europe and has attracted the attention of international media outlets.
The Opwekking conference, held annually during Pentecost celebrations, this year also brought thousands of families, young people, and church activists from various parts of the Netherlands and other European countries to the “Vallei Holland” park. Organizers of this event say that a significant portion of participants consisted of young people under 30 years old; a matter that is noteworthy to many observers given the continuous decline in religious affiliation in Europe. According to published reports, in some recent periods, nearly half of the attendees at this gathering have been from the younger generation.
This event took place while official Dutch statistics continue to indicate the ongoing process of secularization in society. According to data from the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), only 42 percent of citizens over 15 years old identify themselves as affiliated with a religion or religious worldview, and more than half of the country’s population lacks religious affiliation. However, recent research shows that Generation Z displays more positive attitudes toward faith, the church, and spiritual matters compared to previous generations.
The media outlet “The World,” affiliated with PRX, also reported on the increasing inclination of some Dutch young people toward Christianity, noting that contrary to the trend of the past few decades, part of the new generation, in search of meaning, identity, and social belonging, is turning attention back to Christian teachings. This outlet also reported that the Opwekking event in 2025, in addition to tens of thousands of in-person participants, also had hundreds of thousands of online viewers.
Meanwhile, some religious studies researchers warn against hasty interpretations of this trend. They believe that increased interest among young people in spiritual matters does not necessarily mean a broad return to church membership. According to these researchers, although the younger generation shows greater curiosity toward faith and spirituality, this has not yet led to a significant increase in regular church attendance.
Despite these disagreements, many European Christian leaders view large gatherings like Opwekking as an encouraging sign for the future of Christianity in a continent that has experienced a continuous decline in religiosity over recent decades. One Christian preacher present at this event described the gathering as a “historic moment” and said: “The Holy Spirit is moving throughout Europe.”
As Western societies face crises such as loneliness, anxiety, social instability, and identity questions, some analysts believe that the renewed interest of some young people in Christian faith can be understood as an attempt to find meaning, hope, and a like-minded community in today’s rapidly changing world; a trend that, although its full dimensions are not yet entirely clear, has become one of the important discussions about the future of religion in Europe.
