Redeemer City to City recently reported that Vrije Universiteit (Free University) in Amsterdam (interestingly, a secular university founded by theologian Abraham Kuyper), appointed Dr. Stefan Paas as the J. H. Bavinck Chair for research and academic training in missionary community formation in a secular European context. In other words, for the next five years Dr. Stefan Paas will serve as chair of church planting in one of the most secular universities and cities in the world.
Surprisingly, Redeemer City to City broke this news in September with nary a blip on the blogosphere (or any substantive media I'm aware of). But I am simply floored (and thrilled!) that it's happening.
Living here in Minneapolis, I'm hard pressed to imagine the University of Minnesota approving of such a chair (and yet can vividly imagine the subsequent outcry and fallout if it ever occurred!). But what if more Christians dreamed of similar ventures, partnering together for the sake of the Kingdom? How can we not only penetrate such public spaces, but also best serve them with the gospel? Redeemer City to City and our brothers and sisters in Amsterdam serve as a wonderful model I hope will only gain wider exposure and momentum.
Learn more about the encouraging partnership between Vrije Universiteit and Redeemer City to City, as well as the related Amsterdam Movement.
