A New Overseer in the Netherlands
The Church of God in the Netherlands has a new overseer: Reverend John Lataster. Installation services were recently held at the Amersfoort Church of God, attended by many leaders of the Church of God in the Netherlands and other denominations.
The services were led by Reverend Dr. Larry Hess, field director of the Church of God in Western Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Dr. Hess preached a stirring sermon with great Holy Ghost boldness and anointing about the challenge and cost of leadership. He then bestowed a stole of leadership recognition upon the outgoing overseer, Reverend Fred Steinfort, and presided as the stole was placed upon the new overseer. This stole represents the leadership anointing God placed upon the previous leadership and the incoming leadership and represents the recognition of the Church of God on these outstanding leaders.
Brother Lataster comes to his new office with a wealth of ministerial experience. He pastored for 16 years in the Netherlands at the Weert Church of God. He later served for five years as an evangelist based at the Trinity Chapel Church of God, located near Atlanta, Georgia, under the leadership of Dr. Jim Bolin.
In December 2005, he returned to the Netherlands as a Church of God missionary evangelist to plant the Trinity Chapel Tilburg, where he now pastors.
Brother Lataster’s ministry has long been characterized by a strong sense of calling and vision and a passion for souls, as well as signs and wonders following. In recent times, God gave him a clear vision for the harvest not only in Tilburg, but for the Netherlands as well.
This vision for souls is rooted in the Word of God and in faith. Faith that nothing is impossible with God and that the Netherlands can and will be won for Christ. Evidence for this can be found in his own church in Tilburg, where many souls have been saved and God has done many miracles of healing, deliverance and blessing in the lives of this new congregation and in the new churches that are being planted in various parts of the
Netherlands.
Brother Lataster’s vision of strong, soul-winning churches is in perfect harmony with the vision of field director Dr. Larry Hess. Special seminars are being planned by Dr. Hess and Benelux Education Director Chris Swift, in consultation with Brother Lataster, to further equip the Netherlands pastors with leadership skills.
We rejoice in what God is doing in the Netherlands and ask for prayer that many more souls will be won for the harvest in this strategic country, where many believe a great revival will originate that will one day encompass all of Western Europe.
Chris Swift
Church of God in the Benelux Education Director
Project Number 0600087
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© 2007 Church of God World Missions
