The gospel: a beautiful story, or something more?

How does God speak to ordinary people?
In the column Life Story, experienced believers share how, through trial and error, they have learned to understand the words of Jesus. This time we give the floor to Joop Strietman. As a teenager he was touched by God, served in Belgium, founded the Dutch office of Operation Mobilisation (OM), and trained missionaries in various countries. In 2019 his life came to a halt when his wife Annie passed away. Yet Joop still speaks with passion almost every Sunday in different churches. What does he have to say about hearing God’s voice in his life?

We drink coffee on the fifth floor, overlooking the green landscape of Soest. We notice that Joop’s wrist is in a cast. “A little accident while playing football with my grandchildren,” he says with a smile. A warm and relaxed conversation follows.

Can you tell us how you came to know Jesus?

“I grew up in Zeist, in a family with ten children. My father had his own business and was often busy. We rarely went on holiday together. I did go on holiday a few times with a friend. On Sundays we went to the Reformed Church, and at the dinner table the Bible was read.

When I was eleven years old, my sister (fifteen) suddenly died of a brain hemorrhage. This had a huge impact on my life. I am a thinker, and as an eleven‑year‑old boy I pondered it a lot. The only thing I knew about the future was that one day I would die.

I thought the gospel was a beautiful story, and I reasoned: if the gospel is not true but I believe it, then at least I believe a beautiful story. But if I don’t believe it and it is true, then I miss everything!

When my sister was laid out in our home, I had a dream. In that dream I saw Jesus in all His majesty. It was a wonderful experience—so real and so deep.”

How did God speak to you after that?

Joop continues: “Because my sister had died, our pastor, Dick van Keulen, visited us regularly. He walked with Jesus—you could see it in everything. I wanted that too!

At that time I attended the church youth group. A few of us decided to read the Bible together, starting with the Gospel of John. After reading, we took time to pray, and everyone was allowed to pray out loud. We weren’t used to that at all, and after the invitation it remained silent. In my experience it was as if Jesus Himself was standing in the room. ‘Joop, you have never fully embraced Me.’ Then I broke the silence and prayed.

Different moments came to mind in which I had done things that were not right. I invited Jesus to do a big clean‑up in my heart and asked for forgiveness. I wanted a new life with Jesus. When I was eleven, the foundations of my faith had been laid, but only then did I truly give my life to Jesus.

That spring I publicly professed my faith, together with 25 other young people. By then I was studying at the horticultural college, and for an internship I spent three months in England. There I learned to spend time alone with God every day. I began to really read the Bible and would read entire books in one sitting. After horticultural school I pursued a teaching degree, with the idea of going into missions afterward.”

How did you decide to go into missions?

“In 1973 I went to a youth weekend about missions in ’t Harde. During a walk I spoke with Wilbert, who was involved with Youth With A Mission. He told me that hearing God’s voice is like steering a ship. When a ship is in the harbor, you can turn the wheel, but nothing happens. Only when you start sailing can you steer. Your life is the same. When you start moving, God can guide you. That image of the ship is something God has used in my life, and I have passed it on to many young people.

The verse from Ecclesiastes 9:10 came up repeatedly that weekend and motivated me to go: ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.’

I heard that Operation Mobilisation planned to distribute leaflets in European cities and villages that summer, and I decided to join the team going to Italy. I signed up and received a confirmation letter from Annie, who lived in Belgium.

At the start conference, a call was made because too few people were going to Belgium. I thought and prayed about it and decided to spend the summer there instead. Now, fifty years later, I look back and marvel at how small decisions can have phenomenal consequences. At the time I didn’t know that Annie would become my wife. After the summer outreach I wanted to continue with school evangelism in Belgium.”

How did your family respond?

“In Belgium I received no salary and had to trust God for finances. My parents were not happy about that. I spent an afternoon alone with just my Bible and read: ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ That same evening there was a collection in our church, and too much money was collected. After some discussion, I was given the extra amount for my trip to Belgium. That afternoon I had prayed for finances, and that evening I went home with a bag full of money. God had provided!

A week later my parents told me they agreed I could go to Belgium, on the condition that I would return after one year. At the end of that first year I was asked to stay on as team leader. My parents grew along with it and never made an issue of it again.”

You mentioned that Annie served as a secretary in Belgium. How did the two of you meet?

“When I was leading the school evangelism team in Belgium, Annie served on the OM ship Logos. Later she went to the Netherlands to join a team giving presentations in churches. I was asked to join that team. In eight months we gave 400 presentations. Annie and I were the only Dutch people on the team. Because we handled the coordination, we worked closely together.

We married in 1977. We married without money, but we always had enough. Through the presentations many contacts developed, and the idea grew to start an OM office in the Netherlands. After prayer, Annie, Ebbo Buurma, Kees Kessies, and I decided that I would take on that task. I personally spoke with every Dutch person who wanted to join an OM outreach. After my time with OM I gave more than 70 leadership courses, each time being away from home for three weeks. After the children left home, Annie joined me. She was a blessing to everyone she met.”

How did you hear God in times of grief?

“Six years ago Annie passed away, after a short illness of only three months. Shortly after her death, I walked alone in the forest for the first time. I cried and was deeply saddened. How could I continue living? Then I saw a beautiful butterfly. I thought about how a butterfly is first a caterpillar that eats and eats, then enters a cocoon to transform.

What we have now is a caterpillar existence, but one day a completely new life awaits us. The Bible speaks of a new heaven and a new earth. We cannot imagine it now, but one day we will know. This is a tremendous encouragement to me, and that butterfly was truly a whisper from God.”

When it comes to hearing God’s voice, what would you like to pass on to the readers?

“Learn to spend time alone with God and read the Bible. Only then will you be able to hold on.”