Ben Hoekendijk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Hoekendijk
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Hoekendijk (1975)
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30 June 1938
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| Died | 1 May 2020 (aged 81) |
| Nationality | Dutch |
Ben Hoekendijk (born 30 June 1938 – died 1 May 2020) was a Dutch speaker, a Christian leader (called an evangelist), and a pastor. He was known for starting the Opwekking Foundation. This made him a very important person in the Dutch Pentecostal movement, which is a type of Christian faith. Later in his life, he also became a skilled sailor and a sports journalist.
Ben Hoekendijk was born in Baarn, a town in the Netherlands. He passed away in Harderwijk at the age of 81.
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Who Was Ben Hoekendijk?
Ben Hoekendijk was born as the fourth child to Karel and Elisabeth Hoekendijk. He grew up in a Christian home. He decided to follow his faith personally when he was a teenager.
In 1956, Ben and his youth group, called "The Gideons," started sharing their faith in the streets of Utrecht. His father led a Christian movement called Stromen van Kracht. Because of this, Ben naturally became involved in similar work. He helped lead youth groups and spoke to people about faith. He also helped by translating for many speakers from other countries.
In 1957, Ben did his alternative military service. After that, he led a small church. He also helped with a big Christian event in 1958. In August 1959, Ben held his first outdoor meeting (called a "tent campaign") in Utrecht. That same year, he married Wiesje Hijink. They moved to Putten in Gelderland and had three children.
Starting the Opwekking Movement
In 1960, Ben Hoekendijk began publishing a magazine called Opwekking. This word means 'Revival' in English. His organization, which was first called "Ben Hoekendijk Evangelization-Healing Campaigns," also changed its name to Opwekking in 1974. As he became more famous for his outdoor meetings, many people asked him to speak all over the Netherlands.
In 1971, Ben started a movement called "Thou shalt not follow the majority in evil." This movement received a lot of attention from the national news. In 1972, Opwekking began holding special Christian conferences. These events are still called Opwekking today. At first, about 500 people attended. Now, more than 50,000 people visit these conferences every year. Ben Hoekendijk was a regular speaker at these events until 1990.
From 1972 to 1979, Ben organized events called One-Way-Days. These were held in the Utrecht Jaarbeurs, a large exhibition center. At their busiest, more than 10,000 young people attended these events. Ben also spoke at a big Christian conference in Jerusalem in 1974. In 1976, he spoke at Billy Graham's Eurofest in Brussels. Billy Graham was a very famous Christian speaker. Ben Hoekendijk also wrote several books over the years. Some of his well-known books are Seeking balance and Twelve Jews find the Messiah.
Adventures at Sea: Sailing and Writing
Ben Hoekendijk became well-known in the world of sea sailing. He was known for his writing and for the special trips he made on his yachts. He named his boats Shalom I, II, III, and IV. He wrote eleven books about water sports. These books were published by a company that specializes in nautical (sailing) topics. He also translated six other books about sailing. Ben gave lessons and talks for sailing clubs and companies.
Starting in 1979, Ben Hoekendijk made many long sailing trips. He sailed across the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. He even sailed alone across the Atlantic Ocean to Spitsbergen for 13 months. This trip happened after he had heart surgery. The news about this journey made him famous and he was nominated for "Puttenaar of the year." He continued to guide new sailors even when he was older. He received awards from the Dutch Association of Coastal Sailors. He also became an honorary member of the Lerwick Boating Club in the Shetland Islands. On April 29, 2011, Ben Hoekendijk was given a special honor. He was knighted for his many years of work in both Christian evangelism and sailing.
Books about Sailing
Ben Hoekendijk wrote many books about his sailing adventures and experiences. These books helped other sailors and shared his love for the sea.
Some of his sailing books include:
- Was het toeval of een glimlachje van de hemel? (Was it a coincidence or a smile from heaven?)
- Zeekoorts (Sea Fever)
- De wereld volgens Reid (The World According to Reid)
- Vrijheid en eenvoud (Freedom and Simplicity)
- De magie van de eilanden (The Magic of the Islands)
- Vader en zoon naar Spitsbergen (Father and Son to Spitsbergen)
He also wrote guidebooks for sailors, called "pilots," for different areas:
- De overtocht naar Engeland (The Crossing to England)
- De overtocht naar Zuid-Engeland (The Crossing to South England)
- De overtocht naar Normandië en de Kanaaleilanden (The Crossing to Normandy and the Channel Islands)
- Vaargids IJsselmeer (Sailing Guide IJsselmeer)
- Vaargids Waddenzee (Sailing Guide Wadden Sea)
