Pastor Jan Barendse is 69 years old. He and his wife Mies are blessed with 1 daughter, 3 sons and 6 grandchildren. All their children are serving the Lord and are active in the ministry in Holland and Germany.

After a radical conversion in 1970, pastor Jan went to a Bible School of the Assemblies of God in The Hague, The Netherlands, were he met his wife Mies.

After graduation, they started the first Teen Challenge Rehabilitation program in The Netherlands. Before they left Holland in 1978 as missionaries in Mainz, Germany, the Barendse family made a trip to the USA. They attended a church convention in Michigan to meet pastor Paul Stern from Danville, Ill. It was there, that pastor Paul shared his heart with Jan and Mies and his burden to provide for new believers a strong foundation. When Jan shared about his vision to start a church in Mainz, Germany. Brother Paul shared how he and his family as missionaries coming back from Africa in the early fifties, took a trip to the by bombs of the allies flattened city of Mainz. He prayed that day standing on a bridge at the Rhine River: ‘Lord send a young man to this poor city’. In 1990 his prayer was answered: Jan and Mies started to pioneer the ‘Fels’ Church (Rock Church).

From that time on they became friends of Paul and Eleanor Stern. They prayed together during early morning hours when they were with the Sterns at The Rock Church in Danville, Ill or when the Sterns visited Mainz. Paul became Jan’s mentor and he and his wife Eleanor become strong friends with a common passion for the Lord and His people.

Several times Paul and Eleanor visited Europe to minister in the developing Mainz church. When the iron curtain and the Berlin wall fell, the Sterns returned to Europe and became involved with the Barendse’s in ministry in Mainz, Eastern-Germany, Romania and Bulgaria.

In 1992 the Barendse Family returned to Amsterdam, Holland to pastor the oldest Pentecostal church of Europe, a congregation that urgent needed renewal. Jan and Mies stayed there 21 years and the church rejuvenated and grew.

The old church was sold and a beautiful theater was build. But even when Paul and Eleanor started a new ministry, Encouragers Unlimited, the relation with the Barendse Family was kept alive. When Jan and Mies retired, Jan asked the permission of the Sterns to use the name Encouragers Unlimited for their endeavors in Europe and Israel.

The goal of Encouragers Unlimited (Europe) is: Reaching out to Israel and the Nations, Strengthening the Body of Christ and Training Leaders.

About four times a year Jan and Mies minister for a month or more in Israel. They minister in Israeli Messianic Congregations (Jewish believers in Jesus) and in Arabic churches all over Israel. Pastor Jan has a deep passion to proclaim the love of God and his Son Jesus to the lost, to disciple and train young converts to become complete in Christ and to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit to all generations. A special passion of pastor Jan is mentoring young pastors and other spiritual leaders on their way to a mature life of service and fruitful ministry.