An atheist who became a Pentecostal pastor stood in his own pulpit one Sunday and wondered whether he still believed what he was preaching. In this episode of the Messiah Podcast, Sebastiaan van Wessem, lead pastor of Celebration Church in the Netherlands and global director of KNGDM Alliance, tells how honest questions led him to rebuild his faith rather than abandon it. Sebastiaan candidly shares the struggles of pastoring through theological shifts, encountering Messianic Jewish relationships, and grappling with the dark history of European antisemitism at Auschwitz. From navigating the post-October 7 political landscape in Europe to uniting leaders around Jerusalem and the message of the gospel of the kingdom, this episode delivers an eye-opening perspective on a quiet spiritual revival happening in Europe.

👉 Key Discussion Points:

► Reconstruction, not deconstruction. Sebastiaan never felt he had to tear down his faith. He needed to rebuild it on firmer, first-century foundations. Asking honest questions about what you believe can deepen faith instead of destroying it.

► Understanding Ecclesia as the Assembly (Kahal) of Israel: Gentile believers are not a separate "second people of God" replacing or standing apart from Israel; they are grafted into the existing assembly (Kahal) of Israel through the Messiah.

► The gospel of the kingdom is bigger than personal salvation. Isaiah 52:7, “Your God reigns,” sums up the message Jesus said must reach all nations before the end (Matthew 24:14). Salvation and grace belong inside that message, but they aren’t the whole of it.

► Standing for truth in a polarized Europe. In a post-October 7 landscape marked by rising antisemitism and political hostility, standing with Israel and upholding first-century biblical foundations requires courage, clarity, and deep personal relationships.

🔖 Chapters

00:00 From Atheist to Pastor to a Kingdom Revelation

9:17 Dangers of Moving Too Fast

11:13 A Transformational Trip to Auschwitz

13:19 Recentering on Jerusalem

20:20 Rethinking Everything

22:00 Is the Church Actually Israel? Ekklesia and Kahal

24:45 The Three Mandates of Kingdom Alliance

29:54 Europe after October 7th

40:47 Young Europeans Searching for Faith

44:43 Advice for Pastors Starting This Journey

👉 Resources:

All Things Restored: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJG3GPZV

Celebration Church: Churchcelebrationchurch.nl

KNGDM Alliance: https://kngdmalliance.org/

Israel Matters: https://ffoz.store/products/israel-matters-book

Europe’s Anti-Semitism Is Awakened: https://ffoz.org/messiah/articles/europes-anti-semitism-is-awakened

My European Vacation: Anti-Semitism Lurks behind the Beauty: https://ffoz.org/messiah/articles/my-european-vacation-anti-semitism-lurks-behind-the-beauty

Why FFOZ Is Going to Europe: https://ffoz.org/messiah/articles/why-ffoz-is-going-to-europe

When Your Theology Fails: A Pastor’s Journey to the Jewish Jesus: https://youtu.be/sKY_PmctchQ?si=EKoqw9QiXjUiZicw

– Who is Messiah Podcast? –

Messiah Podcast is a production of First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ), a Messianic Jewish education organization dedicated to reconciling disciples of Yeshua with God's prophetic promises to Israel.

Messiah Podcast is made possible by the generosity of our First Fruits of Zion Friends. FFOZ Friends help advance our mission while gaining access to exclusive Messianic Jewish teachings and resources. If you want to partner with us in spreading the message of the kingdom to all nations, become an FFOZ Friend today.