From the Netherlands to Jesus by Way of Pickerington!
As a teenager in the Netherlands, Zonan Bakkers dreamed of experiencing the United States. He signed up for a student exchange program and was placed with the Unger family in Pickerington in 2015. Seth and Brigett Unger were members of Violet Baptist and brought Zonan to church with their family. Zonan stated, “I attended Violet Baptist every Sunday. I wasn’t a Christian, coming from my atheist/agnostic background. I remember that I didn’t understand the sermons at first since I didn’t know God or the Bible, but I really enjoyed the Christian hymns and songs.” Zonan also got involved with the YoungLife group at Pickerington North. During a YoungLife weekend retreat, Zonan made the decision to surrender his life to Jesus. Zonan recalled, “During my year in Pickerington, I had such a blast. My faith grew so much, and Violet Baptist Church was a beautiful place that helped my faith grow as well through the teen services, the small groups (say ‘Hi’ to Steve Bottoms!), and the church trip to Amish Country and an Overflow Retreat. My mind and heart changed so much—from death to life, from darkness to light. I was walking closely with God. Praise God!” After returning to the Netherlands, Zonan discovered that his newfound faith was not celebrated there. He struggled to find a church and a Christian community that could help him continue to grow. While in college, Zonan reconnected with Christian community through a Christian fraternity. He also took a class on the fundamentals of the Christian faith. God used these experiences to draw Zonan back to Christ. Zonan had been working as a history teacher, but he felt God calling him to ministry. He decided to come back to Ohio, and he is currently participating in the ministry apprentice program at Linworth Baptist in Worthington. Zonan stated, “I don’t yet know where I will serve in the future, but I trust that it’s all in God’s hands, and He will lead me to the place where He wants me to minister.” We celebrate God’s plan to call Zonan to Himself and to call him into full-time ministry. Zonan’s story is a powerful reminder that we never know God’s plan for the people we encounter every day. May we continue to be faithful to God’s Word and sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s work at Violet and in our everyday lives!
Pastor Keith Next Gen Pastor keithh@violetchurch.com
Zonan (bottom row, second from the right)on a youth event in 2016
Zonan in 2025
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