There’s a Goliath in the Netherlands and his specialty is prostitution. Frits Rouvoet: “It’s time to get into action. Youngsters get this.”

Written by: Elise Lente Meester

Thanks to: www.revive.nl

Frits Rouvoet, founder of Bright Fame, an organization that helps women to get out of prostitution, sees something special: “Youngsters are ready to rise up. I see a holy indignation about prostitution, porn. David, too, was only 14 when he defeated the giant Goliath. My generation has missed some things. For example, I looked on sadly how prostitution was legalized in 2000.”

Frits, you meet a lot of youngsters in your work and you see something special.

Frits: “What stands out to me, when I speak to a large group of people about prostitution, is that youngsters are often the ones that rise up. Older people do so less often. They have an opinion- and sometimes they donate. But to truly rise up for something, that’s something I see more often with the youngsters. They should get more space in church. A lot more space.”

In 2000, we legalized the world of prostitution. Did we, as a church, protest this? We let this happen.

You compare that role of youngsters with David and Goliath. Explain?

Frits: “Look, David was apparently fourteen years old when he fought Goliath. His country is at war, his brothers are at the front, but David stayed with his sheep. His dad asks him to deliver some food to them. I think that David was fed up by this, because he wanted to fight, too. But once at the front he hears and sees Goliath raging – cursing God. He protests but his brothers reply with: ‘Shut up man, go back to your sheep.’ ‘I can’t say anything’, David replies. I think this is recognizable when you look at the church and youngsters coming up with ideas.”

But David didn’t shut up…

Frits: “Not only did he not shut up, he goes up to the giant alone. Saul offers him his own weaponry, but it was way too big. So, David only takes his slingshot and five smooth rocks. Goliath yells: “Am I a dog, that you’d sent this little boy up against me?” While the army of Israel is watching there being paralyzed. We all know what happens next. David fires one rocks, Goliath goes down and David kills him. After that, the army of Israel runs down and defeats the enemy.  I think it’s important that we give youngsters a chance to defeat the giants with their own means. For example, a rock could be: Social Media. There are a lot of giants in this country that need to be defeated. Porn, prostitution, bullying, that type of giants.”

A paying institution told her: “Go apply at a sex club.”

A giant you are trying to defeat at Bright Fame, is prostitution.

“In 2000, we legalized the world of prostitution. Did we, as a church, protest this? Leviticus 19:29 says: ‘Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity.’ We let this happen, my generation let this happen. Prostitution has become a ‘normal’ job. But it isn’t normal. And these past few years it has only become more and more violent and criminal.”

How do you witness this, the fact that it is treated as a ‘normal’ job, in reality?

“A woman once told me that a paying institution told her: ‘Oh, you need a job? Go and apply at a sex club.’ And then you have to go there, you can’t really say no. Because you are obliged to apply for jobs, or it will affect your federal check. I don’t know if she really did apply there. But this is the country we are living in at the moment.”

Let’s not be a paralyzed army that is standing there watching powerlessly!

If people read this and want to rise up… What are you tips?

Frits: “First of all, it is never too late to come into action. With God it is never too late. Secondly, we are born with a purpose, God has a plan for our lives. Ask yourself: Am I at the right place? Am I part of that plan? Sometimes we are so focused on our career that we forget what it is all for. Third, I would like to say: What are you known for? Are you carrying out love? Can people come to you? Be available and of service towards your environment. And the last tip: We’re not just a church on Sunday, but also on weekdays. Share your life with others. A church isn’t a building, but a group of people. Find these people and share. Let’s be that army that doesn’t observe powerlessly!”