5 questions with the Holdens

We’re so fortunate to have Dave and Liz Holden visiting us from May 22-24. Dave will be leading the Holy Spirit Seminar on May 23 and he will be sharing a message with us on Sunday.

Dave is part of the core leadership team of New Ground, our family of churches. He led the core team from New Ground’s founding in 2014 until recently, in 2025, when he transitioned the leadership to James Silley. Now, Dave and Liz serve in a new capacity within New Ground and the broader Newfrontiers.  

In this short interview, Dave tells us a bit about him and Liz, the focus of their ministry, and how they are seeing God work in our broader family of churches.

1.Please tell us a bit about you – where are you from, where do you live, and (like many of our attendees) have you ever lived abroad? 

I (Dave) have lived in south east London all my life, and Liz grew up in Seaford on the south coast of England, where Newfrontiers began. Twenty years ago, we lived in South Africa, in Johannesburg and Cape Town, for two years.

2. Dave, you led our family of churches, New Ground, from 2014 until last year, when you transitioned into a new season of ministry. Where is your focus now?

I'm still very much involved with the wider global family of Newfrontiers. Since handing over the team leadership of New Ground, Liz and I have been freed up to get more involved globally. I'm still on the New Ground core team, now led by James Silley, and I'm happy to serve wherever the team want me to. We sense that God is calling us to be more of a spiritual mother and father into many situations with a heart to hand over to the next generation.

3. How are you seeing God work in the different nations where New Ground and Newfrontiers are active?

The past few decades have seen both Newfrontiers, and now New Ground, establishing strong foundations in how we do church, what we believe, what our values are, and how to be a family of churches joined together relationally. We are now seeing multiplication and mission advance on every continent where we work. We are positioned to plant hundreds of churches and reach many more nations.

4. Is there anything that you have on your heart for the church today? In the coming years?

We need to ensure that a new generation experience far more of the Holy Spirit because we cannot fulfill our calling in our own strength or on the experience of a former generation. We also need to become confident in the authority of scripture to shape all that we do, even when it conflicts with modern culture, and also to be confident in the gospel message and to know that it really does transform lives.

5. We’re excited to host you in Maastricht again. What is one thing you look forward to when you’re visiting The Netherlands?

Liz loves Dutch apple cake with lots of cream. I love working out how to give cyclists priority at roundabouts - still a mystery after 40 years of regularly visiting the Netherlands!