Johan Frinsel

Johan Jacob Frinsel Sr. (Amsterdam, September 5, 1927 – Veenendaal, October 8, 2021) was a Dutch preacher, children's book writer, social worker, writer of Christian books and administrator. He belonged to the Pentecostal movement.

Life

He did attended the primary school of Tot Heil des Volks. He then attended public education, but came into contact with the gospel and converted to the Christian faith. When he finished his studies, he went to work at an engineering firm.

His first book was published in 1950 under the title An Adventure at School. Over the years, another twenty would follow. In 1950, he married Aaf van Bodegraven (1921-2013) They had five children, including Hans Frinsel,

In 1967 he became director of the association Tot Heil des Volks. Under his leadership, the work took a new turn, opening a shelter for addicts in the Willemsstraat ,. In the early seventies, two schools were converted into youth hostels, one in the Jordaan and one in the red light district. In the eighties, evangelization and assistance work among prostitutes was started, under the name Scarlet Cord.

In 1969, Frinsel was elected president of the Brotherhood of Pentecostal churches. He held this position for six years. He was also active in the RPF. In 1982, he was third on the list of candidates for the House of Representatives.  The party won two seats.

From 1989 to 1998 he was vice-president of the Evangelische Omroep. At that time he was especially frequently in the news with his criticism of the Christian revival movement Toronto Blessing. Frinsel left as vice-chairman. In 2007, he publicly advised the Christen Unie not to sit in a new cabinet to be formed (the later Balkenende IV cabinet).

In 2010, Frinsel suffered a brain haemorrhage and stopped speaking and writing.

Frinsel died at the age of 94.