Looking for a quiet revival

In England and Wales, they’re calling an unprecedented rise in church attendance “The Quiet Revival.” (https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/research/quiet-revival) Attendance among 18- to 24-year-olds has quadrupled since 2018, and overall attendance among all age groups is up 50 percent. Norway, Sweden, and Finland are seeing similar movements.

But what about Denmark?

After a nationwide survey, the Danish TV2 reported that “there is a growing interest among young people in the Christian faith. This applies to your people who come to church events or approach pastors for a personal conversation or with questions about the Bible. But most of all, pastors are saying that more young people are showing up for traditional Sunday services.”

For their report, TV2 spoke with a “long line” of young people with no Christian background, who have in recent years become believers. 

Nicolai Røge, a pastor in Odense, is seeing a clear trend. In the TV2 report he said that many more young people are showing up every Sunday. People like 19-year-old Romeo Troelsgaard.

Only a couple years ago, Romeo would have called himself an atheist. “I saw religion as nonsense,” he said, “a good story, a fairy tale or a fable that some crazy people still believed for some reason.”

But then he visited his local church as part of a research project for school. He came away changed. Today he’s reading the scriptures, listening to online preaching, and going to Sunday services. A reporter asked Romeo if he was afraid of missing anything from his old life.

“No,” he replied. “Because what you miss out on worldly things, you get back through the meaning it gives to be in church, or watching videos about the Bible. It’s so much more rewarding.”

PRAY for revival among young college-age students in Denmark.

PRAY that Danish pastors would seize this opportunity to reach out to more young people.

PRAY for Romeo Troelsgaard and others like him, that God would open their eyes and draw them to himself.

Photo: Ansgars Kirke Odense

Webkirke takes faith online--and beyond

They call it “Webkirke” WebChurch. Webkirke.dk. It’s a three-minute online daily devotional—but more. A Friday night online chapel—but more. And a weekly online service with music, prayer, and a sermon—but more. This online ministry is reaching Danish shut-ins, vacationers, and seekers every day.

No, it’s not a replacement for in-person worship. Rather, Webkirke serves as an entry point for those outside the church. And in Denmark, that’s a hefty percentage of the population. So it makes perfect sense in Scandinavia to reach people where they are—even if it’s through a screen.

According to their website, Webkirke is for those who are curious about the Christian faith, “or who have questions about life, faith, and existence, and who may have difficulty with established church structures.” 

Aside from the online worship services, Webkirke offers a variety of other faith-related options. A daily devotional features a variety of speakers, each focused on a Scripture passage. A podcast explores everyday issues and biblical themes in greater depth. And the website (webkirke.dk) offers free literature and encourages prayer requests. A diverse team from around the country handles those requests “anonymously and respectfully.”

PRAY for the Webkirke ministry, that many more curious Danes would be saved through it, and then find their way to local fellowships.

PRAY for the prayer team—Martin, Nana, Laila, and Pia—that God would give them compassion and discernment as they pray for all kinds of needs.

PRAY for the Webkirke leadership team—Peter Larsen and Jan-Gunnar Wold, for wisdom and compassion as they make decisions.

PRAY that God would supply financial needs and touch more and more lives through Webkirke.

PRAY that God would revive Denmark and Danes through this strategic ministry!

New vision in Nakskov

They’ve caught a vision for reaching the city of Nakskov for Jesus. So Kasper and Mette-Line Thorskov are leaving all their friends and loved ones in Ronne and moving to this Lolland (southern) city to plant a new Vineyard church.

Their plan is to first explore the city through prayer walks, sharing the gospel as they go. From those contacts will form a core group, and ultimately a fellowship that meets, studies, and worships together.

“We believe that the a church will be established through those who come to faith,” said Mette-Line. “And we dream of being able to see many come to faith in Nakskov, just as we have been able to see here in Ronne.”

“For us it’s a giant step of faith,” added Kasper, “but we’ve experienced God’s faithfulness again and again.”

As they begin the work, the Thorskovs are hoping to gather a prayer team, and even ultimately to have others join them there in Nakskov.

Check out this video: https://nakskovvineyard.dk/om-os/ . It’s in Danish, but it’s short and the graphics will help you visualize what’s going on.

PRAY for Kasper and Mette-Line, that God would lead them to just the right people as they establish a new church.

PRAY for those who will soon be saved, that God would guide their steps to encounter Jesus through the witness of the Thorskovs.

PRAY that God would bring revival to this strategic city.

A celebrity comes to Christ

“I was 52 when I suddenly realized there was something bigger than myself,” said Casper Christensen from the stage at Copenhagen’s Hillsong Church. While you may not immediately recognize the name, nearly everyone in Denmark does. He’s a popular entertainer, known for his comedy. And now his outspoken testimony of faith in Jesus Christ has raised eyebrows and invited an entirely different kind of spotlight. 

His public baptism in the evangelical church has also raised eyebrows and stirred up a bit of controversy, since he had earlier been baptized in the state Lutheran church. Even so, Christensen is growing in Christ. Pray for him, and for his high visibility witness. 

“Because even when I speak in Danish,” he told the Hillsong crowd (in English), “I find it hard to learn the language… talking about your faith… I feel childish, because it came so late in life. I didn’t grow up talking about Jesus…. But suddenly, at the age of 52, I have to talk about it. I believe in it… So bear with me if I sometimes struggle to find the right words to express my inner feelings, my hope, my joy in finding Jesus. Will you do that for me, please?”

The crowd listening to him applauded at that time, offering support for a new believer, a high-profile Danish celebrity. It’s not often people like this come to faith in Jesus, especially not at this age. And it’s unclear what advantages his platform may offer him. But pray that Casper may be given grace to grow as a new believer, that he will not fall into the trap of being seen as an instant Christian leader. He is not. Even so, he has people’s attention, and much good can come of that.

Watch Casper’s testimony (in English) here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXK5SPaWG1s

PRAY for protection for Casper Christensen, that he would grow in faith as a new believer should, in God’s timing.

PRAY that he would see the need to be discipled by mature believers, and that God would open the right doors for him. 

PRAY that people who have enjoyed him as an entertainer would also now consider for themselves the faith that he has embraced.

PRAY that Casper would find favor in both the Lutheran and other evangelical churches, that God would use him to unite Danish believers more and more. 

PRAY that God would revive Denmark using the bold testimonies of celebrities like Casper Christiansen and non-celebrities like taxi drivers, farmers, beauticians, and so many others.

Freefall, or change?

Is the venerable Inner Mission (IM) renewal movement in “a freefall,” as Danish state media reported recently? Depends on who you ask.

“Time has run out for the Inner Mission,” claimed Brian Arly Jacobsen, a professor of religious sociology at Copenhagen University. “The Inner Mission is having a hard time because it is a movement that arose in the 1800s, when church services were a certain way. (But) they haven’t stood the test of time, to remain attractive to young people.”

The same report pointed out that demographics are also a factor. Young families have moved away from many of the rural areas and small towns where the Inner Mission movement was particularly strong, and where mission houses were once built to hold revival meetings. The hair color of those who still visit many mission houses for meetings is often predominantly gray. 

In the town of Kloster, for example (pop. 634), Inner Mission revival meetings once attracted standing-room-only crowds. But that was 125 years ago. Today they’re wondering if the mission house will close, as others have.

But that’s not the whole story, says Asbjørn Asmussen, communications director for the IM movement. He points to the growth of IM-affiliated alternative Lutheran churches, many of which have been planted in recent years. IM-sponsored family camps are also going strong, and attracted just as many participants this past summer as in 2019. What’s more, giving to IM ministries has remained steady over the past five years. 

So Asmussen sees the IM movement changing, not necessarily retreating. “In the past, the vast majority of IM activities were carried by over 1,000 local IM communities. Today, it is to a greater extent the nationwide events and activities that bring IM friends together and carry IM's mission.”

Not that he doesn’t notice when a local mission house declines or closes. “It's good that we can still gather in large groups for things like Bible camping and festivals,” said Asmussen, “but the less contact we have with local communities and neighborhoods, the less Christian mission comes out of IM. And that's the real threat for the future. Fewer people come to know Jesus and find peace and salvation in him.”

What’s left to do? Asmussen is still optimistic. “We have to ask God to intervene and create new revival,” he said. “We’ve seen it before in history. We believe it can happen again.”

PRAY for the hundreds of IM mission houses still open, that God would touch lives across generations.

PRAY that the national IM outreach would continue to grow, that many would come to Christ through them. 

PRAY for IM-affiliated churches to thrive and grow.

PRAY for God to intervene and bring new revival through a reinvigorated Inner Mission movement.

Anatomy of a Church Plant

It started out around 2001, when several families in northwest Sjælland started to gather around a vision to build a local, living fellowship. 

Without a church building, they met where they could, usually every other week. And they agreed that the best way forward would be to associate as an Evangelical Lutheran Free Fellowship, connected with the DanskOase (Danish Oasis) movement.

At first the Oasis movement helped supply visiting preachers and other resources. But this group needed their own pastor. Finances were, and have been, tight. And their first pastors were volunteers. But with a new church’s eye on outreach, the “Fårevejle Frimenighed” grew steadily.

Within four or five years, the group was meeting every Sunday. Today Jørgen Lund is their pastor, and the church’s website highlights a full leadership team, along with prayer, family, grief support, and children’s ministries. They meet in a beautiful brick church building in the town of Fårevejle.

Here's what sets them apart: Small groups have focused on bringing up “home-grown” leadership. The crucial decision to sponsor Alpha Bible studies has brought in more new believers. And that’s just the way this church wants it.

According to an Oasis website, “Many new people have met Jesus through Alpha. And many now faithfully attend church. Fårvejle Free Church would have been completely different without Alpha, and all the wonderful dynamics that come with new friends who are not born into and raised in the church. How good it would be if more of us were disciples of Jesus, who tell about him and teach others to be his disciple.”

PRAY that Fårvejle Free Church would continue to reach the unreached, and grow new disciples.

PRAY for Fårvejle Free Church leadership in the coming year, that they would be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading as they face new challenges in 2025.

PRAY that believers in other parts of the country might be inspired by the example of Fårvejle Free Church—to reach out in their own neighborhoods and see others come to Jesus Christ.

THANK GOD for young Danish churches like this, and pray for many more in the year to come.

"Han Lever!" ("He Lives!")

A new national campaign is taking shape in Denmark, leveraging two special days when ordinary Danes show up in church—Easter and Christmas. It’s called “Han Lever,” or “He Lives,” and it’s bringing together a number of different Christian groups who are excited to see lives changed and people reached for Christ.

Though it’s still in the planning stages, we can pray even now for what’s going to happen. Here’s what they’re saying in a video on the movement’s website, hanlever.dk—

“Yes! Jesus Christ lives. That is my hope. It is my only hope. Also for my friends and fellow Danes. We want to testify about him. We long to tell Danes that Jesus still lives. Because Jesus is the best thing that has ever happened to humanity. 

“So we’ve got an idea—for Easter and Christmas 2025 we want to shed extra light and focus on our hope for even more Danes. We want to do this through testimony and videos that can be shared. Through flyers, songs, and a logo that will come to life, though worship services where we invite the entire city. 

“And most importantly, we will encourage each other, and pray for God’s Spirit to intervene and transform hearts in Denmark. Working together and with renewed boldness, we wish, so to speak, to knock on the windows, and demonstrate a life for Jesus. Because he lives! And because Jesus still transforms life and gives hope.”

Let’s pray!

PRAY that God will bring together the right people, even now, to be a part of the movement.

PRAY for unity across many different Christian groups, that the Spirit of God would move as never before to bring salvation to the lost.

PRAY, as the video mentioned, for renewed boldness among believers to share the message of hope in Jesus Christ.

PRAY, even now, that God will start to prepare hearts for many to come to know him in the “He Lives” outreach movement. 

PRAY that God will surprise the organizers of “He Lives” with much more than just a two-day holiday outreach. (Ephesians 3:20)