The Swedish Connection

Something happening in one part of Scandinavia may not necessarily happen in another. But it’s also true that Sweden, Norway, and Denmark share close ties in culture and language—as well as a large cross on their national flags. 

That’s why we need to pray that a current spiritual revival in Sweden will spread to their neighbor in the south, just across the water: Denmark.

Like Denmark, Sweden has remained stubbornly secular for generations, with only a small percentage of people attending church or claiming a vibrant faith in Christ. But reports are coming in that young people in Sweden are now turning to Jesus in large numbers. (See this CBN report.) 

According to one national survey, the number of Swedish youth attending church has doubled in the past four years. Attendance at a yearly “Jesus Conference” has mushroomed. Recent confirmation classes in Swedish Lutheran churches have filled quickly. What is going on?

“Faith among the young people is growing and we can see it statistically,” said Swedish Christian leader Marco Strömberg.

Social media is also apparently playing a role in the Swedish revival, as it connects young people around the country and bypasses the state-controlled secular media. And Swedish Christians continue to pray that the revival will spread.

But that’s Sweden. So now the question remains: Can revival happen in Denmark, too?

PRAY that barriers will fall and that revival and salvation will wash across not only Sweden, but Norway and Denmark as well.

PRAY that young people will recognize the emptiness of secular culture and turn to Jesus Christ instead.

PRAY that God will use young people to spark revival all across Scandinavia, not just in Sweden. 

Something is happening

Denmark may not be a Christian nation—yet. But a recently released study from the Danish Bible Society shows clear signs that something new is happening among Danish young people.

The study, “God and the Danes, Faith Analysis 2026,” reveals that nearly two out of three Danish young people between the ages of 16 and 30 are searching for meaning in life. Forty-one percent are interested in learning more about the Bible, compared to twenty-two percent of the population overall. And twenty-six percent have attended a worship service (either in person or online) in the past month, compared to less than ten percent of the overall population.

photo: Youth for Christ

According to a press release from the Bible Society, “the new analysis paints a picture of a generation where questions about faith, church, and the Bible mean even more than many may imagine.

“The study comes at a time when Christianity, faith, and spirituality have become visible topics in the public conversation,” the release continues. “Politicians, cultural and sports figures, and ordinary Danes talk openly about faith. On social media, Christian voices are gathering new communities.”

Where does it all lead?

“We don’t know which way the development is going,” said Johannes Baun, general secretary of the Bible Society, “but we’re very happy to have real figures in an area that is taking up more and more space in the conversation.”

So a greater percentage of Danish young people apparently now believe in God, compared to the overall population. But are they more open to considering Jesus? Now is the time to pray.

PRAY for Danish young people, that many would now move from curiosity to faith in Jesus Christ.

PRAY for Danish churches, that they would mobilize as never before to reach young people.

PRAY that the Holy Spirit would move in Denmark, bringing revival and salvation to the land.

 

For the Lord... and music

Pray for this year’s Å-Festival, Denmark’s largest Christian music and praise gathering, planned for May 22 through 25. Organizers expect more then 3,000 young people for three days of concerts and praise gatherings, seminars and special speakers, prayer times, and even a volleyball tournament.

Most festival attendees will stay in camping trailers spread out on a large field near Sønder (South) Felding, a rural village in central Jylland. Large tents are set up for the main gatherings. 

Rend Collective, a popular praise band from Northern Ireland, is billed as one of the music headliners.

“Å-festival is a completely different way to meet with other Christians, compared to Bible camp,” said Kåre Dyer Pedersen. “Here we’re coming together around music and around Jesus, and around the fact that our love of music can also be reflected in our faith in Christ. Here, there’s room to just be, and we’ll put together the coolest music program for you.”

The annual festival started in 1991 as a way to engage with teens, especially those newly confirmed in the church. It’s obviously grown since then!

PRAY for many believers (and perhaps also seekers!) to attend this year’s festival.

PRAY for the speakers and performers, that they would know God’s heart for Danish young people.

PRAY that young lives would be changed and faith deepened in genuine, lasting ways.

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.