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.

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)

Let's visit the living room!

Here’s a new and typically Danish approach to supporting young families: A “play living room” in the Danish city of Rønde, where stressed-out parents are invited to bring their young children for a relaxing afternoon of songs, play, and Bible stories. 

It’s the brainchild of Cecilia Tjørnemark and her mother Anette—both of them active believers who want to serve local kids and their families. It’s intended for babies and toddlers up to four years old, and is scheduled for every Wednesday afternoon. 

Mother and daughter have launched into this outreach with the full support of their local Inner Mission and the DFS—Denmark’s Folkekirkelige Søndagsskoler—the Sunday school arm of their local Lutheran church. A representative from the DFS even helped them launch the first several gatherings, with tips and training. 

The Danish difference in this case is that parents don’t drop their kids off, but are encouraged to join right in! It’s a ministry to the entire family, and not a daycare.

“Children are a good entry point to also get in touch with the parents,” said Cecilia Tjørnemark. “Because children tell and ask their parents about what they’ve heard. People want to sing with their children, and here we have a good opportunity to help them. But primarily we’re addressing the children, and we hope they’ll learn that God loves them.”

Rønde, in an area of central Denmark called the Djursland peninsula, has a population of about 3,300. Since the opening of the outreach, word has spread—but there’s always room for more.

“Djursland is a bit of a dead area,” said Cecilia, “so we have a great desire for more people to come to faith here.”

PRAY for the outreach of Cecilia and Anette—that many families would drop by.

PRAY that mother and daughter would be encouraged in their weekly outreach.

PRAY that young families and their children would come to faith in Christ through the ministry.

THANK the LORD for faithful believers like Cecilia and Anette.