Kristeligt Forbund for Studerende

Kristeligt Forbund for Studerende (KFS-DK) is the Danish branch of IFES, an international evangelical student organization. KFS-DK has contacts on a majority of high school campuses and several university campuses in Denmark. Its mission is to encourage and support the Christians in these schools. From October 9-13, KFS will be holding its annual high school conference, called "Disciples Gathering," in Grenå with 550 high school students expected to be in attendance. This year's theme is "Come Together," emphasizing the need for living with Jesus and being a part of the Christian fellowship. Unfortunately, the Bible teacher originally scheduled for this conference suffered a concussion which will prevent him from participating. However, a retired minister has agreed to step in and take the original speaker's place. Last year there were at least five students who surrendered themselves to Jesus during the high school conference. Thomas F. Moesgaard-Christensen, missions secretary for KFS-DK, has asked us to pray for the following:

PRAY that God may touch our lives and speak directly to us, and that it may lead to renewal in our hearts.

PRAY that people who do not know Jesus may meet Him at this conference.

PRAY that those Christian students bringing non-Christian friends who were expecting to hear the speaker originally scheduled may wisely and effectively deal with their friends' disappointment.

PRAISE God for the willingness of the retired minister to substitute for the speaker who had to cancel. PRAY for God's blessing as he prepares for the high school conference.

PRAY for one of the conference staff members who has had to deal with a stress-related illness. PRAY that she may recover quickly.

PRAY specifically for KFS-DK missions secretary Moesgaard-Christensen who will also be speaking twice at this conference. "I know I need prayers," he says. PRAY that the Lord will encouragement Thomas as he prepares for this important opportunity.

Mange Tak, Brigada!

BRIGADA TODAY is a 10,000 subscriber weekly email journal designed to inform Great Commission Christians about our great global quest and giving hope and help to those who need it most. BRIGADA seeks (1) to identify and promote helpful resources; (2) analyze and capsulize in laymen's terms the current trends in global mission; and (3) challenge and motivate evangelical Christians toward greater involvement in finishing the Task of global evangelism. Pray for Denmark is especially grateful to BRIGADA and others for giving publicity to the launching of this website. This week's issue of BRIGADA contains an item about this website: www.brigada.org.

PRAISE God for the publicity the ministry of Pray for Denmark.com has received from BRIGADA and others, thereby encouraging us in this endeavor to raise up prayer support for evangelism, church renewal/revival, and new church planting throughout Denmark.

Open Air Campaigners

(Friluftsmissionen Danmark is the Danish branch of Open Air Campaigners, committed to reaching out mainly to nonbelievers in Scandinavia and the Baltic countries. They do open air meetings, outreaches at playgrounds, beaches, camp sites, festivals, and the like. Another important part of OAC ministry is teaching and inspiring the believers in various settings (for example, churches, Bible schools) to reach out to their friends, neighbors, family, colleges with the gospel of Jesus Christ. OAC evangelists also preach the gospel in children's clubs, summer camps, schools, and Christian meetings. Many creative visual aids are utilized to communicate the Good News to children, teenagers, young people and adults. In the words of OAC Denmark national director, Torben Østermark, "We want to give the biblical message about salvation through faith in the crucified and risen Jesus Christ to lost people in today's society." Learn more about the work of Open Air Campaigners on their website: www.friluftsmissionen.dk or www.oac.dk. At present, OAC has two evangelists in Denmark and one in Latvia. Torben also adds: "We are very busy -- and there are lots of opportunities in Denmark and in the rest of our area."

PRAY with OAC for God's call to two or three additional evangelists within the next 1-2 years.

PRAY that God will send a part-time office worker to be added to the OAC Denmark staff to assist the volunteer helpers who currently do bits of the administrative work for the organization.

PRAY that Open Air Campaigners International will in the near future be able to expand its work of teaching and evangelism from the Danish branch to Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Faroe Islands (www.oaci.org).

PRAY for God's blessing on the work of Torben and Kirsten Østermark and Lars and Trine Kristensen in Denmark and Poul and Salvita Nielsen in Latvia.

Danes Need to Encounter the Living Christ

Researcher David Barrett is reported to have stated that Denmark is one of the three nations with populations exceeding one million in which evangelism is the least cost-effective. The other nations in this category are Japan and Switzerland. Danish Christians need great wisdom in discovering culture-sensitive, Spirit-empowered ways of presenting Christ as Savior and Lord to this land of jaded Christianity.

PRAY for effective strategies for evangelism in this country that is as needy as those countries in the 10-40 window. It has been estimated that 90% of Danes claim church membership but only 4% attend church regularly.

Specific intercession is requested by leaders of Calvary Chapel ministries as they envision evangelism, Bible teaching and church planting eforts in Denmark. These leaders are concerned that Jesus Christ be glorified and honored by those who commit to thorough, truthful teaching of God's Word--regardless of denomination.

PRAY for wisdom on behalf of servant-leaders like Daniel Jacobsen and Theis Broegger as they present themselves available to God and remain open to His will concerning Calvary Chapel ministry in Denmark. They desire the focus of everyone involved in this ministry be on the Lord Jesus Christ with the passion of everyone involved to see a revival in Denmark.

PRAY that everyone's burden will be to to see Danes of all ages brought into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

PRAY that God will grant to everyone involved grace to reflect His love and His grace to the Danish people.

PRAY that the website http://www.calvarychapel.dk/ will continue to serve as a blessing to its visitors and as a place where new and God-appointed contacts are made.

PRAISE God for giving us His Word--sharper than any two-edged sword. PRAISE Him that the Word of God will not return to Him void!

PRAY that the Word will find its way into the hearts of people to accomplish what God intends for it to accomplish in Denmark and in every other nation of this sin-sick world.

There is a growing immigrant population in Denmark that offers new and different opportunities for evangelistic outreach.

PRAY for open doors to present the Gospel of the grace of God in Christ to Arab and Turkish Muslim immigrants in Denmark as well as to other but smaller ethnic minorities resident in the country.

Four Baptist congregations in East Denmark are joining together in planning a celebrative "fest," including sports, food, and an evening evangelistic emphasis, to be held on Saturday, October 2 at Grønhøjskolen in Tåstrup. This fest marks the beginning of what is hoped will be a fruitful collaboration between Allerøde Frikirke, Kristuskirken, City Church and Roskilde Baptistmenighed. The event begins at 2:00 p.m. and includes an evangelistic meeting to begin at 7:20 p.m. The speaker will be Per Eivind Stig of City Church.

PRAY for Pastor Stig, for a good response to the Gospel message and for seekers to come to faith in Christ.

Pray for the Alpha Outreach Program

PRAY for the new season of Alpha courses in Denmark. Plans are to promote a national Alpha advertising initiative in Denmark during the month of September. There are now over 190 Alpha courses running in the country. The national director for Alpha Danmark is Bess Serner Pederson. PRAY that many who attend the courses will as a result come to faith in Christ.

This Pray for Denmark website needs English-speaking correspondents from Danish free churches who can provide fresh, relevant prayer requests regarding evangelical ministries throughout the country. PRAY with Bill and Brad that the Lord will raise up correspondents who have a similar concern for revival in existing churches, evangelism that can contextualize the gospel to effectively communicate within Danish culture, and church planting that relies on the Word of God and the the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit for methods and strategies. Interested persons can use the contact email noted on this page.

PRAY for Remix, a new youth-oriented church planting effort by Adventist Christians in northwest Copenhagen. The name "Remix" is a term used by the music industry and was chosen signify the way lives are rearranged when God comes into hearts and lives of individuals. The goal of Remix is to communicate the Christian message in a personal and contemporary manner. Leaders indicate that teenagers are responsive to the message of the Gospel and the appeals made in this ministry. Because the greatest challenge is that of discipleship, Remix also runs a discipleship program called "Explorer Gold." Click here or further information.

Continue to PRAY for the LYS-kursus conference with Pastor Dale Burke (Senior Pastor, Evangelical Free Church, Fullerton, California) that will take place at the Arhus Baptistkirke on September 4. PRAY that Pastor Burke's emphasis on leadership will be helpful and encouraging to Danish pastors and church leaders.

Summer Camping Activities

JUNE 20, 2004 - This is the time to redouble efforts to PRAY for the various evangelical summer camping activities throughout Denmark. PRAY that the camps will not only provide recreation for youth, families, and singles, important as that may be, but that they will provide opportunities for evangelism and spiritual growth as well. PRAY that participants who have not yet come to faith in Jesus Christ will do so as a result of the spiritual emphasis in the many camps held throughout the summer.

PRAY for a positive result from the theological debate going on in Denmark these days. The unorthodox views of Thorkild Grosboell, pastor of the ELCD (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark) church at Taarbæk, have created quite a stir throughout the country's State Church. Grosboell has declared that he neither believes in God as the Creator of the world nor in the other tenets of the Apostles Creed. Grosboell's bishop suspended him from the pastoral office and later lifted the suspension and placed him under "strict supervision." Danish Lutheran pastors are divided on the issues, some supporting Grosboell and others critical of him. Some of the most critical comments have been those of the Bishop of Viborg, Karsten Nissen: "Grosboell's theological supposition is that nowadays it is not possible to speak of God because there is no living and present reality we can call God or a creating and preserving God, wherefore Jesus cannot be the Son of God, and the only words remaining of the [Apostles] Creed are those dealing with the earthly life of Jesus. We cannot speak of the Resurrection, neither of Jesus nor ours, in the way that the New Testament and the Creed understand it. On the other hand Grosboell thinks that 'the man from Nazareth' or 'the carpenter' is full of meaning to people of the present day, and that we only meet god (consequently spelt with a small g) in our neighbor." (Quote taken from Church News from Denmark, No. 3/6, June 2004). PRAY that the controversy over this pastor's apostasy will alert true believers within the ELCD to the dangers to the historic faith of this kind of theological drift. PRAY that Danish evangelicals will remain committed to the inerrancy and authority of the Word of God and the historic doctrines of the Christian faith.

PRAY that evangelicals will be able to reach Danish young people who are disenchanted with what so many consider the irrelevance of the State Church. The resulting spiritual vacuum in their lives has even caused some Danish young people to convert to Islam.

PRAY for the Danish Vineyard pastors who will be meeting with the Desert Vineyard supporting church in Lancaster, California this weekend (June 19-20) and during the coming week with other Vineyard pastors at a conference in Corona, California. They will be returning to Copenhagen on Friday, June 25. PRAY that these pastors will find good fellowship and spiritual refreshment in their contacts with churches and fellow pastors. PRAY for journeying mercies as they return to their posts in Denmark.

PRAY for preparations being made for the visit to Denmark of Dale Burke, senior pastor of the Evangelical Free Church in Fullerton, California. Pastor Burke is the successor in this church to the well-known Bible expositor Charles Swindoll. Pastor Burke will be the featured speaker at a LYS seminar to be held at the Baptist Church in Arhus on September 4. He is the author of Less is More Leadership: 8 Secrets on How to Lead and Still Have a Life. The seminar will promote effective and visionary pastoral leadership and a balanced joyful life in ministry. Further information on the seminar (in Danish) may be found on the LYS website: www.lys.nu.dk.

Church Planting in Denmark's Larger Cities

Pastor Flemming Mølhede of the Copenhagen Vineyard Church asks those who use this website to PRAY concerning a vision for church planting in Denmark's bigger cities. Many people are open to the Gospel and find their spiritual home in churches of the older denominations in the country. On the other hand, there are people who personally believe in God and are open to the Gospel message but for one reason or another feel alienated from the older churches. Though receptive to the content of the Gospel, they are often uncomfortable with the outer form and structure of the older denominations. There is a need in Denmark for new congregations that adhere to the Gospel but present the same message in a new format and structure. As the Vineyard Norden website (http://www.vineyard.se/) puts it, "Older, more established churches are like treasure chests, filled with the wealth of experience and history - a wealth of faithful people who are good examples for Christ, a wealth of music and musicians, and often a broad wealth of ministries and material resources. At the same time, the need may arise for new inspiration, new life and renewal in the midst of this great wealth. . . . Vineyard churches are relatively new, and have, therefore, greater possibilities for testing and appropriating new forms for their meetings, new structures and new styles of music etc. There is much less need to take into account older and more established forms of worship. It is therefore easier to encourage and make room for new things, which the Lord wants to do in the church. A wealth of new life grows out of this environment, and can be a resource for more established churches." PRAY also that God will provide Vineyard (and other church planting ministries) with the necessary financial resources to plant churches and that He will raise up those who have needed spiritual gifts and strong leadership potential to serve as senior pastors in the envisioned churches.

The same applies in large part as well to another new evangelical ministry. Pray for Calvary Chapel church planters whose work is just beginning in Denmark. There are no Calvary Chapel churches in Denmark as yet. The closest church is in Malmø, Sweden. PRAY for wisdom on the part of such leaders as Daniel Jacobsen and Theis Broeger as they pray, strategize and plan for a solid foundation for Calvary Chapel work and also for a warm response from Danish seekers. Like Vineyard churches, Calvary Chapel ministers with more contemporary music and worship styles that may be more attractive to Danish young people who are not antagonistic to the Gospel but not likely participants in the older churches. PRAY for the Spirit's working at a Calvary Chapel - All-Scandinavia conference to be held at a location in Denmark from August 5-8.

PRAY for the Women's Conference, sponsored by Netværk for Kvinder i Tjeneste (Network for Women in Ministry), to be held in Copenhagen on May 8, 2004. The speaker will be Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Dr. Billy Graham. The theme of the day's conference is "Facing the Future with Jesus." It is Anne's conviction that "the Lord made it clear He is at work among the Christian women of Denmark!" PRAY with Network leaders that the women of Denmark will "receive a fresh touch from Jesus Christ, that will bring a whole new conviction of his presence in our lives into our consciousness, a conviction that will change us, as well as strengthen our faith and provide directional focus for our future lives." PRAY as well for women's ministries in evangelical churches throughout Denmark.

PRAY for Christian camping in Denmark during the coming summer months. Danes love the outdoors in the summer and love camping, preferably by open water. PRAY for the leadership and workers as they pray and plan for their camps this summer. PRAY too for effective evangelism among campers for Christian growth in those who already have come to faith in Christ. We will try to mention specific camps as we receive the information.