Danish Summer Conferences - Week of July 23-29

Det Danske Missionsforbund (Danish Mission Covenant) churches are gathered at Kolding this week for their annual conference, while Vineyard Norden is meeting at Rimsforsa, Sweden. Danish churches of Vineyard Norden are located in Copenhagen, Roskilde, and the house church at Aars. Please use the list of prayer requests on the 01 July posting below that remain pertinent for this week's conferences.

"Revivals are a special moving of the Spirit of God. While it is important for us to pray for the kind of massive movement that takes place in a revival, we must remember that God alone can flame the fire that springs up to change a whole nation." - Larry Richards

Danish Summer Conferences - Week of 16-22 July

Those joining in prayer for Denmark are asked to continue to refer to the specific summer conferences prayer reminders in the 01 July posting below. This week's conferences include the Baptistkirkens Missionsstævne at Mariager and Indre Mission's Sommerbibelskole at Børkop Højskole. Pray for God's blessing and the Holy Spirit's guidance into truth and conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is important to believe that a great spiritual awakening can occur in Denmark throughout the Folkekirke and the free churches.

"A church in the land without the Spirit is rather a curse than a blessing. If you have not the Spirit of God, Christian worker, remember that you stand in somebody else's way; you are a fruitless tree standing where a fruitful tree might grow." -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Danish Summer Conferences - Week of 8-15 July

Please continue to consult the previous posting (1 July 2006) for information on the four summer conferences meeting this week, including those of the Apostolsk Kirke, Pinse Kirke, Dansk Oase, and Nyt Liv. These are important conferences with many ramifications for reformation, revival, and renewal in Danish churches, both the Lutheran Folkekirke and the free churches. The prayer requests at the end of the 1 July posting will greatly assist in focusing prayer on behalf of this week's conferences.

"(I)t is a common factor of the revivals (, i.e. of the past) that they have been expressions of the sovereignty of God, explained only in terms of the power of the Holy Spirit to change people and communities. . . Two characteristics of Christian awakenings point to this sovereignty of God:

"An increased emphasis on prayer, as people have grown deeply discontent with the state of their unrevived churches.

"Deep repentance, involving both sorrow for sin and a determination to change." - Eerdmans Handbook to Christian Belief (1982), p. 371

Danish Summer Conferences, Camps, and Bible Schools

Many church and revival movement conferences, camps and Bible schools will be meeting this summer throughout Denmark whether under tents, at resorts, in school buildings, or even in the open air. A sampling of them appears below, though the list is hardly complete. Because such summer activities are important for inter-church fellowship, for evangelistic contacts, and for believers' spiritual growth, they are surely deserving of our prayers.

July 2-8 - Oaselejr Sjællands Familielejr, a regional family camp that is part of Dansk Oase, is meeting the week prior to the national SommerOase 2006. Sjælland (Sealand) is the large island on which Copenhagen is situated. This Family Camp will be held at Odsherreds Efterskole, in Fårevejle Stationsby, northwest Sjælland. Speakers include overseas visitors as well as Danish pastors and leaders. www.oaselejrsj.dk

July 8-14 - The Apostolsk SommerCamp 2006, a gathering of believers aligned with the Dansk Apostolsk Church (Danish Apostolic Church) will be held on the campus of the denomination's Internationale Apostolsk Højskole in Kolding, Jutland. The theme of this year's conference is "Tro, virksom i kærlighed" (Belief, effectual in love). The headline speaker will be Dale Hewitt, pastor of the Apostolic Church in Perth, Australia. Several practical worshops on ministry-related topics are on the program schedule. www.staevne.dk/

July 8-14 - The Pinsekirkernes (Pentecostal Churches) SommerCamp 2006 will meet on the expansive campus of the churches' Højskole (High School and Bible School) in Mariager, 36 miles north of Århus. This year's theme is "Drevet af en passion" (Driven by a passion). http://sommer-camp.sequelsite.dk/default.asp?id=8693

July 8-15 - Dansk Oase, a charismatic-oriented organization within the national Lutheran Folkekirke, will hold its SommerOase 2006 conference at Rudehøj Efterskole in Odder, Central Jutland. The conference theme is "Reformation." A number of Danish church leaders will be featured speakers together with several pastors and Christian workers from other countries. www.danskoase.dk/index.php?id=406

July 8-15 - Another Lutheran Folkekirke revival movement, known as Nyt Liv (New Life), will have its Sommerferie 2006 (Summer holidays) family camp at Djursland Efterskole, northweast of Århus with meetings and activities for children and youth as well as adults. The speaker will Mikkel Vigilius, Luthersk Mission Højskole, Hillerød. Svend Aage Paulsen of the Dansk Bibel Institut, Frederikssund, will conduct a seminar on apologetic topics. Renown singer Signe Walsøe will assist with the music.
www.nytliv.dk/Nyt%20Liv%20april%2006(9).pdf

July 16-22 - The Baptist churches' Missionsstævne (Missions Meeting/Conference) will once again take place at the Pinse Højskole in Mariager. A full and challenging program has been planned for adults, youth, and children. The theme chosen for this year's Missionsstævne is "Vejen" (The Way). The schedule displays an imposing array of speakers from Denmark and from other countries. One main speaker will be well-known author Philip Yancey, from the United States. www.missionsstaevne.dk/

July 16-22 - Indre Mission's Sommerbibelskole 2006 will be held at Børkop Højskole, between Vejle and Fredericia on Jutland's east coast. Various course are to be offered by Danish instructors on the Book of Isaiah, chapters 40-66; on spiritual gifts; the Epistle to the Romans; central ethical themes from everyday life, from Romans 12:1, 2 and 13:1-10; and, the ministry of the church's diaconate. Indre Mission is the oldest of the Lutheran Folkekirke revival movements. www.imb.dk/sommerbibelskole06.htm

July 22-28 - Det Danske Missionsforbund (Danish Mission Covenant) will hold its multigenerational "Sommerkonference 2006) on the grounds of the campus of the Internationale Apostolsk HYøjskole in Kolding (south Jutland). The theme of this year's denominational conference is "Gud gir håb" (I believe this means, "God gives hope"). The well-designed conference program features as speakers the pastors of several of the denominmation's churches. There are activities planned as well for various age groups, from children to seniors.
www.missionsforbundet.dk.staevne.portal/portal.asp

July 23-29 - Vineyard Norden churches from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland will gather for a week of SommerCamp, this year at Liljehomen's School in Rimforsa, Sweden. The theme for the week is "Att vara en Jesu Fäjunge idag--vad betyder det?" (To Be a Disciple of Jesus today--what does that mean?" The visiting speakers will be Peter and Kathy Downs, national directors of Vineyard in Australia. A wide range of seminars will also be offered. www.vinyard.se/summercamp/index.asp

August 3-6 - Scandinavian Calvary Chapels' 8th Annual Summer Conference will take place in Sorøro, Sjælland, only a 45-minute drive from Copenhagen. Guest speakers will be Pastors David Guzik and Mark Walsh of the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Siegen, Germany. Calvary Chapel ministry specializes in verse-by-verse biblical exposition and this year's conference them is "Kong David's Liv" (Life of King David) from 1 Samuel, chapters 14-18. www.calvarychapel.dk/english/indexeng.htm

August 5-12 - The Dansk Metodistkirken (Danish Methodist Church) will hold its annual Sommerhøjskole at Solborgen ved Sejerbugten, near Holbæk (a short distance northwest of Copenhagen). The Sommerhøjskole theme is "Livsglæde og kristent fællesskab" (Christian fellowship/community and the joy of life?). http://hjem.get2net.dk/ed/hs2006/hs06.htm

This could be merely a long and boring list of events. But, visitor to this website, think what could happen to Denmark if the Spirit of God were to revive the hearts of hundreds who will be involved in these conferences, camps, and Bible schools. The prayers of earnest and committed believers from all over the world, joined with those of Danish leaders and prayer warriors, could make the difference between business-as-usual and a genuine visitation by the Holy Spirit. God truly does hear and answer the prayers of His people. There are small but powerful evidences that God is working in Denmark. Let us join Him in His activity through our fervent prayers of intercession for these 2006 conferences, camps, and Bible schools. "Revive us, and we will call on Your name" (Psalm 80:18b, NIV).

PRAY that the Holy Spirit will inspire and unify the hearts and minds of every leader and speaker in each of these conferences, camps or Bible schools.

PRAY that every attender will come to these events expecting God to bless graciously and powerfully in meeting their individual needs. When they return to their families and congregations, may it be evident that "they have been with Jesus" (cf. Acts 4:13).

PRAY that this summer the Spirit of God will sweep over Denmark bringing repentance, genuine reform, renewal, and revival evidenced by changed lives and all-out commitment to Christ and the Gospel of grace.

PRAY for the musicians as they lead the people in praise and worship. When it comes, revival will surely be borne along on the wings of Spirit-led praise and Spirit-empowered singing. No revival ever comes without God's people breaking out in songs of high praise and worship.

PRAY that in every conference, camp, and Bible school there will be a fearless and dynamic presentation of the human need for salvation and a positive response by the unsaved to the Savior who so graciously through His once-for-all sacrifice made possible our salvation.

PRAY for a sense of ministry to pervade the actions and activities of the supporting staff at each of these conferences, camps, or Bible schools.

PRAY for God's protection from accidents and injuries and possible Satanic influences at each conference, camp, or Bible site.

PRAY that as a result of these summer conferences God will give such a spirit of unity and love for each other that the various denominations will be able to deal effectively with whatever problems, antagonisms, dissensions and spirit of competitiveness there may be between themselves and other denominations, local churches, and church members.

Encouragement for Pray for Denmark.com

The other day I received a most encouraging email from a lady who had viewed this website. This is what she wrote:

"Thank you for creating this website. Recently, a Bible study I host at my home decided to pick countries and research areas in which we can pray for the people and needs of the country. I picked Denmark because of my family background. My grandfather was born in Denmark and came to the US in his twenties. I have always had a curiosity about the country. I appreciate your heart for the people there and thank you for helping me see what our group can pray for."

This is not only an encouragement for us at Pray for Denmark.com, but also for believers in Denmark itself. When I was there a few weeks back, there were Danes who told me they never imagined there were people outside of Denmark who were praying for their country.

PRAY that many more believers, including but not limited to those with Danish ancestry,in countries world-wide will take up the challenge to pray for revival and renewal in Denmark.

PRAY that prayer groups and Bible study groups throughout the world will be led to make Denmark a focus of their intercession, praying especially for the thousands upon thousands of Danes who do not have a personal relationship by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

PRAY for and with committed believers in Denmark, such as Aase Larsen of Copenhagen and others like her, who are deeply concerned about the spiritual condition of their country and who are praying that the Spirit of God would bring revival and renewal beginning with the churches and their leaders.

Friluftsmissionen (Open Air Campaigners)

When I was in Copenhagen in April, I had the joy of having a lengthy dinner meeting with Tørben Østermark, the leader of the Danish branch (www.frilusftsmissionen.dk) of Open Air Campaigners International (www.oaci.org). Tørben is a dear brother in Christ who is consumed with a vision for evangelism in Denmark and other Scandinavian and Baltic countries.

There is a noticeable rise in the secularization of Danish culture and with it a lessening of the traditional influence of the Folkekirke, Denmark's national Lutheran Church. As a general rule, the thrust of Open Air Campaigners International is non-denominational. However, the historic dominance of the Folkekirke in Danish culture since Reformation times has led Friluftsmissionen to focus its work with Lutheran churches and societies without, of course, compromising the well-known evangelistic stance of Open Air Campaigners.

Tørben and his fellow evangelists, Lars Kristensen and Hartvig Kloster, maintain a busy Bible teaching and evangelistic ministry through local congregations and church-related organizations, emphasizing sound biblical and evangelistic preaching and teaching in which they use such visual aids as sketchboard art and gospel magic. Much of the work continues Open Air Campaigners' special ministry of open air preaching, much of it during the summers.

On Sunday, June 4, Friluftsmissionen evangelists will be participating in an all-day gospel effort (Gospel Bakken) at Dyrehavsbakken in Klampenborg, on the east coast of Sjælland. Dyrehavsbakken has the distinction of being the world's oldest, intact, still-surviving amusement park. Another gospel effort (Jesperhus Gospel) will be held the next day, Monday, June 5, at Mors in northwest Jutland. Families will be vacationing at the Jesperhus holiday resort where there are famous gardens, a water park, a nature park, and a zoo. From July 10 to 21, Friluftsmissionen evangelists and a youth-oriented Sommerteam (Summer Team) will be bringing the gospel to children and youth at Gammelbro Camping, Årøsund, near Haderslev in South Jutland.

PRAY for Friluftsmissionen's many opportunities for evangelism during the summer months when there is an upsurge in tourism bringing people from all over the world to Denmark. The summers provide wonderful opportunities for direct evangelism. English is often the preferred language in such summer ministry.

PRAY that many will come to personal faith and trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation as a result of Friluftsmissionen's work at Gospel Bakken, Jesperhus Gospel, and the Fremstød (Campaign) at Gammelbro Camping, and at other times and places throughout the summer months.

PRAY that there will be a good response by younger believers to the call to join Friluftsmissionen's Sommerteam (Summer Team) to assist in evangelistic work with children and young people during the Gammelbro Camping campaign, July 10-21.

PRAY that God will through His people supply the financial needs of Friluftsmissionen evangelists Østermark, Kristensen, and Kloster. (Philippians 4:19)

Kristuskirken and First International Baptist Church

On my recent trip to Denmark, I had the privilege of attending two Sunday services at Copenhagen's growing First International Baptist Church where N. Erik Nielsen is the pastor. FIBC shares the facilities of Kristuskirken (Christ Church), the Danish language church whose pastor is Michael Jensen. I was able to attend one of Kristuskirken's Danish services as well and I was reminded of my first visit to the church in 1952. Vision and zeal for missions and evangelism have long characterized Kristuskirken that currently hosts five different language groups within its facilities including, besides Danish, services in English, Romanian, Yugoslavian, and Spanish.

English services were established at Kristuskirken over 20 years ago under the leadership of Pastor Ove Vang Jensen. In 2001, the English-speaking service became an independent and autonomous congregation taking the name First International Baptist Church of Copenhagen. FIBC continues to maintain close ties with Kristuskirken and uses its facilities for worship and fellowship activities. Erik Nielsen, a graduate of George Washington University and of Biola University's Talbot School of Theology, has served as pastor of FIBC since 2002, coming from a similar ministry in Jakarta, Indonesia. He was ordained to the gospel ministry at Whittier Hills Baptist Church, Whittier, California. He is a gifted musician who is having to function currently as both keyboardist and preacher. FIBC is a member of the Danish Baptist Union (Baptistkirken i Danmark) and of the International Baptist Convention.

FIBC gathers English-speaking Danes and expatriates from many countries who are working in businesses or are studying at Danish educational institutions in the Copenhagen metropolitan area. The congregation has a truly international flavor with English serving as the unifying language. When I visited the Sunday afternoon services at FIBC, there were regular attenders and visitors from many different countries. Internationals, many of whom are the product of extensive missionary work in their home countries, are making a tremendous contribution to Danish church life and in turn their experience in Denmark is helping them be better prepared as leaders upon return to their home lands.

Kristuskirken (Copenhagen's First Baptist Church) is Denmark's oldest free church (churches not part of the Folkekirke, the country's national church) and faces some of the same problems of older mainline churches elsewhere in the world. Its influence throughout Scandinavia is well-recognized and honored. To grow, older churches always need new vision and purpose and flexibility in meeting the challenges of cultural change. Especially needed is an influx of younger, committed believers who have the potential to move into the future with strong emphases on Spirit-directed evangelism and purposeful ministries. An older church cannot thrive and move forward with power merely on its past history but must press on vigorously to meet the challenges of proclaiming the unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ in a changing world and culture.

PRAISE God for the more than a century and a half of Kristuskirken's history of unsverving loyalty to the gospel of Christ and for its unquestioned influence on all the free churches in Denmark.

PRAISE God for the vision of Pastor Emeritus Ove Vang Jensen and the congregation of Kristuskirken in establishing English-speaking work that has led to the formation of the independent and autonomous First International Baptist Church of Copenhagen.

PRAY for a strong evangelistic outreach by strategically placed FIBC and for the discovery of effective means of making its message and ministry known to English-speaking internationals in the Copenhagen metropolitan area.

PRAY that the Lord will bring to FIBC a much-needed keyboardist to relieve the pastor of his current dual roles of musician and preacher.

PRAY that FIBC's congregation will continue to grow numerically but also in knowledge and obedience to the Word of God, commitment to evangelism, and the training of leaders.

PRAY that the Lord will bless and encourage the ministry of Pastor Michael Jensen and give the congregation and leadership of Kristuskirken's Danish congregation a breakthrough in a vision for new avenues of evangelism and ministry.

PRAY for the development and growth of the Yugoslavian, Romanian, and Spanish-language ministries at Kristuskirken and wisdom on the part of those responsible for leading them.