Willow Creek Denmark

The Chicago area's Willow Creek Church is a mega-church that has effectively introduced a new seeker-sensitive model for "doing church." The seeker-sensitive, breaking-out-of-the-mold model continues to be enormously influential in traditional churches and in new church plants throughout the United States. It has also been well-received in many nations through the efforts of Willow Creek International. For instance, there are well-developed Willow Creek Associations in both Norway and Sweden with Willow Creek Denmark not far behind in its organization. The intent of Willow Creek is not to establish a new denomination. Rather, as a parachurch organization it serves many churches and denominations through seminars and training in newer approaches for reaching unbelievers as well as helping new believers grow in their understanding of the faith and living out a Christian lifestyle. Willow Creek Denmark emphasizes networking, small groups, leadership training, "Promiseland" methods in children's work, creative church services based on the newer seeker-sensitive model, and "contagious faith" discipling concepts. The past several years it has sponsored a number of well-attended and very successful seminars and conferences in Denmark. Willow Creek Denmark shares offices in Frederiksberg with the Danish Lausanne Group. Members of the cooperating Danish Lausanne Group's Steering Committee include Lars Kristensen and Torben Østermark of Friluftsmission, Karsten Amby of Indre Mission, Claus Kristensen of the Folkekirke, Søren Marcussen of Pinsekirken, and Peter Kofoed Herbst of Kronjyllands Valgmenighed. Ruth Cilwik Andersen is the National Coordinator for Willow Creek Denmark. Relevant websites include www.willowcreek.org and www.willowcreek.dk.

PRAY for Ruth Cilwik Andersen as she administers the office in Frederiksberg and prepares for forthcoming seminars and conferences. She has heavy responsibilities in coordination of marketing, resources, seminars and travel arrangements.

PRAY that the Willow Creek seminars to be given by Greg Bowman (April 12-13) and Joe Horness (April 29-30) will be well-attended and meet the specific spiritual and ministry needs of all the participants and that through them the Spirit of God will breathe new life and hope into churches all over Denmark.

PRAISE the Lord for such volunteers as Preben Brohus, Karen Krogh Christensen, Svenn Strangberg, Jørgen Meyer, Vibeke Frandsen, Gitte Pedersen, Jens Skov, and Kai Ellergaard who are involved in a specific area of responsibility or are working generally with Willow Creek seminars and conferences. PRAY that the Lord will move in the hearts of other volunteers to assist in the work.

PRAISE the Lord for the translation in Danish of the Willow Creek Network Manual and the final polishing of the translation of Bill Donahue's Leading Life-Changing Small Groups that is expected to be published and marketed beginning next month.

PRAY especially for a great outpouring of God's blessing on the work of Willow Creek Denmark as it contributes to the country's overwhelming need for life-changing evangelism, personal and church revival/renewal, and increased church planting efforts.

Seminar on Islam

Aglow Denmark has asked our Pray for Denmark constituency to be in prayer for a seminar about Islam that it plans to sponsor next month. The seminar is scheduled to take place beginning Friday evening, March 11 and continuing through Saturday evening, March 12. Regula Moor, Aglow Denmark's Prayer Coordinator, says that the organization would like as many of its local boards and members as possible to attend this important seminar. "We have it on our hearts to reach out to Muslim women in our country," says Moor. The seminar is also open to pastors and others who may have an interest in learning more about the beliefs and practices of Islam compared to those of the Christian faith as well as the Gospel challenge involved for ministry amongst Muslims. Aglow Denmark's national leader is Inger Porsen.

PRAY for the seminar presenter who is coming to Denmark from overseas.

PRAY for the presenter's travels, her health, her spiritual empowerment and protection, and her physical strength and stamina.

PRAY that there will be many Aglow boards and members as well as other evangelical believers in Denmark who will take advantage of this very important educational and training seminar.

PRAY for openness on the part of all participants to the material that will be presented at the seminar and that they will view it as a training and equipping opportunity for effective cross-cultural Christian witness and ministry.

YFC.Denmark

Founded in 1943, Youth for Christ International is an interdenominational para-church organization committed to the promotion of the Christian faith and a Christian lifestyle in a way that is attractive and relevant for the youth of the 131 different countries in which it is now working. The first full-time employee of YFC was Dr. Billy Graham, the renown evangelist. The activities of YFC have a spiritual as well as social focus but its overall thrust is that young people will come to know and trust Christ in a personal way and demonstrate the reality of their faith through a biblically-rooted lifestyle. YFC Denmark was established in 1974 and has been reaching youth throughout the country in many ways, including worship events, training of Danish Christian artists, short-term mission teams, interdenominational teenage and youth leaders conferences, evangelistic events, and by taking international bands and national speakers into schools and high schools. The work of YFC Denmark is done in cooperation with local churches, clubs, and local YFC groups. The organization has approximately 1650 members and leaders. As a member of of Dansk Ungdoms Fællrsrå (Danish Youth Council), YFC Denmark has contact with about 15,000 youth annually. The national offices of YFC Denmark are located in Århus. The National Director of YFC is Leif Johanson. Websites: www.yfc.dk/ and www.yfci.org/.


PRAY for open doors to broaden the ministry of YFC Denmark throughout the country.

PRAY for continued attendance and growth of the YFC Mannafest concert events and YFC RockSolid Clubs and the transformation of Danish young peoples' lives as a result of these evangelistic and teaching activities.

PRAY that God will empower YFC Denmark to train an increasing number of qualified youth leaders.

PRAY that YFC Denmark will be able to impact the lives of 20,000 more young people through work in the schools, networking with local churches, and facilitating follow-up.

PRAY that YFC Denmark will continue to see an increase in the number partnerships it has with local churches throughout the country.

PRAY for wisdom in strategy and planning for National Director Leif Johanson and the national board that gives oversight to YFC Denmark's social and evangelistic outreach ministries.

"Frikirkenet" Has Become a Reality

Many of the frikirker (i.e., non-state churches), including Apostolic, Baptist, Pentecostal denominations, and a number of independent churches from throughout Denmark, have joined together recently to form their own media organization. One decision of Frikirkenet (Free Church Network), the name of the new organization, is publication of a monthly magazine called Domino, and the creation of an auxiliary website, www.frikirkenet.dk. For the most part the free churches have not received a great deal of notice in the Danish press. Frikirkenet media strategy will provide news releases concerning the free churches to the press and seek overall to make the work of the Lord even more visible in the country. Amongst themselves, the churches have not had especially effective inter-church communication and do not always have a good idea of what each other is doing. As one Copenhagen pastor, Calvary Chapel's Theis Brøgger, noted, "It's rare that we really hear about what God is doing through other churches, so this is a great idea." Poul Kirke has been named editor-in-chief of Frikirkenet with Svend Løbner as news editor and webmaster. Heidi Jensen has been designated editorial secretary and will be responsible for the publication of the new Frikirkenet magazine, Domino. Pray for Denmark salutes this new venture and calls on believers world-wide to support it with their prayers. May God use it for His glory and for the progress of the Gospel of Christ in every corner of the Danish kingdom.

PRAY that the media strategies initiated by Frikirkenet, especially the news magazine Domino, will contribute to the furtherance of unity amongst the various denominations and churches and keep the Danish public better informed about their work.

PRAY that the Lord will give great grace, skill and wisdom to Poul Kirke, Svend Løbner, and Heidi Jensen as they pursue their editorial and media responsibilities on behalf of Frikirkenet's participating churches.

PRAY that the founding of Frikirkenet will enhance rather than detract from the churches' crucial emphases on evangelism, revival/renewal, and church planting.

Danish Tsunami Victims

We have read reports in the Danish press indicating that there were seven Danes who died as a result of the recent East Asia earthquake and tsunami with 62 still feared missing. We understand that Copenhagen Police finalized these figures today.

PRAY for the families in Denmark of those who perished in the tsunami and are grieving the loss of their loved ones.

PRAY that Danish churches will be able to provide effective pastoral care for these families as well as for survivors and their families.

PRAY that survivors of the tsunami will realize how fragile is the cord of life and because of it come to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

PRAY that Danish churches will find effective means to show solidarity and convey practical help to fellow believers in the countries devastated by the tsunami that has been described by many as being of "biblical proportions."

PRAY for the health, safety and well-being of Danish missionaries as well as Danish members of humanitarian organizations who are assisting with relief and rehabilitation efforts in the affected countries.

PRAY that this disaster will prod Danish believers and churches as never before to see the need of and increase their efforts toward world evangelization.

Aglow Denmark

Aglow is an inter-denominational charismatic women's organization envisioned as a network of caring women and dedicated to faith-building. Though international in scope, Aglow is rooted in local groups with focus on one-on-one ministry. Aglow Denmark came into being 25 years ago (anniversary jubilee in May 2005) and now has 23 chapters in the country. The larger chapters average in attendance from 40 to 50 women while smaller ones average from 20 to 35. There are also a few smaller "candlelight groups" that are more like home groups. According to Regula Moor, Aglow Denmark's Prayer Coordinator, a recent development has been the establishment of a Men's Aglow group, the first to be registered as such. The National President of Aglow Denmark is Inger Porsen. The great desire of the organization is to see growth in its outreach throughout Denmark. Says Regula Moor about Pray for Denmark, "How good it is to see the Lord burdens people far away for Denmark! We praise Him for your initiative and are very pleased to send you some of our long-term prayer requests. . . We thank everyone who is praying and believing with us" for the following requests:

PRAY that the Lord will enable Aglow Denmark to plant new chapters in all of the larger cities and towns of the country.

PRAY that Aglow will be able to reach greater numbers of non-Christian women.

PRAY that many younger Danish women will be attracted to and participate in the Aglow chapters.

PRAY that the Lord will raise up more Aglow worship leaders, musicians and singers with the goal of seeing them serve in freedom and with a strong spiritual anointing.

Det Kimer Nu Til Julefest

Danish churches are in the midst of Advent, looking forward to Christmas and festive celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ to His virgin mother, Mary, in the humble circumstances of Bethlehem. Early on Christmas Eve, December 24, the shops and stores will close and the bells in churches all over the country will peal out the special det kimer Christmas chimes.

I recall from my visit to Copenhagen at Christmas 1952 that the church sexton went up to the belfy to strike the bells with a mallet in a continuous fashion, instead of the usual form of ringing of the bell, thereby calling the people to the Christmas Eve services. Presumably, these unique Christmas bells will chime once again in 2004. Christmas traditions persist and continue to be observed by many Danes, though by and large Denmark has become a very secular country. It is said that only 5% to 8% of Danes attend services regularly, but the services on Christmas Eve are the most well attended of the year. Det Kimer Nu Til Julefest (The Christmas bells ring out once more) is one of the most popular Danish Christmas carols.

PRAY that the Spirit of God will brood over Denmark and move in power amongst pastors and congregations of all denominations to bring repentance, revival and renewal from one end of the kingdom to the other.

PRAY especially for the Christmas Eve services in churches throughout Denmark and that those in attendance will hear a clear proclamation of the Gospel. PRAY that they will recognize that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is truly our Immanuel (God with us), born at Bethlehem to ultimately die on the cross as the once-for-all, perfect sacrifice for the sin and sins of all mankind.

PRAY that struggling new church plants throughout Denmark will attract those who at Christmas are hungering to have a personal relationship with God.

PRAY that they will find that relationship, in the only way it can be found, that is, through personal faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.