Christ and Christmas in Denmark

Church buildings are an important aspect of the landscape of Denmark. They are found everywhere in the large cities and in hundreds of small towns and villages. The churches of the Danish State church (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark) predominate. Increasingly, however, "free churches" of several denominations are to be seen as well and God is working through them in powerful ways. In spite of the country's large number of church buildings, it is a well-established fact that the number of Danish citizens who attend church regularly is pitifully small, some say as few as five to eight percent of the population. However, for many Danes church attendance on Christmas Eve is part of the country's time-honored Yuletide traditions and they will flock to the churches in great numbers. Sadly, these same people may not darken the door of a church at any other time throughout the year. Christmas should be a time to reinforce the meaning of the incarnation of Jesus Christ and the Gospel story that calls men and women to repentance and a living faith in Jesus Christ as Son of God and Savior. Reaffirmation of the virgin birth of Christ and His journey toward Calvary should be the supreme and overriding consideration of this period of celebration. The editor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church's email publication, Church News, has recently emphasized the importance of an overall biblical perspective on the birth of Christ in his literal translation of a hymn by the Danish poet N. F. S. Gruntvig:

In the midnight he was born,
sun's and moon's Creator.
He who owns the whole wide world
finds a stable only.
He who high above the skies
walks among the stars
now is put in swaddling clothes.
He will at the day of doom
speak with words of thunder!
Listen...hear a baby crying.

PRAY that the Spirit of God will breathe new life and vibrancy into Danish Christmas celebrations and the the people of this wonderful country will come to personal faith and trust in Christ and uncompromising commitment to Him.

PRAY that Danish preachers will be so overcome and empowered with the meaning of Christ's incarnation and Saviorhood that Christmas services will be transformed into powerful evangelistic proclamations of the truth of the Gospel.

PRAY that influences that have contributed to deadening secularization in Denmark will be routed and that Christ the Savior born in Bethlehem's manger and crucified on Calvary's cross will have primacy in the country's life and culture.

To all who join with us in prayer on behalf of evangelism, revival/renewal, and church planting in Denmark, we wish you a Joyous and Christ-honoring celebration of the birth of Christ and a New Year filled with God's extravagant grace and blessings. Let us continue to pray fervently for the working of God's Spirit in awakening the Danish people to the claims of Jesus Christ on their lives. Glædelig Jul og Godt Nytår!

Follow-Up on the Danish Global Leadership Conference

As our faithful prayer partners are aware, Ruth Cilwik Andersen is the leader of Willow Creek Church's ministry in Denmark, called Willow Creek Danmark (Denmark). We appreciate Ruth's follow-up messages about the outstanding results of the September 30-October 1 Danish Global Leadership Conference for which prayer was requested in our August 24 posting. "We are so amazed and thankful," she writes. The organizers are convinced that the conference has produced some remarkable and long-lasting results for the Lord's work in Denmark. Conference attendees were genuinely touched and moved by the truth of the Word of God and encouraged to continue ministering with boldness and love. There were 450 attendees and 100 volunteers at the conference. God answered the prayer concerns as the needs for almost split-second timing in the audio-visual area went well and without interruptions (some of the presentations were viewed via DVDs from the earlier Chicago Global Leadership Conference); Allis Helleland and Helge Standal were outstanding in their "live" presentations; and, there was a very satisfactory sale of relevant books, CDs, and DVDs which help extend the impact of the gathering. Ruth says further, "We really think that the conference has been God's gift to our country and the leadership of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Denmark. Willow Creek Denmark now faces some crucial decisions and planning for its ongoing work as reflected in the prayer requests listed below. National meetings such as this recent Danish Global Leadership Conference require the use of considerable resources and continued funding.

PRAISE God that the Danish Global Leadership Conference was a successful faith-venture for the Danish Willow Creek Committee that with continued prayer and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit will lead to revival and renewal and an increased thrust of evangelism and church planting throughout Denmark.

PRAY for the discovery of new people willing to join the board of Willow Creek Danmark. What is needed are godly believers who have the right character, gifts and abilities, and above all genuine commitment to Willow Creek's spiritual goals and ministries for a serious and effective work for God.

PRAY that God will provide new sources of funding for the work of Willow Creek Danmark. Income from the recent Conference did not reach the needed level, so the need is very urgent.

PRAY that God will lay it on the hearts of believers and churches to offer financial support for the work of Willow Creek Danmark and willingness to become involved in it in other ways as well.

PRAY for Ruth Cilwik Andersen's all but overwhelming leadership role for someone who at present is employed for only two days a week. Other workers are urgently needed but can be employed only if and when God provides the needed resources.

PRAY that the Lord will by His grace give special grace and encouragement these days to Ruth and to the members of the Willow Creek Danmark official board who feel their responsibilities so keenly.

Spreading the Word of God in Denmark

A copy of the Bible may be found in many Danish households, but for many if not most Danes the Bible is a a neglected book, an artifact with little or no relevance or meaning for life today. Very few Danes appear to have even an elementary idea of the basic theme and message of the Bible and less of an idea of how to conform their lives to its message. The first complete Danish translation of the Bible appeared in 1550. An updated translation of the Bible, published by the Danish Bible Society (Det Danske Bibelselskab) in 1992, replaced a previous version of the Old Testament (1931) and the New Testament (1948). Work on a translation in contemporary Danish was begun in 2001. The Danish Bible Society (www.bibelselskabet.dk), located in Copenhagen, was formed in 1814. Scripture distribution in 2004 consisted of 38,964 complete Bibles; 37,739 New Testaments; and 1,442 portions. The reevangelization of Denmark, the Holy Spirit's work of church renewal and nationwide revival, as well as new church planting efforts hinge on dynamic, Spirit-filled preaching and teaching of the Word of God that gets the Bible off of dusty shelves, out cupboards and attics, and into the hearts and minds of Danish men, women, and children. "For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12, NIV). Can there be any doubt that a renewed focus on fearless, relevant-to-life, true-to-the-Word expository teaching and preaching would revolutionize the work of the Gospel in Denmark.

Johannesevangeliet 3:16: "For således elskede Gud verden, at han gav sin enbårne søn, for at enhver, som tror på ham, ikke skal fortabes, men have evigt liv." (John 3:16)

PRAISE God that the Bible is available in an acceptable Danish translation as well as in Greenlandic and Faroese.

PRAY that Danes who hunger for truth and a personal relationship with God will be led by the Holy Spirit to pick up the Bible and read it daily (Psalm 1; Joshua 1:8).

PRAY that as Danes read the Bible the Holy Spirit will wake them up with concern about their spiritual state and eternal destiny, calling them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (2 Chronicles 34; John 3:16).

PRAY that believers and unbelievers alike would come to recognize the value and meaning of the Bible for everyday life (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

PRAY for the success of the Danish Bible Society's efforts to encourage Danes in daily Bible reading.

PRAY for those throughout Denmark who are truly committed to Spirit-empowered, Bible-based, and life-changing teaching and preaching.

Christian Radio in Denmark

Twenty-four hour Christian radio every day of the week, as it is known in the U.S. and other countries, is not an option at present in Denmark. This does not mean, however, that Christian broadcasts are not available throughout the country. Most of the air-time for Christian radio emanates from low-power "lokalradio/nærradio"" studios that transmit only a few hours a day, among them Arkens radio, Esbjerg; Helsingør Kristne Radio; Københavns Nærradio; LUMI-radio, Bornholm; LUMI-radio, Nordvestsjælland; LUMI-radio Syd; LUMI-radio, Aalborg; Norea Radio, Haderslev; Kristne Lokalradio/Lumi Radio, Århus; and Radio Adalen. LUMI-radio is an important project in the evangelistic and renewal outreach of the Luthersk Missionsforening. Per and Kirsten Nielsen work with a small radio station (actually two small stations) in Copenhagen under the banner of UCB Denmark, affiliated with the charismatic UCB Europe network. Currently, the Nielsens' UCB Denmark station is on the air from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and from 9:00 p.m. to midnight. They are now working full-time in Christian radio, but they are not satisfied with reaching Copenhagen alone. They want eventually to be able to reach all corners of Denmark. They hope soon to be able to cover the whole of Sjælland. The Nielsens are people with a vision for what Christian radio can accomplish, a long-range vision that aims for a license for the very first national 24/7 Christian radio for Denmark. On the air in a number of locales in Denmark is the Bible-teaching program, Vejen gennem Bibelen, a version in Danish of J. Vernon McGee's Through the Bible broadcast that has long been aired by stations in North America and now has an international outreach in 84 languages. Vejen gennem Bibelen is a series of 2,267 13-minute broadcasts covering all 66 books of the Bible. The first 395 broadcasts are the work of Lektor Jens Olsen, while the rest were completed during the years 1994 to 2001 by J&oslashrgen Olsen. Pray for Denmark will attempt in future postings to stay on top of developments in Danish Christian radio. Bible teaching through the media supports this website's vision for evangelism, revival/renewal, and church planting throughout the country.

PRAY for the opening of greater opportunities for Christian broadcasting in Denmark that will contribute to and support evangelism, revival/renewal in all of the churches, and result in the strategic planting of new evangelical churches.

PRAY for Per and Kirsten Nielsen and their work of "telling the story of Jesus" through UCB radio in Copenhagen and for God's direction in pursuing and funding their vision for 24-hour Christian broadcasting reaching all of Denmark.

PRAY for the Holy Spirit's empowerment through the life-changing outreach of Vejen gennem Bibelen broadcasts that so ably provide sound teaching to help believers comprehend the unity of the Word of God and His saving purpose for all of mankind through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Danish Global Leadership Summit, September 30 - October 1

Willow Creek Denmark Coordinator Ruth Cilwik Andersen informs us that the Global Leadership Summit will be held September 30-October 1 at the Kristne Kulturcenter in Copenhagen. The main speakers from the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit, held this month in Chicago, will appear on a big screen in DVD format. In addition to the televised presentations from Chicago, the Copenhagen Summit will have two "live" speakers, Allis Helleland and Helge Standal. Three hundred leaders coming from ten different Danish denominational groupings have already registered for the Copenhagen Summit, though the organizers are praying that all 800 seats in the venue will be filled. The purpose of the Summit is to focus in on the local church's potential for positive change. Those of us at Pray for Denmark believe strongly that the Copenhagen Global Leadership Summit can help equip local church leaders for the needed thrust of evangelism, revival/renewal, and new church planting throughout the country.

PRAY that all 800 seats of the Copenhagen Kristne Kulturcenter will be filled with church leaders who earnestly desire to experience the quiet working of the Spirit of God during this significant Summit conference.

PRAY that the guest speakers will arrive safely and remain healthy and fully attuned spiritually so that they can make an optimal contribution as God's Holy Spirit moves hearts and places His unmistakable mark on this important Summit.

PRAY for the worship and drama teams and the dancers as they make their creative contributions to the gathering.

PRAY that there will be no glitches in the highly complicated technical aspects of the Summit. Coordinator Andersen remarks that it is crucial for all of the highly technical audio-visual equipment to work properly "on the split second" throughout the various sessions.

PRAY that there will be transcendent moments during the gathering when everyone present will know and realize for certain that God is present and moving in the hearts of leaders.

PRAY that each individual leader in attendance will be open to the work of God in their lives, and that the Spirit of God would impress upon their hearts and minds exactly what they need to hear and know to provide the kind of leadership the church of Jesus Christ needs and deserves.

PRAY for the Willow Creek Denmark Steering Committee. Coordinator Andersen states that "We need to make a lot of decisions for the future and therefore need tremendous wisdom, a good and operative network, and adequate financial support."

New Church Started in Nyborg

Kirken Odense Vækkelscenter (Odense Revival Center), affiliated with the Apostolic Church of Denmark, has for the past five years had a vision for starting new churches on the island of Fyn. The Odense church (www.kirken-ovc.dk/)
has now taken its first step in church planting. It all began as the result of evangelistic meetings held by evangelist Torben Søndergaard last March and April at Medborger Hus, Nørrevoldgade, in Nyborg. At the last of the services there were 60 in attendance, of whom 40 were visitors. "We couldn't even think of leaving these folks on their own," said Andreas Jørgensen, of the the Odense Vækkelscenter, "so, we decided to drive down to Nyborg every Sunday after our own service in Odense to have a service for these folks." Evangelist Søndergaard's meetings were so well attended that it seemed essential to begin weekly services in Nyborg. The first service of the Nyborg Free Church (Nyborg Frikirke) took place on Sunday, May 22 with 15 persons attending. Services are now being held every Sunday afternoon at 15.00 hrs. (3:00 p.m.), except the second Sunday of the month when there is a joint service with the Odense church. Andreas and Lene Jørgensen, who pastor the Odense Vækkelscenter, will also assume responsibility of pastoral oversight for the new Nyborg Frikirke that for now will be under the wing of the Odense church. For those unfamiliar with the geography of Denmark, the island and province of Fyn is found between Sjælland to the east and Jutland to the west. Odense is situated in the very middle of Fyn and Nyborg southeast of Odense on the island's east side. This report is based on an item that appeared recently in Domino, the new Christian lifestyle magazine published by FrikirkeNet, a network of Danish Pentecostal, Baptist, Apostolic, independent, and house churches (www.dominoonline.dk).

PRAY that the new Nyborg Frikirke will rapidly develop into a contagious, growing fellowship of believers empowered by the Holy Spirit for attractive and effective witness to townspeople.

PRAY that the new church will in its infancy attract those in the Nyborg who are truly craving for something real to fill the spiritual vacuum in their lives that we know can only be filled by a personal experience of faith in Jesus Christ.

PRAY that like Vækkelscenter, other free church congregations throughout Denmark will be awakened to the need for planting new churches.

PRAY for health, strength and fruitful results for Andreas and Lene Jørgensen as they minister for Christ in Odense and Nyborg.

Pray for Tove Videbæk

The European Evangelical Union has appointed Danish evangelical Tove Videbæk as its representative to the various institutions of the European Union. Tove was a member of the Danish National Parliament for the past seven years before assuming her new post on June 1. Before that she had a career that included church ministries and leadership in Christian media. Her role as the EEA representative in Brussels will be "to help strengthen the future of European culture, around historically agreed Christian social and ethical values." Tove and her husband Mogens served for 20 years as pastors of Pentecostal churches in Denmark. Subsequently, she has had held significant positions of leadership in Danish Christian TV and media. During the past year and half Tove has been a member of the board of Kulturcenteret, a large independent Pentecostal church in Copenhagen. Her seven years in the Danish Parliament found her struggling for legislation relative to Christian lifestyle, Christian families, children, and the poor. She also made attempts to prevent the medical industry from making use of embryonic stem cells. Tove does not think that evangelicalism in Europe is dead, though it is common knowledge that cultural Christianity and secularism are problems for Denmark and other European countries. As a committed evangelical, she says, "I have been struggling in church. I have been struggling in media. And I have been struggling in Parliament. So, I feel like the little fish going up the stream, very alive. And I feel that the evangelicals of Europe are like this fish." She believes that evangelicals are learning and willing to learn. Several churches in Denmark and elsewhere in Europe have participated in recent days in "40 Days of Purpose" with Saddleback's Rick Warren and are also learning from the Willow Creek model. (This report has been developed from information gathered from Christianity Today and from the European Evangelical Alliance website.)

PRAY for Tove Videbæk as she attempts to build strong relationships and communication with Christian politicians in Brussels so that they will dare to stand for what they claim to believe.

PRAY for the several prayer meetings being held around Brussels where Tove can meet Christian politicians and pray together with them for Europe.

PRAY that Tove will be able to work in the power of the Holy Spirit in fulfilling her task of making sure that the voice of evangelicals in Denmark and all of Europe is heard by the various governing bodies of the European Union.

PRAY that Danish and other European evangelicals will recognize the implications of disappointing European Union decisions that only too often ignore or disregard issues of Christian faith and ethics.