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.

Folkekirke Renewal Movements

There are several revival/renewal movements within or co-existing with the Folkekirke, Denmark's national Lutheran Church. The term "Folkekirke" means "people's church." The Folkekirke is deeply rooted in the Lutheran Reformation and is very much a part of Danish history and culture. Two of the revival/renewal movements, Indre Mission (www.indremission.dk/) and Luthersk Missionsforening (www.dlm.dk/), are 150 years old or more. Both were strongly influenced by Scandinavian revival currents of the 1800s. Newer revival/renewal movements include the Evangelisk Luthersk Missionsforening (www.elm.dk/), Dansk Oase (www.danskoase.dk/), and Nyt Liv (www.nytliv.dk/). All play a sort of gadfly role in that they consistently remind the Folkekirke that the Bible is God's inspired Word while at the same time urging the Church to adhere strictly to is own Lutheran confessions and doctrinal standards.

Dansk Oase, founded in 1989, has been strongly influenced by and supportive of charismatic renewal. One informant suggests that, "While the others do not deny that God bestows spiritual gifts on believers or that He heals, they question the acceptability of certain phenomena and especially the necessity of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" in order to believe in and practice the gifts of the Spirit." The informant continues, stating that "The frictions between the old revival movements and Oase/Charismatics were stronger in the past than they are now. The new generation of leaders seems to have opened up to at least some elements of the renewal, in particular new worship songs which are used across the board but which originated within the international charismatic revival circles. The big divide is still in the theology and it also has direct bearing on the acceptability of certain phenomena" accepted by the charismatic/Pentecostal movement.

Much of the work of the revival/renewal movements takes place in local "mission houses," schools, or adherents' homes, and sometimes even in a local Folkekirke if the church is inspired or influenced by a particular renewal group. Several of the revival groups have very vital interests and involvement in overseas missions. The informant cited above states that some of the movements are stronger in certain areas of Denmark than in others. Some of the groups have a tendency towards isolating themselves from the Folkekirke and forming alternative churches. Luthersk Missionsforening has been more active in forming alternative congregations, but more recently some in Indre Mission have begun to follow LM's lead. We believe God would be pleased if these movements could find it in themselves to join hearts and hands without reservation to pray together for revival. We also sense that a major factor in the answer for Denmark's spiritual needs must come from genuine revival and renewal within the Folkekirke.

PRAISE God for revival movements within the Danish national Church that maintain a high regard for the Bible as the Word of God and call Danes to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ based on the salvation procured by His death and resurrection.

PRAISE God for the extensive outreach and influence the revival/renewal groups have in many local areas throughout Denmark, for their work of evangelism and Bible teaching for children, young people, and adults, and for their significant summer camping programs. Camping programs will be starting soon.

PRAY for the leadership of each of the renewal organizations on both national and local levels: Indre Mission, Luthersk Missionsforening, Evangelisk Luthersk Missionsforening, Nyt Liv, and Dansk Oase.

PRAY that the Spirit of God will sweep throughout the Folkekirke and Denmark bringing confession, cleansing and the empowerment of the indwelling Spirit to its bishops, clergy, and layfolk.

PRAY that the revival/renewal movements will forgo their historic differences and organizational loyalties to achieve cooperation and spiritual unity in prayer so that the Spirit of God is not hindered in His work of reviving and renewing the Folkekirke. Revival movements themselves need periodic revival and renewal or God will raise up new movements in their place. He does not leave Himself without a witness.

Celebrating the Risen Christ in Denmark

Regular church attendance by the majority of people in Denmark, as in all of increasingly secular Europe, is infrequent or even non-existent. Figures vary, but it has been estimated that on an average Sunday church attendance involves only five to eight percent of the Danish population. Church attendance is at its peak at Christmastime, though many Danes will also be attending Easter services this coming Sunday whether in the Dansk Folkekirke (Danish Lutheran State Church) or in the various free churches. Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are statutory holidays in the country. The scepticism induced by secularism tends to drown out the religious and spiritual significance of Resurrection Sunday. But, in spiritually alive, gospel-believing churches of all denominations Easter will again be celebrated in a festive manner. Great Easter music will be played, traditional Easter hymns will be sung, Scripture tests pertaining to the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead will be read, and believing pastors will earnestly preach from them on the truth of the resurrection and its implications for Christian living. The most glorious aspect of this festive day would be if many Danes were to come to personal faith and trust in the Risen Christ and acknowledge Him as their Lord and Savior.

PRAY that the churches in Denmark will be filled to overflowing on Easter Sunday and that God Himself will by His Spirit preside over all that is said and done in every church and in every worship service.

PRAY that the truth of the Word of God made clear by the ministry and power of the Holy Spirit may overrule and transform forms and liturgies so that those attending worship services this East Sunday will truly understand that Christ is risen and that He has an undeniable claim on their lives.

PRAY that many seekers, tired of the spiritual vacuum in their lives, will on this Easter Sunday be attracted to live churches where the service format, music, and biblical preaching will point them to the need for personal faith in and commitment to the Crucified and Risen Christ who alone has the power to save and to give eternal life.

PRAY that Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II, whose birthday this year will be celebrated on Easter Sunday, will effectively model Christian commitment and lifestyle for her people and nation.

Pray North Baltic Women's Conference, May 12-14

I (Editor Bill) returned a week ago from a three-week trip to Denmark. It was a wonderful experience in which I met and received such a warm and gracious reception from many fine Danish pastors and laymen of several different denominations, churches, and organizations. Visitors to this Pray for Denmark.com website will see the fruit of this trip and its many contacts in the prayer requests that will be posted in the weeks ahead.

On Sunday, April 2, I attended three different church services in Copenhagen--at Bethlehemskirken, Kristuskirken, and Copenhagen Vineyard Christian Fellowship, all of which will be mentioned in depth on this page in the weeks to come. What a contrast in worship styles from church to church! Copenhagen's Vineyard is a relatively new church plant currently meeting in the facilities of the Apostolsk Kirke on Filippavej in the center of Copenhagen. I was warmly received by this live congregation composed largely of younger people. The church is pastored by two fine young pastors, Flemming Mølhede and Haase Falk Jakobsen. At the Vineyard's afternoon service, I met Liv and Erik Hansen and a friendship was quickly established with them as they ministered to me in prayer. The Hansens were involved in the founding of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in 1997 (http://kbh.vineyard.dk/english) and continue to be very active in its ministry. They are committed prayer warriors with a passionate concern for revival and renewal in Denmark and the nations of the world.

Liv has asked especially that visitors to this Pray for Denmark.com website pray for her and her participation as one of the speakers at the Friday through Sunday, May 12-14, Pray North Baltic Women's Conference. This conferencewill take place at Eckernforde in Schleswig, Germany (historically, all of Schleswig was once part of Denmark and the northern part still is). It will be a weekend of worship and prayer on behalf of this northerly part of the European continent. The church at Eckernforde has had a significant 24/7 prayer ministry for over a year and has not ignored Denmark in its concerns. This will be Liv Hansen's first-time teaching opportunity at a conference on prayer. The featured speaker at this Eckernforde conference will be Inger Porsen of Women's Aglow Denmark. I met Inger at Kolding in Jutland and traveled with her to an Aglow meeting that was held in the Viborg Baptistkirken. Inger is a dynamic and capable leader who is having a great impact on evangelical women's ministries in Denmark. At the Aglow meeting in Viborg, I was the only male present and a bit self-conscious at that. But it was a most interesting experience during which I saw for the first time the use of multicolored flag-like banners that were waved joyfully by a number of these Christian ladies keeping time with the music during the time of singing and worship. It was a colorful addition to a service of praise and worship. It is simply amazing how believers find creative ways to express their joy in the Lord. For more about the Eckernforde Pray North Baltic Women's Conference, see the Conference website at www.praynorth.de.

PRAY that the Eckernforde conference will be a time of refreshing when the Spirit of God draws participants together in genuine spiritual unity and believing prayer that will contribute to what we see as developing signs of revival and renewal in Denmark.

PRAY that Liv Hansen will be aware that her participation and message are covered with the prayers of many and that she will feel empowered by the Spirit in her presentation from the Word of God about the practice and simportance of prayer.

PRAY in the same way for Inger Porsen, that God will prepare her heart and messages to meet the needs of the conference participants who in turn will hopefully respond to what the Spirit of God directs Inger to say in her ministry from the Word.

PRAY for a deep and abiding work of God's Spirit in the life of every participant in this important women's conference and for a resulting positive effect on the Lord's work throughout Denmark.

Denmark's Youth

Editor Bill recently met a Christian lady at the Baptist Church in Viborg who has an agonizing concern for the future of Danish young people. She has asked that Pray for Denmark.com add this important part of the Danish population to our prayers for the country as a whole. Her concerns are well-taken. Danish youth are subjected from early years to ideas and philosophies in their educational experience and through the various media that have contributed to the secularization of the country, a lessening of the influence of the church, and a consequent loosening of moral standards. Besides educational and career goals, Danish youth seem greatly invested in pursuing the kind of happiness that so often translates to doing whatever you want whenever you want and with whomever you please. Casual sex is accepted as "everyone is doing it" and couples living together without a formal marital contract has common societal acceptance. Even adults are prone to counsel young people to get all the happiness they can and enjoy life to the full. "Don't worry about marriage, have all the sex partners you can find and enjoy yourself--that's what life is all about." Spiritual concerns take a back seat to such a philosophy and the result is a spiritual vacuum in the lives of so many young people. The number of smokers amongst adult Danes has dropped considerably, though very common amongst tobacco-using Danish youth who in spite of significant health dangers are using it in increasing numbers. Alcohol and drug use are found as well. There are so many fine and wonderful things about Denmark, but ultimately its future and the future of families lie in the hands of its young people. Not all the news is bad, however, as there are youth who are seeking after spiritual realities and seem to be turning away from the moral drift amongst their peers. Many of them are now seen in large numbers in many of the more vibrant Danish evangelical churches that have ministries that attract young people. One major attraction presented by such churches is their emphasis on contemporary Christian music.

PRAY that the church in Denmark will find effective ways to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a committed Christian lifestyle attractive and appealing to young people.

PRAY that Danish youth who have been raised by Christian parents will not stray from their Christian commitment and lifestyle but resist the temptations that society packages so attractively.

PRAY for the many fine youth ministers in Danish evangelical churches who serve as role models for an uncompromising biblical lifestyle while at the same time providing wholesome activities and vibrant youth-oriented worship.

(This posting has been written while Editor Bill is in Assens, Denmark)

Editor Bill Plans Mission Trip to Denmark

Bill Hunter, the editor of Pray for Denmark's prayer requests, leaves this week on a three-week visit to Denmark, March 14 to April 4. The purpose of this missions trip is to meet with Danish pastors and Christian leaders with whom we have had contact since Pray for Denmark.com went online two years ago. Bill desires nothing more than to have a quiet spiritual ministry of listening and learning from pastors and leaders, praying with them and encouraging them in their ministries. He hopes as a result of the visit and becoming better informed about evangelical work in Denmark that the Lord will enlarge his and Brad's vision for this website, hopefully making it an even more effective prayer support instrument. Bill's itinerary is expected to include contacts in such cities as Tønder, Sønderborg, Kolding, Viborg, Aalborg, Odense and Copenhagen. He is also looking forward to the opportunity to have some time for rest and relaxation with his Danish relatives.

PRAISE God that the He has opened the way for this visit to Denmark and PRAISE Him for the Christian friends who have so graciously helped to make it possible.

PRAY that the still incomplete details of Bill's travel schedule in Denmark will come together speedily once he arrives in the country.

PRAY that the Lord will prepare Bill's heart for a warm and effective one-on-one ministry of prayer and encouragement wherever he goes.

PRAY that Bill will be extraordinarily open and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in the contacts he makes throughout Denmark and that he will experience an unusual bonding in Christian love with the pastors and leaders he meets.

PRAY that as a result of his visit the Lord will enlarge Bill's and Brad's vision for the ministry of this Pray for Denmark.com website and show us how we can have an even more effective ministry.

PRAY for the Lord's protection and mercies during Bill's travels and for health and stamina for what assuredly will be a rather strenuous three-week schedule.