Tønder Festival, August 24-27

Tønder is a small city located close to the Danish-German border in southern Jutland. For more than 30 years, the town has played host to the gala Tønder Festival that presents a wide variety of traditional and modern folk music from all over Europe and elsewhere. The Festival has an international flavor. Besides Denmark, participating musical groups will be coming from Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden and the United States. There are paid, ticketed concerts on the official program, but also a lot of music to be heard in the streets for free.

Tønder (pronounced TUN-ner) Frikirke is well located in the very center of the city's downtown area. This weekend there will be countless numbers of passersby milling about the streets and thus providing a marvelous opportunity for evangelism. Though the church events are not listed as part of the official program, Pastor Rene Nielsen and the church's members are concerned to have a vibrant and welcoming Christian presence during the Festival by keeping the church doors open at crucial times and by providing good Christian music and coffee hours. On Friday, August 25 the church building will be open for music and coffee from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m., featuring Danish noted gospel singer Signe Walsøe. On Saturday, August 26 the church will be open from 3:30 to 11:00 p.m. and will feature a concert by a 30-voice Room4Joy gospel kor (gospel choir). The coffee times provide an opportunity to talk with people one on one and to make vailable informational booklets and tracts about the gospel and church's ministries. Faithful Pastor Rene and his wife Mette are warm and loving people. I met them and had delightful fellowship with them while on my trip to Denmark last spring. I got to see the church's facilities and admire its very attractive and inviting worship center (see an image of the church's exterior at www.toenderfrikirke.dk/). Pastor Rene and I walked the streets around the church building itself that this weekend will be crowded with many hundreds of Festival-goers. I feel a great burden for Tønder Frikirke and for Pastor Nielsen and his family. They will greatly value our prayers on their behalf.

PRAY that the Holy Spirit will give Pastor Nielsen and the congregation of Tønder Frikirke direction and enormous wisdom for an attractive and winsome witness for Christ and the gospel during the Festival.

PRAY for many opportunities to meet and talk with Festival-goers and for wisdom and "holy boldness" in opening fruitful conversations on spiritual matters.

PRAY that the Spirit-anointed music and testimony of Signe Walsøe on Friday evening, and the Room4Joy gospelkor on Saturday evening, will attract overflow crowds of those readily able to discern when music is used to lift up and magnify the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAY that during the Festival there will be young people and young married couples from the Tønder/Møgeltønder area itself who will be attracted to the gospel and align themselves with the fellowship and ministry of Tønder Frikirke.

Den Danske Global Leadership Summit, September 29-30

Over the past 14 years, the Willow Creek Association has provided "outside-the-box" leadership ideas and challenges at regional Global Leadership Summits in more than 130 locations throughout the world, including Denmark. This year is no exception as many pastors and ministry leaders from all over Denmark will gather at Copenhagen's Kulturcenter for two days of intensive focus on transformational leadership, Friday and Saturday, September 29 and 30. Prominent speakers will focus on this year's Summit theme: "En leder ser ikke virklighheden som den er, men som de kan blive" (A leader sees reality not as it is, but how it might be). Church transformation committed to changing the world requires a transformed leader. As one pastor put it, "I don't believe the 21st century church is about bigger and better ... It's about who can serve the people effectively and efficiently." Many Danish pastors and ministry leaders validate the input they have received from previous Summits. Willow Creek Association is an American organization and the danger is in trying to slavishly impose American ideas on Danish culture and on the Danish churches. But, we believe that God's Spirit can and will use the various presentations as prods to Danish vision and creativity. The enormous task of putting this Summit together is in the hands of the Willow Creek Denmark Steering Committee and the effective day to day management of Coordinator Ruth Cilwik Andersen. I had the privilege of meeting Ruth and her family last spring and found her to be a godly woman and a graciously gifted and visionary Christian leader and executive. The Summit has its own brochure that for those interested may be downloaded at the following web address: http://www.jasplus.dk/willowcreek/ny/pdf/programmer/GLS2006.pdf

PRAY that all of the myriad details of planning and producing this year's Global Leadership Summit in Copenhagen will come together with no last-minute hitches in programming, all-important media technology, worship and drama teams, or financial arrangements and support.

PRAY that the spiritual purposes of the Summit will overshadow every session and maximally influence everyone attending so that the the person and redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ will be prominent and preeminent.

PRAY, as we did last year, that the Summit venue, Copenhagen's 800-seat Kulturcenter, will be filled to capacity with pastors and ministry leader coming expectantly to drink in fresh inspiration for ministry and to experience transforming renewal of their spiritual commitments and leadership vision.

PRAY that this Summit will become one more piece in the Holy Spirit's activity toward radical reformation, revival, and renewal in the life of all of Denmark's churches, whether folkekirke or frikirke.

August Summer Conferences in Denmark

There are two summer conferences scheduled for the month of August, including the Scandinavian Calvary Chapel conference at Sorøro, Sjælland (August 3-6), and the Dansk Metodistkirken Sommerhøjskole at Solborgen ved Sejerbugten (August 5-12). Please refer to the 01 July posting below for prayer requests that continue to be relevant for these conferences. John Arnott's prayer is a fitting conclusion for all of the Danish summer conferences this year:

"Father, I want to be like You. I want my heart to be as big as Yours ... As far as revival is concerned, I ask You to find those who will be guileless and entrust them with the wonderful treasures of Your power and Your presence. Please don't hide from us because our hearts are divided. Make us one big family rejoicing in Your love."

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.