The Lord's Work in the Faroe Islands

Back in the 1950s, I was in Copenhagen with my family on our way back from our first term in the former Belgian Congo. While visiting relatives in Copenhagen, I had occasion to attend an assembly of the Christian Brethren, sometimes referred to as Plymouth Brethren. At the meeting, a young man who at the time was studying medicine at the University of Copenhagen gave an unforgettably impassioned and joyful testimony of how he had come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Two things especially impressed me about this young man. One was that he was overcome with emotion when trying to express the depth of his commitment to Christ, filled with praise for having found Him as Savior and Lord. The other was that he wasn't a Dane at all, but rather had come to the University from the Faroe Islands to study medicine. It was undoubtedly the first time I had ever heard of the Faroe Islands. All through these many years since, I have often thought of that impassioned testimony and wondered whatever had become of him, even though I did not even remember his name. I also have warm memories at this assembly of meeting a fine Christian brother, Mr. Paisley, owner of a language school in Copenhagen, and a Christian Brethren missionary and his wife from Scotland, Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Adams. The Adamses invited me and my family to have "kaffee" with them at their apartment in Copenhagen and what a gracious time of fellowship that was. Mr. Adams, a wonderful man of God, was a great encouragement to us and our work in the Congo. Mr. Adams ministered in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark and spoke his own brand of "Scandinavian" that he said allowed him to be understood in all three countries.

As the old hymn declares, "God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform." When I was in Denmark this past spring, I attended a Sunday service at the Baptist church in Viborg. There was a visitor there that morning, Heri Jacobsen, who was from the Faroe Islands. After the service I chatted with him and told him of my experience hearing the testimony of the young Faroese medical student so many years before in Copenhagen. I asked Heri if there was any chance that he might know the man of whom I spoke. Heri reflected a moment and then said, "I think I know the man you're talking about." Heri gave me an address for a Dr. Rodmundur i Lida in Torshavn, Faroe Islands. I later followed up with a letter to Dr. Lida in which I recounted that memorable meeting in Copenhagen.

What a joyful surprise it was shortly after to receive a wonderful letter from the now retired Dr. Lida, who, it turns out, had returned to the Faroe Islands after completing his medical studies and a brief residency in the United States, ultimately becoming the little country's chief surgeon.

The Faroes are a group of islands (among them Kalsoy, Kunoy, Vodoy, Eysturoy, Stremoy, Bordoy, Svinoy, Fugloy, Sandoy, and Suduroy) situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Iceland and Norway. The many bays, fjords, and mountains are a feature of the islands' rugged and treeless typography. The land does not support extensive agriculture, though there is a good bit of sheepherding because of the grasslands. A most important aspect of the economy is fishing. Access between the various islands in the past was limited to crossing open water, though now there is a well-developed infrastructure with connecting bridges and tunnels, some of them miles in length.

The Faroe Islands have had a long history with Denmark, but became an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1948. The Faroese manage their own affairs, except for national defense and foreign affairs which are still represented by Denmark. The islands' population is less than 50,000 and the native islanders speak Faroese, a language akin to the Scandinavian languages. The Faroese have a culture all their own, though it has many commonalities with the cultures of Norway, Iceland, and Denmark. A majority of the inhabitants are Lutheran and part of the Danish Lutheran Folkekirke. Ten percent of the population gather with the assemblies of the Christian Brethren (known as Brødrasamkoman), reflecting a strong evangelistic missionary endeavor since the 1860s. There are two Bible translations available in the Faroese language. Many Faroese are involved in commercial fishing. Through the faithful witness of believers connected with the Brethren assemblies, many fishermen have over the years come to trust Christ as Savior and Lord.

Lutheran revival movement efforts are found in the islands. Indre Mission (Inner Mission) has a number of gathering places throughout the country called "mission houses" (www.mission.fo/index.asp?pg=41). There is a Pinse (Pentecostal) church in Torshavn (Filadelfia.net.dynamicweb.dk/). Christian broadcasting is represented by Radio Lindin (www.lindin.fo/index.php?id=283). I expect to include further information about the Lord's work in the Faroe Islands as I become better informed.


PRAY for the people of the Faroe Islands and the continued spread of the gospel of Christ among them through the efforts of the various evangelical churches and organizations.

PRAY for the leaders and activities of the Lutheran revival movement organization, Inner Mission (Indre Mission), centered in its network of mission houses throughout the islands.

PRAY for the elders and congregants of the assemblies of Christian Brethren, the largest of which appears to be Ebenezer Sankoman in Torshavn (www.ebenezer.fo), and for continued growth through aggressive evangelistic and Bible teaching ministries.

PRAY especially for the now retired Dr. Rodmundur i Lida who continues to minister the Word of God in the Faroes and in Denmark (he ministered last spring at Brønshøj Forsamling in Copenhagen -- www.bkrf.dk/).

PRAY for the leadership and ministries of Filadelfia Sankoman (Pentecostal church) in Torshavn.

PRAY for the the workers and extensive outreach of Radio Lindin, the non-denominational Christian radio station for the Faroe Islands, broadcasting the gospel from its studios in Torshavn.

Scandinavian Consultation for Church Planting

Our overriding concern for Denmark is in the areas of revival-renewal, evangelism, and planting of new churches. While we hope and pray for reformation and revival-renewal in older churches, it is an unfortunate fact that the older a church is the less able it seems to be to keep up with the times. Some Protestant churches in Denmark date back many centuries and sadly gather only a handful of worshipers. A great danger is that older churches may become relics of another day and time and fail to meet the challenges of the present. Antiquity offers no assurance of relevance. In fact, relying on a church's history can spell the death of evangelism. Theological considerations coupled with population shifts, increasing urbanization and new housing developments make the planting of new churches an urgent necessity. It is not often that an older church can easily adopt or adapt to new approaches to music and worship, new methods of outreach, or changing social conditions. Unfortunately, there are churches that take pride in not doing so.

In line with our concerns for the church in Denmark, I have been delighted to hear of a Scandinavian Consultation for Church Planting that will take place in at Copenhagen's Culture Center on November 23. The event is sponsored by DAWN Scandinavia in cooperation with SALT (Scandinavian Academy of Leadership and Theology). This is the second such Consultation, the first having taken place in Malmø, Sweden, in January 2005, unfortunately with only a few Danish leaders in attendance. But with this year's Consultation scheduled in Copenhagen, the hope is that many Danish church leaders and church planters will participate. The purpose of the Consultation is to provide a gathering for church planters in the Scandinavian countries for the building of relationships and learning from each other.

The Conference is ecumenical in nature, so that representatives of state-sponsored as well as free churches will be in attendance. Church planters from Norway and Sweden will also be present. Danish leaders expected to participate include Claus Grønbæk, church planter and founder of a free Lutheran congregation in Copenhagen; Anders Michael Hansen, Dean of Copenhagen's Scandinavian Academy of Leadership and Theology (a theological seminary of cooperating free evangelical organizations, denominations, and churches), pastor of Århus Valgmenighed, and director of the European Church Planting Network; Hans Henrik Lund, leader of the Churches' Integration Service in Denmark working with ethnic churches throughout Denmark; Svend Løbner Madsen, who works with the organic church movement and is a part of the Network of Free Churches in Denmark; Flemming Mølhede, pastor of Copenhagen's Vineyard Church and leader of the Vineyard movement in Denmark; Birger Nygaard, theologian and missiologist, national director of Areopagos; and Andreas Wolf, leader of the European Research Network focusing on church planting in Europe. For further information about this important Consultation, contact Niels Christian Storgaard at nes@paradis.tdcadsl.dk.

PRAY that those in attendance will acknowledge the necessity for the presence and leadership of the Holy Spirit in this important Consultation.

PRAY that concerns for church planting will be coupled with the vision for active evangelism through the country. As someone has well stated, "God has no grandchildren." Evangelism is needed in every generation.

PRAY that the presentations by seminar leaders will be informative and challenging and lead to fruitful discussions and interchange of participants experiences and strategies.

PRAY that this Consultation will result in a resurgence of Spirit-led church planting efforts throughout Denmark and an increase in the number of committed evangelical church planters.

YWAM and "Resurrect Denmark" Campaign

Michelle Geraty, who works with Youth with a Mission (YWAM in Denmark is called Ungdom Med Opgave) has informed us of plans for a campaign to affect Denmark through a 24/7 prayer network together with a nationwide series of evangelistic tours and follow-up discipleship ministries. The campaign is to be called "Resurrect Denmark."

Michelle writes, "We want to call forth praying, Great Commission-minded Christians to establish networks of prayer across the nation. Also, another part of this campaign is to train an army of young people." For this purpose, YWAM is planning to launch an Impact Discipleship Training School beginning January 14, 2007, focusing on prayer, evangelism, and discipleship. "We believe that passion for Jesus fuels passion for the lost. So, we are very excited about what God is going to do during the six-month school." For further information, visit the YWAM Denmark website: www.ywam.dk. The mailing address is Randersvej 195 (Sjellebro), 8544--Morke, Denmark.

We'll add prayer requests to this website as the "Resurrect Denmark" campaign begins to take hold. We want do everything possible to help foster prayer support for this promising campaign.

PRAISE the Lord for this new and zealous YWAM-sponsored nationwide prayer and evangelism initiative in Denmark.

PRAY that the Ungdom Med Opgave leadership and workers will have the Spirit's direction and great wisdom and profound insight into Danish church history and evangelical culture in seeking the cooperation of local churches and other ministries for the "Resurrect Denmark" campaign.

PRAY that the framework of the campaign will from the first meet with a positive and enthusiastic response from Danish evangelical leaders and ministries all over Denmark, and that many Danish believers will become involved in the nationwide prayer network.

PRAY that there will be a large number of applicants for the Impact Discipleship Training School scheduled to begin at YWAM's Sjellebro campus this coming January.

PRAY that God will supply the personnel as well as financial and prayer support for an effective launching of the "Resurrect Denmark" campaign.

Encouraging Response from Funen

From time to time, we get especially encouraging responses from individuals who have viewed Pray for Denmark. Here is one we received recently from a pastor in northwest Funen (Fyn). He writes:

I am very delighted to hear about your ministry of encouraging people to pray for Denmark.

Our island, Funen, has for many decades been known as one of the 'dark spots' in Denmark in terms of active churchgoers.

But we believe and pray that God will change this. A year ago there was a lady from our church that took the initiative and started a prayer group of prayer-willing people in our region. Now we meet [with] 15-20 people from different denominations for prayer every month, and in-between we are connected in pairs, promising to pray for one another. We pray especially for one another to be faithful in the prayer items God has asked us to keep praying for. In our monthly prayer meetings we share what God has done and what to continue praying for. Many of us can witness to God's help in many situations.

I share this with you to say that what you do for the Lord is most valuable. Please keep on praying and pray also for our specific part of Denmark.

This is another indication of what we firmly believe: that the Spirit of God is quietly at work in many places throughout Denmark. How wonderful it is to know that Danish believers are being led of the Lord to form prayer groups such as the one in west Funen. In my own daily prayer remembrances, Funen is high on the list because I have dear relatives living in that region. While praying for reformation and revival in the established churchs, a special concern has been that the Lord would also lead someone to undertake an evangelistic ministry in southwest Funen, and especially around Assens and Faaborg. My own paternal grandmother came from Faaborg and I have relatives living in southwest Funen.

Brad and I are grateful when we receive encouragement from those who view Pray for Denmark. In this case, this dear pastor heard of us from praying friends Eric and Liv whom I met at the Vineyard Church in Copenhagen last spring. It is wonderful to see how God works. We are aware of the significant prayer ministry of the several revival movements within the Folkekirke, of Bedehus (www.bedehus.dk/), and of Dansk Oase's prayer network called Bedenetværk (www.danskoase.dk/index.php?id-1020), not to mention that of the various free church denominations. Aase Ellerbeck Larsen is one very special Danish lady I know of who has a wonderful ministry of encouraging fellow Danish believers to pray for revival. We can be sure of this one thing--God answers the prayers of His people. No church is ever without the need for the continuing reviving and renewing ministry of the Holy Spirit.

PRAISE God that He is raising up praying people and prayer networks all over Denmark of those who are desperately concerned for the spiritual needs of the country.

PRAY for those individuals of several denominations who are coming together monthly in west Funen as they agree together in prayer for each other and for their fellow countrymen.

PRAY for the Spirit's empowering of the pastor and his wife mentioned above as they minister in west Funen and for guidance in strengthening the believers in the churches they serve with dynamic growth and maturity and for vision and Spirit-led strategy for outreach in the area.

PRAY for a growing movement and networking of groups of believers who are committed to prayer for revival and renewal of local congregations of the Folkekirke (Danish state church) as well as of the free churches.

Prayerwalk Revisited

In April 2005 Peet Bekker, a Christian brother from South Africa and a friend of Pray for Denmark came to Denmark for a prayerwalk at the northern tip of Jutland known as the Horn of Denmark. You may recall that he prayerwalked from Hirtshals on the west to Skagen at the tip of the Horn and then on to Fredrikshavn on the east.

Before undertaking this special prayerwalk, Peet said, "I know that once I smelled the air, tasted the water, felt the wind and seen the people, I will have so much more compassion and be able to pray with all my heart. Walking in an area helps me to see the way God sees it and better understand the things to be prayed for. I will also be there in person to deliver God's messages of hope and inspiration to people that are in need of it right there and at that specific moment in time...I have an excitement in my heart for Denmark. I believe the Lord wants to bless this country. If these words stir your heart in any way, please pray for Denmark too."

It is more than a year since Peet completed his prayerwalk and if no discernible spiritual breakthroughs have followed upon the prayerwalk, we need to remind ourselves that God does not waste the efforts of His servants when He has led them by His Spirit. Though God may not yet have revealed His purpose, in time He will.

We believe that God is working in quiet ways in Denmark. There are numerous small indicators, among them Peet Bekker's prayerwalk, God's leading in getting PrayforDenmark.com online, and in raising up groups of believers throughout Denmark who are praying for revival. How and when that revival will occur, we do not know, however we are persuaded by faith that a new Reformation and revival will someday break out in Denmark and bring salvation and the infilling of the Spirit to individuals and churches all over the country. I pray every day for that to happen and I sense there are others joining with me in praying for for revival in Denmark.

One day, God will make it clear why he led a believer in South Africa with no known connections in Denmark to engage in a prayerwalk at the northern tip of Jutland, but we do know from the Word something about God's nature: He will never guide a believer in a capricious manner and He will one day reveal His purpose. A simple prayerwalk carried out in response to God's leading has inspired other believers to pray for a great movement of God's Spirit in Denmark.

An update on Peet Bekker: He has recently moved from South Africa to New Zealand. Because his ministry is not confined to Africa, he has changed the previous name AFROWALK to "Come Walk with Me." His website is now found at http://prayerwalk.blogspot.com/. In an email message from Peet he wrote that, "I know I spoke and prayed some things in the spirit in Denmark which had to be given life, so to speak. You know ... when we speak God's will and God's Word over a place. the angels (and the demons) recognize it by the aroma of God's Word and presence. Going there and praying for those towns, people and Denmark moved things in the spirit-world which I am not seeking to find out, because maybe God will show me some day. But I know I had to go and things are moving." I like how Peet describes prayerwalks as "just 'intercession on the move.'" At age 44, it is still his dream to take part in the 20 km (12.4 miles) Olympic Walk event. He trains weekdays, spending many hours on the road and says, "When I train for the walks, I not only walk--I prayerwalk." What a special ministry this dear brother has whose one desire is to magnify the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAISE God for Peet Bekker and one man's willingness to quietly and without fanfare step out by faith last year on a prayer journey from Hirtshals to Skagen to Fredrikshavn.

PRAY that Peet Bekker's prayerwalk will serve as a model for other believers, whether from Denmark itself or from other countries, willing to ask God for direction in prayerwalking in various parts of Denmark.

PRAY that God's Spirit may move across the land of Denmark from east to west and north to south in ways that may only be discernible to the eyes of faith, bringing a new Reformation and spiritual revival to the Folkekirke as well as free churches.

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.