Global Day of Prayer, May 11, 2008

Christians in 170 countries of the world, including Denmark, http://www.globaldayofprayer.dk/hvor.html, will gather in various venues on Pentecost Sunday, May 11, to join together in united prayer. Wherever they gather next Sunday, there will be one thing uniting Christians from all nations: a Prayer for the World that will be prayed by millions from where the sun rises in the East to where it sets in the West. Pray for Denmark.com is happy to commend this global prayer effort. We ask viewers of this webpage to join in this expression of believers' unity in Christ and to pray this prayer with them.

A PRAYER FOR THE WORLD

"They lifted their voices with one accord ..." (Acts 4:24)

Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Together with believers all over the world,
We gather today to glorify Your Name.
You are the Creator of heaven and earth.
There is no one like You, holy and righteous in all Your ways.
We submit to Your authority as the King of the universe.
We pray with one voice to enthrone You in our hearts
and to honour You before the world.

Response: Lord God, You alone are worthy of our praise and adoration.

Our Father in heaven,
Thank You for loving the world so greatly.
You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ,
to die on the cross for our sins
so that we could be reconciled to You.
We are grateful to call You Father and to be called Your children.
Nothing can separate us from Your love.

Response: Thank You Father, for adopting us into Your
family because of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You alone are worthy to open the scrolls of history,
for You were slain and have redeemed us to the Father by Your blood.
We confess that You are Head of the Church
and Lord of all heaven and earth.
May people from every tribe and language become Your followers
so that Your blessing brings transformation among all peoples.
Let Your kingdom be established in every nation of the world
so that governments will rule with righteousness and justice.
And may Your Name be great, from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Response: Jesus Christ, You are the Saviour of the world
and the Lord of all.

Father of mercy and grace,
We acknowledge that we have sinned
and that our world is gripped by the power of sin.
Our hearts are grieved by injustice, hatred and violence.
We are shamed by oppression, racism and bloodshed in our land.
We mourn all loss of life in murder, war and terrorism.
Our homes are broken and our churches are divided by rebellion and pride.
Our lives are polluted by selfishness, greed, idolatry and sexual sin.
We have grieved Your heart and brought shame to Your Name.
Have mercy on us as we repent with all our hearts.

Response: God of mercy, forgive our sins.

Pour out Your grace and heal our land.

Spirit of the living God,
Apart from You, we can do nothing.
Transform Your Church into the image of Jesus Christ.
Release Your power to bring healing to the sick,
freedom to the oppressed and comfort to those who mourn.
Pour Your love into our hearts and fill us with compassion
to answer the call of the homeless and the hungry
and to enfold orphans, widows and the elderly in Your care.
Give us wisdom and insight for the complex problems we face today.
Help us to use the resources of the earth for the well-being of all.

Response: Holy Spirit, we need Your comfort and guidance.
Transform our hearts.

Lord Jesus Christ,
Because You were dead, but are now risen,
and the Father has given You a Name above all names,
You will defeat all powers of evil.
Tear down strongholds and ideologies that resist the knowledge of God.
Remove the veil of darkness that covers the peoples.
Restrain the evil that promotes violence and death.
Bring deliverance from demonic oppression.
Break the hold of slavery, tyranny and disease.
Fill us with courage to preach Your word fearlessly,
and to intercede for the lost faithfully.

Response: Almighty God, deliver us from evil.

King of Glory,
Come and finish Your work in our cities, our peoples and our nations.
We lift our voices in unison with believers from Africa and Asia,
from the Middle East and Europe, from North and South America,
and from Australia and the Pacific Islands—together we cry:

Response: Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Be lifted up ancient doors
so that the King of glory may come in!

As Your deeds increase throughout the earth,
and as Your blessings abound to all the nations,
they will seek You, asking, “Who is this King of glory?”
Together we will answer:

Response: He is the Lord Almighty!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Come fill the earth with Your glory as the waters cover the sea.
The Spirit and the Bride say:

Response: Amen! Come Lord Jesus!

First International Baptist Church, Copenhagen

Copenhagen’s First International Baptist Church is led by Pastor N. Erik Nielsen, a Dane born in Indonesia who received his training for the ministry primarily in the United States. The church was a relatively young church plant that has now been firmly established as a self-governing congregation. Previously, the host church (historic Kristuskirken, Denmark’s first Baptist congregation) had held English services but had not organized a separate congregation. The two churches continue to share the same facilities. Members and regular attenders of FIBC come from all over Metropolitan Copenhagen and outlying areas. Since last year, there are even families from Sweden in regular attendance at the Sunday services.

On any given Sunday, the FIBC congregation averages around 130, including children. When I attended services two years ago, I found the congregation to be truly international and the fellowship between people from many different countries warm and inviting. The pastor and his family (wife Kim and five handsome boys) are obviously greatly appreciated and Pastor Nielsen’s ministry of the Word is having a salutary effect on many lives. There is an evangelistic emphasis to the ministry and there have been several (nine in recent times) who have taken the first step of obedience in the Christian life through believers' baptism. Capable laypersons assist in various aspects of the ministry. Great emphasis is placed on small mid-week group meetings held in various parts of Copenhagen

Besides his preaching and teaching ministry, Pastor Nielsen is a well-trained musician and pianist. On the occasion of attendance at the services, I noted that he had a large responsibility for the music, making it difficult to care efficiently for other aspects of the service. He told me then that he really needed someone to assist with the music and I have prayed regularly that the Lord would fulfill that need. In the summer that same year, the Lord answered our prayers when a college student intern assisted with the worship and music. More recently a person employed by the United Nations has become the church’s worship coordinator, often leading the worship services. That freed the pastor to start a choir ministry for Christmas and Easter cantatas that ever since has become an outreach event drawing a number of people to attend the church regularly. This year again there the Christmas and Easter services were very well-attended.

As in any international church, there are challenges. Many members and regular attenders are only temporarily employed in Denmark. It is not always easy to find replacements for key leaders when they complete their employment in Denmark and must move on to other countries and assignments.

The host church, the Danish-language Kristuskirken, continues its ministry under the leadership of Pastor Ove Vang Jensen who was called out of retirement to serve while the church is without a pastor. There is a shortage of possible pastoral candidates among the Free churches in general and the Baptist churches in particular so the interim has extended beyond the church’s expectations. In addition to the Danish and English-speaking congregations, Kristuskirken is also host to Spanish-speaking services conducted by Digna Fernandez, and Roumanian services conducted by Julia Bajna.

Webpages: www.kristuskirken.dk/ and www.fibc.dk/. Kristuskirken is located at Baggesensgade, 2200 Copenhagan N.

PRAY for the spiritual health and growth of Kristuskirken and for encouragement through interim Pastor Ove Vang Jensen’s faithful ministry. Pastor Jensen is a former pastor of the church.

PRAY that the Lord will speedily raise up a Danish-speaking pastoral candidate for Kristuskirken to succeed interim Pastor Jensen who was called out of retirement to take up leadership of this important church of the Danish Baptist Union. The interim has now extended to 18 months and the need is most urgent for the calling of a new pastor. Our prayer support is crucial and much appreciated.

PRAISE God for the fruitful outreach events that have come about under Pastor N. Erik Nielsen’s ministry with Copenhagen’s First International Baptist Church and especially for the believers baptisms in recent months.

PRAY, as key leaders and volunteers at FIBC must leave Denmark for other places and assignments, that God will raise up replacements who possess needed spiritual gifting for the health and growth of the church body..

PRAY that FIBC and Kristuskirken’s Danish, Spanish and Roumanian ministries will flourish with renewed emphasis on evangelism and revival.

PRAY for a number of Free churches and Baptist churches in Denmark that are currently without pastors. The available pool of candidates is extremely limited and the need is critical.

Prayer Emphases at Mariager Højskole

Pray for Denmark.com has a new and valued friend. In the past several months I have had contact with Jakob Vagner who is a teacher of Bible and theology at Mariager Højskole (Danish Pentecostal Bible School). Jakob asked if we could give some information about prayer emphases at Mariager Højskole. This is of interest to me because we are more and more realizing the need to publicize the prayer efforts of Danish believers, churches and Christian organizations.

This webpage hopefully raises prayer support from outside Denmark, but we are thrilled always to know that there are many believers, churches and organizations within Denmark itself that gather together regularly to pray. We want by all means to encourage such efforts. There is nothing more important to the evangelization and spiritual life of a nation than the fervent prayers of God’s own people. Spiritual revivals are always bathed in prayer.

Students at Mariager Højskole are encouraged in many ways to be prayer warriors. Students, faculty and staff set aside a full week of prayer twice every year. Jakob writes: “This year we will have one week of prayer for Denmark in the summer–and then one week of more quiet prayer retreat in October. In August ( in typical Danish dating, week 32), we will be around 40 adults and young people focusing on intercession for Denmark, for revival in our personal lives and throughout the nation. We have three gatherings each day with a bit of Bible teaching and then we pray for each other and for our country. In October’s week of prayer, it will be about 30 people getting together for Bible meditations, quiet prayer, symbolic acts, and so on, in which the emphasis is more personal. In both settings we work in small groups as well as with the group as a whole praying together. . .When we get together for the weeks of prayer we pray for many different things, but more than anything else we pray for Danes to be saved and for churches to grow.”

Students at Mariager Højskole meet each school day for morning worship. Then, on Tuesday evenings throughout the school year there is a ministry service where great emphasis is placed on leaders praying with students concerning important problems and decisions about their ongoing spiritual life and walk with Christ. I attended one such Tuesday evening meeting while in Mariager two years ago and was greatly impressed with the intensity of praise and worship and dynamic teaching during the service, and of an unhurried and sometimes quite emotional after-meeting with faculty and staff counseling and praying with individual students. As in all Bible training institutions, I suspect too that at Mariager Højskole there are groups of committed students who gather together for informal prayer times.

In a later posting, I intend to give more specific information about Mariager Højskole as well as other Bible and theological training facilities and programs in Denmark.

PRAY that faculty, staff and students at Mariager Højskole will be encouraged to engage in sustained prayer and intercession on behalf of secularist Denmark and the hundreds of thousands of Danes who do not know what it is to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAY for Jakob Vagner, for an effective ministry of teaching at Mariager Højskole, for his and other faculty members’ influence on students’ spiritual life and walk, and for the salvation of Jakob’s unsaved sister.

PRAY that what students learn and experience of intercessory prayer during their time at Mariager Højskole will be transformed into an ongoing and vibrant prayer life in their future ministries, wherever the Lord may lead them.

Påske (Easter) 2008

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Several years ago, attention was drawn to the Danish Folkekirke pastor in Tårbæk who declared unabashedly, “I do not believe in the physical God, in the afterlife, in the resurrection, and in the Virgin Mary.” He also wrote, “We do not believe in God or in God as Creator of Heaven and earth, or as Almighty, consequently nor in Jesus as his Son nor the virginity of his mother, nor in his Second Coming and the resurrection from the dead.” Such statements contravene what Protestant orthodoxy and historic Christianity have believed and taught over the centuries. The deity of Christ and the resurrection of the dead unquestionably are nonnegotiable tenets of Easter faith.

Though there are probably few Danish pastors who would go so far in their unbelief, in some respects the Tårbæk pastor’s atheism is understandable given the effects of secularism that has all but engulfed Danish life and culture. One member of the pastor’s church, epitomizing in a single sentence the view of much of Danish life and culture, declared, “Danes, we don’t talk too much about God, and Christianity is not a big force here.”

Fortunately, the larger percentage of Folkekirke pastors do believe in the resurrection as an actual historical event. Indre Mission and other Folkekirke revival entities have been vocal in their protests against the Tårbæk pastor’s views. Thankfully, numerous Danish pastors and theological professors who are orthodox in their beliefs have reacted with great fury to such stark unbelief. The not altogether surprising fact is that the Tårbæk pastor was allowed to retain his post in the town’s1200 member parish.

Easter is another of the times in the church calendar when Danes are more likely to gravitate to church services. So it would not be surprising to find Folkekirke churches (the State Church) and other Danish churches better attended during Holy Week and Easter than the usual five percent or less average weekly attendance.

While 85 percent of Danes are nominally Christian and members of the Folkekirke, it is not irrelevant to ask whether the average Danish citizen believes in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We note that one Danish source reported fewer than one in five Danes strongly affirms belief in the resurrection while more than half emphatically reject that the event ever occurred.

Danes are reputed to be the happiest people on earth, but without a firm belief in historic Christianity there is a terrible vacuum in spiritual understanding and commitment. Is it any wonder that we believe Denmark needs a massive wave of prayer for revival and a new Reformation to offset the secularism which is so infects Danish life and culture. In a very real sense, Denmark is ripe for re-evangelization. The Lutheran revival movements and the evangelical free churches seem poised to pray toward that end. Furthermore, the more than 150 churches established by “New Danes” (immigrants from Africa and other areas of the world), many of whom are strongly evangelical and evangelistic in their understanding of Christianity, may prove to be the opening wedge in Denmark’s return to the faith. These very alive churches are demonstrating something that has been lacking in many Danish churches.

As for the resurrection, we thank God for the faithful believers in Denmark, whether in the Folkekirke or in the evangelical free churches, however small their number, who hold unwaveringly to the nonnegotiable truths of the Word of God in spite of bumping up again and again against the country’s deadening secular culture. With irrefutable logic, they agree with the crystal clear assessment of the Apostle Paul when he wrote: “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only in this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men (1 Corinthians 15:13-19, NIV).

CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

PRAISE God for those Danes who have been willing to affirm the nonnegotiables of the Christian faith, among them the events of the Easter miracle–Christ’s deity, atoning death, burial, and bodily resurrection.

PRAY that during Holy Week and Easter the Holy Spirit will impress upon Danish pastors and churches the necessity of the resurrection as the crowning reality of Christ’s finished work of redemption.

PRAY for a resurgence of vital historic Christian faith in Denmark against such enemies as secularism, theological declension, lukewarm Christian life and practice, and aggressive non-Christian religions. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12, 2, NIV).

“God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say. Yes, to be sure, but
what is still more wonderful: He makes saints out of sinners."

–Danish philosopher Søren Kiekegaard

Bedehus Danmark

“Mit hus skal kaldes et bedehus for alle folkeslagene” (Esaias 56, 7)
“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7, NIV)

Do Danish believers pray for the things that also concern this webpage? The answer is an immediate and straightforward affirmative. In fact, Bedehus (House of Prayer) is a strong and growing prayer movement throughout Denmark, one that has been strongly aided by the ministry of its website (www.bedehus.com/) and its outreach to every corner of the nation.

The ministry of Bedehus Danmark is overseen by a Visionsgruppe (Vision Group) composed of Ruth Cilwik Andersen, Mariager; Kurt Christensen, Nexø; Bent Christiansen, Apostolsk Højskole, Kolding; Jürgen Galonska, Betania Kirkecenter, Blahøj; Peter Holmsgård; Åse Ellerbek Larsen; Lars Bo Olesen, Kristent Center, Herning; Inger Porsen, Aglow International, Danmark; and Claus Aagård, Græsted Frikirke. I know personally and appreciate greatly the life and testimony of three members of the Visionsgruppe.

Bedehus prayer groups are led by local coordinators. There are at least 43 scheduled prayer groups listed on the Bedehus website. They meet monthly and cross denominational lines, though at present the “full gospel” (Pinse, Apostolsk) and charismatic churches appear to be most in evidence. It is to be hoped that other free church denominations as well as many churches of the Folkekirke will ultimately align with this tremendous prayer effort. I believe that to reach the heart and soul of the Danish people, revival must come to the Danish State Church (Folkekirke).

When they meet, these groups always pray in general for all who are in high places (1 Tim. 2:1-2), for all the people, for believers, for their communities, for Israel and the nations, and for Bedehus Danmark itself. In addition, the Bedehus website posts various lists of specific prayer concerns to help guide the prayer groups in their ministry.

Even those who do not read Danish would be impressed by browsing the website to see the breadth of prayer concerns Bedehus has not only for Denmark but also for the work for Christ throughout the world.

The history of revivals demonstrates quite clearly that revival comes as God’s response to fervently praying believers. It does not begin in unbelievers but in the hearts and commitments of God’s own people. Without volumes of believing, intercessory prayer, revival will never come to Denmark. That’s why I strongly support such prayer movements as Bedehus Danmark. We call on our readers to back with our prayers those Danish believers who are faithfully storming the gates of heaven with believing prayer. May God bring genuine spiritual revival to Denmark. Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22).

PRAY that every member of every Bedehus prayer group will be able to pray, “Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me!” Revival begins first of all in the hearts and lives of those most concerned for revival.

PRAY that God by His Holy Spirit would ignite the ministry of Bedehus prayer groups with great power and extravagant faith that like a spreading flame would in turn stir the hearts and lives of Danish believers, pastors and leaders all over the country.

PRAY for the calling out of local coordinators for the formation of many more Bedehus prayer groups in Denmark in areas in which they are still lacking, especially through expansion of Oase and other Danish Lutheran revival movements in Folkekirke parishes and churches.

PRAY that God will direct and empower the members of Bedehus’ Visionsgruppe as they prepare themes and materials for the use of the Bedehus prayer groups. This month’s prayer list was written by Åse Ellerbek Larsen with a focus on “Et kald til omvendelse” (“The call to Conversion”).

PRAY that God will indeed bring revival to His Church in Denmark and in its wake the coming to faith of many thousands of unbelieving Danes.

YWAM Establishes a New Base in Svendborg

The older Youth with a Mission (Ungdom med Opgave) base in Denmark is at Sjellebro in Jutland. Recently, Mirjam and Frank Lauridsen have established a new base in Svendborg on the southern coast of the island of Fyn (Funen). The Lauridsens are well-prepared for this undertaking having worked in YWAM for many years with campaigns and ministry in Australia, New Zealand, and Denmark. The new base is called Elleruphus (Mercy House) and shares buildings with a Christian rehab center the Lauridsens started last year.

Elleruphus is a social work ministry whose purpose is to help people with various needs, including abusers of drugs, alcohol, gambling, et cetera, as well as single women and teens dealing with various sorts of social problems. The thrust of this ministry is reaching out to these needy people with the gospel of Christ.

Last August, the base started its first school, called NETS (Neighborhood Center, Evangelism, Training and Small groups). Mirjam has responsibility for this school and has the assistance of a new staff member, Trine. The nine-month school began with a twelve-week teaching program incorporating many essential leadership principles in evangelism and church planting, and then has shifted to a practical outreach in Svendborg for a six-month period. Specific neighborhoods of the city are targeted with the gospel message shared through one on one evangelism, and acts of mercy with the intent of helping to establish Elleruphus where those coming to faith in Christ can be discipled. NETS will have the help of believers from Svendborg’s churches in this outreach ministry. Enrollment is small, but this may be of strategic importance in launching the new ministry as it will give greater opportunities for one on one mentoring. As a second level YWAM school, NETS students must have completed a DTS before beginning the program.

YWAM’s recruiting outreach is largely based on its unique system of Discipleship Training Schools (commonly referred to as DTS) found in YWAM bases worldwide. The Sjellebro base has had a number of such schools in past years and will continue to schedule them. The new Svendborg base has also begun its first DTS, which in fact began on Sunday, January 27. The teaching phase is of three-months duration and will be followed by practical experience in a two-month mission in another country. The passion of this DTS is “to know God and make Him known. We want to see people be transformed and equipped to live a 24/7 life for God, and get the tools to start new initiatives in their own local areas when they go home, that reaches out and meets people where they are.”

There are nearly 18,000 YWAM workers worldwide who are engaged in numerous forms of mercy evangelism and church planting efforts. Many of these workers are young people thrust into difficult ministry situations and often under-supported. For further information about YWAM work in Denmark, browse the website at http://ywam.dk/.

PRAY that the Lord will give Frank and Mirjam great wisdom and ability in their administration and spiritual leadership of the Svendborg base and its various outreach efforts.

PRAY that the Lord will keep them focused on the Father’s will and direction, and themselves and their children in good health and strength for an arduous ministry.

PRAY that Satan will be prevented from sowing discord and creating interpersonal conflicts among staff and students that would interfere with a positive, life-changing spiritual impact on each NETS and DTS student.

PRAISE the Lord for new staff member Trine and for the fellowship and assistance of believers from the churches in Svendborg in launching this new venture.

PRAY that NETS and DTS students whom God has led to the Svendborg base will profit intellectually and spiritually from the learning and mentoring opportunities given them.

PRAY that God will provide for the material needs of the Lauridsens and Trine and for operating funds for these faith-based ministries through the support of His people in Denmark and in other countries

PRAY for the new challenges for Ungdom med Opgave that must be faced with the integration of the efforts of the Sjellebro and Svendborg bases through their communication, joint planning, leadership, and programs.

Fårevejle Menighed--Oddsherred Church Plant

In the November 13, 2007 posting, I mentioned that no free church exists in West Sjaelland’s Oddsherred Commune. Subsequently, I heard from an authoritative source that I was misinformed and that there is indeed a relatively new church plant in Fårevejle. I am delighted to correct the error and to give a further bit of information about Fårevejle Frimenighed.

Oddsherred is found in West Sjælland about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Copenhagen. The region is characterized by steep cliffs, white and silky sand dunes, and forestland. The town of Fårevejle is situated at the coastline. There are more than a dozen Folkekirke parishes in Oddsherred commune, including Fårevejle.

Fårevejle Frimenighed is an evangelical Lutheran free church having the same doctrinal confession as the Folkekirke. However, the church is not affiliated with the Folkekirke (Denmark's state church). The church participates in the Dansk Oase Netværk, the Lutheran charismatic revival movement’s network of churches and local fellowships.

The church believes that the Bible is indeed the Word of God and has something to say to everyone in busy, contemporary everyday life. The evangelical flavor of Fårevejle Frimenighed is expressed in its vision statement, “mennesker må få et personligt møde med Gud, lære Jesus at kende og få lyst til at leve deres hverdag sammen med ham” (everyone must have a personal encounter with God, get to know Jesus and have a desire to live their everyday lives together with him).

The pastor and congregational leader of the church is Pastor Jørgen Lund together with Pastor Aksel Lausten and lay leaders Flemming Møller, Dorrit Dirchsen, and Jacob Kofod. The church’s webpage may be accessed at www.faarevejle-frimenighed.dk/. The current membership of Fårevejle Menighed has reached 25, with about 70 regular attenders.

The church does not as yet have a permanent location and has met at times in a local school building. Some activities are conducted in adherents' homes. Even without a building of its own, the church has a number of active ministries, including children’s church, youth, singles, gospel choir, the elderly, and the like. The worship format includes more contemporary, rhythmic music led by a five-instrument praise band.

PRAISE GOD for the planting of a free church at Fårevejle in Oddsherred Commune.

PRAY that the pastors and lay leaders of Fårevejle Frimenighed will keep evangelism a high priority and that they will find strategic ways to promote the gospel throughout the area.

PRAY for growth in numbers of members and regular attenders and for perennial revival and spiritual maturity in those who come to faith in Christ.

PRAY that in His timing the Lord will provide a permanent location for Fårevejle Frimenighed.

PRAY that ways will be found for the new church to minister effectively to the large number of visitors and vacationers who come to Oddsherred during the summer months.