Quiet Life, Amazing Impact

After quietly toiling in Africa for most of his adult life as a Bible translator, Iver Larsen wasn’t looking for recognition. But though he doesn’t consider himself a theologian, he was recently named “Theologian of the Year” by the Menihedsfakultet at the Lutheran School of Theology in Aarhus.

It’s quite an honor for Larsen, who left Denmark in 1977 with his wife Alice to begin a career with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Eventually they were able to translate the Scriptures into the “Sabaot” native language in Kenya.

He’s perhaps better known for his work translating the Bible into everyday Danish, producing the hugely popular Bibelen på Hverdagsdansk, or Bible in Everyday Danish. Originally published in 2007, it’s now available to read online, as well.

According to Jørgen Jørgensen from the School of Theology, Larsen is someone who has lived “a quiet, inconspicuous life, but who is an expert in his field.” His work, he added, “is theology at its best: a tool to unlock God’s wisdom, one that makes it accessible for ordinary people.”

Today you'll find Bibelen på Hverdagsdansk in churches all across Denmark, and Larsen’s faithfulness has made it possible for new generations of Danes to understand and learn from God’s Word. And although he retired last year, he’s still keeping up with translation projects in Kenya by way of Skype and email, mentoring workers and passing along his decades of experience.

THANK GOD for the quiet but influential work of Iver Larsen, and for his continued influence on Bible translation efforts.

PRAY that God would continue to reach new generations in Denmark with his truth through this modern Danish translation.

PRAY ALSO that Danes of all ages who don’t yet follow Christ would encounter Bibelen på Hverdagsdansk… even in the most unexpected of places.

50 Years Later: Will Young Danes Find Faith?

Denmark’s KFS student outreach group turns 50 this year. And despite challenges, its members are looking ahead to reaching more college and high school students with the gospel of Jesus.
 
As co-founder Kai Kjær-Hansen recalls, the early gatherings started with prayer meetings and then an outreach at Rønne Statsskole on the island of Bornholm. He and two other volunteers invited students to discuss their objections to faith in Christ. They called the talks “Your Excuses: Do They Hold Up?” No one quite knew how many would respond, but 27 students showed up for those initial meetings.
 
“Our goal wasn’t discussion for the sake of discussion,” recalls Kjær-Hansen. “We used it as a way to see how we could approach the centrality of Jesus’ death and resurrection, as the most important thing.”

Today KFS, which stands for “Kristeligt Forbund for Studerende” (“Christian Fellowship for Students”), has groups and contacts in 170 of the 400 colleges and universities around the country, with 13 staff and several volunteers. Overall it reaches some 5,000 students yearly through Bible study groups and outreach events at campuses nationwide.
 
Denmark’s KFS is part of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, a global community spanning 150 countries worldwide. The US partner is InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.
 
It's not just for college students, however. In Denmark, high school outreaches have also grown to be a real strength of the ministry. The challenge now is that not enough students stay involved at the college level. And Kjær-Hansen has his own challenge for the ministry today.
 
During the pioneering days of the early 1960s, he says, “we were full of zeal. In the rear-view mirror, we can ask ourselves if that zeal lacked intellect or understanding. As an older person I can say that maybe we have the intellect, but what then happens to the zeal?”
 
PRAY for the coming school year, as KFS staff and volunteers gear up for a new year of outreach.
 
PRAY for boldness as young Christians learn how to share their faith on campus.
 
PRAY that God would inspire many more Danish students to live out their faith and reach out to others, especially at the university level.
 
PRAY for revival on the high school and college campuses of Denmark, starting from the small-group studies in dorm rooms, and spreading throughout each campus to the surrounding churches.

Summer Camps: Only the First Step

As they have for years, thousands of Danish Christians met last month to renew relationships and experience God in a fresh way at the annual event called “SommerOase.” Their gathering of tents and trailers transformed a large open field on the outskirts of Odder (east-central Jylland) into one of Denmark’s largest annual Christian gatherings.

It’s certainly not the only Christian summer family camp in the country. From Lutherans to Baptists to Pentecostals, Danish Christians take full advantage of long July days and anticipated warmer weather to schedule summer retreats, youth events, and family gatherings. But SommerOase may be the largest of its kind. Karsten Bach, general secretary of the DanskOase renewal movement, reported that this year the sun shone on their event in more than one way.

“We’ve been blessed both with good weather,” he said at the end of the event, “and the certain warmth of God’s presence. We’ve experienced a SommerOase where God has touched people through preaching, songs of praise, and prayer. Several have accepted Jesus for the first time, and many people have renewed their faith.”

This is Bach’s second summer event as the renewal movement’s general secretary; he began with DanskOase in May of 2012. He’s publicly expressed a dream of reaching out to even more Danes, bringing them into what he calls “the joy of being a part of a living Christian fellowship.”

“It’s here we meet to experience our unity in the family,” explained Bach. “At the same time, we want to be open and welcoming. So for example on our free visit day, we welcomed 40 people from a summer school for refugees in Aarhus.”

Jens Kristian Sørensen, a SommerOase camper and local teacher, said that for him, “SommerOase is a chance for renewal and challenge in my faith. It’s time to relax and spend time with friends, but also time to grow in my faith in God.”

Take a moment to thank God for the summer camps and retreats that have taken place across Denmark this summer, and thank God for the uncommonly sunny weather. (Summer rain is often the norm.)

And be sure to take a moment to view the SommerOase video here. It showcases some of the families, young people, and worship times. It’s encouraging to watch, even if you don’t understand the brief testimonies. And…

PRAY for lasting results in families and churches as Danes return from the refreshment of a summer event. PRAY that SommerOase and other summer gatherings would mark new beginnings in revival throughout the rest of the year.

PRAY for the young people who trusted Christ for the first time, that they would find continuing opportunities to grow in their new faith. PRAY that they would grow, despite opposition from family or friends, and despite temptations or distractions around them.

PRAY also for others who made renewed commitments, that God would show them practical steps to growing spiritually in their everyday lives.

THANK GOD for SommerOase, and continue to lift up its leadership -- including Karsten Bach -- in prayer.

Closed Doors... or Open?

A few weeks ago, people travelled from all across Denmark to attend what may have been the last official worship service at Samuels Kirke (Samuel's Church) in Copenhagen. Along with 16 other church buildings across the country, the handsome brick landmark on Thorsgade was being closed and put up for private sale -- a first in Danish history. 

Actually, churches in the poorest of condition have been torn down before, says Hans Raun Iversen, a lecturer in theology at Københavns Universitet. But “now we can say that the folkekirke is going on the open market. This is something new.” 

Deadline for bidding on the Copenhagen landmark was June 21, and a winning bidder has still not been announced by the Kirkefondet (Church Foundation), the building’s owners. The deal is being handled by Colliers International, a private real estate firm. But church officials have promised the building may not necessarily go to the highest bidder -- only to the one they feel is the best match. In other words, other churches or cultural groups were welcome to bid, and the government might not object to the building becoming a museum, perhaps. But we’ll probably not see any grocery stores or discos in the lovely whitewashed Samuels Kirke sanctuary, with its traditional sailing ship hanging from the ceiling and an imposing statue of Jesus in the entry.

“It’s not about getting the highest price,” explains the foundation’s former general secretary, Morten Skrubbeltrang. “Even though the buildings are well-sited.” 

Then what is it about? Manu Sareen, the government’s Minister for Equality and Church, expresses another view of the closures. “It’s important to remind ourselves that closing a church is actually a strengthening of the church,” he told interchurch.dk. “We must make sure that we use our resources wisely. A closed church can perhaps re-open as a parish center or a day-care center, or it can be taken over by other church denominations.” 

We’ll have to wait to see what happens. Will the Samuels Kirke building ever be filled with worshippers again? Or will it become a quiet repository of antiques and stained glass windows, a reminder that the people who built a gathering place for praise… are long gone? 

Join us in praying that Samuels Kirke and the other buildings will find new life as houses of worship, and that they’ll be once more filled with songs of praise to Jesus. 

PRAY for wisdom for the members of Denmark’s Kirkefondet, that they would favor offers from Bible-believing churches as they sell off the buildings. 

PRAY for funding, that God would open doors for the fellowships He wants in those buildings. 

PRAY for unity, boldness, and a renewed focus on outreach among believers. Despite what sounds like bad news, this could be an unanticipated avenue for building up God’s church in Denmark.

Songs From the Living Room

Several weeks ago, television viewers across Denmark got a taste of a uniquely Danish worship sound, led in part by a popular young worship leader in Aarhus, Arvid Asmussen. Televised services from his church, Aarhus Valgmenighed, offered an interesting contrast to traditional Danish church services, as the young band led the congregation in original Danish hymns with a modern twist. A healthy mixture of families, young people, and older folks joined in song while TV2’s cameras covered the services. Some of the lyrics were based in “Den Danske Salmebog” (The Danish Psalmbook), other times original choruses were added to the mix.

Word is getting around, and so are the new, easy-to-sing hymns. Other congregations are adopting the tunes. And now ten of the most popular songs have been released on Arvid’s first CD, “Nye Salmer fra Dagligstuen” (New Psalms from the Living Room”).

Why the living room? “There’s something informal about the living room,” explains Arvid. “It’s the place where we don’t just see the backs of each other’s necks, as in a worship service. But it’s where we look each other in the eye, and where we share life with those who know us. Where we’re honest with each other. We may not be wearing our Sunday best. We’re just the way we are.”

One example of Arvid and company’s sound is posted on YouTube as a music video: “Fra Hjerteslag til Hjerteslag” (From Heartbeat to Heartbeat). Opening as a quiet hymn of dependence on the Lord (“From heartbeat to heartbeat, give us life,”) the tune graduates to an upbeat celebration among a company of young people obviously enjoying the opportunity to praise God.

Another tune on the record, “Jeg vil ikke glemme dig” (“I will not forget you”) opens with a confession that so many of our problems begin when we forget the Lord, and a heartfelt prayer of appreciation to the God who never, ever forgets us. Even if you don’t understand all the words, you may enjoy watching as the tune is recorded at FinlandStudio last February.

“It starts with a couple of songs that deal with how God actually sees us,” says Arvid about the album. “About how he sings over us, before we sing to him. That he looks upon us with a father’s eyes. There are some songs that express both our lament and our need, but which also express God’s faithfulness in the midst of it all. And the record ends with a couple of songs that give legs for faith to stand on. Songs about surrender to God. About how his will must happen in our lives, and about Jesus as the hope -- not just for us, but for the whole world.”

So fortunately it doesn’t stop there. This September, Arvid is focused on discipling and training another generation of worship leaders through the “Kantoriet” program in Aarhus, in operation since 2011. Though the program is already successful regionally, preparing nearly 30 leaders from 15 different fellowships (mainly around Aarhus), it’s recently been redesigned to expand its reach to churches and worship leaders Denmark-wide. Plans are to meet with prospective leaders and interested musicians in several weekend gatherings, then follow up with online “huddles” in a focus on local fellowships.

“I’m looking forward to this journey with praise song leaders from the entire country, and passing along everything I know about being a singer of praises,” says Arvid. “In private, in the living room, and in public.”

Will God use this movement to help fuel revival in Denmark? 

PRAY for Kantoriet, the upcoming new praise and worship training session, that God’s Spirit would breathe new life into the Danish church through the surrendered lives of young (and older) believers. 

PRAY that God would prepare more and more Danish Christians to be people of praise. 

PRAY that God would provide funding for everyone who should attend this year’s Kantoriet session, and pray that each attendee would return to their congregation energized to lead uniquely Danish praise.

Retirement... Now What?

Some 150 worshippers crowded into the fellowship hall last May 26 at Odense’s landmark Baptist church, Kristuskirken, to celebrate Bjarne and Lise Willer’s four decades of service, and to hear Bjarne preach his last official sermon as their senior pastor. Bjarne and Lise’s family joined the reception afterwards, along with church family and representatives from Baptist churches in Fyn and free churches in Odense. 

In many ways, however, Bjarne’s retirement brings up a critical question for a growing number of Danish churches: Who will replace his generation of church leadership, around the country?

The Willers had served in Odense for the past 11 years, though Bjarne started out with the “Baptisternes Ungdomsforbund” (“Baptist Youth Federation”) in the early 1970s. He still hopes to preach and translate in this active fellowship, which hosts several multi-ethnic congregations. For his final “official” sermon, he reminded listeners of their commitment to share Christ with those around them, in their everyday lives. It’s an obligation he believes all believers face, even into retirement years.

We can certainly now pray for the Baptist Church in Odense as they anticipate new leadership. At the same time, let’s pray for Bible-believing churches all across Denmark as they face a key challenge: 

Who will lead these fellowships to reach out and make disciples… that will make even more disciples?


PRAY for Bjarne and Lise Willer as their ministry changes during retirement.
 
PRAY for wisdom as the Odense Baptists face decisions about their church leadership.
 
PRAY that churches in Odense will take Bjarne’s parting sermon to heart, and continue to reach out in the name of Christ – to neighbors, co-workers, immigrants, and others.

Get on the Bus!

Cafébussen (The Café Bus) is coming to Copenhagen this summer, headlining a special five-day outreach and street evangelism campaign. From June 30 to July 4,  “Calling Copenhagen” will train teens to share their faith, then provide evangelism opportunities in a street café and more. How can this kind of outreach effort affect the church in Denmark? Sponsored by the Indre Mission renewal movement, Christians of all ages are also welcome to participate.

PRAY that God will prepare the hearts of young (and older) Christians to reach out to those who need Christ. 

PRAY for boldness and a movement of God's Spirit among young people in the church.

PRAY that many will come to know Jesus as a result of the summer campaign.