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.