Denmark's Island of Bornholm

Bornholm, the most eastern part of Denmark, is situated in the Baltic Sea 94 miles southeast of Copenhagen and 24 miles south of Sweden. The island has a land area of approximately 227 sq. miles and a coastline of approximately 87 miles. The current population estimate is 45,000. Rønne, the largest town and the island’s capitol, has a population of 16,000. Smaller towns include, Nexø, Gudhjem, Allinge-Sandvig, Aakirkeby, Svaneke, Listed, Hasle, Snogebæk, Dueodde, and Arnager. Bornholm has been called Denmark’s “Crown Jewel.”

The landscape of Bornholm includes rolling wheat fields and thick forests in the center of the island. The coastline is rugged with many small fishing villages and dangerous cliffs that dip down into the sea. Two thirds of the island is granite. The northern sector is very rocky while in the south the landscape changes to gently rolling and fertile farmland. The southern coastline has powdery white sand beaches. Fishing is a major industry.

The Lutheran State Church (Folkekirke) is the most prominent of Bornholm’s churches with 22 parishes located throughout the island; many of the Lutheran churches are centuries old. Bornholm is famous for its four whitewashed Round Churches (Rundkirke). The Danish Lutheran revival movements Indre Mission, Evangelisk Luthersk Missionsforening, Luthersk Missionsforening are active and have mission houses and ministries at various localities on the island. Significantly, Luthersk Missionsforening had its origins in 1868 on the island of Bornholm.

Though relatively few in number, a free church presence is maintained by Baptist (www.baptistkirkenbornholm.dk/), Methodist (www.roenne-metodistkirke.dk/), Missionskirken/Mission Covenant (www.missionskirken.dk/), Pinsekirken/Pentecostal (www.pinsekirken-tejn.dk/ and www.pinsekirken-bornholm.dk/) churches, mainly in the capitol city Rønne. A Syvende Dags Adventistkirke/Seventh Day Adventist Church is located in outlying Tejn (www.tejnadventkirke.dk). Frelsens Hær (Danish Salvation Army) has ministered on the island for many years. Further information regarding the history of Christianity on the island may be found on the website at http://www.kma-bornholm.dk/kultur/ (in Danish only).

PRAY, as for all of Denmark, for a sweeping spiritual awakening on the island of Bornholm.

PRAY that believers and their pastors and leaders will be committed to aggressive but culturally sensitive evangelism to reach every town and hamlet on Bornholm for Christ.

PRAISE GOD for the Christian radio network (BKN, Bornholms Kristne Nærradio) that operates on Bornholm with the participation of several of the Lutheran revival organizations and free church denominations (see www.bkn.nu/).

Heartfelt Prayer for Denmark at Eastertime

On Easter Sunday, the sun will rise in the east and make its way bringing the light of dawn across Denmark from Bornholm to Esbjerg, just at it did over Palestine and Jerusalem two thousand years ago. When the sun rose then, it was a day such as the world has never known--it was Resurrection Day! The disheartened band of disciples experienced a thrilling, life-changing moment when it dawned on them that the crucified Christ had truly risen from the dead!

Any human life that recognizes the fact that Jesus Christ the Son of God died for our sins and rose bodily from the grave can also have just such a life-changing experience. The New Testament makes that clear: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9, 10, NIV).” Membership in a church and putting trust in its rites can in no way guarantee eternal salvation--only personal faith and trust in Christ brings salvation.

Easter Sunday in Denmark will see many Danes making their way to church services, some out of the continuing thrill of having met and known the Risen Christ personally and others merely out of curiosity, family tradition or holiday sentiment. There are not many in Denmark today who know and have experienced Christ in a genuine personal and life-changing way--thank God, there are some. A country once evangelized is always in danger in succeeding generations of cooling off and engulfing itself in a tradition of belief about Christ without personal trust and commitment in Him as Savior and Lord. That could change in Denmark through spiritual revival and a renewal of evangelical faith. We earnestly pray that it will.

PRAY that the Spirit of God will hover over Denmark from one end of the country to the other to make Easter observances this year not merely the trappings of a traditional and sentimental holiday but a day when the crucified and risen Christ becomes a personal reality for many.

PRAY for a great outpouring of God’s revival blessing everywhere throughout Denmark this Easter with many coming “to know Christ and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).