Much to my amazement, in surfing the web one day I came across the Bøn for Danmark webpage of Birgitte Steffensen-Thomasen (www.boenfordanmark.dk). That caught my attention immediately because Bøn for Danmark is the exact Danish equivalent of Pray for Denmark. Birgitte is a member of Karlslunde Strandkirken (www.strandkirken.dk/), located near Copenhagen, a new, nontraditional and dynamic Spirit-led congregation functioning within the Folkekirke, Denmark’s Lutheran state church. I have since been in correspondence with Brigitte about her webpage and her vision about prayer for her country. Here is the origin of her ideas and of her vision as she recounts it, edited a bit here and there for clarity:“[Birgitte writes], I got this vision for a year and a half ago when my family and I went skiing in Norway. While there, I felt I should pray for my country and I did. I prayed, I fought the Enemy, et cetera, and after some I felt fatigue from it. I knew I had obeyed, but it was clear to me that I did not break through in any area of my prayer. Then I felt God spoke to me over a period of time. To pray for salvation, revival, and the coming of the Kingdom of God is not to be done by just one person alone––it is a task for the whole church. When the prayer answer comes we will be part of it and receive it knowing we all had a part in praying for it. If not, we will stand by skeptically watching what those involved in the breakthrough prayed for. So Bøn for Danmark tries to encourage all churches and Christian fellowships in Denmark to participate, whether free or Folkekirke.
“The idea is that every church in Denmark chooses two concerns for our country and then commit themselves to pray for them. That means that when you pray for those two concerns which means you have 25 churches involved you will cover 50 concerns in prayer!. We will stand together side by side and know that when I at home pray for those two concerns my church will be praying for them and I will sense I am not praying alone. I pray with all the others from my church for these concerns for our country and we are also praying with all the other churches involved.
“A lot of Christian give up praying for their country because they don’t know where to start or end, but the Bøn for Danmark plan is meant to be a help. Now I can send my little prayer to the Father along with all the others from my church and the other churches and it is really important that I pray with them too. Bøn for Danmark believes that there are enough Christians in Denmark to pray God’s Kingdom through, but two things are need: One, all of us need to be involved and not just the ‘super prayer-people' or some churches. Two, we need to know what we pray for. That is the vision and the idea behind getting each of the churches to pray for two areas of concern for the country.
“I do spread the vision around when I speak, and a few Christian groups are now involved plus my own church (Karlslunde Strandkirke). I do believe that a lot of churches in coming years will join in our effort. I believe that the Bøn for Denmark concept is very powerful and could be spread abroad even.”
God is at work in Denmark in ways that sometimes are all but imperceptible to us. Birgitte’s idea is quite simple and has yet to really catch on. What impresses me is that God has laid this on her heart and she is following through with it. We should never despise the day of small things when God is in it. Let’s back her up in prayer for the success of this venture of faith and obedience. It pleases me that this is an initiative that comes straight from the heart of a godly, praying woman within the Danish Folkekirke. Praise the Lord!
PRAY that Birgitte’s prayer initiative, as outlined above, will soon catch on with many Folkekirke and free congregations throughout Denmark.
PRAY that the Lord will give Birgitte great wisdom in discovering strategies to help expand and promote her prayer initiative throughout the country.
PRAY that this may be a genuine breakthrough, yet another step toward revival, renewal, and evangelism in Denmark.