Wednesday, July 23, 2014

A Church Building for 18 Cents


Believers around the small coastal town of Løgstør (population 4,284) knew they had outgrown the old school building they’d been meeting in since 2004. So they gathered their finances and bought a new church building … for 1 krone.

About 18 cents.

The 18-cent church building
Of course, the transaction with a gracious seller was largely symbolic. And this growing fellowship in coastal northern Sjaelland is putting the new space to good use. But there’s something else that’s quite different about Løgstør Frikirke (Free Church).


Just the fact that they’re growing is unusual enough. After all, Løgstør isn’t a big city like København or Aarhus, and they don’t draw from large urban crowds. But every Sunday their church bus visits surrounding small towns of Hornum, Års, Farsø, and Ranum, gathering worshippers.

The church was started in 2001 by Birgit and Ove Petersen, along with their friend Ejnar Kristensen, who had been praying earnestly for his hometown of Løgstør for the previous 10 years.

Pastor Brodersen
Today his prayers are being answered in the charismatic fellowship that’s built around small groups and enthusiastic outreach. They describe themselves as a “living, multiethnic fellowship of believers” and they see people’s differences as a blessing, never a hindrance. One look at their worship service tells the story. Besides Pastor René Brodersen, staff includes Justin Shiko Lokana and Bhim Bahhadur Baraily -- hardly typical Danish names.

The multi-ethnic emphasis is their strength. Pray that they will continue to grow in their “new” building, offering a radical example of unity to unchurched people in their region of Denmark.

PRAY for Pastor Brodersen, for wisdom and vision as this local church reaches out across racial and ethnic lines.

PRAY for unity in this church, that their small groups would attract a wonderful mix of people who need and love Jesus.

PRAY for Løgstør Free Church leadership, for unity in vision and purpose.

PRAY that young people and others who attended this year’s summer camp (July 12-18), will now grow in their faith.

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