The traditional mission house is being reimagined today in out-of-the-way Danish towns like Thisted and Lemvig, in the north part of the country—and believers there are hopeful they’ll regain a more prominent role in community life. In the town of Thy, that means rebuilding their old building from the ground up, and looking for new ways to reach out.
Brian Christensen, a local pastor and leader in the Lutheran renewal movement, says the goal is to “reach out to a larger portion of the community with the gospel.”
In Thy, the old building is being physically rebuilt, but Christians there are also dreaming of rebuilding the programs that building can offer. Children’s festivals. Café evenings. Casual men’s gatherings. And much more.
“We’re trying different things to see what works,” said Christensen.
The renovated building will also play a larger role as a community center. And that’s especially important in this more rural area of the country where young families are known to leave—sometimes for lack of job opportunities, but also for lack of social opportunities. What is there for kids and families to do here? The new community center renovation aims to help fill some of those gaps, and will hopefully give Christians a new kind of venue to reach their community for Christ.
PRAY for the new community center in Agger Strand, slated to reopen this summer.
PRAY that believers from different churches will come together in this new venue and use it creatively for outreach events.
PRAY that the new center will help draw young families and others back into the community.
PRAY that the new center’s owner, Lars Møller, will continue to see the vision of a cooperative private/church use of the building.
PRAY that all ages will meet Jesus Christ at this new place.