Dear Friends
I have a new email address and computer. The change over has been challenging – entering over 1,700 names into the new address book, getting used to a new system, transferring thousands of files, etc. One of the benefits of letting all know my new address is that I have received emails from some that I have not heard from for some time. (Read Caféchurch MEMBER SHARES HIS TESTIMONY! Thanks Keth.)
This NEWS has 3 exciting reports from Denmark – one from a new church plant in Jyderup. This is encouraging. And, read below of ‘REMIX.’ I invite all planters to really focus their prayers upon the planters and plants in Denmark this week. Ask God to pour out His Spirit upon these plants.
Christian regards
Peter Roennfeldt
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CHURCH PLANTING NEWS – 22 June 04
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In this NEWS …
# ‘REMIX’ REACHES TEENS!
# JYDERUP GROUP (Denmark) – FIRST BAPTISM!
# Caféchurch MEMBER SHARES HIS TESTIMONY!
# SMALL GROUPS CONFERENCE – PLANNED FOR FRIEDENSAU
# SABBATHS AT THE JORDAN – MANY FIND ‘SHALOM’ (PEACE)
# YOUTH CONGRESS WILL FEATURE CHURCH PLANTING!
# “The Da Vinci Code” – CREATIVE OUTREACH WITH POST-MODERNS
# RE:VIVE Café Church RE:PORT – FRIENDSHIPS!
‘REMIX’ REACHES TEENS!
Here is an exciting report from ‘Remix’ – the church being planted forunchurched teens in north-west Copenhagen. “We had our second ‘Remix’ teenage worship service. Eight teenagers received Jesus as their Saviour,” reports planter Tina Kjeldal. “We are now helping them to get to know Him more. They are all from non-church or non-Christian backgrounds, so they know very little. But they are so curious and come every week to our ‘Explorer Gold’ – and, we are seeing how seriously they have taken their decision and how much it means to 13 year old kids when they have said ‘yes’ to something.”
Last week the kids wanted to know who the Holy Spirit is! They spentan evening reading selected Bible verses to each other – learning to know the Holy Spirit. “We love this work and our teens,” Tina says.
JYDERUP GROUP (Denmark) – FIRST BAPTISM!
The small group committed to planting a new church in Jyderup, Denmark witnessed their first baptism on June 5. The group has met each Tuesday night in a home in Jyderup, a small town west of Holbaek, for the last two years. Before his baptism, the elderly man said, “It is incredible that God will accept a person like me.” He also shared with the group, “Before I returned my tithes I was always in debt, and would sometimes go without food toward the end of the month. Now when I am faithful to my Lord I always have more than I have ever had before.” He is so happy for the new faith and wonderful fellowship he has found.
The group is led by Ingelis Jensen, Bible Worker in Roskilde and Holbaek districts, and Hanna Grarup, Sabbath School superintendent in Holbaek Church. Their target group are middle age and elderly people. There are regularly 8-14 people present – with about half being unchurched.
Bible studies and some public presentations have attracted the people – with studies in the book of Revelation, ‘New Start into Life’ and other courses. One Sabbath each month the group meets for worship. An unchurched member of the group has opened his home for the group. He cleared and redecorated a room and rearranged his furniture, so that the group would have room enough for their Bible studies. He bought a new piano anda copying machine for the group to use. “There is a wonderful feeling of spiritual fellowship and solidarity,” reports Sven Hagen Jensen – secretary of the church in Denmark. “This week they just had an outing together and enjoyed each others company.”
Caféchurch MEMBER SHARES HIS TESTIMONY!
“Life in Caféchurch Copenhagen is developing well,” writes Keth Paananen. “We have had a lot of new young people coming. God is good.”
Keth says, “It is wonderful to awake every morning to a new day together with my Lord Jesus, God my Father and with his Holy Spirit living in me. I am thankful for being a part of a living church based on a love relation with God.”
SMALL GROUPS CONFERENCE – PLANNED FOR FRIEDENSAU
Following the Church Planters X-Change to be held at Friendesau, Germany (for Britain, the Netherlands & Germany) – there will be a 3-day small groups conference (30 July – 1 August 04). David Cox, Rudy Dingjan and Frank Waldschmidt have been planning the details of the X-Change and Small Group Conference – and IT WILL BE GOOD.
SABBATHS AT THE JORDAN – MANY FIND ‘SHALOM’ (PEACE) I have just received an email with pictures of another baptism (June 19) in the Jordan. Planters Olga & Michael Murga ask for your prayers for God to meet the growing importance of equipping these children of Abraham to grow and share in faith. Last week I had received a message and pictures from Richard Elofer – church planting leader for Israel. “I was in Yardenit with some 200 of our members attend a tavila service (immersion service) in the Jordan River,” wrote Elofer. It is becoming a weekly custom!
YOUTH CONGRESS WILL FEATURE CHURCH PLANTING!
Church planting will be high on the agenda of the European Youth Congress in Wroclaw, Poland (4-8 August) this summer. The theme for the congress is ‘YOUTH 4 ACTION’ – providing opportunities for youth involved in church planting to share their experiences and encourage others to get involved.
“The Da Vinci Code” – CREATIVE OUTREACH WITH POST-MODERNS
Ryan Bell, pastor of Bucks County Church, PA, reports that a dozen people have signed up for a series of studies that will examine the issues of a lost gospel mentioned in the book “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown.This fictional story appears to include some historical information that feeds scepticism about the Bible.
Speaking of “The Da Vinci Code,” the June 1, 2004, issue of The Christian Century has a cover story about dismantling “The Da Vinci Code.” Check out the article “Gospel Fantasy” by Mark S. Burrows at www.christiancentury.org
RE:VIVE Café Church RE:PORT – FRIENDSHIPS!
God is doing some wonderful things. A week ago I met church planters and leaders at the Pennsylvania Camp Meeting – and this last Sabbath visited Grantham (England). There I spent a very encouraging afternoon with the RE:VIVE Café Church planting team and Grantham pastor, John Ferguson. The team members are focused upon widening their circle of friendship – and, it is reported, “It is working!”
I also picked up a copy of the just-released ‘RE:PORT : re:vive café church newsletter – iss. 1.’ This was hot off the press. Not sure how many thousands of copies they printed – but, I got a copy and enjoyed the read! It is designed to keep other members of the established church informed and praying. Good idea.