Evangelist John 4:35 (NLT) But I say wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest
No 3 :: September 2009 :: www.evangelist.dk
8 pages report from
Alternative Summer Festival
Testimonies
Kenneth was a ticking bomb Surplus energi after a life in pain Banker: I invest my life in God
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Children in the slum
Visiting pastor Paul Mbugua, august 2009.
Christian Hedegaard preaching in the slum of Nairobi.
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Evangelist attended the annual conference with F.E.M. in Nairobi. Dr. Ron Kenoly was there leading the worship.
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Responsible publisher Christian Hedegaard Editoriel Staff Karen Hedegaard · kh@evangelist.dk Eva Maria Jørgensen · et@evangelist.dk Anette Meiner-Madsen – am@evangelist.dk Photografers Mette Aakermann, Jon Henriksen, a.o. Layout mail@giraffe.dk
Sunday morning service in New Generation Church, Sofia, Bulgaria, august 2009.
Events
September 17 Partner dinner on the Faroese Islands
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October 9
Hotel Føroyar, Oyggjarvegur 45, Thorshavn Revival Meeting Lena Løbner on the Faroese Islands Getsemane in Klaksvík Revival Meeting Christian Hedegaard Tvøroyri Lena Løbner preaching in Aglow Nakskov
Prayer Night in Powerhouse Strøvej 89-91, 3330 Gørløse
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Christian Hedegaard in Sweden Worship with Lena Løbner in Holstebro Worship in Haderslev
November Christian Hedegaard in 1-4 7 28
Port St. Joey, Florida
Womens meeting in Powerhouse Strøvej 89-91, 3330 Gørløse
Partners dinner in Jylland Hotel Legoland
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donkeys Steal some
”Go into the next village, where you will find a young donkey that has never been ridden. Untie the donkey and bring it here. If anyone asks why you are doing that, just say, “The Lord needs it.” They went off and found everything just as Jesus had said. While they were untying the donkey, its owners asked, “Why are you doing that?” They answered, “The Lord needs it.” God knows everything about us and our lives. And if we will allow Him to have the first priority in our lives and follow Him as His disciples, then every day can be an adventure. The quote above is taken from the account in the gospel of Luke where Jesus asks his disciples to go into a village and untie a donkey. Just imagine! It might sound quite innocent, but what Jesus actually asks them to do is to steal a donkey. The donkey
they are going to fetch is a donkey belonging to a man whom they do not know. They have to go and find a tiedup donkey and if anybody asks them why they are taking it, they were told to say that “The Lord needs it.” The obedience of the disciples provokes and challenges me. The assignment which Jesus gave them was against the law. It says in Exodus 20:15, “Do not steal.” And the disciples, who were orthodox Jews, knew that very well. Imagine the discussion they must have had on their way into the village. “But we cannot do this”... “But Jesus says so”... Imagine the reaction to this crazy mission! What would you do if
you had been asked to do something this controversial? That kind of obedience takes courage! The “donkey mission” the disciples had is a very tangible teaching about living a life of obedience and faith: Faith is equal to movement. The disciples were told to go into the village. In other words they had to begin to move in a specific direction to find what Jesus had talked about. Faith is manifesting in the physical. The disciples went out to find a donkey. This means that when you seek then you will find. Steps in faith will always manifest in the physical. It might be that the donkey did not usually stand outside the house tied to a pole. But precisely this morning, the owner had an indescribable urge to tie up his donkey outside, exactly as Jesus had said. Faith in action creates reaction. The disciples had to be prepared for a reaction from the owner of the donkey, and it might be negative at first. You cannot expect other people to clap their hands when what you preach creates consequences in their personal lives. It was the “horse power” of the man, which the disciples came to get. Would you voluntarily let your car get stolen? Faith challenges. When the donkeyowner saw and heard that “the Lord needs it,” then the unexpected happened. Instead of protesting, he put his equipment at the Lord’s disposal and he became a co-worker for the gospel. The obedience of faith, which he saw in the disciples, created obedience in his own life. And because of the donkey-owner, Jesus was able to ride into Jerusalem in splendor, while people celebrated him and shouted “Hosanna, Son of David” If we walk by the Word of God and are outspoken, then we will be rewarded
accordingly. The disciples got a donkey, and they were allowed to see the Word of God come true. They saw the miracle happen right before their eyes, but they did not get there in their sleep. They had to move; taking steps in faith and taking a risk. When Jesus asks us to do something, then we have to do it no matter what reaction it may lead to. We have to be on the edge, where the adventure is, and there miracles happen. It is when you and I move that unsaved people are encouraged to give their lives to Jesus and follow him. But how are they able to follow our faith if we, as Christians, do not lead the way? How can we talk about truth if we do not believe it? How are we able to show the way if we are not walking in the way? How are we able to give life to them if we do not live it ourselves? A wise man once said that FAITH is spelled R-I-S-K. We must return to a lifestyle where there is a risk connected with being a Christian. No more “nice Christian life” where we do not dare speak, act or confront. Let us move and “steal” some donkeys, and make our lives worth imitating, in a way that makes new co-workers rise in the Kingdom of God. Let us, together, make way for the King who is coming, that He again is able to come in splendor. The world awaits the revealed glory of the Lord. The question is: What are we waiting for? And how long does Jesus have to wait before we, as his disciples, step out in faith, believing the word He has spoken?!
Christian Hedegaard Evangelist by the great grace of God. Introduction · 3
Locked up as a mental patient
Kenneth was a ticking
bomb When, at the age of 20, Kenneth started his education in building construction, he changed from being a normal, hard working student into a “Ticking Bomb.” He began to hear voices and lived a life of fear. Text
Anette Meiner-Madsen
Photo Jon Henriksen
Kenneth Lövaas’ story began in a small town close to Kristiansand in the South of Norway. His parents were divorced before he was born, and so he grew up with only his mother. Though his father lived in the same town as them, they had no contact for some reason. - Well you can say that I had a kind of burdened childhood. If not for my mother’s prayers, then I would not have been here today.. She did all that she could for me, Kenneth says as an introduction. - Many things were tough for me, when I was growing up. I was teased in school, and I had no one to talk to about it. My father was a missing part of my life; he was not there to teach me how to do things. Sometimes I reacted in a way that other people did not understand. Very often I was misunderstood. Probably my friends in class thought that I was an idiot.
No more feelings Kenneth learned to forget all that had hurt him. - I kept inside myself, and turned off my feelings. The years of my youth passed by with friends and girls, partying and drinking…a normal
4 · Testimony
teenage life. I acted very calm and well among these people. However, at home when the mask fell of, I was very often a madman, who shouted loudly and slammed the doors. When I turned 20, I moved to a nearby city. I was grown up now, and I needed a new start in life. I rented a house along with two friends, and started an education as a construction engineer. It went very well at first, but before long, problems began lining up. My relationship with my two housemates deteriorated, my girlfriend dumped me, and all the things from my past that I had tried to forget began to show up again. Over a period of four-five months, Kenneth changed from being a normal, hard working student, into a “Ticking Bomb.” He began to hear voices and lived a life of fear.
Really wanted to make it Sometimes you have to come so far out, to be able to see your own misery. I did not know how far out I really was - It was like I jumped from a 100-meter tall diving board, and was on the way down very fast. In the midst of all this misery, however, I went to the math exam, and got one of the best grades. So I guess I was not such an idiot.
Kenneth thinks about his life. - I could not handle my own life. I chose to move back to my mother. She encouraged me to try again; she told me not to give up. I really wanted to make it. I really wanted to “put myself back together”. I moved back again, just to experience that everything would go wrong. My feelings were all ruined; I was so afraid of not being good enough. I was discouraged, and it developed into depression.
Seeking help from Evangelist My mom prayed for me and brought me to some Christian meetings. I was set free, but did not live a life in repentance, and did not want Jesus right at that moment. Therefore, nothing changed. One day some Danish people came to visit Kristiansand. Mom brought me to a meeting where they prayed for my left leg, which was 1.5 cm shorter than the other one, because of an accident, several operations, lots of metal and a long lasting treatment with antibiotics. It was Lena Løbner who prayed for my leg. The leg grew out. After the meeting in Kristiansand, Kenneth was offered help from Evangelist. - I was desperate for help, but not
ready to receive Jesus as my Savior. Anyway, I went to Denmark, because I knew that I needed help! Kenneth tells. - I was having a very hard time when I arrived to Gørløse. I heard voices, and saw things that did not exist. At the same time, I was becoming part of a fellowship of Christians who believed in healing. By daily worship and praise, I was filled with the Word of God. Slowly, I felt better and the voices in my head began to disappear. I was offered to go to Vildkildegaard, which was a rehab center for men, at that time. Continually, it was the worship that was really changing my life. However, the things which were required of me as part of the treatment there provoked my rebellion and pride. I refused to do what they told me to. I felt sorry for myself, and did not feel good with working as a team. When I look back at that time, I was impossible to work with!
At the locked ward After one year in Denmark, I went home to Norway. I really felt down, had a hard time, and therefore was admitted into the locked ward in
Kenneth grew up in Norway. He experienced the power of God for the first time at a meeting with Evangelist.
Arendal. This was because I was a threat to myself. One month later, I was moved to the open, psychotic part in Kristiansand. The three months I was there were pure hell. I took all the medication that I could get, my feelings were burning, and I constantly had anxiety in my body which made it difficult for me to stay in my bed. They diagnosed me and gave me lots of pills. The pills took me away from the problems. They came and talked to me everyday. But there was no hope. They told me that my sickness could not be healed. There was no new point of view for my life. One thing is for sure: I am never going back there again! My mom saw how bad I felt, and did everything to get me out of there. The doctors saw that I was no longer violent or a threat to myself, so then they let me leave.
A glimpse of hope After all this, Kenneth went for treatment in Sweden for two-three months. - It did not go very well; they tried to help me, but I was not healed and I was still fighting with the same things, Kenneth says. - My stepfather tried to talk to me. I
think he tried to help me, but I was too proud and had a very bad temper. I was not able to be reached. It ended up that Kenneth was put back in the open ward again. But this time it was different. - All of a sudden, the anxiety disappeared, the voices were gone, and I was no longer psychotic. I think it was God, who did it. I know my mom prayed for me at home. The doctors thought: “What has happened to Kenneth?” Then they asked me, if I thought that there was anything they could help me with. Because I could now talk to them in a normal way, they let me go. But I was still not healthy. I was still suffering from the unhealed sickness that the doctors had told me about. The wounds from my childhood, and my absent dad were still hurting. I was sad that I had lost my chance in Denmark, and that I had not done what they told me to. I was so embarrassed that I had been so childish. It was my own fault. I was about to give up, and lost hope that it would ever be possible for me to feel good.
I gave up Kenneth moved to his grandfather’s, where he lived for two-three months,
and then he ended up living in an apartment alone. That time he had given up on getting help and did not even care about life. He slept at day time and was awake in the night. Some insurance money gave him the opportunity to begin to play poker, attempting to run away from the pain inside. Kenneth lost 250,000 D.kr. playing poker. – My friends did not want to have anything to do with me any longer. Even the guys I played poker with thought that I had become worse. I was egotistic and selfish and they did not want to have contact with me either. I think you have to be careful not to fill your life with stuff that really is an attempt to run away, Kenneth says. - It is one thing is to play poker with money - you can get poor by doing that, but even a simple computer game cannot give anything good to your life, it is just empty! I was really lonely without friends. I was still alone in my apartment, and the wounds inside of me were still hurting. Maybe the loneliness was good for me, maybe it was the plan of God - it got me so far out that I finally got tired of myself. I decided to do something. I wanted to rise up. I tried to do that in my own power. My uncles also wanted to help
me. I started job training. Kenneth shakes his head. - It just did not work. I could not do it myself. I couldn’t. Right at that moment, I gave up. I gave up my own efforts. That day I said to God: “I give up now.” I prayed for Him to give me a new chance.
Desperate for a change Kenneth’s mom called Evangelist, and asked if Kenneth could come back. He was denied. They said that he was impossible to work with. Kenneth felt the desperation for a new life building up inside of him, and the thought of God who could give him a new chance made him call the leader of Vildkildegaard himself. - I told him that I really didn’t have a life and that I really wanted changing this time. I think my desperation reached the other end of the phone line, because he gave me a new chance. God gave me a new chance! Again I was a part of a fellowship where worship to God filled me up and cleansed me inside. I was among people who believed in a future for me, they believed that there was hope, they believed in healing, new starts and a new life. Most of
Testimony · 5
them had experienced God in that way. My decision to do what they told me to really had to show a difference from last time. Every time I was asked to do something, fixing practical stuff, to help somehow, I felt the rebellion rising inside of me as a fist. But I had made a decision, so I looked away from my feelings and did as they said. Every single time, my rebellion got less and less, and at last it was gone. It is so wonderful being able to do what people ask me to, and just do it in a natural way and even with joy, Kenneth smiles. I worked a lot and thought less of myself and my own problems. In that way, I stopped feeling sorry for myself. My skin which had suffered from a rash, got better. And slowly I got my normal weight back, after I had stopped taking the pills from the mental hospital. I was happier and the discouragement disappeared.
The Word Of God got me on track I moved to Solbjerg, Mors, when Vildkildegaard was closed. Also there, it was the fellowship and the worship which carried me through. At Solbjerg I started education to become a carpenter. Fear was still like a rollercoaster in my life, it went up and down all the time. For example, several days before I was going to have a normal mathematic test, I could walk around and be nervous and afraid of not being good enough; also during the test. But now I had a solution for my problem: the more time I spent with Jesus, the less fear I had. The Word of God and worship keeps getting me back on track every single time. I finished the start of my education, and that was a great victory to me! My self-esteem grew in a positive way, and I completed what I had decided to do! Kenneth is turning his destiny.
- It is not always easy, and sometimes I still fight against the fear and the feeling of not being good enough. I get afraid that I am still the old Kenneth deep inside, that nothing ever changed, and that everything will go wrong. Then it is good to have people around me who can see the prosperity in my life when I can’t see it myself. My good friend Silas tells me that it has become less. I know that he is right.
Done is done, what happened has happened.. Kenneth ends - I cannot change my life. What’s done is done and what happened has happened. I have forgiven my dad. He will come here one day for a visit. I have spoken to him, and we have been writing together a little bit. He wants to see me. I have also forgiven my mother, and we have a good relationship today. With help from God I am no longer
- God gave me a second chance, Kenneth says. After a time of restoration he is now ready for new challenges. 6 · Testimony
suppressed by my childhood, because I know that God loves me - continually - and that He is my Father! When you come closer to God, you stop thinking of what other people think about you. It has been a battle for me not to care about what other people think. I have learned to see myself the right way, through the eyes of God. I was ruined when I was mentally ill, and my identity was following my sickness. When you see yourself as mentally ill, then that’s what you are. But when you see yourself as God’s child, you have your identity in that. Now that I feel better, I can see that I can help people with what I have been through myself. That’s why my life is not wasted. My story can give hope to other people. Today a building job is alright for me; it gives good money. But that is not what my heart is burning for. My dream is to preach to people, travel all around the world and tell people about the hope that I have in Jesus.
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Vælg mellem: Monster En mand og hans kone skal på overlevelsestur. På turen får overlevelse en helt ny betydning. En af den slags spændings-romaner, som du ikke kan lægge fra dig. 407 sider
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Johanna from Holland found joy at Power school:
Surplus Energi after a life in
pain
- I had no friends. My husband was mentally ill, and completely unpredictable. My 2 eldest children were on drugs. I couldn t cope anymore. I ran away from home. Far away, and I wanted to commit suicide. But then I shouted out to God. Tekst Eva Maria Jørgensen Foto
Jon Henriksen
54-year-old Johanna Hanse from Holland hasn t had an easy life. At first she grew up with a father that was violent, and later her husband became mentally ill. Yet she doesn t hesitate to thank God for his loyalty, and to honour Him for the fact that she is alive today. - No matter what I went through, God was there; she tells and begins the story of her life. Johanna speaks English, and the next couple of hours remind me of how fortunate I have been. And that touches me so much that I begin to cry. Johanna Hanse has been living in G¯rl¯se for a year, since she started at Power school last Autumn You can see that she shines of mother love and caring, and although she always wanted to help others, she didn t always have the surplus energy needed.
A tough childhood - My father was always at work. He came home for dinner and then he left again. When he finally came home, 8 · Testimony
he was often angry and broke things. My oldest brother was autistic. But we only realised that after he became an adult. When we were kids we just knew that he and my father couldn8 t get along., Johanna tells and continues: - They were always arguing and fighting. Often it affected us, the children. I had a tiny room with a bed, that was fixed to the wall. I found out very quickly that if I ran into my room, and pulled it down, my father couldn t get me and beat me. My mother was a very quiet woman, that didn’t stand up to her husband. I never felt I that I was loved. I didn’t even get a hug from my mother or my father. Once I went to hospital, because I became very ill, and they just sent a neighbour to pick me up. It broke my heart, she remembers. Johanna speaks easily and slowly. She is not cold, but it is clear that many wounds are worked through and healed long ago - Now I know, that my father reacted so badly because he had been in a concentration camp, during the war, and experienced terrible things, but I
wasn’t aware of that at that time, she explains. She wasn t that old, when she accepted Jesus into her heart and became a Christian. - They came, and put up a big tent in our city, and had Jesus meetings there. I went to the children s meetings, and there I gave my life to Jesus. I felt that there was one who really loved me, and I was looking for love. Johanna tells. Her family were not Christian, but after a couple of years her grand mother came to faith. It was because of her influence that Johanna came to Sunday school, and later to meetings- also at her grand mothers place.
Attempted Rape The teen years were very tough for Johanna. - I didn t have anyone to talk to. I had two girls as friends, but my mother became very jealous of them and forbade me to see them. I was not even allowed to attend the funeral when their mother died.. The situation
between my father and my brother became more violent. I have seen them standing with knives. I was also beaten often, I have been hit with a belt and other things, Johanna sighs. It was a poor family. Johanna wore her mother s dresses, with the wrong side out, and she had to find a job at a very young age. One of the jobs she had was in a shop that her aunt owned. Here there were 2 boys of her own age, that were very interested in girls. One evening, when one of the boys should let Johanna out of the shop, he tried to rape her in the back of the shop. - I was frightened to death, and I had to fight for my life. When I came home and told my mother, she refused to believe me, it was terrible, she remembers and continues: - The same thing happened again, when one of my father s friends touched me in a wrong way. When I told my father, he just said I lied. - It wasn t easy for me to stay with my parents after that. I didn t feel safe. But there was nowhere I could move to. The school was my safe place. I did very well, apart from the exams, where
- No matter what I went through, then God was there. Johanna Hanse tells from Holland.
I was terrified. I had real problems if men were in charge of the exams, Johanna explains. The problems related to exams ruined her 2 first attempts of starting an education. Luckily she got a job in a bank. First as a check out assistant, and later selling insurance. At that time she was 17Ω years old and still living at home.
A glimpse of my life In the middle of all this, Johanna kept holding on to her faith in God. She began to come to the Baptist church 20 kilometres away. Here there was a man, who had a Christian bookshop, and he asked her if she wanted to work for him, which she did. Mostly to get away from home. - For the first time I began to live a little bit. I helped out with the teenagers and with the children s work in the church. It was a the same time, I met my future housebound, Ruud, Johanna remembers. Ruud went to bible school and he had big plans of becoming a missionary. When they met each other during work experience in the church, she got hit by the light and fell in love. The happiness was short, and Johanna s free life ended. One night, after she had been at her parents place for dinner, she got a call late at night where she was told that her mother was dead and her father was injured in a car accident. Testimony · 9
same time it was a relief, to be free from living with a mentally sick man for 8 years, she explains.
Renewal and breakdown
- After 3 months at the Power School in the Autumn of 2008 I came out with renewed dreams and a stronger desire to help people. I didn t want to, but I moved back home. Because there wasn t was anyone else to take care of my father and my little brother. After six months I couldn t cope any more, and Ruud and I decided to marry, Johanna tells.
The story is repeated From her home Johanna had learned that the women should be quiet and in the back. That was how she went into marriage. They were together in the church, were she belonged, and she continued to help with the work in the church. Soon the first baby came, and then the next , and before she knew it they had 4 children. Ruud got a job in a institution for young people with problems, and the children came to a small school, which was good for them. This were perhaps one of the most quiet periods in Johanna s life, but there was still something that was missing. Johanna explains: - I had a desire to know God more; more of the spirit, but my husband didn t feel the same way. He was sure that we had all the spirit that we could get! Ruud enjoyed the work with the young people, but it started to go wrong. The colleagues let him down during
10 · Testimony
a difficult time at work, where he experienced some violent episodes , and it ruined something in him, so he was no longer mentally stabile. - When he was together with other people he was a kind man, and relaxed. But at home he was always after the children and was beating the oldest child. He ruined the chairs, all the cups and plates were broken and many other things. It was as if his personality was split, Johanna explains. At that time they had 6 children. And the 2 oldest were on their way into problems with drugs and the other children were worse. - When I got beaten as a child, I decided not to do the same. But when everything went totally nuts at home, I did it any way. Not as violently, but more than I ever wanted, she admits.
Between darkness and light It was about that time Johanna had had enough and she found herself far away from home. Here she shouted to God, who answered her, and sent her back to her children. - I knew that, I couldn t go on that way. So God showed me a picture from Women s Aglow. (A Christian Union for Women) I went home, and began to go to those meetings, and here I felt Gods
love for me like a blanket around me, she remembers. - It was also here where I heard and learned to speak in tongues for the first time in my life. It was a time where I got back to God, and He told me to ask forgiveness of my children, because I had hit them, Johanna tells. But it didn t change that much at home. Johanna took the family to church, but Ruud was working against her. There was a constant fight between darkness and light. He was making fun of her new found enthusiasm, in front of the children and he went more out into the darkness. He fell in sexual sin, and contacted old friends, and that affected Johanna terribly, physically and psychologically. The children s behaviour worsened, the middle child nearly ran away from home, and the next youngest got a depression, whilst the youngest was also heading for trouble. Johanna went on a vacation to Denmark with Aglow, to get away for a bit. - While I was in Denmark, I suddenly got a phone call telling that my husband had died of a heart attack. I went home immediately, and tried to bring the family together at the funeral. I picked up our old pastor from my hometown, to remind my kids that their father had been a good man once. It was a difficult time, yet at the
Johanna takes a short break in her story. It is now 6 years ago, since Ruud died, and after that there was a long period of healing inside me. Johanna experienced that God made her strong again. She learned how to set people free, something she wished that she had known of when her husband was alive. But the pain wasn t over. 2 of her children wouldn t have anything to do with her. She was glad to be in a new church, and suddenly they turned against her, and one more time she had to start over with no friends or connections. It was at that time God led her to Denmark again. -In a strange way, it ended up that God led me to Power School in the Autumn of 2008. This was a time where I was under Gods wings and got healed again. I cried during those 3 months of school, but I came out with renewed dreams and a stronger desire to help people. - I dream of bringing salvation, healing and freedom to lots of people. Maybe I could get a house for young women, I could take care of them . But there is also something inside me, that burns for mission work out in other countries, she smiles and continues: - Right now I help at the Power School and I am in the Prayer Group in Evangelist. Otherwise I just wish to be here and learn more about putting Gods power into practice. The happy ending to her story isn t written yet, because some of her children still have serious problems. But now there is hope. The joy came back, and now Johanna has surplus energy. Something she hasn t had for many years.
Powerschool start in Goerloese:
On with the 4-wheel drive
The new students from the autumn class started at the Powerschool on 31st August.
If you are stuck in your Christian life then Powerschool is just what you need! Monday the 31st August the new Powerschool class started, and as usual it was a quite special day where the new students came and shared why they had come, and what they are hoping God will do in their lives over the next three months. The class numbers is made up of 25 men and women of all ages, mostly young people, but also a couple of married couples. As usual several nationalities are represented, two Americans, four from the Faroe Islands, one Norwegian, and one from Kenya amongst others, not to mention all the Danish students. The expectations were high when the teachers introduced their subjects. Powerschool can be compared to putting on the 4-wheel drive; Christian Hedegaard explained and shared about his latest journey to Africa, where he had the pleasure of driving a 4-wheel drive, from Uganda to Rwanda. - The first time I drove a 4-wheel drive it was like a revelation. I saw cars stuck due to the rainy season, and cars that had been abandoned and looted, because they had been abandoned. However because I had the 4-wheel drive I was able to drive past the places where all the others were stuck. This is what it is like in the spiritual realm, too.
There is a 4-wheel drive available in your Christian life that can enable you to drive, no matter what the weather conditions are like, he said.
Worship as a life style Morning buffet.
EV-Media students.
interviewing
the
new
Praise and worship is the very heart at the Powerschool.
Power school is situated at Stroeledgaard in Goerloese, the same address as the Alternative Summer Festival 2009. Classes take place in a corner of the big hall, and the breaks may be enjoyed in a cafÈ environment that has been arranged near the entrance of the hall. This was also the place, where the students, as is the tradition, had breakfast together, as they arrived for their first day of class. The day started with praise and worship which is a central part of the Power school. Without praise and worship there would be no transformation, so you might as well learn to praise and worship from the very first day! The students were met by the permanent teaching staff: Christian and Karen Hedegaard, Lena Loebner, and Camilla Holstein from Evangelist, as well as the married couple Joseph and Kitte Berg from Powerhouse. This year s new teachers are: Jonatan and Line Hansen who are going to teach on the subject From the heart for the Lord
and Eigil and Sigrid Laursen who will be teaching on the subject Do choose life . Other teachers include Aril and Anne Kopperud from Solbjerg Center, and Vibeke Schmidt from Bakkebjerg on A home in ministry . Guest teachers include Bengt Wedemalm from Sweden, Johannes Hansen from Apostolic Church in Aalborg, and evangelist Peter Holmsgaard who is responsible for the Spiritual Clinic.
Study tour to Uganda During the autumn term the Power school offers a two-week study tour to Uganda, and the tour leader will be Sigrid Laursen from Evangelist, who is looking forward to leading the students. On this tour they will, amongst other things, be going into the bush to preach, as well as visiting hospitals, prisons, schools etc. For those of you who for some reason didn t enroll for the autumn term, there is still an opportunity to enroll for the spring term. For further information about the exact start of this and the cost, please go to www.powerskolen.dk evangelist
Powerschool · 11
Alternative Summer Festival 2009:
Peace and Joy at the Festival Strøledgaard in Gørløse became the perfect place for this year’s Alternative Summer Festival which, for the first time in the 5 years since the festival began, could be in peace and joy.
Evangelist had a fantastic festival with many guests from near and far. And even if the camping area wasn’t as full as in Jutland, where many of the co-workers from Gørløse used to have a big part of the area, we still had to make more room, because people kept on coming. There were about 100 Swedish guys living at the camping area through the week, and a bunch of people from Norway; that is possibly because the festival was moved a bit closer to our neighbouring Scandinavian countries. Moving the festival was a big job, but now it is done; so from now on, the festival can be here. The facilities are okay, and all the preliminary work is done. Now all the participants need to write Gørløse on their GPS instead of Arnborg. Now, instead of combining your
12 · Summer Festival
vacation with a trip to Legoland, you can visit Tivoli instead.
Fine facilities The participants said that they were pleased with the new location of Alternative Summer Festival 2009. The first noticeable difference from previous years was the peacefulness. Even the guards in their green parking jackets could relax, in contrast to past years. Also, the layout of the facilities was better able to accommodate the various groups who gathered together. The children’s tent had their jumping castle and playground. The teen tent had its giant, human-size soccer ball, and was purposely placed far from the centre, so they could sing, play and make all that noise they wanted to, without disturbing others. Cafe Bakkebjerg was the most natural
rotation point for guests and those who were camping. Here they enjoyed food and fellowship under the red and white tent. Even the first-aid tent was visited by glad festival participants, not because they needed help, but just to chat with the medics there, and to have some fresh coffee. On the way from the camping area to Cafe Bakkebjerg, there was the opportunity to make a good deal on CDs and books from the Kongens Butik, and the Africa shop, or at Oline’s gallery, where profits from everything sold would benefit Child Care Denmark.
God’s power In the big hall, there were meetings every morning, afternoon and evening. There was lots of singing, God’s Word and prayer.
Guest speakers, both local and visiting preachers, were teaching God’s Word; and many people experienced God’s power there. There were many new names and many strong messages, which you can read more about in the other articles. The event with Ron Kenoly Wednesday evening was one of the highlights in the hall, and many attended this evening. It was a free concert with a music star who has inspired Christians all over the world for many years. An atmosphere of worship permeated the whole festival. The worship team was led by Lena Løbner, Dan Hegelund, Tobias Sturreson, Louise Petersen and others. They succeeded in bringing in the presence of God. Many new songs were created during the festival week, which will probably be heard again and again!
”
From the guest book Deeply thankful I am totally crazy about Jesus! He has healed my broken heart, and I am deeply thankful. All honour to him! Anette D. God touched my heart At the festival, I experienced God touching my heart so much, and I cried in the meeting with Child Care Denmark’s leader, Carsten Jespersen. He showed some pictures from Uganda with babies who were starved. The need for these little ones is lying heavily on my heart. Helle Poulsen The Gardener sows and plants… Here’s a special greeting to Karen Hedegaard, and a comment on what she said on the evangelist website after the festival. It is true that some of us who were following on the live web-tv also experienced the festival mood: the good clips, the speakers, the music and, especially the gifted interviewer with his ability to shed light on normal people and their unique stories. The Gardner sows and plants; that is his job. But God makes it grow despite the fact that the Gardner may feel, at first, that his seed fell on stony ground. Elsebeth Nilsson It’s all about love At the festival, I began to feel and understand what God has done for me, in my heart and my mind. This is a great revelation for me to understand and get it deep down in my heart - that he really loves us, and that it’s all about love - to have it from Jesus and to give it to others. I keep on learning! Jesus has also taken my heart problems. Before the festival, I drove around on a 3- wheeled bike only 3-500 meters, and now I can drive 3-4 kilometers! Even if it takes me 45 minutes, I am happy and thankful. Sky The best week in my life Thanks for a great week. It was the best week of my life. I am really changed after this week. Love you. Sara Olivia, Sweden Our marriage renewed It is so great to be at the festival. Right now, I am sitting in our caravan and writing to you, who are considering coming. There is still room for more, so don’t hesitate. God’s presence is here in a powerfully way. We have personally experienced miracles; one of them is that our marriage is renewed! All honour to the Lord. Kurt C. Greetings from the USA It is fantastic to see what God is doing in Denmark through Evangelist’s service. I grew up and took part in meetings like these in central Texas in the USA. Let God’s kingdom come and His will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. James Wiley, Florida, USA See you next year Thanks for a lovely festival night Saturday! I couldn’t stay longer than this night, but I’ll make the trip again next year! E.N.Fåborg
Summer Festival · 13
Children at the festival
Molle the Clown
was a friend of the children Circus director, Pappamia, and Molle the Clown were the stars of this year’s Children’s Festival. The ventriloquist’s dummy Sanne was also loved by everyone. There were lots of entertaining and fun things taking place in Circus Anga during the festival week.. The children’s tent at Strøledgaard was turned into a ring where the circus director, Pappamia, alias Dorthe Klit, and her red nosed helper Molle the Clown, with the happy smile and the big checkered pants, ran the show. And the children loved it. The overall theme was “Fellowship with God,” and there were subthemes such as “Created in the Image of God” (the line dances) and “The Power of God” (the strong man). The Circus director was a symbol of God, and Molle the Clown was a symbol of us human beings, who makes many mistakes, but who can receive forgiveness for what we have done wrong. The kids got to say hello to the ventriloquist’s dummy, Sanne, every day. Again this year, Sanne was really a great hit.
God answers prayer Solva Utheim, who was one of the leaders at the children’s festival says: - It is evident that the circus was a
14 · Summer Festival
Circus director Pappamia and the dummy “Sanne”.
great success this year. We had two meetings each day where the children sang a lot of new songs, heard the Word of God and watched a bit of circus. We heard about how God is our Father and how we can come to Him with everything we have on our hearts, and how we can ask for forgiveness for the wrong things we have done. We also learned that it is not our own power which makes us strong, but it is Gods power. We learned that when we ask God for something
we need, then He will give it to us. One of the children was really sad that she only had the New Testament so she prayed a heartfelt prayer and asked Jesus for a new Bible.. Before the day was over, someone had given her a new Bible. She cried for joy when she told us her little testimony!
Molle and Jolle Circus Anga also had the Swedish
cowboys from the Kingdom Center in Sweden visiting. Molle the Clown’s best clown friend, Jolle, turned up plus two magicians, some circus princesses, and a circus performer who performed on a one-wheel bicycle. The children were really impressed by the two magicians who could float in the air and make things disappear! The highlight of the festival, (according to Molle and the children) was visiting the meeting in the big hall where they were singing for their parents and everyone else at the meeting. They performed really well. All the boys had red noses, and the girls were dressed in tulle so they looked like circus princesses. The children loved getting the adults to make moves to their songs. Birthdays were celebrated every day! If no one had a birthday that day they had a draw and the lucky winner was celebrated with his/her non-birthday! And as a birthday present the nonbirthday girl /boy had their picture taken with Molle the Clown.
Teenagers in the middle of
nowhere
Powerful teaching, worship and wacky competitions were featured at Teen Xplosive. There is no doubt that the teenage tent, Teen Xplosive, was life changing this year. Preachers like Dr. Gerrard Khourie, Stefan Christiansen, Luis Ibarra and David Lundsteen were there and shared their hearts with the young people, which was very special and exciting! Dr. Gerrard talked to the teenagers about being world changers, while Stefan in a very humorous way, preached about the importance of feeding your spirit with the Bible. All of the preaching was right on target, filled with wisdom and lots of good advice, in hopes of preventing the teens from making the same mistakes as the preachers had!
Is it possible to play soccer with a fish? In the afternoons, various activities or events were going on. These included wacky competitions and other fun stuff. You could, for example, play soccer with a fish, shave a balloon or
A cozy time in the couch...
carry cotton pieces stuck with grease on your nose. And, of course, there was a prize for the winners. One of the afternoons, you could even release your inner street painter and paint on some big boards with Teen Xplosive s spray-paint. Every morning, the meeting started out with a competition. After that the worship team would hit the stage, often starting with a song which required you to move around, in order to wake up the tired teenagers. The worship team was very small this year; there were only two guitars and a little choir. But God s Spirit didn t seem to care! Many teenagers were deeply touched while worshipping. The worship team was led by Jonathan Hansen and Benjamin Maigaard.
At the big tent Every second night, the teenagers walked across the field to join in the meetings in the big tent, their own meetings on the other nights. As usual, there were some powerful meetings; God s Spirit fell heavily and changed many hearts. After the meetings, it was possible to stay in the teenage tent until 2:00 a.m. and have fun with the other teenagers. You could play table tennis or soccer, talk with the teen leaders, or just chill on the soft couches. Like last year, teens were allowed to draw or write on the couches, which many did; and the results were very creative! All week there was a happy atmosphere, filled with Jesus. There is no doubt that a lot of teens are looking forward to next year s festival!
Friends, fellowship and festival! Graffiti in the field.
The author of the article Benedikte Birkkjær Justesen.
Summer Festival · 15
Words of wisdom
At www.evangelist.dk you can order the teachings from Summer Festival 2009 in DVD or MP3 format. Robert Bwalya, Zambia:
God is able to use our difficulties so that they can actually become solutions for the world. This topic of “problems” was the emphasis of Apostle Robert Bwalya who spoke, with great inspiration, on Sunday evening. He used the scripture text in Genesis 45:1-22 which is about the life of Joseph. Joseph was a dreamer who had a vision and, because of this vision, he got into trouble. His brothers hated him and threw him into a dried out well, and then sold him into a foreign country where he ended up in prison. But through all of this, Joseph got a new identity, and when he got out of prison, he was promoted to prime minister. This made him able to help his brothers when they later came to him in need. - It is important to understand that there will be mountains and resistance when you follow the path of God. You might have problems, but connected to every problem is a promotion. - Blessings appear during pressure, Robert Bwalya said in his preaching, which was filled with “pearls”. Remember one of the pearls: Problems are not destruction but construction! Problems are not made to stop you but to push you towards the goal. Experience Robert Bwalya. Order his teaching at www.evangelist.dk Luis Ibarra, Argentina:
enough... After this he spoke of the revival in Argentina, which he has been part of. God spoke before it happened; three years passed by while they were just waiting, praying and fasting. - After ten years, there were one hundred people in the congregation and, because of the word of God, they took a step in faith. They rented a place and preached at a stadium, and got a bigger room which could accomodate one thousand people. When the revival came, people came in groups of five thousand. Many were baptized with the Holy Spirit in their cars, which made the police step in. People did not come because of others, but to experience the presence of God and His miracles, and so on. Luis Ibarra spoke in Spanish and surprised everyone with his message. He came all the way from Argentina to give a word from God about the revival he himself had experienced: - I have a word for Denmark: God has not forgotten His word. I do not know what you are waiting for, but prepare yourself by the word of God. The salvation is so great that God spends time on it. Remember that God is able to touch any person or government. Suddenly the crowds came. If God can do it for us He can also do it here, he said. This man has really experienced something worth following after. Seize the fire, become infected by faith and let it change your life! Dr. Gerard Khourie, USA:
When God speaks – then it happens!
Make the times change
Problem or opportunity?
Pastor Luis Ibarra from Argentina preached about waiting on God, based on Ezekiel 12, verse 25: - God spoke through the congregation, the prophets. He said that it should happen - but He didn’t say when. People do not know how to wait on God. The difficult thing about waiting is that we do not know how we should wait. But He has not forgotten what He has promised us. In the school of God, we have to wait and grow, Luis Ibarra said. - The problem is that we do not take the time. People have time to do all sorts of things but we must spend time with God, in His presence. Put Jesus first, then you will have time 16 · Summer festival
People talk about “changing times” but, regarding the word of God, you yourself are able to make times change! This teaching from Dr. Gerard about “How to maximize and change seasons in your life” gave people insight into how God works and how we are able to work together with him. The Bible tells about times and seasons (Genesis 1:11,13; Genesis 8:22). There is a time to sow and a time to reap, and also a time to rest for the people of God; we must learn to live and understand this. Additionally, we must understand that every season has an end; the previous season ends when we step into a new season. - The devil also speaks about different
seasons. In the USA, there are not four seasons but six, Dr. Gerard established. He was referring to “flu-season” and “hurricane season” which are in the calendar as well as spring, summer, autumn and winter. They come again as soon as you begin to say that “it’s time again.” The devil wants to give names which we can proclaim; but instead, we should proclaim the word of God and the promises of God over our lives. Every day God can change your destiny. Dr. Gerard took all hearts by storm and prophesied and prayed with people until 3:30 a.m. after he finished teaching. Buy his teaching at www. evangelist.dk Else-Marie Hansen, Denmark:
Make way for revival
Usually it is Johannes Hansen, pastor of the Apostolic Church in Aalborg, who preaches at Alternative Summer Festival, but this year we asked his wife, Else-Marie, to share the word of God. Else-Marie Hansen shared the prophetic word that God had given her at the turn of the year. “I call my people to prepare for my return. As John the Baptist, I call you to prepare the way for me.” This was the word, and when she began to look into the scripture (Luke 1:76-80; Luke 3:4), she found out that it was a call to conversion; to be radical and loving. - The path of the Lord begins in the desert. Denmark today is in a state of desert. Desert is defined by barrenness, infertility, heat and thirst. God is calling us stand up and make a way so that Jesus can be seen and Denmark can become like the pool of Bethesda, she said. The word was short and precise and very strong: - Revival is not for the unsaved but for the saved. It begins in the house of God.. There is no shortcut to the power - we have to live the life ourselves. You have to be a worshipper - there is no other way. God is cleaning up his house in this time, and we have to clean up with him in some areas of our lives. Order the whole meeting at www. evangelist.dk Anne and Stephan Christiansen, Norway:
What is normal?
Anne Christiansen from Jesus Church spoke of sharing the love of God with everybody. Following Jesus and doing everything that is normal to Christians – opening the blind eyes and freeing the bound are not radical but totally normal, she said. - If Christians follow Jesus and practice Christ instead of Christianity, then there is hope for Scandinavia. We must make His dream our dream and see Him in everything. As He is in this world, that is the way we should also be... Anne underlined the meaning of coming back to Jesus, going down into the Word and getting a “Jesus revolution” in the heart. The question of how we relate to the body of Christ was brought up by her husband, Stephan Christiansen. - How do we think and what do we say about the body of Christ?, he asked and told about his own experiences at a Catholic retreat. There he had his horizons widened and learned to love all the people of God, in spite of differences. Being one with the Catholics is easy, because we never see or meet them, but where there is unity God commands his blessings to come down, he said among other things. Anne and Stephan Christiansen were humorous as always, but the message was serious and gave food for thought. The teaching is in English with translation into Danish and can be ordered at www.evangelist.dk Johannes Amritzer, Sweden:
Release the love
This Swedish evangelist (who, by the way, was born and raised in Austria) and leader of SOS International swept everybody off their feet, delivering a really juicy love kiss - a “DNA preaching” from 1 John 4:7 and 4:16 – totally in line with the message from the day before. Johannes Amritzer talked about love, acted love, radiated love and gave a amazingly simple message about love, with the starting point in 1 John 4. It was the first time that this “lovebomb” visited Evangelist, but it surely will not be the last. Re-experience him at full blast on DVD at www.evangelist.dk
mbia. walya, Za Robert B
Luis Ibarr a, Argenti na
.
, USA.
Khourie Gerard
Else-Marie Hansen, Denmark.
eden.
ritzer, Sw
Am Johannes
Anne og Stephan Christiansen, Norway.
Summer festival 路 17
Concert with Ron Kenoly Wednesday evening. Altercall. Ron Kenoly prays the prayer of salvation from the stage together with Christian and Karen Hedegaard. I surrender all...
Songs from heart to heart The performance of worldwide star Ron Kenoly at Alternative Summer Festival was a celebration of Jesus from beginning to end.. People were deeply touched and several accepted Jesus and got saved. His life is praise and worship and the concert at the Festival was exactly the same. You could feel his heart, his genuineness, his brokenness... and from that heart a stream of God’s love floated to people in the audience, who received the message. It went right into your heart. When, at the end of the concert, he asked if anybody wanted to be saved, many went forward to give their lives to Jesus and surrender all to him.
- Are you saved, he asked the audience and explained what the word salvation meant. The song “I surrender all” got new meaning. It was powerful to see people standing there with tears rolling down their cheeks when they asked Jesus to come into their hearts, cleanse them from all sin, and give them a new life and a new beginning. It was Dr. Ron Kenoly who prayed the prayer of salvation from the
life! Spirit and lled with fi re e w oly Greg Ken Ron and
stage, along with Christian and Karen Hedegaard. Afterwards, a team of coworkers were ready to welcome them into the Kingdom of God, pray for them, talk to them and make sure that everyone got a Bible.
Wants to pass on his “inheritance”
A happy dad embraces his two sons who got saved. 18 · Summer Festival
Dr. Ron Kenoly took part in Alternative Summer Festival all week. Monday evening he taught about praise and worship, among other things; that was when we all realized why this man is so special and what it is that he wants to pass on to the next generation. It is the second time that Ron Kenoly has performed a concert at Alternative
Summer Festival. The first time was in 2007; last year he choose to cancel because of the disturbances. But now he is back again! - I have come to pass on my inheritance, he said. Ron Kenoly took time to teach about praise and worship based on Genesis 22, where God calls Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The story was well known to most people, but as he preached, totally new revelation appeared about what a praise offering is and what it implies, including total surrender and obedience. If you want to be a worshipper then get the teachings of Ron Kenoly, do not be satisfied by a small taste of it but order the teaching today!
A Study in Worship By Dr. Ron Kenoly Testing. If you worsh ip God you will experience testing. Abraham went through trials to ma ke sure that trust was working at the next level. Relationship is part of worship.. Abraham had a rel ationship with God; therefore he wa s able to hear the voice of God. Worship is a journe y. God led Abraham to a place wh ere he could change him. He wa s a busy man, but he went away to be alone with God without any distra ctions. Sacrifice. The worsh ip of Abraham was not perfect witho ut a sacrifice. Obedience. Abraham was obedient in worshipping. Reme mber: Delayed obedience is disobed ience. Work. Abraham prepa red the wood for the fire himself, an d he prepared himself to meet the manifested presence of God. Separation. Abrah am had to separate himself fro m the people closest to him, or els e they would have stopped him in his process, the plan of God. Th ere are people who want to prevent you from doing what God has told yo u to do! Suffering. Included with worship is a willingness to su ffer. It can be tough, but you must be ready for it. Trust. Abraham tru sted that God was able give him mu ch more, and that God could also bri ng Isaac back to life again. The fire in the narrative. It symbolizes the fire of the Holy Spirit, and the knife symbo lizes the blood which was shed for forgiveness of sin.
Moving on to Mariager, Kolding and Kenya! Ron Kenoly preformed together with his younger brother, Greg Kenoly, who also was with us the whole week. On Friday, they moved on to the Pentecostal Summer Meeting in Mariager and, on Saturday, they went to the Apostolic Church National Meeting in Kolding. From there he ministered in the conference of Teresia Wairimu together with Christian Hedegaard, in Kenya, where he sang to approximate 20,000 people, including the vice-president of Kenya and the Israeli ambassador.
ff o g
At the festival for the first time:
It felt like an aircraft
n i k ta
Dan and Maria Hegelund from Filipsstad in Sweden tell about Alternative Summer Festiavl 2009 where God gave them direction, clarity and power to step out into their calling. thick and noticeable, as a cloud, on the Festival. In this presence of the Holy Spirit, I was set free from my addiction to control my own life, my addiction to reason; and from the normal Christian life, which is far from radical enough. It is easy enough to let go of some things but letting go of control of your life The married couple Dan and Maria Hegelund is difficult. No, I thought, are preaching the gospel and starting churches not my reason. Not my will, because then I am in Sweden. not in control anymore and deciding the direction. You could not miss noticing Dan Hegelund at Alternative Summer I felt that God wanted me to give the Festival 2009. Partly because he most precious thing I had - What was I was on stage leading the worship willing to give for God? My tithes? My at many of the meetings and car? My house? The problem is that partly because of the Festival Choir He wants my life! Maria immediately which was his idea but mostly you thought of her wedding bands: would notice him because of his - It was really more precious to me enthusiasm. He glowed like a sun than anything else I owned. The rings and was not able to stand still but symbolize the pact and the marriage just had to dance, rejoice and jump between Dan and me. You just can not give that away. But that was out of excitement. Dan is Danish and married to Maria exactly what God wanted: that Dan from Latvia. The couple lives in and I together should give away our Sweden together with their little pact, our marriage, our family, our son. They have never before been at lives fully and totally to God. It is a the Festival and they had not really very strong symbol.. planned on going – but then they got Dan continues: - I was standing in the worship and an unexpected phone call: - We had just come home from a nice suddenly had this strong urge to give romantic vacation in Norway and away our wedding bands. I knew that were in the middle of unpacking our I could only do that if God had also things, when Christian Hedegaard spoken to Maria of the same thing. called. He asked if we would come But He had, because when I turned to the festival tomorrow – meaning towards her and asked her then she we had to be there the very next day! said that she felt the same way. Dan and Maria tell. In faith, they Maria adds: left the next morning and drove nine - How could we have thought of this hours from Filipsstad to Gørløse, at the exact same time without having without knowing what was about to ever discussed it before? We decided to give our rings in the offering. We felt happen or where they should stay. that God created a heart and a mind in the two of us to use us strongly Letting go together. Maria came in expectation: - The prayer of my heart was: “ The Maria expresses her gratitude: only thing that matters, what I really I am very grateful for Evangelist and want from God deep - is to live in for the courage of Karen and Christian His house and be in His presence... Hedegaard to obey the Spirit of God looking into his splendour” (Psalm in establishing and spreading the Kingdom of God in Scandinavia and 27), she says. - The presence of God was so to the whole World. They are a great
model, example and inspiration to us! I also want to thank the wonderful family who opened up their home during the Festival and let us stay there. They gave us the CD “Sange om håb”(Songs of Hope). I do not think that there is a CD which has touched me more than this. This is truly the song of my heart:”Under the shadow of Your wings, I find my dwelling place, here I will hide - day and night, here I will find your peace. Show me mercy Lord, I hide myself in you”.
Starting a Church Maria finishes off: - I will never regret that we went to the Festival. God did a great work in my life. I feel that I finally got released to step into the calling I have always known that I was called to. Dan and I got even closer in anointing and vision. It felt like a flying machine taking off! After the Festival, Dan and Maria returned to Sweden where they have begun starting a church. They are evangelizing in highways and byways every week, with singing and proclamation.. They are also having a party every month, inviting everybody they know home into their living room! And all this time, Dan is always busy with his choirs. Now I have gospel choirs in five different cities and, in the spring, we will have Filipsstad Gospel Festival with Junior Robinson. We also have many other different plans and projects going on which are all very exiting. We are especially looking forward to the 31st of December, when we officially are consecrating Common Ground Church. Being part of the Festival gave us direction, clarity and power to go out and spread the gospel. It gave us the courage to stretch our faith even further. It gave us certainty that Scandinavia will be saved. We were deeply touched by seeing so many lives being radically changed in that week: families were reunited, fathers and sons found each other again and broken lives got healed. -Thanks to everybody from Evangelist for your example and courage. You are not alone! He says. Summer Festival · 19
Banker got saved
I invest
my life
in
God
When Flemming Røntved (44) got Christian Hedegaard as a customer in his Bank, he saw a lifestyle that attracted him. He invited Jesus into his life and then all hell broke loose. His wife left him and started a campaign against him and it cost him everything. Now, for the first time, he tells the story that has never been told. Tekst Karen Hedegaard
Foto
44 year old Flemming Røntved is not known in church circles in Denmark, but in the Kingdom of God he is a hero who has paid a high price for his faith. When he received Jesus into his heart four years ago, it cost him everything. He lost his marriage and his children; and his wife’s media campaign against him caused him to lose all rights over his children. He also lost his job at the bank, contact with his family and all business relationships. When his ex-wife was interviewed in the TV-program, ”God in Gørløse,” and he was contacted by journalists himself, he chose to remain silent and forgive his former wife. Only now he wants to tell his story about what really happened. - There are no emotions in the human soul that I have not gone through these last years. I have been in the deepest darkness and despair. I have experienced being hungry for many days because I had no money for food, and was afraid to open my mail because I didn’t know what would be waiting for me. I have been accused of wanting to kill my ex-wife and of kidnapping my daughter. People have lied about me concerning everything and I lost every parental right over my youngest daughter; I am not allowed to even see her today because of my beliefs. But with all that said, it has been worth it all when I think of the time I’ve had with Jesus. When it was very hard, I have listened to worship music and just worshipped and worshipped God.
20 · Portrait
Jon Henriksen
The CD from Evangelist “Songs of Hope” and especially the song number 8 about standing on the rock is a song that brings me into the presence of God. And the rock is what I have been standing on the last four years, he says.
Hedegaard as a customer Flemming’s introduction to Jesus came through the banking world. He is an educated banker and had just been hired by a new bank in autumn 2004. He was contacted by a friend who said he might have a new customer for him, Christian Hedegaard, who wanted to loan half a million for a CD project “Songs of Hope.” It sounded like a totally crazy project, nevertheless, I chose to apply for a loan in the credit department. I expected a rejection, and so I was surprised when the money was approved and I got myself a new customer! Flemming continues: It was very special. My new customer never went into the bank so I had to come to him, which suited me fine. The bank was my life. I worked almost 24 hours a day and was always available for my customers. On the 23rd of December I drove to Christian’s house to get him to sign some loan documents and he asked me to eat sushi with him. Another time we met at McDonalds in Jutland – everything for the customers. I didn’t know a thing about Evangelist and only very little about Christianity. I
knew what I had been taught in school when I was small. Every time I visited Karen and Christian I saw a different kind of life. I was invited to a Sunday service and felt peace and a purpose with life. I got to know a bunch of others in evangelist. I thought it was fascinating to listen to them and feel the love that was among them.
Bible birthday present Flemming Røntved became a friend of the house, and when he celebrated his 40th birthday it was natural for him to invite his new customer to his party. He brought a bible with him as a gift, and many people wondered about this new guest. - I could feel something happening to me and in May 2005 I contacted Christian and said I had to speak to him. I brought my wife. She had no idea of what was going on with me. She had visited Karen and Christian before and read “Conquering Demons” (a book by Christian Hedegaard). She was the more spiritually minded of us, and had been in contact with clairvoyant people who had driven bad spirits out of our house. We had a nice evening, then at one point Christian asked me directly: Why have you come, what do you want to talk about? I don’t really remember my answer but it was something about my life being meaningless and that I wanted to have what they had. JESUS! - You can have that, but I believe you
should do it together, both of you, he answered me. It will change your life! Flemming smiles as he tells the story of how he was saved. - My wife was not ready to be saved but she didn’t mind Christian praying for me. She said: If he can change Flemming, then he is welcome. I have been trying to do that for 13 years. Flemming continues: We joined hands, all of us, and Christian prayed a prayer and I repeated after him. When we said “amen,” I felt that something happened to me. My wife said afterwards that I had been possessed by Christian. She didn’t understand that I had met Jesus, and that Jesus was changing my life radically.
A new lifestyle Meeting Jesus made Flemming into a new person. Before, he was a human without any real feelings and he had money as a goal in life. But now he became a man for his wife, and a real father for his children. It must have been a serious change for the rest of the family; suddenly, he was sitting at the table in the evenings. Before that, his plate would stand at the table without being used until he came home after midnight from the bank. And then when he finally came home, he would sit by the computer doing business until early morning. - I stopped smoking, drinking and cursing and when we went on vacation
When Flemming Røntved invited Jesus into his heart Hell broke loose. - The people around me didn´t understand that I had met Jesus and that it was Jesus that had changed my life radically, he says.
in the autocamper a few weeks later, I had my bible in the front window. Our friends thought I was weird because, instead of drinking and smoking, I would be with my children or read my bible, he says. Flemming’s ex-wife didn’t understand what happened at all. Especially when he announced that he wanted to go to Powerschool and quit his job. She couldn’t accept that at all. - We fought each other so much that the older children, who were at boarding school, stopped coming home for the weekends. I remember once when everything got crazy. I smashed my hand through a window in the garden door and got wounded badly. I lost more than a liter of blood but my only concern was that I promised to take my youngest daughter to the theatre. After they stitched me together, I made the ambulance driver take me there and I made it for the second act! Flemming Røntved ended up being divorced from his wife by force, when he refused to sign the divorce papers.
Gods love Flemming began Powerschool in autumn 2005 and he started really learning about the new life. - First of all, I found out that I had a Father in heaven. A word that came alive to me was Matthew 3:17 where God speaks to Jesus when he is baptized in the Holy Spirit: This is my beloved son whom I love. Something
was put into my heart that I had not known from my childhood. Even though I had great parents, feelings and emotions were not things we spoke to each other about. Only after I got saved, did we talk about these things, Flemming tells and continues: - Also Robert Bwalya’s teaching from 1 Corinthians 13 made a huge impression on me. It was about love, and for the first time in 20 years, I cried! At Powerschool, Flemming realized he had to put everything away for God and start from the bottom. Like the seed that has to be put into the ground to die before it can grow up and became many seeds, he had to put his old life behind him: - I grew up in northern Jutland as the second child out of three. My mom and dad were hard working people and I was the only one who finished a high school exam, then I moved to Copenhagen. My goal then was to become something, no matter the cost; to please people and later use them to reach my goals. It was this way both in my job as a banker, and in Farum where I lived and was engaged in politics. I started a network for 50 businessmen, and was on the board of the local Superleague Soccer club. I had many plans. I wanted to be elected mayor of Farum, which could have been possible because of my own personal network of important people. I stood as a candidate for Venstre (party), but I decided to cancel everything the day before the election. - Was it tough? Portrait · 21
- God took away my pain and filled my heart with love, Flemming says.
- It was a tough decision, but the right decision. Beforehand, everything was about what I wanted to achieve. Now, it was not about my will, but Gods will for my life. I said “Jesus, we are going to walk together. Where are we going?” and He showed me what needed to be done. He cut down the tree to the ground and has made it grow up little by little since then, with good fruits, Flemming says.
Seek First the Kingdom of God After Powerschool, Flemming got at job in a bank, by the grace of God. I worked 8 hours in the bank and when I got home, I rebuilt my house and helped other people solve their financial problems. In this period, I helped 25 families finance a loan for a house. I worked something like 21 hours a day. The Word of God lived in me “all things are possible” and Jesus gave me energy to do all this and God gave me people to rent my house so my economy remained stable. I know 22 · Portrait
God taught me that no matter how bad things look, he is always there for me and takes care of me. “Seek first the kingdom of God and everything else shall be given unto you” and “pray and you will receive, seek and you will find. Knock on the door and it will be opened for you.” With other words: “Cast your burdens unto Jesus, call for help”. I did that many times and God showed Himself strong, and still today He does great and small miracles for me in daily life. It is only by the grace of God that I am not mentally insane today. God has filled my heart with love and taken away my pain. My heart was hardened but now is soft.
The battle has been tough The problems with his family are far from gone, even though many things have been restored. Flemming’s oldest daughter loves her dad and they see each other often. She notices the great difference and change in his life. Also, his relationship towards his parents is far better than before he got saved.
His faith has cost him everything, but God has given him much more than what he has lost, not only spiritually but also physically. - I know that the battle I’ve fought has enabled and strengthened me to walk the path that He has for me. God has “schooled” me for four years and I feel like a “dead man.” In the time that has gone by, I have deposited myself at Gods feet so that I do not have to think about myself, because I know He does. Before, I was accused of being from Evangelist when I wasn’t. So I thought why not just BE that! There is nothing left of the old Flemming, who was a banker living in Farum. Today he is a new creation in Jesus, a teacher in a school and lives in Gørløse. He has put everything behind him and his future is in God’s hands.
路 23
CCD received three babies in one year
Baby without a home Even children who are thrown out are gifts from God”. Kato was the first one to arrive, later Gideon, and then a little girl called “Gift”. However new babies continue to be brought to the office in Masaka. Each of them have their harsh story, and they all need lots of love, and physical and mental care. Text Eva Maria Jørgensen
Photo
The first baby this year is Kato, who was brought to the office by one of Child Care Denmark’s long-time coworkers, Pastor Paul. At that time, Kato was 18 months old and was staying with his extremely poor aunt and uncle who were not properly caring for him. Probably they couldn’t afford to care for the boy, and perhaps
CCD
they didn’t even want to. In any case, he was severely weakened. Kato’s distressing story started much earlier. His father left his family shortly after his birth, when Kato’s twin died. Some months later, his mother became insane and tried to kill Kato. The second child is Gideon. His story reached the front pages of the tabloid
www.childcaredenmark.dk
24 · Child Care Denmark
press in Uganda. He is the result of incest between a grandfather and grandchild. His existence was a huge shame, and the family decided to let him die of starvation under the bed. They had succeeded for some time, but they were detected, and the police fetched him. With papers from the local children’s authorities in hand, the police then came to CCD asking them to help Gideon, who at this time didn’t even have a name. He was extremely undernourished as well as dehydrated but able to consume food himself. The third child is called Gift (or in other words, “the girl from the rubbish heap,” because how would you know the name of a baby found in a rubbish heap?) This is how her story started: passers-by accidentally found her on top of a heap of rubbish and brought her to the police who, without any
success, tried to locate her family. She spent the night at the home of a friendly police woman who brought her to CCD the following day – a tiny, cold, undernourished, and dehydrated one month old girl. They named her “Gift”, because even children who are thrown out are gifts from God.
A dream comes true At CCD, this continual influx of babies has speeded up the plans for a “Baby Home.” Ruth and Carsten Jespersen have had this dream for a long time, as the normal orphanages don’t have the human resources or the furnishings needed. For the past two years the organization has been building an orphanage in a village close to Masaka. Half of this place will now be turned into a baby
“Even children who are thrown out are gifts from God”
Kato was only skin and bone and unable to walk when he came to CCD. Now he’s amazingly healthy …
Gideon before – on the front page of the newspaper – and after!
The little girl “Gift” didn’t survive, but died from pneumonia at the local hospital.
home, and the first couple has already moved in to care for the children. Lisbeth Kristensen from CCD informs that they are already trying to rent a neighboring house: - We have another couple who is interested in moving out there. And we never know when the child-welfare or the police will come to us with the next baby. It is as if the problem just keeps on growing, she says. When Kato was found, at first they tried sending him to one of CCD’s ordinary orphanages. However, they soon discovered that the loving mama had neither the knowledge nor the time to care well enough for him. Therefore he was brought back to the office where Fay, an American coworker and previous administrator of a baby home, went into action. It was difficult initially to make him
put on weight. But suddenly the curve broke, and in the course of just two weeks the smile was back on Kato’s face. Today Kato lives with Lisbeth and Ole Kristensen and is learning to walk. Even if it would take two years for him to get this far, he is very happy and spreads lots of joy.
Gideon moves in Since Kato lives with Lisbeth and Ole, Gideon was the first child to move into the new baby home. Agnes and Lawrence, who have been co-workers at CCD for a long time, are the parents of the baby home. They don’t have much experience in taking care of severely undernourished babies yet, however they themselves have two children whom they care for with
Carsten Jespersen, head of CCD, brought the newspaper with him, and shared the story of Gideon at the Alternative Summer Festival 2009.
Child Care Denmark · 25
Baby without a home... continued from page 25 the greatest love. Therefore Fay, who is responsible for the baby home, is not worried at all as to how they will cope. She explains: - They will receive lots of training on the way, as they need it. Both Kezia, CCD’s medical officer for the mobile clinic, and I carefully supervise the development of the babies. Gideon is doing great today and has grown into a small well-nourished boy, his eyes shining brightly. - It’s not food alone that does it, Fay informs and continues: - It is our love and the love of God which make these babies thrive. They feel loved and secure in spite of what they have been exposed to. Both Kato and Gideon are confident and happy children today.
Heart-rending farewell As human beings, of course, we don’t
have control over everything. This is even more evident in Uganda, and so the story of Gift is not as happy to share as the other two stories. Gift was also taken care of meticulously from the beginning. But being so tiny and fragile, she didn’t grow equally strong from one day to the next. A wonderful couple who are co-workers became foster parents and cared for her as if she was their own baby. They named her Abigail. But unfortunately, she developed pneumonia and had problems breathing. - We had to admit her to the children’s ward at the local hospital. We did this reluctantly and cautiously, because even with the best efforts, neither the human resources nor the medical equipment are optimal, Lisbeth explains. In the children’s ward the little girl was given oxygen and a little help to breathe from a machine. However a couple of
hospitals. In any case, Abigail died, and the following day CCD said farewell to the little girl and buried her. - An episode like this, once again, reminds us how much we would love to start a children’s hospital in this town, Lisbeth tells.
God chose the weak
Funeral at CCD. The foster father of Gift buries his daughter. mornings later things happened that are not supposed to happen. The power went off as it often does in Masaka - and the man with the key to the generator room was nowhere to be found. This inefficiency is so heartrending but is typical for Ugandan
Art to benefit CCD 19-year old Oline Cecilie Hedegaard was busy selling paintings at the Alternative Summer Festival 2009. This year she donated 50% of the sales to children in Uganda. There were birds in all colours, and flowers, especially hyacinths, paintings of historical persons, and lots of fairy tales and free imagination on canvas and on wood. There was plenty to see in “Oline’s
Gallery” at the festival, and the young artist, Oline Cecilie Hedegaard, who calls herself Cecilie, had many visitors in the tent. Those who bought a painting were also given a story for the road, because the artist loves stories.
Oline in front of some of her paintings at Alternative Summerfestival 2009.
26 · Child Care Denmark
Her favorites are the fairy tales of H.C. Andersen, and she knows many of those by heart! At the festival she sold her paintings to benefit Child Care Denmark - 50% of all sales were donated to this good
The employees at CCD believe in the baby home, and that it is the will of God. Fay reminds us of the words of l Cor 1:27-28: But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are.” Even if the odds are tough, they refuse to give up.
cause. Last year I sold more than 100 paintings, she tells. This year she didn’t sell quite as many, only about 30-40 paintings. However, she was still able to donate a nice surplus of approximately 1500 D. Kr. to the children in Africa. Cecilie is looking forward to Alternative Summer Festival 2010, and is already busy painting new paintings for the exhibition next year. She is also busy painting for other exhibitions, including Kunstladen in Tikoeb, where she will be exhibiting during the month of October. I have brain damage, so I paint using my left hand. I was in a wheelchair when I was three years old. The doctors said that I would never be able to walk or talk, or read or write; however, I am able to do these things today. It is a miracle, she says happily. At the festival Cecilie spent a lot of time in Child Care Denmark’s shop and spoke with the co-workers there. She became the sponsor of a child, too. She is now sponsoring a little girl in Kenya, and is very happy to be able to help with food, clothes, and schooling every month. Cecilie has been admitted to the Kunstskolen for Udviklingshæmmede (Artschool for the Retarded) in Copenhagen where she starts after the summer holidays. She would love to become a well-known artist, and it’s going to be very exciting to follow her artistic development. evangelist
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