Christians we encountered said we were making a difference and they sincerely appreciated our presence. I really struggled to believe that ‘just being’ could be missionary. Raising the dead, healing the sick, visiting orphans, feeding the poor, and preaching the Gospel seem so much above ‘just being.’ While we did practical service and shared the Gospel, I am convicted in hindsight that ‘just being’ may have had a larger impact than anything else we did.
Northern Europe is fully in a post-Christian culture and the wealthier the people the less they ‘need’ God. In the mist of these cultures, we met Christians that are on FIRE. They are small in number but their faith, courage, and commitment are amazing. It is encouraging that God sustained a remnant in cultures that reject God so completely. These pockets of believers have the faith, sustainability, and authority to transform nations but need encouragement to continue in their good works. The following believers we encountered spanned a diversity of denominations and environments.
Pastors running Norwegian refugee centers
Real estate investor purchasing Norwegian buildings for christian retreat centers
Counselor promoting family values in Holland schools
American church plant missionary in Norway
Norway church opening retreat facility to all denominations
Oslo SEND mobilizing the youth for missions in Europe
Family contending for a new YWAM base in Denmark
Home church interceding for community in prayer and evangelism
Danish church serving food and providing children activities for immigrants
Denmark National Church pastors supporting family camp
Couple buying farms for missionary housing
Ukrainian evangelist serving refugees
Although is seems long for me, a two-month outreach is still a short-term mission. I’m not discounting that God uses weeks, days, hours, and seconds but I see the real change agents as people living within Norway and Denmark. My experience convicted me that God is not done with Europe or…..post-Christian America. He continues to raise up salt and light in the world.
The outreach team also completed the following practical service projects.
Cooking to support Family Camp
Yard work for elderly woman and family
Cleaning attic, yard work, and construction for man that recently lost his leg
Construction of greenhouse for refugee center
Trash pickup for the SEND