OAC Publications

Street Corner

Newsletter of OAC/Friluftsmissionen

March 2000 Volume 7 no 1

(sorry, we are late.. but better late than never)

Why Am I No Good At This?

By Keld B. Hansen, National Board Member

People in all kinds of situations ask themselves this question - feeling inadequate in the job they do! Perhaps you and I ask ourselves the same thing from time to time, and often we answer the question without hesitation, "It's because ..." followed by a long explanation as to why we cannot do this or that.

Christians may feel that way, too - sadly, but understandably. Perhaps we have been disappointed with ourselves again and again, and now we simply dare not launch into an assignment, which God may be calling us to take on.

A textbook example, which I would like to bring out here, is Simon Peter. He had experienced SO much with Jesus. He was the one, to whom God revealed the true identity of Christ (Matthew 16, 16-17). And he was the one, who Jesus "appointed" leader of the Church - the Church of Christ (Matthew 16, 18-19). And yet, shortly afterwards, Jesus had to say, "Get behind me, Satan" in response to something, Peter said!

But that is exactly how it is with me, we may think: I have also met the Lord Jesus and experienced so many things with him, and still I sometimes feel as if I am acting in the Devil's interest, and that Jesus says the same thing to me as he did to Peter. No, I am no good at being a true Christian, a true evangelist, a true witness and so on. And you may retire into your shell in self-contempt and despair.

But if we read on about what happened to Peter, things got even worse: On Maundy Thursday he spoke and acted ever so bravely, but later that same night he was so frightened that he denied knowing Jesus.

Oh, how I see myself all too clearly in Peter. But do not despair, listen to this instead: YOU ARE STILL GOOD ENOUGH!

Having denied Jesus, Peter went outside and wept. He must have felt terrible. But on Easter morning Jesus rose from the dead, and the grave was empty. And in Mark 16, 5-7 it says that the women who came out to the grave were asked to tell the good news to the disciples - AND TO PETER! The very man who had denied Jesus received a special greeting. We, too, may find consolation in this. It may well be that you have denied Jesus in your life but he does NOT deny you.

After his denial, Peter was used in God's service, and so can you be. Are you willing to be used by God, when he calls you to a certain job in your church?

Annual Report

By Jørgen Johansen

As friends of the work of OAC DENMARK we have reason to rejoice. Thinking back, who would have imagined what seems to become a tradition - Gospel at Bakken? And now Jesperhus Gospel comes along. Thousands (without exaggeration) of non-churchgoers in Denmark will be offered the chance of hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In Café Genesis alone (a joint youth outreach project of the Home Mission, the Lutheran Mission and OAC Denmark in Kolding) we had almost 2,000 visitors in 1999, distributed on two weekly opening days, and 449 of these visitors were non-churchgoers. One has joined a bible study group, and several lasting friendships have been established between Christians.

Whenever the Word of God is preached, some falls into good soil, bringing forth grain, growing up and increasing. "But when the grain is ripe, at once [the farmer] puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come" (Mark 4, 29). Boy, do I look forward to that!

We see it happen year after year at Gammelbro Camping at Haderslev. The Word of God is like a seed. Once put into a person's heart, it will grow. God does not act harshly and brutally, when attacking people's disbelief; no, he does it surprisingly mildly and gently from within. Here facades are in vain. Sometimes you can almost hear it grow!

Team Baltic

Team Baltic has once again become a reality. Mette, Anne Marie, and Simon are leaving for the Baltic States on April 2, 2000, together with Ole Christensen. Ole has been with OAC Denmark for one year now, and things are developing according to plan. It will be the fifth team sent off to the Baltic States by OAC Denmark. I find it very exciting to see what God can do through quite ordinary people.

You should try going into the field of God. The field of God is where you have to renounce being in control, and where Jesus is the only one to cling to. The field of God is where things happen inside you. Would you like to try?

Mission changes people. In excess of the B.E.S.T. summer conference in July/August, we are planning a new Team Baltic, starting on June 1, 2000.

Mission on the Agenda

As you know, the main concern of OAC Denmark is "the man in the street". Though our organization is too small to reach very many - also when speaking of churches - we still believe that our presence is not without importance for the churches' way of thinking and acting in connection with mission in favour of "the man in the street".

This is a part, which we have been keen on playing from the very beginning of OAC Denmark. As distinct from the larger mission organizations, OAC Denmark is an "interest group" whose goal it is to focus untiringly on "the man in the street" - practically as well as theologically. It is our profound hope that Street Corner serves this "high calling to be amongst the low" in addition to covering big events like Gospel at Bakken, Jesperhus Gospel, Gammelbro Camping, Team Baltic, B.E.S.T. and others.

He Knows Your Day before the Sun Sets

1999 also gave us the opportunity to reflect on five years of work in highways and byways. Among other things we have been considering whether OAC Denmark is to continue with the present structure and management. As you know, OAC Denmark is not only operating in Denmark, but in all of Scandinavia and in the Baltic States as well. Moreover, we have personally been in front for eight years, including the preliminary work. In any case we find it a suitable time to check our course.

Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the friends of OAC Denmark - the readers of Street Corner - for each friendly word, each well-intentioned contribution, and each prayer, you have prayed for us in 1999. Thank you very much.

How is your future?

Sketchboard Message by Torben Østermark

Many people think a lot about their past - so much that they almost forget to live in the present. Others are more focused on their FUTURE - so much that they forget to live in the present.

You may also think about the future. You may think: Can I know my future, or HOW IS YOUR FUTURE?

There are numerous bids as to what the future holds in store, but there are basically two possibilities of seeking the answer to it.

Firstly, you can seek [?] the answer by listening to futurologists, reading the horoscopes, or seeing a fortune-teller, who gives you his or her bid at the future by means of a crystal globe, tarot cards or something else.

Most people are able to predict something true about the future - for instance: If you walk out in front of a truck, you will be seriously injured and maybe even killed; or: If you put your finger into a plug, you will get an electric shock; or as statistics state: Ten out of ten are going to die eventually!

But the problem with most of these answers is that many people stand in FEAR when hearing the answers. Even though they may not believe that the fortune-teller knows the answer to the future, they still fear that it might turn out the way he predicted. And very often, unfortunately, they are also being deceived.

The other possibility of finding out what the future will be like is to read the book of FACTS. The book of facts is a very special book. It tells you facts about the past, the present as well as the future. It is the Bible.

The Bible tells us facts about the future. This we can check. It has namely predicted many events which have already taken place - and very precisely as a matter of fact. It told us that man had been separated from God [ | ] and could not have eternal life. But it also told several hundred years in advance that God loves all men and that he would send a saviour - Jesus. The Bible foretold his death on a cross. And it happened exactly as predicted: Jesus came to earth, died on the cross [draw a cross] and rose again. Jesus died in order for us to have forgiveness and eternal life with God.

The Bible also tells us about our future, among other things what eternal life will be like. It is going to be really wonderful. (Personal testimony.)

Because of Jesus we have a hope of a new and better world with God.

The famous philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once said, "Where the past is viewed with guilt, the future is viewed with fear. But where the past is viewed in the light of forgiveness of sin, the future is viewed with hope."

I encourage you to trust in the book of facts - to trust in Jesus today. Then you will be able to meet your future with hope.

News of Team Baltic

By Ole Christensen

Once again the Team Baltic is ready to go, this time on April 2 with return on May 31. Three young people have signed up - Mette Jensen from Kolding, Anne Marie Jensen from Vorgod and Simon Dahl Nielsen from Århus. Mette tells about herself, "I have come to know God and his Word, and he has set me free. My life has changed completely, and I have decided to follow Jesus in all things." Mette has worked at the Quo Vadis treatment centre in Kolding among other places. Anne Marie expects the following from Team Baltic, "that I get the opportunity to tell other people about Jesus and may be used as a tool in God's hand. I want to learn how to evangelize, especially by means of sketchboard, fun & magic and such. Anne Marie has among other things worked in a kibbutz in Israel.

B.E.S.T. 2000

By Ole Christensen

Join the greatest summer conference of the year - sign up for:

Baltic Evangelistic Summer Team in Lithuania on July 21-30, 2000, and in Latvia on August 6-14, 2000.

Price: DKK 2,800 all included (join both summer conferences for the price of one conference).

B.E.S.T. when only the best is good enough. Expect a difference!

We have young people from Finland joining the team this year, so it is going to be really wild! The team members will be attending a three-day course on personal evangelization, bible teaching, and the use of visual aids like sketchboard, drama and gospel magic. After that they will be sent out in small teams of 4-5 individuals - mingling Balts, Finns, and Danes - to participate in street meetings, visit schools, prisons, orphanages, and many other things.

Do not miss the extra profit of going. You will return home filled with new ideas and options, and having learned a lot, you will be a very resourceful person in your church. Help to put mission on the agenda.

If you would like further information, please contact OAC Denmark.

Gospel at Bakken and Jesperhus Gospel

By Jørgen Johansen

Since 1998 OAC Denmark has arranged Gospel at Bakken with great success. Last year alone the event gathered more than 5,000 Danes, who saw and heard the Pentecostal message being interpreted through music and magic, performed on the open-air stage and other places at Bakken. This year Gospel at Bakken has been moved forward to 'St. Bededag' (a public Danish holiday on the fourth Friday after Easter) on May 19-20, 2000.

But for those who have grown accustomed to gospel in connection with Pentecost, there will be the Jesperhus Gospel on the island Mors on Whit Monday the 12^th June, 2000. This event is a co-operation between OAC Denmark, Jesperhus Blomsterpark (amusement park), and the parishes of Lødderup and Frøslev/Outrup.

Jesperhus Gospel starts properly at 10 a. m. with a rhythmic family service in a circus tent outside the amusement park. Pastor Esper Tidemann from Århus will be delivering the sermon. Inside the amusement park a lot of gospel events are going to take place, just like at Gospel at Bakken: gospel choir, children's choir, magic, sketchboard, juggling, drama, puppet theatre, balloon animals, etc.

Naturally, we hope that Jesperhus Gospel is going to be just as popular as Gospel at Bakken, which many churches and organizations have made their destination of the annual outing. At any rate we have done our utmost to make it an eventful day for the entire family, filled with fun and with an underlying touch of seriousness. As is the case with Gospel at Bakken you can help us bring this project into being by sending a contribution to OAC Denmark, explicitly marked 'Jesperhus Gospel'. If you have a business of your own, you also have the option of making an advertising/sponsor agreement in connection with the event.

Church Festival

By Pastor Peter Noer, Frøslev

We often read about big city churches where a lot of things are happening. In September 'Kristeligt Dagblad' (a Danish newspaper) published a series of articles on some of the ten largest churches as far as the annual number of communicants was concerned. It is true that there is a lot going on in these churches. And churches with large congregations often attract even more, as many people like to be where thrilling things are happening. It is the so-called cathedral sensation. Certainly that must be the place for a festival - and a church campaign.

BUT, BUT, BUT - the countryside is not a hopeless place either! On August 25-29, 1999, we had a festival in the rural parishes that form a horizontal belt across Mors. On Thursday the 26^th August, 1999, Hans Jørn Østerby gave a concert, and on Sunday the 29^th August, 1999, followed a gospel concert with Mette Jacobsen & Band - two very successful events.

NB: We have arranged concerts like these before. In 1998 Primus (a Danish Christian choir) visited the island for a weekend, giving two concerts. The novelty this year was the three-day participation of Jørgen Johansen. He visited a junior club, a class of confirmands, three school classes of 60 children each, and performed at the first concert.

Furthermore we had two meetings/PR events in the pedestrian street in Nykøbing, distributing handbills concerning the concerts.

Our conclusion is that the participation of OAC Denmark by Jørgen Johansen was very successful indeed. It is our hope that our experiences may encourage some of you readers.

STREET CORNER

is the newsletter from OAC/Friluftsmission in Denmark. We are working in the Nordic & the Baltic States.

The Purpose of OAC/Friluftsmissionen

To present Christ by all means to all people everywhere on the Evangelical-Lutheran basis in these countries, primarily through open-air evangelism as well as in places and situations where unsaved people are. The characteristics of the work of OAC/Friluftsmissionen are: Teaching local congregations and societies in a sound Biblical preaching through sketchboard, gospel-magic etc. OAC/Friluftsmissionen is a faith mission financed through voluntary gifts. Wages are not paid to full time staff evangelists, but each one of them is responsible to the board for their own economy. So far OAC Denmark/Friluftsmissionen has three full time staff evangelists: Jørgen Johansen, Torben Østermark and Ole Christensen.

Gifts to OAC/Friluftsmissionen Denmark

Should you wish to support OAC Denmark/Friluftsmissionen regularly, you can do so either through a covenbant or by cheque. Cheques should be made payable to Friluftsmissionen, Rebslagerporten 43, DK-2650 Hvidovre. A covenant form can be requested and made through OAC Britain, David & Alice Fanstone, 102 Dukes Ave., Muswell Hill, London N10 2QA, tel 181 444 5254. (Gifts can be earmarked to Jørgen Johansen, Torben Østermark, Ole Christensen or to specific projects such as mission in the Baltic's.) We appreciate your gift very much.