DAWN Fridayfax 2002 #16

News from Switzerland and Norway

In this issue:
Switzerland: Young Christians make new covenant on Rütli
Norway: Making disciples of the Vikings

Switzerland

Young Christians make new covenant on Rütli

On Easter Saturday, 30 March 2002, 3,500 mainly young Christians gathered "to renew the covenant with the living God which led to the formation of the Swiss Confederation in 1291". The gathering on Rütli, a mountain near Lucerne, where the original covenant was made, was organised by a small group of young Swiss leaders. "Why are you lying here sleeping? Get up and call on your God for help! Maybe he will have mercy, and not let us die" (Jonah 1:6) - those were the words with which Matthias 'Kuno' Kuhn called on young Christians "not to crawl into your sleeping bags like Jonah, not understanding what is happening around you, but to stand up and be seen, so that Switzerland will be saved. This is no day for happy-clappy Christians looking for a fun event - it's the moment in which you're being called to seriously commit yourself to the Lord." The sermon about Jonah left a particular impression on many: "he literally slept through the first 50 days of his mission, and won the second half, having squandered the first." As a parallel to the spiritual wrestling for the future of Switzerland, the participants were challenged to start something new in the next 50 days, and stand up for their nation.
Source: "Kuno", Boris Eichenberger, Stefan and Tamara Berger, Andreas Keller, Peter Reusser, Bernhard Steiner, Susanna Rychiger, Lukas Tschanz; Rütli 02, Malerweg 2, 3600 Thun, Switzerland. www.ruetli02.ch

Norway

Making disciples of the Vikings

The following is a report from Reinhold Scharnowski, European Coordinator of the Dawn Movement, from the third national Dawn Conference in Kristiansand, Norway in January 2002: "Since 1993, a Norwegian team has been working to encourage a national evangelistic process through saturation church planting. During the 1996 conference, younger, radical leaders were reconciled with the more traditional part of Norway's Christians. Around 800 visitors, almost half of whom were under 30, joined the over 230 participants at this year's conference for the plenary sessions. In November 1996, Christian leaders set the target of planting 500 new churches by 2005; this year, church growth researcher Ommund Rolfsen reported that 146 of these have been planted so far, and that a national process of church planting has begun - though the target date may need to be put back. The number of new churches each year is growing constantly: between 1983 and 1993, 14 new churches were planted each year; the number is now 23 per year. According to Scharnowski, the most important developments visible at the conference were:

The Norwegian State Church is planting new churches

Around one quarter of the new churches are being planted by the Norwegian Lutheran State Church. This is surprising for many, because most European state churches still work with a strict parish system.

The baton is being passed on

The baton is being passed on to the new generation. Stefan Christiansen reported that the first "Jesus Revolution Church" had been planted in Oslo, with plans for new churches in Marseille, Barcelona, Milan and Munich as well as more 'New Generation Churches' throughout Norway. Leo Bigger, Swiss church planter and leader of the ICF Zurich, also spoke about planting churches for the new generation. In Norway, such new generation churches are no longer viewed as an unwelcome intruder, but as necessary new forms of church - new wineskins, but with respect for the old. "During the conference, I regularly saw young leaders being hugged and blessed by their elders," says Scharnowski.

Strategic unity

There is a strategic unity and growing excitement about reaching the nation through planting all forms of church, from Lutheran through Pentecostal to completely new forms. Stefan Christiansen, who was viewed as a rebel only a few years ago, today preaches beside a Lutheran Bishop and the leader of the Pentecostals. Theology and structure gave rise to few discussions; the aim of achieving the unfulfilled missionary task brings great unity. Sten Sörensen, leader of the Norwegian Dawn team, believes that in 20 years, there will be 1,000 new churches in Norway.

City strategies increasingly important

In Bergen, a city of 230,000, a city-reaching strategy is forming which already involves over half of the local Christians. Based on Ed Silvoso's lighthouse concept, Christians regularly pray for half of the city's population. Pastors meet every two weeks, and the whole Body of Christ meets twice each year for Celebrations. In addition, various networks of businesspeople, intercessors and youth have formed. The local government regularly meets with the Christian leaders, and local newspapers print positive articles about Christian activities "without a word of criticism", says Noralv Askeland, one of the city's apostolic leaders.

"Norway," the report summarises, "has succeeded in uniting the Body of Christ in a strategic process - through realistic goals, a long-term process, a committee which represents the whole Body of Christ, and a small but highly-qualified team of practitioners." The next national conference is planned to be held in Bergen in January 2004.
Source: Reinhold Scharnowski. A more detailed report is available at www.dawneurope.net

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