150th anniversary of the Inner Mission in Denmark

“Tell people how important it is to believe in Jesus.”

“The Church Association for the Inner Mission in Denmark” was founded on 13 September 1861. From the outset it was a church-based movement within the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church seeking to revive and preserve the Christian faith on a biblical basis and the Lutheran articles of confession. Its objective, according to its homepage, is still “to call people to a personal faith and commitment in Jesus Christ and to share a new life in Him. The movement encourages and strengthens this faith and commitment through a warm and active Christian fellowship.”

 

The 150th anniversary celebrations will include a nationwide “Open-house” in all the mission houses on 10 September, a reception in Fredericia on the day itself, and a jubilee celebration at the Fredericia Exhibition Centre on 8 October.

 

Work and activities
The association’s activities are mainly local and include working with children and youngsters as well as Sunday Schools, Bible study groups, meetings and weekend camps – all organised by staff members and a large number of volunteers. The Inner Mission runs some commercial activities from its head-office in Fredericia, including:

• The Book Publishing House Lohse
• The Music Publishing House Refleks musik (Christian Danish music)
• Felix Rejser (Christian travel agency)
• IMedia (mediacentre)

The Inner Mission also owns two hotels, a camping site, and its own Bible school, where students are given a Bible-based education and leadership training. It also publishes a weekly magazine.

 

The image
In its early days the Inner Mission was led by Pastor Vilhelm Beck, a formidable preacher who attracted audiences of up to 10,000 every summer at the Himmelbjerg meeting. But one sad episode has clouded the image of the Inner Mission. In 1893 48 fishermen drowned in a storm on the North Sea. 26 of them, from one village, left behind 20 widows and 74 orphans. At the graveside with the 26 coffins and the Copenhagen press in attendance Pastor Carl Moe said, “What is the point in denying that a number of those lying in these coffins had no life in Christ.” The city press went to town on such a ‘medieval attitude’ and two years were to pass before the pastor stopped receiving threatening letters. But the image was perpetuated by Hans Kirk’s novel, Fiskerne, 1928 (the Fishermen), which was filmed and broadcast on TV in 1977 and is a standard work in high school. The reputation for dourness persists in some circles, though it is palpably unfair.

 

The present reality
The mission was an early supporter of welfare and many present-day aid organisations have their roots here, including the YMCA/YWCA and the Church Army, which runs hundreds of charity shops. At its peak in the mid-1930s to 1940s one in four Danes was linked to the Inner Mission; today this figure is closer to one in forty – although 10-15% of pastors are supporters. As a movement it has always been family-oriented, especially among the middle to working class. Nowadays it also works among refugees and immigrants. Its aim has not changed in 150 years: “The church’s most important task is mission, to tell people how important it is to believe in Jesus.”

You can read more about the Inner Mission at their English homepage:
http://indremission.dk/site/Udenlandske_sider/Engelsk/

 

Picture: IM logo

By: Edward Broadbridge

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