From the May-August 2010 Issue
Spiritual movement in Norway
Michael and Ariette Robinson
Pointing the way homeDuring the Second World War, and even before that, there was an awakening towards the gospel all over Norway. In the north there were evangelical preachers who mostly came from the south. They travelled from village to village and they led many to Christ. In the towns there were churches with pastors, but in the sparsely populated areas this was not practical so they had a system with visiting preachers. These were of different theological views. So in these small villages there were different Free churches and Evangelical Lutheran groups side by side. These were often openly opposed to each other. Fortunately there is more understanding between these groups now. Probably they need to stand together because they are such small groups.
The work in Espenes
When I came to the North fifty years ago people were still very open towards the gospel. Meetings were very well attended in most places. Our little village had quite a regular ministry, EMF having had a worker there for over ten years before I arrived. There was a well attended meeting and many who were clearly called of God. There was a faithful little group of believers and others confessed a new-found faith in Christ. We had much to take care of and some conflicts with other groups who visited the village and who were damaging to the work. Once a month there was a meeting they called “Our Hope meeting” which was a house meeting, usually jam packed, with preaching and time for personal witness. They were rich times when the Lord was near and some Christians still remember those meetings. Families were large then and the Sunday school and youth meetings were crowded.
Youth camps
The different denominations held children’s camps. We were helpers in a camp which had children from a large area, over 422 miles. The children came again and again and were visited in their villages throughout the year. The denomination we now work with had camps too and we helped as leaders for them. The camps were very fruitful. Some of those young people are today leaders in churches and one became a missionary.
The situation today
We left this area for a period of nine years. When we came back 27 years ago there were quite a few small groups still gathering, though mostly older people, and very few outsiders came to the meetings. The members were very faithful and they loved to hear the Word of God preached – but only those who already had faith in Christ. People generally had become apathetic towards the gospel and young families seem to turn away from God. The word ‘conservative’ was given a new negative meaning, with a fear of absolute meanings and standards. There is very little work amongst young people. Christians have become more and more isolated. Several groups have had to lay down their work and others seem to be going the same way. Our little group in Sørreisa has had some deaths last year and we are often down to five people at meetings. In the bigger towns there is some good work, but work in the villages is struggling. In Espenes we still help with the Sunday school and attend a Bible study group.
The new church in Tana
This is a great encouragement to us and although Tana is 800 kilometres away we have tried to support them as much as we can. I have not been very well this year. Nevertheless we have managed to visit Tana several times. We had three weeks there before Christmas. Whilst we were there they asked us to help them to get the gospel out to people in the area and we had meetings in a shopping centre, visited homes for the elderly and held morning meetings in two different places. Then they invited children with their parents to a special meeting. There was a very good response.
We want to thank all who have upheld us in prayer over these past years. In sending this article I feel that it is all things I have written before, but this is the situation.