Urban Outreach Copenhgen

On Sunday night I (John) drove eight fellow ship dwellers into Copenhagen to meet new people, share our lives, and find out what people believe. We had coffee gratis and literature for people interested in who we are and what we are about. I had three conversations, one with a man from New York, one with a young Muslim Palestinian man, and a conversation with three partying teenagers. The man from NY carries a heavy burden of an identity rooted in "belief in nothing." I asked what he thought of reality and he gave the answer "life is tough; then you die." So contrary to his first statement, this man believes life is tough and that he will someday die. When challenged with the potential to thrive in the name of Jesus and have life for eternity, rather than merely surviving a number of years before experiencing true death, he balked at the possibility and stepped away.

The young Palestinian Muslim and I had a great conversation about the institution of church and mosque. He agreed that the rules established by the institution are well intentioned but lack spiritual power. I agreed and shared my belief that the lifestyle I live is an outpouring of the way, the truth, and the life Christ gave to me when I became a Christian. He suggested that he to was a Christian because Jesus is held by Muslims as a major Prophet. I shared the truth of the Bible that Jesus was not a prophet and was actually the only Son of God who was sent to die for our sin so that we could have a relationship with God. As a Muslim, one must earn God's favor and there is nothing that one can about this; the created has nothing to offer the creator.

The third conversation I had (with the three partying teenagers) was interesting as I mostly just listened. Their priorities seemed to be drinking, dancing and meeting girls to hook up with. When the conversation turned to belief, these kids were not sure. "Maybe reincarnation," they said. I asked them if reincarnation was a belief based on how they lived their lives. I talked with them about the type of life available as a follower of Jesus. They were challenged, but not yet ready for the redemptive power of Christ.

Overall, the night went well. The Danes are fun, interesting people with inquisitive and remarkably brilliant minds.