Latest news

Brunstad in Norway is Brunstad Christian Church's most important missionary and conference center. Nearly 1000 Dutch participants attended the international conference in August. 

The childlike runner is intent on reaching the goal in the race. He does not pay attention to the people watching, so he is not hindered if he falls. He just stands up again and runs toward the goal – divine nature

It is not everyday that you find cowboys and Indians, bouncy castles, and carousels at Brunstad. Family Day is the highlight for the children, and again this year, it was a wonderful start for the August Conference.

People converse enthusiastically in German, Dutch, English, and French. They have just arrived at the conference at Brunstad. The fifth annual August conference is starting this week, and is primarily a multinational event.

100 years ago this summer, one of the most important pillars in the Church, Aksel Johan Smith, was born. Brunstad Christian Church used the opportunity to commemorate and shed light upon a faithful and remarkable life.

The annual July summer conference at Brunstad Conference Center has come to an end, and what an eventful fortnight it has been!
See the slideshow for impressions of life at Brunstad during the conference.

The children's conference at Brunstad is the highlight of the year for over 3000 children from all over the world. The theme of the conference this year was Paul, a man who went from being a persecutor of Jesus to being His follower.

“No one else could have problems like mine. No one else could have the same thoughts I have.” Gershon Twilley preaches powerfully about faith in having a pure thought life.

The 300 participants needed strength, endurance, speed, and teamwork. Once again, the Outdoor Challenge was a nerve-wracking competition for young people, inspired this year by the Olympic Games.

"How can we save Africa? And is it possible for a young person today to be completely happy, regardless of outward circumstances?" Frode Reiersrud opened the 2010 mission meeting at Brunstad with these questions.

RISØYA, GRENLAND: Well over one thousand young brothers between the ages of 13 and 36 came, despite the summer rain, to an eventful brothers’ gathering at Risøya, an island in the Eidanger fjord.

“I feel like I am in a great big living room,” Elisabeth Matulke of Germany says. She is one of the 3000 women who attended a splendid, festive evening for sisters, arranged at Brunstad.

During this year’s summer conference, we have seen Brunstad at its best. The summer weather has been beautiful, and both young and old have had many memorable experiences. But what is it that really left an impact on people following the four conference days?

“If all I ask God for is the forgiveness of sins, I am not demonstrating that I love Him.”
This excerpt is from the first meeting during the summer conference. Here, Kåre J. Smith and Arild Tombre speak about becoming like Jesus. By suffering through to the end during temptations, we become like Him, He who overcame all sin.
Listen to and watch an excerpt from the first meeting from the summer conference 2010 here.

They gather each week to edify one another in the faith, but for the youth group in the church in Southern Norway, Bible studies are a less common treat. Therefore, the many young people were looking forward to a special visit from Tielman Slabbert of South Africa.

BRUNSTAD, NORWAY: Sunday was the first day of the summer conference at Brunstad. Frank Ditlefsen and his family are among the more than 8,500 participants looking forward to two weeks of spiritual edification, activities and fellowship.

Missionary work in Asia has been going on for decades in many different countries. Like all other work, this work has a goal.

HORTEN, NORWAY: “Let’s take a five minute break!” someone announces, and immediately dozens of young boys and girls run out of the door I have just entered through. On the floor is a pile of long poles.

VANDERBIJLPARK, SOUTH AFRICA: “How many of you have practiced for today?” Today's presenter, Ivan, looks out over the hall and all the children sitting on the floor at the front. Most children raise their arms eagerly; they have been rehearsing for several weeks and will now perform some of the things they have learned since last time

HUNTWORTH, ENGLAND: “For the love of Christ compels us” is the theme for the upcoming “Brunstad feast”, which this time will take place in England. Now the organizers have made the first teaser for the feast.

Salem, OREGON, USA: About 200 youth from the Northwest Coast of North America gathered in Oregon for a youth conference. In meetings at the modern Macleay Christian Retreat, the faith of a God-fearing man in ancient Bible times came alive.

“There is a portal of grace that leads into a new dimension, where you no longer have to sin!”
Watch and listen to some of the highlights of the Pentecost conference.

Albert and Tania Koetse went on a one-week vacation to Pagedal, Brunstad Christian Church’s conference center in The Netherlands.

“Through the work of Jesus, it is possible to have victory over sin,” proclaimed Kåre J. Smith at a Sisters’ meeting at Brunstad.

On a recent weekend friends from all over Norway gathered for an annual men’s retreat just outside of Måløy. About 250 people attended a weekend that included various activities. There were soccer tournaments, a festive dinner, and edifying meetings.

Saturday, April 17, 2010 we learned that the Brunstad Feast one year from now will be in South Africa. “We have a story to tell,” says Tielman Slabbert after letting the news about this challenge sink in.

TØNSBERG: On Saturday we gathered for the bi-annual internationally televised event, or Brunstad Feast as we call it. More then 20,000 viewers were focused on Brunstad as a conference center and missionary center for the church.

The April 3rd online edition of Aftenposten, Norway’s largest newspaper, posted an article stating that in Norway faith in God is slowly dying out. Surveys conducted over the past 25 years reveal that fewer and fewer young people believe in God, and as the younger generation replaces the older generation, faith in God is diminishing.

Two times a year the Brunstad Christian Church arranges a “Brunstad Feast” spotlighting the missionary work and fellowship. A live TV transmission makes it possible for more than 20,000 friends throughout the world to see the event.

The recent Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada caused a surge of patriotism and national pride for many people, and the friends in Vancouver were no exception. Watch how some of them experienced having the Olympic Games in their home town, culminating in the Canadian win over USA in the ice hockey finals!

Even though the Brunstad Christian Church is a relatively small church movement in the international arena, there are, nonetheless, fellowships in some very unusual places.

BRUNSTAD, NORWAY: – “I know I get the strength that I need here," says Jonathan Storm Larsen (19) from Kristiansand in Norway. He was one of the 3,721 youth who attended the Easter conference at Brunstad Conference Center.

COIMBATORE, INDIA: Inspired by “The Great Commission” of Jesus to “Go out and teach all nations…,” church friends in Coimbatore organized an outreach meeting late in February 2010. Nearly 100 locals attended the long-planned meeting.

BRUNSTAD, NORWAY: "Sin is there, but it mustn't rule," says Kåre J. Smith in this hopeful message at the last meeting of the Easter conference at Brunstad Conference Center.

BRUNSTAD, NORWAY: “In order to get grace to receive the Word of God, we need to lay aside all evil.” Kåre Smith started the second day of the Easter conference with simple instructions for making the Bible come alive.

BRUNSTAD, NORWAY: "The Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome sin! Why else would we need the Holy Spirit?" Kåre J. Smith asked this rhetorical question in front of a packed meeting hall when this year's Easter Conference started at Brunstad Conference Center on Good Friday.

A total of 20,000 people across the world will follow the message being broadcast from Brunstad Christian Church's missionary center Brunstad, Norway when the Easter conference starts on Good Friday. 

97 years old. That is certainly a respectable age. And it is even more respectable when we know that for almost 80 of those years Mary Jansen has consciously lived a wholehearted Christian life.

BRUNSTAD, NORWAY: Kåre J. Smith began this year’s Sisters’ Conference with a powerful, faith-strengthening invitation to lay hold of your heavenly calling. Frøydis Bratlie was one of several people who expressed her great appreciation for the help in this gospel. 

The scenic town of Harrison Hot Springs in British Columbia, Canada was the venue for a workers' training weekend recently.

The annual Sisters' Conference takes place every March. Spring is in the air, and more than 3000 women of all ages gather at Brunstad Conference Center in Stokke, Norway.

CURICO, CHILE: Ivan Pino is from Curico, about 150 km (93 miles) from the hard-hit city of Constitución. He had been traveling in the southern part of the country when the powerful earthquake struck on February 27th. “I was so happy to see my family again,” he says.

VALDIVIA, CHILE: Last Saturday's earthquake in Chile was the fifth most powerful ever recorded, measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale. Brunstad.org's correspondent in Chile, Erich Guerrero, experienced the earthquake himself.

Eight months after being involved in a dramatic car accident, Susanne Auke completed her rehabilitation at Sunnaas hospital near Oslo last week. The 14 year old is in good shape and ready to move home and start school again.

Andrew Taylor is one of the 450 people who has come to the conference center at Macleay in Oregon, USA to hear the Word of God during this last weekend in January.

The men and boys from Stavanger who were on a brothers' trip last weekend heard God's Word and enjoyed excellent fellowship. They were encouraged to live their lives according to God's Word.

At the sisters’ meeting at Brunstad last Wednesday, Kåre J. Smith spoke simply and clearly about the living hope that precedes faith, and the warfare that is required to attain the promises. “I was really strengthened”, says Elise Schøll.

On February 7^th, about 700 people are gathered for the Sunday meeting in Brunstad Christian Church's hall in Oslo, Norway. They listen to Kåre J. Smith, who opens the meeting with a powerful message about God's promises, which we are to attain in the New Covenant.

Seeing how much the friends loved each other made a strong impression on Heidi (25) from Norway, when she attended a conference in Malaysia recently. The message they heard at the conference explained the basis of this fellowship.

In January, 100 people from Oceania and Europe gathered at Waihi Beach on New Zealand’s North Island, looking forward to hearing God’s Word. They were not disappointed.

Each Tuesday, 230 boys and girls aged 7 to 16 from the church in Oslo/Follo in Norway come together for various activities. Activity Club for the children is organized by enthusiastic youth. What motivates them?

A simple sentence made a special impression on Kenneth de Jong (17) from Melbourne in Australia, who has just come home from the summer conference in Sydney.

Kenya has 31 million Christians. Approximately 200 of them came together for a summer conference in the city of Kisumu, by lake Victoria.

2009 is drawing to a close and many people are gathered at Brunstad in Stokke in Norway to celebrate the new year.
 

The annual Christmas concert at Brunstad was attended by 3200 people. The Christmas message was proclaimed through song, music,and messages and all present were filled with Christmas cheer.

Together with 28 other twelve year olds from Drammen and Eiker in Norway, Synøve (12) from Drammen is on a four-day camp organized by Brunstad Christian Church, at Sørli in Modum, Norway.

Fifty young people from the Asian churches had an activities weekend containg both sport and edification. 

Babysitters were in short supply last weekend, as 3500 people travelled to Brunstad to participate in what must have been the “parents’ event” of the year.

Friends from near and far travelled to Ternopil in the Ukraine to participate in the annual brothers' conference in the regional church conference center.

After one year of preparations for the Brunstad feast, the church in Alemlo in the Netherlands could invite churches from across the world to a live TV broadcast with focus on missionary work and fellowship.

Susanne Auke (13) from Slemmestad in Norway was dragged more than 4 km under a car. Her story shocked and moved people all over the world. Many people wondered how this "miracle girl" could have survived.

The 2009 global Reading-Comprehension Competition was broadcast on live TV from Brunstad on Saturday.

On Saturday the church in the Dutch town of Almelo will be hosting a live, global TV broadcast that will focus on Brunstad and missionary work.