Pray for Norway

Ten cultural rules encourage Norwegians to be content with a simple and average life, called the Law of Jante. Because of these rules, Norwegians value modesty and reject the idea that an individual can be better than anyone else. Several times a year, Norwegians step away from their own pursuits to serve together in the community. After all, why should individuals only work to make themselves happy when they can spend a few days bringing happiness to an entire community? Norwegians strongly believe in equality, and labor is divided by skill and not status or seniority. A national rule requires many public companies to have women make up 40 percent of their leadership. Norway’s men and women have tapped into the large oil fields off the coast and turned the country into one of the world’s largest oil and gas exporters. Its people also run one of the most successful merchant shipping industries in the world.

Though Norway’s way of life has brought it great prosperity, a heavy dependence on oil drilling makes its economy vulnerable to changes in global prices. Furthermore, as an aging population retires, Norway’s young people have to do more of the work. The hopes of younger generations are further stifled as high housing costs make it difficult for them to settle down. These growing concerns about the future, along with social isolation driven by excessive media use, have caused many to despair. Young people have reported becoming significantly stressed and anxious about life. Like its Scandinavian neighbors, Norway has also strayed from biblical values, making abortion widely available, supporting homosexuality, and encouraging those who change genders.

Christianity spread through the region when King Olaf I was converted in 995. Later on, the Lutheran Church of Norway was established as the state church. Though a majority of Norwegians consider themselves Lutheran, many churches are spiritually lifeless. Church attendance is low, and a growing number of people identify as non-religious. There is also a growing number of Muslims in the country as people immigrate from Middle Eastern regions. There are many among these immigrants and among Norway’s citizens who are hungry for God’s word, and there is a great need for pastors who can help these people understand the Scriptures. Norway’s Christian history once made it one of the largest missionary-sending nations in the world. Pray that God would bring revival to his Church and make the country a great source of missionaries once again.