Faithful to the Word, Committed to the Mission

Nordkirken (North Church) was planted in 2012 out of Kristuskirken—the first Reformed Baptist church plant in Denmark (2010). We began as a small home gathering, but over the years the Lord has graciously added people to the church as we have preached the gospel and proclaimed his Word. Today, the congregation has nearly 50 members, with a strong and growing presence of families and more than 40 children.

Since the founding of Nordkirken, Mikael Thomsen has faithfully served as the church’s pastor while working full time to support his family. Mikael holds a Master of Arts degree in Language and International Studies from Aalborg University, and in 2022 he began his Master of Divinity studies at Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary. Balancing full-time work, pastoring, studying, and serving as a husband and father is both challenging and highly demanding. Although the church has grown and is now able to cover a modest portion of Mikael’s financial needs, additional support is required to make full-time pastoral ministry possible. For this reason, we prayerfully invite partners to help enable Mikael to serve as a full-time pastor, thereby releasing greater capacity for ministry and pastoral care.

What follows is an invitation to learn more about Nordkirken and how you can be part of the work God is accomplishing through this church.

In the fall of 2012, a church plant was established 7 miles south of Aalborg. The church was named Nordkirken. Mikael & Hanna Thomsen opened their home in the suburb village of Godthåb (Good Hope), which became the first gathering place for the new church. After about a year of holding services in their home, the congregation moved its meetings to a local school. Today, the church meets on the outskirts of Svenstrup in Southern Aalborg.

Mikael, who is the pastor of Nordkirken, grew up in Zambia, where his parents and grandparents served as missionaries. His father and grandfather were church planters.

Mikael came to personal, saving faith in Christ in 1997, and it was then that the calling to build God’s church began to grow in him. However, his calling was not to Africa, as it had been with his father and grandfather, but to Denmark—as an “indigenous missionary.”

Mikael married Hanna in 1998, and together they were actively involved in church ministry in Aalborg. Today Mikael and Hanna have two daughters, Amalie (21) and Fillipa (19). Mikael gained experience in teaching, preaching, and church leadership in their former church, a seeker-sensitive congregation shaped by experiential and Word-of-Faith–style emphases. In the mid-2000s, however, his study of Scripture and historic Protestant theology deepened his burden for the purity of the gospel and for clear, biblically faithful preaching. There was also a need in Denmark for biblical congregations with a confessional foundation.

After a 2009 conference in central Jutland with the American evangelist and missionary Paul Washer as the keynote speaker, it became clear to a small group of people from various church backgrounds that a church plant was the necessary next step. Mikael and Hanna left their former church in 2010 to assist in planting Kristuskirken—the first Reformed Baptist church in Denmark in central Jutland. Two years later, Kristuskirken sent them out to plant a second church in Northern Jutland leading to the founding of Nordkirken in 2012.

The vision is for more biblically sound churches to be planted across Denmark, boldly and uncompromisingly proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A deeper understanding of the Reformed perspective on the purity of the gospel can, among other resources, be found in Mikael’s book: God is Sovereign – Why We Must Reform, published in Danish in 2014.

Baptist Faith and Message: we fully subscribe to the confessional statements found in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 and require membership candidates to read and review the statement as they consider and prepare to become members of Nordkirken.

The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: we hold to the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith and Baptist Catechism, which have been translated into Danish and apply it regularly as a teaching tool. We affirm this confession because we believe it faithfully summarizes the teaching of Holy Scripture. It upholds a high view of God, Christ, and the authority of the Bible, and clearly proclaims God’s sovereign grace in the salvation of sinners. The 1689 Confession also connects our church to the rich heritage of historic Christian teaching that has endured careful biblical examination over the centuries. In addition, it provides helpful clarity regarding our distinct convictions in a context shaped by the theology and practice of the Danish Lutheran state church. Finally, it serves a pastoral purpose by encouraging spiritual growth, strengthening assurance in believers, and guiding sinners with clarity and hope to Jesus Christ.

While we do not claim that the 1689 Confession is perfect, we recognize that Scripture alone is our ultimate authority. When needed, our elders may clarify or distinguish secondary points of doctrine.

We joyfully affirm the Confession’s overall direction, trusting it faithfully guides us in understanding God’s Word and living for Christ.

We agree with Charles Spurgeon:

“This ancient document is the most excellent epitome of the things most surely believed among us. It is not issued as an authoritative rule or code of faith, whereby you may be fettered, but as a means of edification in righteousness. It is an excellent, though not inspired, expression of the teaching of those Holy Scriptures by which all confessions are to be measured. We hold to the humbling truths of God’s sovereign grace in the salvation of lost sinners. Salvation is through Christ alone and by faith alone.”

In addition to our primary doctrinal standards, we affirm several historic creeds and contemporary statements as faithful summaries of biblical teaching. These include the historic creeds—the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Chalcedonian Definition—as well as contemporary statements such as the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978), the Cambridge Declaration (1996), the Danvers Statement (CBMW, 1987), and the Nashville Statement (2017).

Our Mission

Nordkirken’s mission is to advance the Kingdom of God in the Kingdom of Denmark.

Our Purpose

We exist to exalt and glorify the Triune God, proclaim His Word with Christ at the center, live out His love in everyday life, and share the testimony of the Gospel of Jesus with the world around us.

Our Commitments

Ephesians 4:15 exhorts us to speak the truth in love as we grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.

We are committed to truth expressed in love, and to love grounded in truth— because neither can exist fully without the other. We are devoted to a love that tells the truth and a truth that is shaped by love, knowing they are two sides of the same calling. This expresses one of our core commitments.

With a strong emphasis on the Bible, propositional truth, and sound doctrine, we have at times been accused of being judgmental or condemning. We have made it our intentional goal to put such perceptions to shame by cultivating a spirit of love in all that we do as we faithfully proclaim God’s truth.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).

Our Ministry

The church has grown primarily through a faithful witness to the Word of God. We began with humble beginnings, as a handful of people gathered in the home of Mikael and Hanna. From the outset, we have consistently practiced consecutive expositional preaching through books of the Bible, regular Bible studies, small groups, evangelism, and discipleship.

Through personal witness to neighbors, friends, and colleagues, we have seen people come to faith in Christ, be baptized, and be added to the church. In addition, we intentionally support missions, seeking to obey the Great Commission both locally and globally.

Our greatest constraint at this time is that, as the church has grown, the need for a full-time pastor has become increasingly pressing. Mikael’s passion for ministry, his desire to shepherd the congregation faithfully, and his vision to invest more fully in evangelism, apologetics, and writing are increasingly difficult to sustain while also working full-time to support his family.

With the financial support of church partners, Mikael would be able to serve the church with greater focus and capacity. With this support, Mikael could pursue the following ministry goals over the next three to five years:

We envision the total financial support for Mikael coming from three sources: Nordkirken, a missions organization, and church partners. Although the church has grown and would be able to contribute a modest portion toward Mikael’s financial support, additional funding is required to make full-time pastoral ministry possible. Therefore, we warmly invite church partners to join us in this work, prayerfully supporting Mikael so that he can serve full-time, shepherd the congregation effectively, and help the gospel bear fruit in our community.

Establishing a Financial Support Partnership

1. Initial Contact: Reach out to us at info@nordkirken.dk to request an online meeting. During this meeting, we will introduce ourselves, share our ministry goals and current needs, and discuss expectations for the partnership.
2. Establish a Partnership Agreement: Together, we will define the parameters of your support, including the amount and frequency of giving, the duration of the partnership, communication and reporting expectations, as well as the practical details for providing financial support.
3. Ongoing Communication: We are committed to full transparency with our partners. You will receive regular updates on ministry progress, information about specific needs and prayer requests, newsletters, and occasional calls or visits to stay connected and engaged in the work you are supporting.

The life and direction of the church are ordered according to the New Testament pattern of a plurality of elders, assisted by deacons and developing leaders. As we continue to grow toward this pattern, we trust that Christ faithfully shepherds His church through those He has presently called to serve, teach, and care for His people. Below is an introduction to Nordkirken's current leadership.

Mikael Thomsen is the founding pastor and an ordained elder of Nordkirken. He holds a Master of Arts degree and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary. He also works full time as Senior Solution Consultant at a Global construction technology company. Together with his wife, Hanna, and their two daughters, he serves the church in Aalborg with a focus on faithful preaching, pastoral care, and discipleship.

Johnny Kristensen is an ordained deacon, treasurer, and one of the pillars of Nordkirken. He oversees the church’s finances and practical needs, serving faithfully alongside others in leadership to support the life and mission of the congregation. Johnny is the owner and Head of Finance of a fish trading company in northern Denmark. He and his wife, Mirjam, have four children; one daughter and three boys.

Martin Madsen is an elder candidate who serves the church through teaching and leadership in Nordkirken’s small group ministry and Bible studies. His practical and technical abilities help ensure that all aspects of the church’s life function efficiently. Martin is a Software Engineer and works as one of the board of directors at a Danish e‑commerce company. He is married to Kirstine and they have two boys and a daughter.

Mark Thomsen is an elder candidate who serves the church through teaching and regular preaching on the Lord’s Day. He has served the church sacrificially almost since its founding, and his joyful spirit and encouragement uplift both members and leaders alike. Mark is a general practitioner and co-owns a local medical practice. He and his wife, Lise, have a son, two daughters, and a dog named Barney.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. -Phil. 1:3-5