What is a free church?
Get an overview of Danish free churches.
In short, what is a free church?
The word free church basically means a church that is not linked to the state. It therefore only makes sense to talk about free churches in countries where there is a state-supported church.
In Denmark, it is established by the Constitution that the national church (called Folkekirken) is supported by the state. Folkekirken has some so-called ordinances that stipulate the faith of the church - while the framework for a wide range of practicalities is regulated by the Danish Parliament.
In the free churches, on the other hand, it is the churches themselves who decide - and pay for - virtually everything.
Free churches in Denmark
There are over 400 free churches in Denmark, including migrant churches.
About 50,000 regularly attend a free church — a number that is growing.
A census from 2023 shows that on any given Sunday in the metropolitan area, more people attend services in a free church (including migrant churches) than in a folk church.
Typical free churches are The Salvation Army, The Baptist Church, The Methodist Church, Mosaic-churches, Apostolic Church, Hillsong, Vineyard, and Evangelical Free Church Denmark.
How many members do the free churches have?
Free churches have very different concepts of membership and many experience themselves as part of a free church without formally being a member. Also, no recent studies have been done showing the number of members and/or affiliates.
However, it is estimated that every Sunday around 50,000 people attend services in a free church - including migrant churches. The majority of the more than 300 international churches and migrant congregations in Denmark are free churches. In total, the international churches are estimated to number more than 15,000 people.
Today, there are 80 million Lutherans worldwide, while there are 80 million Methodists, 100 million Baptists and up to 700 million Pentecostals. The Catholic Church makes 1.2 billion. So even though we in Denmark are used to thinking of the people's church as the majority church, the situation is different when you put on the global glasses.
How does a church service take place in a free church?
The liturgy -- or lack thereof -- in free churches is very different. Some churches have many years in the making and have developed a firm structure, while others are newly established and still very experimental. In addition, some churches have beautiful church buildings, while others are housed in a former factory room - or something completely third. Some have no premises at all, but meet in private homes, at the local assembly house or at a library.
Thus, it may be difficult to define what a typical free church service is, but we make the attempt anyway.
A free-church service will typically have some of the following elements:
- Welcome
- Maybe a song or a hymn
- Introduction with a verse from the Bible, an experience or the like, and a short prayer
- A section with rhythmic music (with instruments such as drums, electric bass, electric guitar, keyboard) called songs of praise. The songs are often repeated a few times, and between songs there may be ultra-short pauses for prayer and reflection
- Sermon with many examples, often peppered with powerpoints or video clips on big screen
- Supper — in most places only one-two times a month
- In direct continuation of the service - offering personal prayer for the individual's life process - can be in connection with a special crisis, a special challenge or in case of illness and other needs, but also if you just want a blessing
- In many places there is also the opportunity to drink coffee and buy lunch after the service.
On YouTube there are countless videos of worship services from Danish free churches. See, for example, church services from Åbenkirke in Herning.
History of the Free Churches
Grundtvig fought the cause of the Free Churches at the time of the introduction of the Basic Law. This benefited the Baptists, who before the Constitution of 1849 risked forced baptism of their children. The Free Churches thus subscribe to the Danish tradition of freedom: “Our whole tradition of freedom with folk high schools, free schools, free churches, popular enlightenment and so on is a gift that is being pressed in these years...” (Marianne Jelved in Kristligt Dagblad 4/9 2018).
The Free Churches are thus deeply integrated into Danish society and a vivid expression of Christian diversity.
But in fact, the history of the Free Churches goes all the way back to the Reformation - and even to the birth of Christianity in the year 33. Read more about the history of the Free Churches here.
Want to know even more about free churches?
Read even more about free churches in the document “A Brief Introduction to Free Churches”.
See also the short information booklet “Free Church for All”.
FAQS
Quick Answers to 10 Frequently Asked Questions for Free Churches
Free churches and Folkekirken rest on the same foundation and have the same creed, but a free church is self-financing and decides for itself what form the worship services should take and what they should contain. Personal experiences of faith are also important for the Free Churches, and in many places a pastor's experience of vocation to the priesthood would rank higher than theological education—although much in recent decades has been made of the fact that pastors also have a solid theological ballast.
In addition, most free churches use rhythmic music and modern instruments — there are very few organs. Most free churches only baptize people when they are old enough to have taken a stand on the Christian faith themselves - however, child baptism is practiced in a few free churches (the Methodist Church and - in very few cases - Evangelical Free Church Denmark).
In most free churches, there is also a lot of emphasis on relationships, which is why there is almost always a church coffee and sometimes a meal after the service for those who wish.
Each free church has its own procedures for admission to membership, but basically you can become a member if you believe in Jesus Christ. It's free to become a member. All expenses are covered through voluntary donations.
Free churches are for anyone who is a believer, is considering becoming one, or is curious about the Christian faith. As long as you act in respect for each other and what the church stands for, then you are welcome as part of the church. Sometimes the Church Father Augustine is quoted in this connection: Love God, and do what you will.
Free churches, like all recognized and approved denominations, have the right to perform marriages with civil validity under the Marriage Act. However, at least one of the parties must be members of the free church in question.
The word “church” actually means a group or assembly. Just as we all need to belong to a family, Christians need to belong to a church. Here you get spiritual nourishment in preaching and singing, here you are stimulated in the social community, and together with others you get the strength to do much more in society than you could do alone.
Absolutely not! Among other things, a sect is characterized by the fact that you believe you are the only right ones, and you usually have a guru or a strong, dictatorial leadership. You often want to isolate yourself and refrain from collaborating with others other than your like-minded people.
This is in stark contrast to free churches, where one advocates team-based, pluralistic leadership, and where one likes to work with other churches. In addition, all free denominations have an accountability and care structure that ensures that the individual pastor or church does not slip off a tangent or find himself left alone with his or her challenges.
You are warmly welcomed as a member of a free church at the same time as a member of the folk church.
Yes, all churches have a baptismal practice. The only exception is the Salvation Army, which does not practice the sacraments. But where in the folk church one is baptized to become a child of God, in the free churches baptism is more a confession marking that the one who is baptized believes in God and is already a child of God. This view of baptism also applies to baptisms in the Methodist Church and Evangelical Free Church Denmark.
Many of those who are baptized as adults in the Free Churches are also baptized children. When they allow themselves to be baptized as adults, it is usually because they need to mark a conversion to God that has occurred in their lives.
One can be buried out of a free church. The funeral or consecration itself usually takes place in ordinary cemeteries and burial grounds. At funerals, it's the undertaker who coordinates it all. The family just needs to let the family know in what context they want to ground the next of kin. It is different from municipality to municipality whether it costs extra to get a burial ground when you are not a member of the folk church.