Transcription
Hello and warmest greetings in Christ our Lord. This is an update for friends and supporters of Torben Sondergaard.
First of all, God is good, and we are so encouraged by what God has done, is doing, and is going to do in the coming days. There is a way you can help us, and we will tell you more about that at the end of the video.
Last week, after 412 days in prison, Torben Sondergaard was released and deported by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement, or ICE. He was flown via a commercial airline from Jacksonville, Florida, to Copenhagen, Denmark. Two U.S. immigration officers traveled with Torben on the flight, as per standard protocol. He wore normal clothing, and he was not handcuffed.
Upon arriving in Copenhagen, Torben was greeted at the airport by his Danish attorney and was not prevented from turning around and immediately leaving the country to reunite with his wife and children in another country. Today, Torben is with his loved ones in an undisclosed location. They're safe and relieved he is no longer behind bars. The spirit of the Lord is so clearly in their midst, and the atmosphere of joy and Thanksgiving is contagious.
As one would assume, Torben will be taking a few weeks of family time. Many are asking to see and speak with Torben and his family. We thank you in advance for understanding their need for privacy and that it will take some time before they can respond to all the requests they are receiving. Your emails and posts, and thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support.
In the meantime, here's a short report on the events of the past few days. First off, Torben was deported by ICE, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It became very apparent in the last month that someone high up in the ICE leadership wanted Torben removed from the U.S. The deportation officers were aggressive and even threatened Torben with criminal charges in the weeks leading up to his removal. It was a very stressful final couple of weeks. Even a U.S. congressman publicly stated that Torben's detention was political in nature and condemned the way the case had been handled by ICE.
Torben's asylum is a separate matter altogether, and that case is still pending and under consideration by the U.S. federal court. If Torben is granted asylum, he would be allowed to return to the United States with his family right away. This is still a very real possibility. Please continue to pray to that end.
Secondly, the day Torben physically returned to Europe, the European press picked up their attack on him right where they had left off when he fled in 2019. Think about this: after four and a half years living in the U.S., including the 412 days he spent in prison, the exact day Torben returned to Europe, the press began to attack him and his ministry. Anyone paying attention knows this is not normal, not even for Europe. And this time, the attack was not just against Torben but took aim at all Christians who believe in the word of God.
One of the largest publications in the Netherlands, The Telegraph, ran an article the same morning Torben landed in Europe titled "The Last Reformation Under Fire: Exercise in Children and Praying Away Autism." An English translation of the article has been published at FriendsOfTorben.com. The article contains several misrepresentations of Torben's ministry and misquoted his perspective with regard to science and medicine. The article made no reference to the fact that Torben had just been released from prison or how a U.S. congressman testified that Torben was targeted and imprisoned for his Christian faith.
That same afternoon, several TV news programs ran biased segments on Torben and TLR as well. The news referred to the ministry as a cult and interviewed a renowned scientist who claimed that supernatural healing of disorders such as autism was "impossible." A TLR spokesperson talked with one of the TV producers on background, and the dishonest intentions of the producer were quickly exposed. When asked to respond to the scientist's claim that it was impossible for autism spectrum to be healed, the spokesperson asked the producer if he was interested in reviewing a medically documented case of a young adult who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum, attention deficit disorder, and dyslexia, and then after being baptized, was completely healed. The young man was on the highest legal dosage of medication permitted, and after giving his life to Christ and being baptized, he came out of the water with a completely healed nervous system. He never needed the medication after that, and with his dyslexia gone, he was able to read for the first time. He shows no signs of autism or any neurological disorder today, and that was seven years ago. But the producer said he was not interested in reviewing that case. The TLR spokesperson then offered to have a TV producer interview the boy on live television, but again, the producer said that he was not interested. When asked why he was not interested in looking at that case, the producer got defensive and said, "Because that is not the story we are doing."
The segment ran that evening and framed Torben and TLR as an out-of-control cult that is a danger to society. These attacks in the European press are not going to stop, and these attempts to create a face-off between science and the Christian practice of healing prayer are a scheme of the devil and set the stage for future persecution of the church. In Denmark, the same narrative was promoted by the media and adversaries of the Gospel until it led to the Danish government to pass a law that could hold people criminally liable for exercising their faith through healing and deliverance prayer. Here in Europe, the spotlight is back on Torben and TLR, so we ask for prayer as he navigates the complex landscape ahead. We are reminded of the Apostle Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth, where he says, "For we have been made a spectacle to the world, both angels and to men, and being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat."
Torben Sondergaard was detained for over 400 days. As you can imagine, there is much to process and unpack with his family and close friends. He has shared a few stories from his time in prison, and they're absolutely incredible. Dozens of people encountered Jesus and got baptized in prison. The gospel spread throughout the many dormitories, and Bible studies started to get organized in different sections of the prison. A small church community was formed, and they helped each other both practically and spiritually. Many of the detainees were deported back to their home countries and took the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. The fact that Torben has been sent back to Europe has turned out to be a strategic blessing. On the surface, it could be seen as a loss, but God has revealed deeply significant reasons for why He allowed Torben to be sent back to Europe. Those who know Torben and have followed his ministry know that he is uniquely bold in his faith, but the man that just came out of prison is walking in an entirely new level of grace and bravery.
Lastly, this case is not about Torben Sondergaard alone. His plight, both in Europe and the U.S., serves as a cautionary tale, a warning to the church in the West of what is to come. This case was something new for the American people, but in a few years, cases of Christians being targeted and detained for their faith might not be uncommon. There are multiple legal cases still underway. Many leading experts in law say they have never seen a case like Torben's. Up until now, Torben's entire defense effort, including the multiple legal cases, has been entirely funded by support from the public. It's been such an incredible testimony to God's faithfulness, and we still need that support. We need to catch up on some legal costs and to be able to sustain the legal actions moving forward. So please consider making a tax-deductible donation at FriendsOfTorben.com.
You will hear from Torben himself in the coming weeks. He's eager to share the sobering and glorious truths the Lord has shown him over that past year. The fight is not over. Jesus is King.