Norea Norway at 70: How a Shift to Unreached Peoples Revived the Ministry

Quick Summary: As it celebrated 70 years of ministry, Norea Norway is doubling down on the reaching the unreached. CEO Per Birkeli says a decade-long shift toward reaching people in places like North Korea and Central Asia grew the ministry’s overseas share from 20% to 50% of its budget, and he hopes to reach 65%.

Per Birkeli could be forgiven for thinking he has been ahead of his time, given his desire to reach the unreached with the message of Jesus. Reaching the unreached has become the strategic focus for TWR under the leadership of President Andy Schick who addressed partners at the European National Partners Conference in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Birkeli, the CEO of Norway Norea Media Mission, said Schick’s words echoed what his team has been focused on for some years. “When I heard … TWR President Andy Schick speaking about this, I thought I was listening to myself!”

Norea in Norway is celebrating 70 years of ministry, and Birkeli has highlighted how a shift in emphasis over the past decade has emboldened their evangelistic work and set down a good foundation for many more years to come. He admits that economic reality was a trigger for the change, while also recognizing that Norway is very well served by Christian witness through radio and television.

“In 2014 it became clear that financially we were not in a good place,” Birkeli said. “I told the Board of Directors that unless we made changes the ministry wouldn’t exist in 10 years because our income was decreasing month on month. Many of our significant donors were dying, and the gaps in donations were not being filled. As they say in business, we needed a unique selling point, and I suggested that we focus on our partnerships with TWR outside of Norway and that had an immediate impact. Donations went up, and engagement with the radio ministry increased.”

“We moved from 20% of our budget focused on our overseas partners to now where it stands at 50%, and I have a new goal of making that 65%. We work with TWR and SAT7 as our main partners and God has really blessed our ministry with our listeners very keen to play their part in spreading the message of Jesus to the unreached, such as those in North Korea and Central Asia. It was very exciting to hear this is now the focus of TWR.”

The Norea ministry was born 70 years ago when the board of the Norwegian Lutheran Mission made the decision to meet with TWR founder Paul Freed. Initially, they were able to broadcast through TWR’s shortwave transmitter in Morocco before signing a contract broadcast from Monte Carlo in 1959. Due to the monopoly of the state broadcaster in Norway, Norea could not gain a Norwegian FM license until the early 1980s. Now they have a 24/7 radio broadcast via the internet across the country.

Since 1956, Norea has broadcast the Thru The Bible teaching and testimonies from believers in Norway and other countries. Over the years similar ministries were developed in Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

“We have had a great impact in Norway over the years,” Birkeli said. “There are some people here who can still speak about the first broadcasts that came here. Christians in Norway were very enthusiastic about having Christian programs in the Norwegian language, and many found Jesus through our programs -- and some by chance. They would have been searching through the shortwave channels and would have heard a Norwegian voice and listened to the message. We are celebrating 70 years, and I hope we are here in another 70 years!”

Now, Norea Norway is spreading the hope of Jesus through Facebook and Instagram as well as radio and TV with an ever-increasing determination to reach the unreached.

How you can be praying for Norea Norway:

"For nine years, we have been working on an animation project called The Legacy of Adam in the Swahili language. The 27 episodes have now been translated and dubbed to Somali. We believe that the Lord can use this in a mighty way to reach the unreached who speak the Somali language and in Somalia where there is great hostility to Christianity. It has cost us a fortune, but I believe it will be worth it. We would ask that our brothers and sisters would pray hard for the Lord to bless this work, which will start shortly."