A church near Reykjavik, called Loftstofan, has recently joined the network! (Check out the essentials here.)  Pastor Gunnar Gunnarsson shares how we can support this gospel-hearted church.

Tell us about your local community.

Our community is well-off financially. Like the rest of Iceland, probably 80% of people are registered to the state church but rarely attend services.  Most people are very liberal, and the culture is laid-back and artsy. Many would have no problem saying that they're "spiritual," even calling themselves Christians.  But if you're a Christian who prays, reads the Bible, or lets your faith affect the way you live they will quickly label you a sectarian or extremist.

But our eyes have always been on a suburb in Reykjavik called "Breiðholt."  People joke about it being "the ghetto of Iceland," because it has high crime rates and most of Reykjavik’s social housing.

Why did Loftstofan decide to join the Radstock network?

There aren't many other gospel-centered churches here in Iceland. Being part of the Radstock network may not give me the privilege of meeting with other pastors and churches regularly, but I know that even though no-one might understand what we're trying to do here on this island in the middle of the Atlantic, there are other churches, pastors and Christians elsewhere in the world who understand what we're doing and are for us in this work.

And I love the vision of Radstock: to see mission at the heart of the church and the church at the heart of mission. God ultimately offers his grace and shows his loving mercy through his Son, Jesus Christ.  But the Church is his body, his hands and feet, to keep expressing that gospel message to the world and extending the love of Christ.  There is something beautiful about gospel-centered churches coming together to do what the Church was left here to do, by the grace of God.

What can we pray for you and your church?

• You can pray for us financially. Reykjavik is one of the more expensive places to live in the world; I saw a survey that marked it more expensive than New York City and Berlin!  It’s been a struggle. Please pray that we might be free from that extra stress to do the work that we're called to accomplish here in Iceland.

• Pray that leaders and elders would be raised up who carry the vision of the church, and that within 3 years we would be able to plant another church, by the grace of God.

• Please pray for wisdom about how to really reach the people in our context and not just settle for people attending Sunday gathering.  Please pray that we might be a church that truly does make disciples within an authentic community who go hard after the mission Jesus Christ left for us.

To find out how you can give to support Loftstofan please contact your local Radstock office. In the UK: , USA: . And please do pray for Iceland!