Torben Søndergaard has been married for 27 years and has 3 kids and 4 grandkids. He is an author, evangelist, pastor, and founder of The Last Reformation (TLR), a global movement focused on equipping believers to be disciples of Christ in their everyday lives. TLR trains in evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. The movement began in Denmark and has since spread to various countries around the world. TLR hosts training weekends known as kickstarts and training schools.
Over the past three years, TLR has also hosted training schools in more than 30 nations, equipping Christians to become effective “fishers of men.” They also utilize media extensively. The Last Reformation YouTube channel has gained significant popularity, with almost 160,000 subscribers and nearly 30 million views. They have also produced three full-length documentary movies to help spread their message.
Torben’s approach to evangelism and discipleship, which he describes as a “Book of Acts style,” gained attention in Denmark. In 2019, the Danish media and government targeted him, using the media and making new laws to stop this work. Torben and his family fled Denmark and sought asylum in the United States, where they hoped to continue their evangelism training. However, the attacks continued. In 2022, while awaiting his asylum interview, he was suddenly arrested by ICE Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He was now accused of weapon smuggling, and later other accusations such as human trafficking, always without any investigation or evidence. He has never been brought before a judge regarding those allegations and has never been charged with anything. He spent over a year in Baker County Detention Center near Jacksonville, exactly 412 days, before being deported back to Denmark.
During his time in jail, Torben experienced deep depression and anxiety. It was truly hard for him. But then God did something. He gave him a dream, and Torben started fasting, lost 40 pounds, and witnessed a revival among the inmates, with many of them coming to Christ. He also experienced how the Bible became alive in a new way and how God wanted him to help prepare the church for what is coming. He wrote two books while he was detained and has some amazing stories to share from this life-transforming experience.
As of now, Torben’s asylum case in the US is still pending and is now running in the federal court. He hopes one day to resume his ministry in the United States. His experiences have drawn attention to the issue of religious persecution and sparked public support from individuals like Representative Clay Higgins, chairman of the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement, who publicly criticized the US administration for allegedly persecuting Torben solely based on his Christian religious beliefs.
This is an incredible story, especially considering the millions of illegal immigrants walking over the border at the same time.