Church Goes Viral: Danish National Church Joins TikTok

Irina

Writer

February 1, 2026
3:22 pm

The Danish National Church has launched a TikTok profile aimed at reaching young people through short, engaging videos hosted by youth pastor Mia Schmidt-Mikkelsen. Despite concerns about the Chinese-owned platform’s security, church leaders and the Minister for Church Affairs support the move as a way to meet young people where they are and counter extremist religious content.

Folkekirken Embraces TikTok

The Danish National Church, known as Folkekirken, has made its debut on TikTok with a fresh approach to reaching younger audiences. The initiative features short videos hosted by youth pastor Mia Schmidt-Mikkelsen, who uses a lighthearted tone to engage viewers.

In one video, she invites viewers to write their sins in the comment section, joking that God will read along. She admits to cheating at church bingo the previous Wednesday. Another clip shows her pouring communion shots for a young man.

Ellen Aagaard, editor at folkekirken.dk, is not worried about the casual tone. She emphasizes that while the church wants to engage people, the goal extends beyond mere entertainment. The platform serves a deeper purpose of connecting with young audiences in a meaningful way.

Security Measures and Special Precautions

The decision to join TikTok did not come without careful consideration. The Chinese-owned platform has raised security concerns in Denmark. The Center for Cybersecurity previously recommended that government employees avoid installing the app on work phones. Members of Parliament have also been urged to delete it from personal devices.

Because of these concerns, Folkekirken has implemented specific security protocols. The church uses old, wiped phones exclusively for TikTok content production. These devices contain no other data and serve no other purpose.

Before launching the profile, church officials consulted with police to ensure they stayed within appropriate boundaries. Despite the security challenges, church leaders believe the benefits outweigh the risks.

Support from Church and Political Leaders

Bishop Henrik Stubkjær from Viborg Diocese welcomes the new initiative. He agrees that the church should go where young people spend their time. Meeting people on familiar platforms makes sense from an outreach perspective.

Church Minister Morten Dahlin from the Liberal Party also supports the move. He highlights an important strategic reason for the church’s presence on TikTok. According to Dahlin, Folkekirken can serve as a counterbalance to more extreme voices using the platform to spread radical religious messages.

Interestingly, the minister says he would not refuse to appear in one of the videos if asked. His openness demonstrates political support for the church’s digital outreach efforts. The initiative aligns with broader discussions about setting appropriate boundaries in the digital age.

Expert Skepticism About Impact

Not everyone believes the TikTok strategy will succeed. Troels Johannesen, a strategic communications consultant specializing in social media, expresses doubt about the initiative’s potential impact.

He does not think more people will attend church simply because Folkekirken now has a TikTok presence. However, he acknowledges that over the long term, the platform might help young people become more aware of what the church offers.

Johannesen is clear that this digital strategy alone will not increase church membership. The skepticism comes with some supporting evidence about current membership trends.

Declining Youth Membership

The church faces real challenges with younger demographics. During the first three quarters of 2025, a total of 7,704 people left Folkekirken. Among those departures, 3,828 were age 34 or younger. That represents nearly half of all departures at 49.7 percent.

These statistics highlight why reaching young people matters so much to church leadership. Traditional methods of engagement are not connecting with younger generations. As a result, the church must explore new avenues.

Social media platforms like TikTok offer direct access to audiences that rarely attend services or participate in traditional church activities. The question remains whether casual videos can translate into genuine engagement.

A Broader Trend in Religious Outreach

The Danish National Church’s move reflects a broader trend among religious institutions worldwide. Churches, mosques, and synagogues increasingly recognize that younger generations consume content differently than previous ones.

Short-form video content dominates youth attention spans. Platforms like TikTok have billions of users, many of them teenagers and young adults. Religious organizations that ignore these platforms risk becoming invisible to entire generations.

At the same time, maintaining authenticity while adapting to new media presents challenges. The balance between entertainment and meaningful spiritual content requires careful navigation. Folkekirken’s approach attempts to strike this balance with humor and accessibility.

Looking Forward

Whether the TikTok initiative succeeds in reversing membership decline remains uncertain. The church’s presence on the platform is still new, and measuring impact will take time.

What is clear is that Folkekirken recognizes the need to adapt. Staying relevant to young people requires meeting them in digital spaces they already inhabit. The church cannot expect younger generations to seek it out through traditional channels alone.

The use of dedicated devices for content creation shows thoughtful consideration of security concerns. This measured approach may serve as a model for other institutions wrestling with similar decisions about platform engagement.

In the end, the success of this initiative will depend on whether young Danes find the content genuinely engaging. Casual videos and humorous approaches might attract initial attention. Sustaining that interest and converting it into meaningful participation presents a much larger challenge.