In headlines and public commentary in Norway and Denmark, Torben Sondergaad has been portrayed as dishonest — stating his story about persecution and imprisonment in America is not true.

Satan cleverly used an apostate Norwegian pastor. He started sending warning emails to churches Torben was working with. He gathered what he called “evidence,” based on old newspaper articles and quotes from people Torben has not worked with for eight to ten years — and in some cases, people he has never met. He also went through timelines and material (including things the movement have publicly available online) and combined it with old media coverage in a way that created strong pressure on churches and leaders.

Some have claimed that he was not really persecuted, but simply a “normal visa overstayer.” Others have implied that he could have left prison whenever he wanted, and that he has used the case to collect money and profit personally.

There have also been other claims connected to finances — for example that he owned the building Torben rented/used, that they raised large amounts of money, and that he personally kept it, and therefore should be “rich today with millions.”

So the core narrative being pushed is this:

Torben is lying.
Torben was not really persecuted.
Torben has benefited financially from it.

What Has Happened Recently?

Over the past days, he has been featured in multiple newspaper headlines and has been the subject of discussions in Christian media in Norway.

He also participated in a one hour and twenty-minute unedited podcast interview, which has created strong reactions. The podcast is in Danish/Norwegian, but an AI English translation is available for those who want to read it.

Interestingly, on their own YouTube channel, around 95% of the comments have been positive toward Torben. At the same time, the host has been under heavy criticism for the way the interview was conducted. He asked Torben again and again for proof, but when he started to explain, he often interrupted and moved on to other topics.

The intensity of the attacks and rumours have been so strong that Torben’s international leadership team in The Last Reformation has issued a public statement. These are leaders from different nations who have worked closely with him for years. They are not “yes-people.” They know his life, have seen how he works, and they do not recognize the accusations now being spread — many of which are coming from people who have never met him and never worked with The Last Reformation team..

The Open Doors Podcast

Before Christmas, Torben and his wife were invited by Open Doors Norway to record a podcast where he shared their story. After the recording, Torben posted a photo on Facebook thanking them for their work and mentioning that the episode would be released soon.

However, the podcast was never published.

Open Doors Norway experienced pressure — including contact from Open Doors in Denmark — and during a period when Norway had a temporary leader, they were influenced to believe that Torben’s persecution story was not real and that he had not been truthful.

As a result, they decided not to release the interview. Instead, information about the situation was passed to the newspapers, which then published articles suggesting that Torben had been lying.

Old Material Resurfacing

In addition, an old warning from a Free Church Network in Denmark dating back to 2017 is once again being circulated.

Much has happened since 2017. Torben spent years in the United States, including time in jail, where he learned deeply. He has served in Mexico and grown in many ways. Now, seven years later, he is back in Europe, and does things very differently than in earlier years. But despite that growth and change, old material continues to be reused as if nothing has happened.

What saddens Torben most is that some of the voices speaking the loudest are people who have never met him, who have never worked with The Last Reformation team, and who have never reached out to its leadership. Others, are people who only knew Torben many years ago — 10–15 years back — and who still seem to carry unresolved issues, and now speak as if they are experts on who he is today and how he works today.

A Biblical Principle

As Scripture says:

“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” Proverbs 18:17

That is why he has asked for a genuine third-party investigation, so that everything can be properly examined once and for all.

He has also appealed to Open Doors International leadership, asking them:

Is this the right way to handle such matters? To invite Torben to share his story, then under pressure remove the interview and allow accusations to be published in newspapers?

He has invited them to conduct a proper investigation. They have legal teams and experts. His lawyer is available. Let them examine the facts concerning his asylum case and imprisonment in the United States in a transparent way.

It is striking that a U.S. Congressman, who has congressional oversight responsibilities related to federal agencies under the Department of Homeland Security — including ICE — reviewed the material and concluded that Torben was targeted because of his involvement in evangelical Christian ministry. Yet pastors and individuals thousands of kilometres away, without access to the legal documents, speak with complete certainty that this cannot be true.