bondevik was born in sauda, norway on 20 june 1941. his family moved to oslo when he was 8 years old since his father, kjell bondevik had been elected to the parliament of norway for the christian democratic party. odd bondevik attended the mf norwegian school of theology and graduated in 1965 with a cand.theol. degree. from 1969-1978, he worked as a missionary to japan for the norwegian missionary society. from 1987 he worked at the home office of the norwegian missionary society as a secretary for mission. in 1980 he became the general secretary of the society, a position a held until he was consecrated bishop in 1991.