Building Bridges.....

Today I saw a documentary program on Swedish TV about an elderly woman named Elise who helps prostitutes in Stockholm Sweden. She is there on the streets every Friday evening with tea, coffee, sandwiches etc and with prayers.Shes been there for 15 years now. Almost all prostitutes want her to pray for them and sometimes these women comes to church. Elise is energetic, caring, full of love and forgiving, but also strait forward, critical and sometimes angry. She has passion. With her straitforwardness she tells the women that they should not be there on the streets, they have to repent, stop doing what they are doing. In her own childhood she was sexually abused for many years. She had hate towards men but then one day that hate turned it to forgiveness. She found Jesus... It's amazing to see her helping this vulnerable women. She is a true hero in my eyes!

Two Iranians who converted from Islam to Christianity was stabbed by masked men in Norway last week. The attackers shouted "kuffar" - an Arabic term of abuse against unbelievers - under the assault. Many people who convert in to Christianity risk their lives all over the globe, but when it creeps up this close to that of Norway or even in Sweden, it feels unreal .. People are persecuted and murdered, yet do they gratefully accept Jesus in their hearts and make him their Lord What hinders you? What do you forsake? I have many Iranian friends who converted and who are active Christians, pray for them, for protection and help. God will never leave them. He is with them always just as he is with you.

I attended a Chinese baptism service last week. Nine Chinese exchange students recieved Christ and decided to get baptised in the holy spirit. I had a short talk with them just before the baptism and they were a bit nervous but so happy. They all had wonderful testimonies and thanks to Pastor Sam Chan, (who baptised them) and his translation in to English I could follow the service. Testimonies were they all lived with a fear of being Christians, in a Communist country. Testimonies about Drugs and bad home conditions. Soon they will go home again to China. We now have nine new ambassadors for Christ, so please pray for them. Pray for guidance, for wisdom and protection. May God use them to touch people. Amen!

Never has so many people as today seeking the meaning of life, and never has the way to do so been so easy accessed as it is today. We see a new generation asking questions , searching and hoping. Searching in new channels. My friends, that's why we as a church has to be out there, to meet the needs of all these people. We have to be were they are. In able to reach all this people we need to use all our strength and all our resources. We can't just have one strategy to reach people. There is a Swedish proverb that says: talk to the farmer so the farmer understand" I see a church as a toolbox. I don't know if you are a handy man or handy woman but I'm sure you seen a tool box before. In that toolbox you have different tools for different tasks. You can't use a saw to hammer in a nail, you cant use a screwdriver to cut a plank. You need different tools It is still one toolbox though. I can't reach the people you might reach. We have t