Building Bridges.....

Scripture's two greatest commandments – to first love God and then to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. As a church we try to be a church for our city, for the whole city and beyond. We are trying not to exclude anyone. We want to be a "come as you are church". Come with your faults, with your sin, with your brokenness. We are trying( even if its hard) to love them who talks bad about us, who don't want us to succeed. Rather often we see church leaders who are trying to reach out to the Muslim community, and that's great, but to embrace it so much as celebrating Muslim feasts in our churches, to uptake big part of sermons talking about Islam and Muslims is not the right way to go. We as Christians should focus on Jesus. To let him be a part in everything we say and do. We should not let the world effect us, we should effect the world. We have to work close with other denominations, to erase all the prejudice we have and Focus yet again on Jesus...

We took part at a Conference in Hong Kong during april named "Global Church for a Global World". Key speakers were Ravi Zacharias and Os Guinniess. Great week for us as we summed it like this: We were reminded afresh that we all are one in the lordship of Jesus the Messiah, and this truth goes beyond our differences in culture, language, and denomination. We are impressed by the time and effort that had been put into the conference and grateful for all who have worked so hard to make it so successful. We are inspired and blown away by the amazing speakers. It was encouraging to listen to them because what little we do inside the church and outside has its value and impact in kingdom work beyond what can be seen or heard. It was such a life-changing moment as we were strengthened in our little effort of loving God who is revealed in Jesus and loving people.

I have not written much in the new year and that since I had an accident. I fell down the stairs and badly broke my right elbow. The doctor said it was crushed. The cast is a way now, and now the fight to get back is on its way. To get full strength and flexibility will be difficult but I will fight to get as much. My hand is stiff and swollen after 7 weeks in a cast and it´s unbelievable how little it takes for your body to get damage.

As we look forward to the new year and reflect on the one that passed, I'm thinking of the statement" Everything falls and rises on leadership". Some statements or actions made by leaders should be reacted on, taking actions against, but it is also true that everyone falls. Are we praying for them or just judging? Should we perhaps in some cases say to ourselves that "it could have been me"....

I like British dramas. I like Downton Abbey. Not because its a fantastic sereie but I like it because its pretty slow, not so much violence and sex. I love some of the acting, some actors are fantastic. Its very popular here in Sweden and in USA and of cause in the UK. I'm not following it episode after episode but if i have a chance I Watch. The producers of the series has been doing Everything they can to make it as real as possible, but: I read a article the other day having the head line "No God in Downton"! I have watched the episodes when they celebrate Christmas in Downton and yes its not very Jesus centred, but in the article it also said that there are no table prayers etc at all in the series. During the time of Downton, Before every meal a table prayer should be prayed. Something the producers didn't want in the serie' Napkins would also been fold in the likeness of a Bishops mitra, something the producers didn't want to hav...

The Swedish prime minister Stefan Löven said the other day that he is proud and happy about the work that churches all over Sweden are doing to help homeless people and all refugees coming to Sweden. To help them with shelter, food, cloths etc. I am also happy to see people in need getting help, but what I do know about this government is that as long as the church is doing humanitarian job it's ok but when we proclaim Jesus, when we promote life instead of promoting abortion, when we stick to what we know the Bible is telling us about marriage, the prime minister and his government are not for us, they are against us. We should help people in need, we have to show compassion, but we can't turn our churches in to just humanitarian institutions, we have to tell all people the truth. Jesus is the great "I AM"!

Every night of the year, a long, muffled signal sounds over central Ystad Sweden. With a single note every fifteen minutes, blown to each of the four cardinal points, the Watchman in St:a Maria church declares ‘All’s well’, a living tradition that dates back many hundreds of years. It is a great tradition but I really hope Swedes would understand the real meaning with a watchman and the question: is it all well? I Hope that the watchman attitude would not only be in a church in the very south parts of Sweden and as an old tradition, I really hope we could have "real watchmen", warning us for whats to come...