Building Bridges.....

As I recently said in my blog, Sweden has the most shootings in all of Europe. This increase in shootings has been on since 2013, and escalated in 2016. Almost  all shootings are in the criminal world, between different gangs, but recently innocent people have become victims. Even though the police capture many of these gang members the violence continues. Politicians seem to be paralysed and not knowing what to do, but they all are terrified and angry about what's going on.  Much harder penalties and more police they say, and yes that's of course necessary. They are also talking about the need to stop young boys entering these gangs, and yes that's also very important. But how? Education, better schools, easier to get a job. Yes that's important but is that enough? At home we always talk about the situation and what to do and ethics and morals are always something that comes up.  Faith, especially Christianity, Ethics and morals, is somethin...

Did you know that trees can grow and become very tall? Well in California, USA there are trees that are so big that instead of cutting them down, they made a road through some of them. Did you know that trees can become very old? Well in my county of Skane ,Sweden there is an oak tree that is 1000 years old. It was a young tree when the battle of Hastings took place in 1066. Just imagine that,  and the tree is still producing fruits! There are Olive trees in Israel that are more than 2000 years old and would have been there when Jesus was walking around. The oldest tree in the world is a pine in California which is around 5000 years old. Amazing, and the oldest tree system, or should I say root system in the world is in Sweden. This root system is still producing new spruces and the system is 9500 years old. Hard to imagine. Older than this is not possible in the northern parts of the world because of the land ice that was covering big parts of the world 10.000 years ago. Ther...

Sweden has the most shootings in all of Europe. in 2020 we had 366 shootings, 47 dead and 117 wounded At the same time we had 107 detonations and numerous of robbery and rape. Scare numbers and highest in Europe.  Almost everyday there is a shooting and almost every time someone gets shot, killed or wounded. Recently the shootings have taken place at midday and close to people not involved. Some weeks ago a police officer was shot dead, a man was shot dead very close to a football field where people were playing, having fun. And then some days ago two small children were shot in the leg from a bullet not aimed at them. It is terrible and it seems like our politicians do not know how to handle the situation. The police are surprised that even if they get many of these individuals, the violence continues and even gets more violent. I red an article the other day and the writer said  "When churches for more than half a century ago warned of the dangers in societal devel...

  Covid 19 came and changed the way we do church in a way. For over one year now we have not been able to meet and do church. We have not been able to see eachother face to face, to hug eachother, to lay hands, to pray.  Glad to say is that we anyway have been able to come to our congregation with a sermon every Sunday via the platform zoom, and I do hope that prayer has been and still is the no 1 priority in our life's.   I do hope that even if we have not been able to have physical services we have been able to see Christians find new and more intense relationship with Jesus, that we even if we have not been able to meet friends and people around us that they anyway have had the opportunity to see something of Jesus, and that we all, the church are overflowing with the reality and presence   of Jesus Christ.  

As I wrote in my latest blog post the European cup is over. I don't know if you watches or if so, who you were cheering for. As a Swedish guy I of cause was cheering for Sweden. I also loved the Italian team, for the way they played football and for the team spirit they had. Very seldom do I cheer for England, but this time, with this team I could not help myself for doing so. I have never seen such an English team playing and working with so much team spirit.  There seems to be so much love and joy together ,and all players seem to be so humble. I think especially about players like Sterling, Saka, Rashford and Philips, but they are all great. I used Sterling, Saka and Rashford as examples of young men with a great faith in my sermon one Sunday and I do hope that every player will look back on this tournament with joy after some time, but I have to agree ,all this violence, hate and racism is darkening my memories ...   Go lads..... Have faith..... Finish the r...

European cup in football is over. Italy won the final over England, the two best teams in the cup if you ask me. It went to penalty shoot out and England lost ( as always) Sad to say the hours and days after was full of hate and racism against some of the English players.   But we can look back on great and exiting matches.    Often in football you see players who makes the cross signs and other signs to God before, under and after the games.   In this European cup  we have seen players like Romelo Lukako from Belgium who openly talks about his faith and are praying before every game.   Olivier Giroud , France har who often on social media talks about his faith in Jesus and is promoting Alfa courses.   Marcus Rashford , Raheem Sterling, Kalvin Philips, Bukayo Saka in England who very openly are expressing their faith. Here are some quotes that I found from some of the players.   My Christian faith is massive to me. I always give thanks for my...