måndag 28 februari 2011

World's most influential Company?

The answer is unfortunately NOT the Church today, but Google.
On the airport in Stockholm yesterday I bought a resently published swedish book named The Google Code. It was so fascinating I couldn't stop reading, but finished it before I landed in Pittsburgh. Man, my mind is exploding!Sure, I was some kind of a Google fan before I use their services a lot and enjoy it; but I havn't yet decided if this book made me even more devoted, or just scared of them...? But I think I'm leaning at loving them more:)

NOTHING is impossible! I knew that already, but I have God in that equation! For Google it seems that they are reaching as far as a group of humans can do without God...
Let me give u a few examples:

We all know the big things Google is doing today:
Gmail, blogger+blogspot, google.com, youtube, google-maps, google translate, Picasa, google docs, google cal, google earth, google chrom, android, and many, many more things.But did you know about all the crazy ideas they are working on right now??

- Google Books - Google has an idea to create the largest Libary ever excisted, by scanning all books ever excisted and offer them online! This might sound impossible, but let me tell you they have already scanned over ten million books...They wont give up!- Google Search - Today the worlds most used online search tool - no competition! But what Google want to do is beyond imagination. They are working to develop google.com, so that you and me, in the future, can write: where are my lost socks? And Google will find them for you. I'm telling you: This is no fantasy, this is their plan!

- Google Goggles - This excists already today; I have it as an app for my android: Take a photo of a logo or a famous building, and google search by the picture and tells you everything you want to know about it. Well, this is just the beginning! Google want us to be able to take a photo of ANYTHING, and google will tells us everything about it...- Google Street View - Already excisting as well...but under progress. Google are, as I write, on their way to film and take photos of EVERY street and building on the planet! Crazy...- Google Gene - I'm not sure about the name, but in a while we will be able to search our own DNA, and by that see everyone we are related to on the planet. Again: Crazy!

- Google Car - When one of the founders of Google heard how many people that are killed in car accidents in America every year, he said: Let's do something about that! And they did! Recently they tried out some self-driving-cars live down town San Fransisco! The cars are driven by computers, cameras and Google Street View and Maps! Soon on a street close to you...

- Google Nation (?) - A crazy, not very official idea they are working on, is to create their own Nation. How??? By creating a floating landmass and place it somewhere in the international See outside the Coast of USA. Then they can create their own laws and way of inventing things.

I could mention many more things, but theese were just so fascinating!
And this is the official ones...who know what else they are doing that is still secrets?!
Google are also giving away 1 % of their profit every year (a LOT of money!) to the third world. And they are giving away 1 % of their working hours to help out in different social projects. Amazing!

Wow, I love new inventions and crazy ideas! Since Google was founded in the mid 90s the world has gone through a change bigger than anything else in the world history! (That is not only because of Google, but all the global and internet based business and services)

But the dark side...?
Google has today more information about you and me than all the Intelligences in every nation put together! They scan everything you do online, just to be able to deliver the best information possible to you. But if they decide to misuse that information...?? Can a single profit-driven business handle all that information?

Lets pray and hope for the best! Lets enjoy all the new tecnology and services online, and use it for the benefit of the world, and for the Kingdom of God. But don't be blinde, but keep your eyes open. Don't be naive...Finally: To understand a bit of Googles power today, Do this experiment: Take a week, or a day, or even an hour, and try not to use any of Googles services when u are online. Good luck!;)

onsdag 23 februari 2011

The Church of my dreams!

I just got reports that 13 people got saved in SOS Church this past weekend!
Wow! I'm so proud over my Church and the people in it. It must be the best place to live and pastor ever!Pastor Emma spoke from Luke 15 - The Lost!

I love the humor and creativity theese guys have! Wow!

Again: I love my wife and kids more than any other people on this gloe - they are the best! In the same way I know about no better Church than SOS Church - You are best!!:)

Over and out!

tisdag 22 februari 2011

Should the women be silent in the Church?

Friends!
I have lately many times met this classical question based upon chapter no 14 in 1 Cor.
Paul is here declaring that the women must be silent in church! What can we say about this today? And more important: What did Paul really say in this passage?I know this post will be a little longer than usually, but if you are interested I encurage you to read it all!
Lets go!

"Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says."
1 Cor 14:34

First: The whole chapter is about order in worship and the service. Hence, the situation of women in the congregation should be about the same topic too, right?! The chapter is therefore not about the church hierarchy, or spiritual leadership - something that we and the critics often use this text to. That is an important start!

Secondly: There is a huge difference on the masculinity and femininity, something that I myself did not see fully until I married Stephanie. I was almost shocked that we were thinking so different!
Today, after over five years of married life together, I just feel that our differences are charming and exciting - and above all GOOD! Otherwise, I would make a thousand more mistakes than I do today - my wife saves me and sharpen me up!

From the beginning, I thought I was a very unique, and that Stephanie's personality was very unique too - until I started talking about marriage and relationships with other young married men. Each time we ended up laughing about all the things we recognized in each others relationships.
Of course, we are unique and have very separated personalities against other couples, but there is a foundation of typical masculinity and femininity as well. Something that even ALL marriage and relationship books I've read speaks about.
So, with this background we can throw ourselves into 1 Corinthians Chapter 14!

The word for woman in our English translation is the Greek word Guné [strongs No: 1135] It is the only word used for woman and wife in the entire NT. Strong's Concordance translates the word as follows: a woman, specifically a wife.

In many, many places in the NT you immediately understand that it is married women involved, eg Matthew 22:27, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 1:5, John 19:25, Acts 18:2, 1 Corinthians 5:1, 7:2-4, 7:10-14, 7:16, 7 : 27, 7:33-34, 7:39, 9:5, and many, many more examples!

When we read chapter 14, and the whole context, we immediately understand that it is married women it speaks about here as well:
"If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home."
1 Cor 14:35

And this is the answer to the problem: True femininity is very inquisitive and curious - which is wonderful if it is disciplined, but which can also be destructive if the flesh is taking over: Then it turs to gossip!

The woman's inquisitiveness and curiosity will not disappear just because she is saved, or because she is getting married, or because she is in church!
I experienced this myself regulary every Sunday when I and Stephanie was in church at the beginning of our relationship - and I had to ask some of my married friends if it was the same for them, and so it was! - This is what could happen: My wife reacted to something in the sermon, turning to me asking, and I had to whisper: "Ssccchhhyyyyssss! We can not talk now, finish listening!"

Today she knows that there is no use asking directly. First, the answer is usually given in the message if you just continue to listen, or she asks afterward. (which does not mean that I or any married men have all the answers - on the contrary: most often she has thought more deeply than me, and her question is about something my mind did not even touch upon. Then I say: Oh, I have not thought of that! I do not know the answer, what do you think?)
Probably this entire question is more about male pride: "I certainly do not need to ask someone, I get it anyway!" - then on female curiosity, eagerness and restlessness. The same thing always happens when me and Stephanie are out driving in our car and cannot find our destination: I'm driving around, silent and proud, into every small street, back and forth, and doing everything I can to find our way. Stephanie says directly: "Let's stop here and ask that person."
In 99% of the cases, it ends with us stoping to ask someone, it just took a while because I wanted to solve the problem myself. This is such a typical thing that I thought was unique to our relationship, but it has found that 90% of all married couples are exactly alike in the same situation!

The same thing happens often or sometimes when we watch a movie together: She asks me for things I do not have a clue yet in the movie's plot - but she is curious and wants to know!

Obviously God knows about this! He has made the women in this way, and He is blessing it! In the right context, female curiosity and inquisitivity is fantastic!
This was something that even Paul had experienced and seen the bad side of, in the hundreds of congregations he preached in - women who sat and whispered, or maybe even spoke loudly, with their men! Perhaps this was even more common in Corinth; a vibrant, global and liveful Greek city.
Paul realized that this must not go on during the service, but it must be ORDER! (Eureka! That is what the whole chapter is about!) The married women stay calm and quiet in the service – if they have questions, wait until afterwards!

Even my critical mind, who is not easily persuaded, is 100% satisfied by this understanding of 1 Cor 14!

God is more then anyone else longing for all Women of God to rise up and preach in the last days!
"The Lord gives the word, and a great host of women brings the good news"
Psalm 68:11

Now women: It's your job to go out with good tidings! And never let anyone say that Paul had a hate-filled and intense attitude to women - it's just nonsense!
God's attitude to women is amazing! Be secure in your femininity, preaching all your life, become role models and leaders for thousands of young girls in the world, and tell the world about Jesus!

tisdag 15 februari 2011

A Healthy Church!

Sitting at my office after a wonderful Weekend in Church, a full day teaching at the School, and a few coach talks with some students. Just purely happy from my heart... Tonight I will meet the other pastors in SOS Church to pray together; that's where Church is built!A question got stuck in my head a few days ago: How can you see that a Church is a healthy church? What is the definition?

I have no full answers, but let me share a few thoughts:

- A Healthy Church is a baptizing Church!- A Healthy Church is focused on reaching the City, the nation and the unreached of the world.

- A Healthy Church talks a lot about Jesus and is passionated in Him.- A Healthy Church has a clear Vision and knows where it is heading.

- A Healthy Church is well planned but free to give a lot of room for the move of the Holy Spirit.- A Healthy Church is a praying Church and has a leadership that prays a lot.

- A Healthy Church has sound marriges and families.

- A Healthy Church believe in "hard cases" and love to give a second chans.

- A Healthy Church laughs a lot together!This is my definition after a few days meditating. I'm sure more will be added the next few days.
What would you add?

måndag 7 februari 2011

Handsome Pakistanian men:)


Early morning and a lost Superbowl...

Since I started to travel to America my love for Football has been growing for every year.
I started to watch the Superbowls live at Swedish TV 2009, and that was a good start when "my" team, Steelers, won!
In Sweden, due to the time difference, the game is always in the middle of the night, so this year, in Pakistan, it got a little bit better:)Me and Peter Almqvist wnt to bed 11.30pm, and got up this morning at 4.30am; just in time for the game! Roomservice with a big sandwich, an unstable internet connection, but the atmosphere was nothing less then any living room in Pittsburgh:)

Great, great game! Exciting til the last minute! Unfortunately we lost the game the same minute. Still I'm proud over Steelers - they came back from 3-21 and they never game up!
Let's show them next year Steelers!!

Now: A visit at the gym and some running, and then Pastors Conference with 250 signed up Pastors! Will be great!

torsdag 3 februari 2011

Marathon thoughts...

I've been out traveling 20 of the 34 days of 2011 so far; and have another week left in Pakistan. This has destroyed my Marathon training!
My goal was to run under 4h in Stockholm Marathon May 28th, but I realize I won't be in that shape in four months... I simply have to set a new goal: Improve my 4h 41min from last year. That will be a challenge in and of itself!
At a hotel in Faislabad right now, reading Runner's World. Inspiring. This year 20 517 runners will participate in Sthlm Marathon – that's a new record with approx 400 runners! Last year I finished as number 8 900-something. Hopefully I can do better this year!

Things that speak against my goal:
- My third child will be born in the beginning of May – that will of course take a lot of attention and time!
- My late start of the season due to all my time preaching abroad. Last year I was in much better shape at this point.
- A long winter in Sweden...?!
- Busy spring in general!

Things that speak for my goal
- Discipline! I'v e got a lot!:)
- Experience – I wont be as nervous as last year.
- Excitement – Running makes me happy!

BTW: On site in Faislabad and the heart of God is beating in my chest! Students: Prepare for a massive impact from Heaven over this city when you arrive!

Marathon thoughts...

I've been out traveling 20 of the 34 days of 2011 so far; and have another week left in Pakistan. This has destroyed my Marathon training!
My goal was to run under 4h in Stockholm Marathon May 28th, but I realize I won't be in that shape in four months... I simply have to set a new goal: Improve my 4h 41min from last year. That will be a challenge in and of itself!

At a hotel in Faislabad right now, reading Runner's World. Inspiring. This year 20 517 runners will participate in Sthlm Marathon – that's a new record with approx 400 runners! Last year I finished as number 8 900-something. Hopefully I can do better this year!

Things that speak against my goal:
- My third child will be born in the beginning of May – that will of course take a lot of attention and time!
- My late start of the season due to all my time preaching abroad. Last year I was in much better shape at this point.
- A long winter in Sweden...?!
- Busy spring in general!

Things that speak for my goal
- Discipline! I'v e got a lot!:)
- Experience – I wont be as nervous as last year.
- Excitement – Running makes me happy!

BTW: On site in Faislabad and the heart of God is beating in my chest! Students: Prepare for a massive impact from Heaven over this city when you arrive!

onsdag 2 februari 2011

Pakistan!

Three days ago I finally landed in Pakistan. This is my first visit here, but not my last: I'm already fallen in love with this nation and this people!

Me and Peter Almqvist are here to prepare our festivals by finding Festival Sites, meeting pastors and key persons, praying, and dealing with places for the team to stay, what to eat, and so on... It's so exciting!
So far we've been in Sialkot, a "small" city with "only" one million people....(this is how our Pakistanian friends are discribing this city!) They are amazed when I tell them that the TOTAL population of Sweden is nine million...:)

I have been preaching with fire and with tears in churches and gatherings! There's an explosive anointing resting over you when you enter this nation in the name of Jesus! Be prepared when you apply to follow us this year!

God has also lead me and Peter in contact with powerful people in this region. Muslims in high, high positions that are so open for and searched by God! We have spend many LATE nights together with them, eating, laughing and speaking about God!

Tomorrow we will continue to Faislabad: A much bigger city where we will have our mission practice with our Schools in May. I'm so curious about that city and what God has prepared for us there!

When me and Peter are out just walking the streets we can feel heaven smiling down over us. The favor of God is here for great things, and the Holy Spirit is leading us in the right direction in every way! This is a wide open nation with people that are stumbling around in darkness - but the light of Jesus will prepare the way and set the captives free!
I am so excited!!!

Don't forget that you are God's Adventurer and that you can follow Mission SOS here this year on a mighty adventurer with the Holy Spirit!

To be continued...