Tuesday, April 26, 2011

True Finns

You may have heard about the recent elections here in Finland, and the success of the True Finns political party. Well...I've found a couple of real "True Finns" here in our church, and one not so "True." This is what we call "avanto" (ice swimming)...or as some would call it, heaven on earth.


Tuesday, April 19, 2011

An epidemic of faith

"In epidemiology, an epidemic (επι (epi)- meaning "upon or above" and δεμος (demos)- meaning "people"), occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience."

 

In our Bible school class this evening, we discussed our vision for the city of Helsinki and the beloved country Finland. We see people, people who have become immunized, their minds fortified against the prospect of the Gospel. It is clearly evident as we watch them bounce around from place to place in the commotion of rush hour, hurrying from appointment to appointment. Purposeless, dry, passive...immune. Immune to the epidemic of faith. However, our prayers are powerful. We pray, and doors are opened. We pray, and God moves.
So what are we praying for?
We pray that people would find their soul's immunity to the gospel weakened and broken. The fallow ground of their heart's torn up and cultivated. To what end, though? To the end that the seed of faith could be planted and the infectious power of the gospel would captivate their hearts and minds; the goodness of God leading to repentance. Our vision is to see an outbreak of faith, or should we just say, an epidemic.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

A bountiful eye

In I Kings 18.41-46 there is a story of God answering the prayer of His friend. At a time when all of Israel had gone into panic mode, Elijah sent his servant to go look at the sea seven times. On the seventh time it says that he say a little cloud arise out of a sea, "like a man's hand." It's interesting how sometimes when we survey our situation we can only see "man's hand." Little things are happening but it seems nothing supernatural. However, Elijah trusted God would answer his fervent prayers, and he saw the fruitfulness behind that little hand. God was moving. Elijah had a bountiful eye, and he was blessed by God.

"How does my life look?" Do you see man's hand? Let's ask God to give us a bountiful eye so that we can see His hand and all of the great works He is doing in our lives.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Like precious faith






This evening we had a great homiletics class with some of our students giving 10 minute portions at the end of the session. It is such a blessing to hear grace being poured out from the mouths of young Finnish believers. What a fulfilling event as well to see the like precious faith that we have received be displayed in such quality. Our heritage handed down from Pastor Stevens through the decades has not been lost here in Helsinki. We go forward!

Also we experienced another solid youth meeting last Saturday as 30 or more of us gathered together to be provoked by a message from our pastor in Vaasa, western Finland, about the opportunities of the gospel.

And as you can see, the Guys Bible Study lives on, going into our third year by the Grace of God.