We have now been in on the road in Sweden for just over three weeks. Last time I reported from the fabulous LP camp with around 600 people, all with a background with problems of addiction. We saw 25 people get baptized the last day and I got the grace to baptize my own cousin.
From Gullbranna we drove to Tranås where we spent the week, basically having nothing to do. Sometimes when people book us they book the weekend and say they will arrange some other events during the week. Most of the time it does not go as planned so we spent a week away from home doing nothing. Days like that you sure miss your loved ones.
Still we did not give up even if it is a battle to be in ministry. On Friday night we started the Tranås Cruising weekend with a mini concert and prayer at Brunnsparkskyrkan. On Saturday it was time for the annual Tranås cruising and the church had around 150 volunteers who made the event possible. For the first time they had an outreach outside the church, right in the heart of the city. We were located next to all the 2000 cars that had invaded the time to come for the cruising. We played live during the day and in the evening and we had a good time. We ended our time in Tranås with sharing at their Sunday service at church.
From Tranås we drove to Kungsängen where I had the privilege and honor to perform my first wedding. It was my sister Lili-Ann Karppinens daughter Susanna who got married and we had a great time. The sun was shining that day but it was raining the rest of the week.
On Wednesday we had a great service in Edsbyn in Hälsningland. It was our first visit there and many new doors are opened in that area of Sweden. We had around 100 people on a Wednesday night and the people who had invited us were very positive about the evening.
From Edsbyn we drove for one night at Betel in Tärnsjö. We have been there before and it was kind of my premier for doing my songs to back tracks. I use to say I was never going to do this but now since we have the new HOPE album ready we also have back tracks to use. We had a wonderful time there and from there we continued to Säffle where we did the Friday night, also with back tracks. I am not sure about the back tracks yet but I will give it some time. It might feel better after a while.
This weekend we were in Arvika, not far from the Norwegian border. The local Pentecostal church together with LP had organized a weekend so we were busy. On Saturday at noon we were at the market place. We sang and spoke about Jesus to lots of people and of course the sun was shining a day like this. The same evening we had a concert in the local park and the band came up from Gothenburg. We had a great time on stage and the ABC of the gospel were preached to a bunch of people. Sunday morning the church had their Sunday service in the park and we shared and did a few songs as well before we left Arvika.
From Arvika we drove down to Småland again where we are spending another week with nothing to do. We have met up with some people for some future projects but time has also gone to take care of things overseas. We are facing major issues with the publishing company there who have not met their own promises but we won’t talk anymore about this here and now. Now we are focusing on our last weekend here in Sweden. On Friday we are going to be at the Pentecostal Church in Bor. On Saturday the band arrives and we are playing and preaching in a beer tent during a town festival. The same night we are doing a concert as well. Sunday we are sharing in the free church of Rydaholm and after that we have fulfilled the Sweden Hope Tour 2016. We are continuing in Germany mid September. Dates will be added to the calendar shortly. September 23rd is the official release date for the new HOPE album.
The main thing right now is that during these days we have been able to reach thousands of people and all these people have heard the message of salvation and the truth that there are no hopeless cases. If we are on a tour we call HOPE we also want to share that hope. The only hope we have is in Christ Jesus.
God Bless!
Love You All!
Pontus & Sebastian
