We ARE the church!

Last Tuesday the weather was finally good so we did our outreach outside ICA Kvantum Supermarket in Säffle. We had such a great day playing music and telling people about Jesus. We gave away lot of books and we met people who don’t usually go to church. I like the concept of taking the church to the people and it is time to realize that church is not a building or a specific place. We are the church.

I am so thankful to have spent more time with brother Glenn Antonsson who hosted us during all our days in Säffle. I have known him for years but now I see what a mighty man of God he is. He has a huge heart and is doing such a fantastic work with those people who nobody else wants to touch. Those who many churches do not care about because they people in the church think they are too good to have something to do with people who have serious problems in their lives.

Do not understand me wrong! I am not saying all churches are like that but sadly many are more about themselves and how perfect they are with dress codes and man made rules and laws that has nothing to do with God. After traveling full time in ministry now for 17 years I know it is a fact BUT there are those wonderful churches who takes good care of the least as Jesus command. Pingstkyrkan in Säffle is one of these wonderful churches and I am looking forward to return there this fall.

On Wednesday the rain was pouring down and we left the campground in Säffle and drove to a totally new place for us, Munkfors. We were scheduled to be outdoors but due to the weather we were inside a café at Gamla bruket in Munkfors.

I did not know what to expect of this evening and I have to be honest with that I was sceptic that we would have any people that evening. People started to drop in and we did not have a big crowd. Since I had never met anyone of these people before I took it for granted that all people came from the church who hosted us.

We did the evening in two sets with a break for some hot dogs and coffee. I did more music in the first set and decided to rock it up. The second set was more mellow with focus on my past and my encounter with Jesus. After ending the evening with the acoustic version of Amazing Grace it happened again. There were totally silence and peace. A peace that this world can not deliver. We sat quite for a while and all I had to say at the end was that Jesus is here. Afterwards I heard that about half of the people were people who normally don’t go to church, so here we took the church to the people together with a local church on neutral ground as we are the church!

After the service we loaded the bus and drove a few hours in very bad weather to Odensbacken outside Örebro. We parked our bus outside Network MC:s clubhouse and went to bed excited and touched about how God came with his presence in Munkfors.

I like to drive to the next place the day before so that we can rest during the day and I am glad we did. On Thursday evening it was time to play and share at Network MC:s open house night. I started with some rock and roll that the people know. Again there were many people from other MC clubs that are not christian. Over the years I have seen how important it is to play music they can relate too.

Between the songs I told stories from my past and I started to move over to the christian songs with a message. Network MC president Conny Hasselgren came uo on stage as well and boldly spoke about the peace that Jesus gives and how he found peace after giving his life to Jesus. They also welcomed a new member this evening so it was a happening evening.

I also shared how I almost drank myself to death but Jesus came to me on my deathbed and I know that people listened. It was a sunny evening and at the end of the night I could feel that I had been too long in the sun but it was worth it all as this evening we took the church to the people together with a christian biker club as we are the church!

We left Odensbacken after we had spent some time with our brothers and sisters and drove up to Falun where we parked outside the ski stadium Lugnet. We came in late and it was dark so we did not see much of the place we were going to be at for the next two days.

The following morning it was time to get up early and set up our gear. This first set I did under a tent next to the grill where they served hamburgers and hot dogs. It was the first time the festival Sverigehoppet was organized and I played music and shared my life story for an hour.

I met the promotor, Per Adeström and immediately it clicked. We were so alike and we had so many things in common that it felt like I had known him for years and years. It was one of those moments when you realize that the devil did all he could to stop us from meeting each other but God made it happen for a purpose.

The festival had different activities during the day and in the evening there were a line of artist. Doug Seegers from Nashville, Tennesse was the head line and he did such a fantastic performance. I had done a shorter set earlier in the evening and even if there was not that many people it was a wonderful evening.

The following day I did my set from the main stage around noon and in the evening I opened the concert. We had the best possible weather but it was hot on stage. I did mix the styles of music. Shared my life story and it was a wonderful moment. When we were done I talked with Per and his wife Carmelia for a while and we were just so alike. We might be hated by some of the perfect churches but we have one thing in common and that is to take the church to the people as we are the church. I am looking forward to meet them again!

We left Falun and drove up to Mat & Nostalgi in Viksjö where we had a wonderful day off yesterday. Today is Monday and Monday is usually office work when we are on the road. We are coming to the last leg of this tour and on Wednesday evening we are playing and sharing here at Mat & Nostalgi and this is an American car and BBQ evening at a very special place so we are taking the church to the people because we are the church!

On Thursday we are going to be outside Smyrnakyrkan in Edsbyn and take the church to the people during another American car event with a town crusing going on in the evening. Sunday we are visiting another wonderful church, Betel in Runemo and on Monday we end this tour at Grillnatta, a townfestival in Bollnäs when the city is packed with people. Together with one the local churches we take the church to the people as we are the church.

Next week Tuesday we are driving north, to Umeå and on Wednesday we are taking the ship back home to Vasa. I am very excited about this last leg of the tour but also very excited to get back home for a few weeks before we get back on the road again. End of August we are in Muurame taking the church to the people with the local church, we are also doing a visit in Lahti. Mid September it looks like we have two events in Borgå and Sibbo.

We are currently working on the Rockabilly album in Swedish and it is scheduled for release in September. End of September we are starting our release tour in Sweden and we are encouraging churches to come out with us to take the church to the people where the people are as we are the church. Thank you for all your prayers and support! This trip has been worth everything and much more.