Our days in the Nürnberg area

We left Nordhorn. April 20th after some wonderful days there. We did a stop in Kirchheim where we spent one night at a small campground before we drove to Musikhaus Thomann in Treppendorf. We slept there in the parking lot and the following day, on Wednesday we took care of business there.

As always they took very good care of us and we loaded the bus with stuff that is traveling with us home to Finland to be fixed and repaired and when we leave on our Swedish summer tour we are going to add a quite impressive collection of guitars in the guitar store at Mat & Nostalgi in Viksjö.

From Treppendorf we drove to Nurnberg where we checked in at Knaus camping park where we have been now for almost two weeks. We love the surroundings and the people here and you meet lots of people on a place like this and there is always an opportunity to share the Gospel.

When we arrived brother Thomas Utz came and welcomed us and we planned the days we had together here. Was so wonderful to see him again.

On Friday, April 24th we had our first event here when we visited a small youth group at the church in Langwasser. It was a wonderful evening with just over 10 young people with a brilliant future ahead so I spoke to them about the mistakes I made when I was their age and spoke about finding God’s plan for our lives. I had some of them come up and talk to me afterwards and what they told me just touched my heart. Worth so much!

On Sunday April 26th we got picked up by Thomas, who took us to a local radio station. At 10 am we were live on air and for two hours we talked and I shared my life story and told what we are doing or have been doing the last 18 years. They actually played 18 of my songs during the two hours and it felt good to get some airtime for the new Gospel Express album.

On Wednesday, April 29th Markus Hammer, Brother Claus and Thomas came and picked us up for dinner and of course we went to the famous schnitzel paradise in Wendelstein. We had a good time of fellowship and we went over the plan for the days to come.

Due to the city of Nurnberg we could not be at the huge bikers gathering on May 1st but we hope they change for the future as it has been a blessing to be there. The gathering is spontaneous so it is nothing that is organized and this is most likely the reason the city said no to all kind of activities. Well, when one door closes God is opening new doors. We visited a MC club on May 1st and I played some music and shared parts of my testimony during their 1st of May service. Wonderful people and such an impressive club house.

May 2nd we visited another Biker club and they had a big gathering with members from all around Europe coming in for their special event. Due to the character of these. clubs we are not posting any pictures of videos. We want to respect their wishes. All I can say is that we went into places I never could dream about going into singing Amazing Grace and other songs and of course share the topic of the songs. It was well received on both places and I am just overwhelmed.

On May 3rd it was time for Ride On to kick start their season. Usually we have been at the Zollhaus biergarten in Nurnberg but they are closed at the moment. Again another door was open and this sunny Sunday morning we drove out to Parsberg to a place called Fichten Ranch.

We set up our gear and people started to pour in. I should say there were around 200 bikers in the crowd and I got to not only deliver music. I got to share my full testimony and again I came in on the topic finding God’s plan for my life.

When we were done we had some good food, some fellowship and we were taken back to the bus in Nurnberg where we took a well deserved nap. It was three pretty hard days. People think it is easy to sit on a chair with a guitar talking about Jesus but it is everything else then easy when you step outside the four walls of the ”safe church” and go out to places not many can go to.

During our days here in Nurnberg I have done lots of walking and I am so happy I am getting back in shape. Since we came to Germany I have walked around 130 kilometers. Here in Nurnberg we are in the middle of a small forrest and there are many lakes nearby. So beautiful and even if it is in the middle of a big city I can smell and breathe the nature.

I think I have walked around most of the lakes here now and I have had good talks with the Lord. Somedays are hard to be away from home and somedays I deal with things I don’t want to deal with. I think it is like when Paul. The Apostle had a thorn in his side and told God to remove it but God told him; ”;My grace is all you need”. Paul writes in 2 Chorinthians 12:8-10- God tells him: ”My power works best in your weakness”. Paul is now boasting about how weak he is and I have done the same. It just have to do with being dependent on God.

Too often we try to make us look strong and powerful but I personally can’t do that. It is some years now when I realized that I have to let God change me and just live with my weakness. Since then our ministry has taken a totally different approach and now doors are open to prisons, schools and other places here in Germany.

Of course things happen on the road and now we are in need of a new fridge for the bus. The old one we bought for 10€ when we built the bus and it has done a good job for four years. This is pretty urgent so if you want to help the best way is to use PayPal and the address: donate@rockpastor.com those funds reach us faster than the other options. For people in Finland Mobile Pay is a good option and then the number is 0401409885.

Now it is raining out and we have one more day here in Nurnberg before we leave for Hof! We will have a busy weekend with two events at the church. One event in the town center and Sunday morning we have two services in the local prison and right after that the Sunday service at the FCG Church in Hof. On Monday we have a school and from there we are heading north east to another prison on Tuesday in Görlitz.

It is now the real work starts. We have many prisons booked and one more month to go! The show must go on and we trust in God for everything. Thank you all here in the Nurnberg area for our time together! We had a blast!