Oct 29, 2009

Adventure in the Middle East

I'll be on a plane to Israel with good friends when you read this... Flying from Arlanda Int Airport via Vienna and then on to Tel Aviv... Great to have a layover in my dear home country even if it's very short. At the airport I'll have time to buy some Austrian card decks for friends whom I have taught the "noble culture game; Vierbauernschnapser" ;). Several friends have been nagging me to get their own deck of cards for some time now so I guess I'll try to take care of that now... Ten days in the Middle East with Göran Duveskog, Daniel Viklund, Omid Dadary, Tommy and Ylva Hamrén - could I have better travel companions?! I think Helen and Ronny Salvo will meet up with us for a few days in Jerusalem as well - so fun!

Sachne National Park...

Western Wall in Jerusalem...

Israel, a modern miracle and voyage of discovery in the Bible. Israel, the hub and intersection point for three world religions. It will be the ninth time for me to go there and seventh as travel guide and preacher for Duveskogs Travel Agency!

See ya!

Oct 27, 2009

My Friend Bashar

Baghdad...

Yesterday I read in the newspapers about the car bombings in central Baghdad (10/26) that according to the Swedish media took the lives of 136 innocent precious people and more than 600 were severly wounded... The truth is probably that over 200 people were killed and more than 1000 wounded, according to my own Iraqi sources (church members with family in Bahgdad)... I just called my dear friend Bashar, he is crying today, and I am crying with him...

Bashar's beloved home country Iraq is bleeding abundantly and will not let itself be comforted by either the US or the UN... Bashar was baptized in Tullinge Lake in the beginning on August and was baptized in the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues as a sign not long ago in the Gustafsson's house church. Bashar is family and we love him very much... Bashar's wife and two cildren are in exile in Damascus, Syria and he is waiting for his permanent residency in Sweden, papers that the Swedish upp until now have denied him. We pray for Beshar. We pray that he will be able to stay in Sweden in peace and security. We pray that he soon will be reunited with his beloved family. We pray for our brother's Iraq and a people that are crying; there are many tears in Baghdad today...



See ya!

Day off with the Family

Yesterday we visited "Tom Tits Experiment" in Södertälje - such a great family trip! Tom Tits Experiment is a huge physics, chemistry, tech and anatomy lab for both kids and adults... Kind of a museum where you get to participate in the research and discover yourself... It was $87.50 for the entire family, but you got so much for that amount! We laughed, goofed off, learned many new things and the hours just flew away... My kids dad skipped quite a few chemistry and physics classes in high school so this was sort of a good level of "adult education" for him ;).


Today I'm leading Prayer School at SOS Mission Bible College and then I'm having a whole day with our School of Leadership. So wonderful, ambitious and talented people we have there... I'm enjoying the thought that we have already baptized new believers three Sundays in a row in SOS Church. We have baptized four Sundays out of eight since the launch the last weekend of August... It's still way to little, but the snowball has begun moving and soon it will take off with great speed down the hill and hopefully bring a huge avalanche with it... We have baptized 16 people in SOS Church! New believers are constantly signing up to step down into the water, bury their old life to resurrect and start a new life. God - I pray for Stockholm...

See ya!

Oct 26, 2009

Heavy and Rich Anointing!

I usually don't use charistamic terms like the ones in the caption very often... But I really don't know any other simple, easy-to-understand-words to describe this past weekend at Betel, Trondheim... People have been saved in every service, and certain services it was a total Holy Ghost blowout, with piles of people slain in the Spirit everywhere... The worship just wouldn't stop the last service. Prophecies, words of knowledge, healing and baptism in the Holy Spirit... Heavy and rich anointing from the Holy Spirit...


I am starting to find my way back to, or rediscover the anointing and life with the Holy Spirit in a very special way this fall... Enjoying. Thanking God. Praying for stronger presence of God in all of SOS - in the mother church that's growing and taking form in Stockholm city, in the festivals, at the bases, at our Bible schools and mission offices over the the world! We need to give the Holy Spirit more room!

See ya!

Oct 24, 2009

Back in Beloved Norway!

I preached for an alomost full Pentecostal Church here in Trondheim tonight - about 15 were saved and 10 were baptized in the Holy Spirit! I preached in English and was interpreted to Norwegian tonight since all the international groups and the Norwegian Pentecostal Church Betel is arranging this event together - fun! Felt just like home in Stockholm, oh how I enjoyed the ministry tonight... I am enjoying and flowing with the Holy Spirit more than ever after 18,5 years as a full time preacher... I feel so relaxed and secure with the Bible, the Jesus-gospel and the presence of the Holy Spirit. I love to pray in my hotel room, prepare seminars and new messages... Like the long time of ministering to people at the end of the services and feel totally inexhaustible and full of energy when praying for people... I do believe that something new happened to me when we started the new church downtown Stockholm - to be right in bulls eye with God's will is sooo good... I am enjoying life with the Holy Spirit so tremendously!


I love Norway! It's so good to get to know Pastor Frank Erlandsen as well. Frank was a missionary to Southern Germany for 15 years so we speak German with each other as often as we can... Tomorrow we continue with Leadership seminars in the morning, work out at a gym in the afternoon and steak at night! Frank has already promised great steakes - God is good to His simple servant Johannes Amritzer...

See ya!

Oct 22, 2009

Good Dividends and Not The Typical Hunting Result

Just had a layover in Oslo, am pretty tired after 11 hours av travel from Harads (somewhere between Jokkmokk and Boden in northern Sweden) to Stockholm, and then a flight to Oslo. Am on my way to Trondheim, Norway and just have enough time to write this blog entry before my connecting flight...


My head is going in circles after several days of intense chasing the moose that would not be found... But we still had some good dividends at the end, given that the hunting results were of a different sort all together. I was able to lead my dog driver, 28 year old Samule, to faith in Jesus, we prayed the sinners prayer together already at the end of day one! Samuel - welcome to the Kingdom of God, now Jesus will be with you both in your heart and in the forest!


I was also able to help two newly saved Latvian berry pickers to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Three weeks earlier Per and Carmelina Adeström had led them in a salvation prayer. This couple were also our hosts and had invited us for this adventure. Before the evening was over the two berry pickers were speaking in new tongues. Besides this, there have been many stories told, and we have both laughed and cried together... A three day mini vacation has come to its end. There is nothing like smokey camp fires, coffee on a thermos and real "manly fellowship"!



This weekend I will be preaching at Bethel in Tronheim, Norway. Am looking forward to this. We be great to get to know their new pastor, Frank Erlandsen.

See Ya!

Oct 19, 2009

Enjoying the After Taste of Church as I'm Packing...

Tonight the church was full of people and atmosphere! Six or seven were saved and two newly saved Persian people were baptized! No one wanted to go home and life couldn't get better, you know?! More are signing up to be baptized and we'll baptize next Sunday again... Awsome after taste of church when it is as best!





I've finished packing for the trip with the guys to Northern Sweden and I'm drinking coffee at 12:20 AM... Three weapons, alot of ammunition, sharp knives, binoculars, thermos, sleeping bag and extra socks etc... Wild life adventure and moose hunt is waiting between Boden and Jokkmokk up north - there really is only one word that describe what I'm feeling right now - HALLELUJAH!

Getting up at 5 AM and leaving home at 6 AM...

See ya!

Oct 17, 2009

Last night it was girls night out - Maria and 17 others went and saw the musical Cats at Cirkus on Djurgården... They had a good dinner, giggled and enjoyed themselves all night in out beloved Stockholm! A big thank you goes to Ylva Hamrén for this great "build our church fellowship" idea! Meanwhile I enjoyed our housechurch at the Willkanders together with not the typical blend of people from around the world. We ate a fabulous meal prepared with love by Omid Dadary. We played Autrian cards, laughed, and had fun and non-believers, new believers and "old fox" disciples to Jesus enjoyed the Friday night together as kings... I had brought a new friend, Daniel Rönnbäck from Upplands Väsby (we rode our motorcycles last spring) and I must say that both Daniel and I enjoy our house church, lead by the Willkanders:)!


Tonight we are having a persian café at our church on Kungsholmen at 7pm - exciting! An American hunting buddy of mine, Mike Wisecup is coming in tonight. Tomorrow we will have church again at 4pm! Wow! I can't wait! What will the Holy Spirit do tomorrow?! Which one of our friends will be saved tomorrow? Who's turn is it to receive their so longed for miracle or answer to prayer tomorrow afternoon? Köysti and Vanessa will be there - they are brand new friends of mine - great! My dad and his wife Anette will be there as well as all our wonderful members! Feast, joy and hapiness! I love Sundays! I absolutely love Sundays!

See ya!

Oct 16, 2009

Right Focus in Church and Missions!

I often get kind of irritated on the selfishness and ego that seem to drive the western world churches forward... The latest technology, furniture and interior designs in the church are high on the agenda. To be relevant in clothing, hair styles and word choice seem to be more important then the people God loves, and that the church is really there for. Hairsplitting in theology and to relate to the right and largest Christian contexts also seem to very important to be accepted in Christian circles. Church political adjustments and to flirt with different denominations and aslo with cool, well known speakers and musicians at the conferences in order to have the biggest crowds.

Who cares about that 10 million children are captured in the global sex industry?


-Who cares about that 40 million people in the world are suffering and trying to get by because they are infected by the HIV virus and has Aids?

-Who cares about that 46 million babies are aborted every year (126,000 every day)?

-Who cares about the 11 million people that are right now on the run from their homes, trying to escape the terror of war and persecution?


-Who cares about
the 70 million people that are struggling with eating dissorders right now?

-Who cares about the 9 million people that die of starvation every year?


-Who cares about that 150 million women are suffering because of brutal genital mutilation, and further that 2 million girls are mutilated every year?

-Who cares about that there are 27 million slaves in the world 2009?

Trafficking, rapes,the continuesly growing porn industry, drug abuse and incests... Rasism and xenophobia.

The church need to start devoting itself to, and start focusing the big and engaging questions in the global society. We need to show real empathy and decisiveness in society instead of another panel and internal discussion. The world is crying out, is sinking, is lost in its sin and diseases while the church is fully occupied with inhouse, "belly button focus" and questions. We need a new generation and Christian culture revolution that rises up in Spirit and truth now!

The gospel of Jesus and the Holy Spirit changes lives! Just have the right focus!

See ya!

Oct 15, 2009

Sweden - Democracy of Dictatorship

We are preparing for an interesting and intense weekend at SOS Church Stockholm with both a Persian-Swedish cultural exchange party on Saturday night and a miracle Sunday under the theme The Supernatural Church... Conversations on baptism and counseling sessions are lined up... Naturally the pastoral duties and the disciple training are my main focus but to speak without filter in the debate of society every now and then is important as we pursue building an international church with many minority groups represented...

For this very reason I simply can not neglect the feeling of the sudden “change in weather” taking place in Sweden with ice cold winds threatening our personal integrity, freedom of speech and the independent grass root level voices in the social debate. What do you mean Johannes?

I mean the debate that is taking place in the Swedish government at the moment around the so called FRA law (extended defense intelligence system) which is nothing more than a giant crime of integrity aimed towards the Swedish population. Arguments such as the fact the the State wants to be able to breach the organized crime syndicates and lame excuses such as the fight against terrorism and so on simply does not play... The FRA law simply means increase signal reconnaissance or in plain English: legal surveillance of cellphones and Internet usage in order to prevent crime... The line between being a suspect or not is very thin and anyone can end up in the scope of the State... Ugly control of the inhabitants actually. Will the phone conversations between my Lebanese or Iraqi friend and their mom or cousin in Beirut or Baghdad be tapped now?! The next time you call your girlfriend or chat on the Internet with her, you better watch out what you say, if your name is Ali or Muhammed...The State might consider it as terror and recored your intimate conversation...

The Swedish Soccer Federation has charged one of the team's fan club for hold ing up a banner during one of their games, with the words “Free Dawit Isaak imprisoned in Eritrea since 2001”. What is happening? What is that? A major controlling State? Friends of this Swedish citizen and also skilled journalist, who has been imprisoned for eight years in his country of origin, finally dare to take an initiative to get the word out and create awareness for his cause in an effective way, are they to be imposed with a fine? Shame on you Swedish Soccer Federation. The case of Dawit Isaak is about a severe crime against the rights humanity as well as the freedom of speech. Rights of humanity os something that the Swedish Soccer Federation should stand behind and also to take a stand for, or am I way of target?!

Dawit Isaak...

Sweden?! What is happening at the moment? Sweden is hounding on brave pastors such as Åke Green, tapping immigrants and imposing fines on the friends of a poor imprisoned freedom fighter... God help us! There are ice cold winds blowing this fall. God forgive us and give grace to Sweden...

See Ya!

Oct 13, 2009

Enjoying the Fall and Building Church...

Today we prayed for the students at prayer school and the Holy Spirit fell, students were laying slain in the Spirit all over the place, words of knowledge and prophetic words flowed - such an awesome atmosphere!

I taught the book of Acts at SOS Mission Bible College, quickly ate a tuna sallad for lunch, then I trained hard at the gym for 1.5 hours before I landed in my kitchen in Tullinge. I'm briefing the US office in a little while and chatting with our base in Thailand as I am blogging... Life is pretty intense and the autumn air so fresh. I am flying to Norway over the day tomorrow for a meeting. Preaching at home in SOS Church this weekend and believe that the baptismal feast will continue on Sunday - registrations are coming in - hallelujah!


I'll be up north between Boden and Jokkmokk next week, hunting moose with the guys. Fall adventures in the woods and buidling church in Stockholm city - I am enjoying this!

See ya!

Oct 12, 2009

Joy in the Holy Spirit!

The service at SOS Church Stockholm exploded yesterday in raw, pure and childish "salvation joy!" The entire church was rejoicing and dancing! I preached part 4 of 11 ina series about the Holy Spirit and yesterdays topic was: "The Laughing God and the Happy Jesus..."


A few Stockholmers prayed the salvation prayer and the the worship exploded with rejoicing and dancing under the leading of Linnéa Hagenfors! Fernan Santos baptized Wilson, a totally new believer from Nigeria in our simple baptismal pool - baptism really is a feast! People stayed long after, had coffee and fellowship... Ten of our now, very happy church members took over a tube cartridge on their way home - they were rejoicing, sang and told people about Jesus! I am a happy pastor!

See ya!

Oct 11, 2009

The Nobel Peace Prize, TD Jakes and Stockholm...

President Obama...

At this very moment the entire world is debating whether President Barack Obama really deserves the Nobel Peace Prize or not. Is it necessary to have accomplished something for world peace first or is it enough to have ignited hope coupled with the best of intentions?! Everyone seems to want to have an opinion and it is almost demanded to have a say or else one is considered dumb. Or?

My Maria articulated it so well yesterday: “Why nag over and engage oneself in things that I can not influence? I ant to put my effort and energy into the things that I actually can influence.”
Quote: Maria Amritzer

So right, honey! The Norwegian Nobel committee has made its choice and will most likely not change. The question remains: For the sake of world peace, does it really matter who is rewarded with old Alfred's price? Will the prize change the situation in Darfur, will it change the way lunatics like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez or Iran's Ahmadinejad think? Does a peace prize make a difference in Somalia, Afghanistan, or Irak? No, probably not, but perhaps it will encourage President Obama some...

Pastor TD Jakes...

Today I am reading an interesting book by Pastor TD Jakes called Before You Do – Making Great Decisions, with my morning coffee. So good! This afternoon I will preach at SOS Church and hope that I through the gospel will be able to change and influence a small part of Stockholm and make life better for the group of people that have been entrusted to me as their shepherd. I want to put my energy on the things that I actually can influence today.

See Ya!

Oct 9, 2009

SOS is Expanding!

The School of Leadership up in Kaknästornet in Stockholm...

As we launched our church downtown Stockholm, our Mission Bible College has a new start on its seventh year. The SOS School of Leadership (year 2) runs parallel to SOS Mission Bible College (year 1)... What a bullseye the school of leadership has turned out to be! Today I met with the class in the café on the 30th floor of Kaknästornet, with a view of downtown and taught them for two sessions in Self Leadership and one session on the Sacerdotal Duties. This course gives the students the possibility to try and author and complete a wedding ceremony, a funeral and how to structure pre marital counseling, counseling in general and church correction... The students did not want to go home and we stayed over an hour longer... We so enjoyed the coffee, the view and the deep conversations... God is good and eleven strong new leaders are formed and several of them will be pastors some day and have their own churches.


SOS has 5 Bible Colleges right now and we are about to launch number six – Sweden, USA, India, Bulgaria, Ethiopia and soon we start up in Thailand as well! The mission bases are entering into a new phase of maturity now as they see their first graduates be preaches and new daughter churches planted!

SOS festival band with Julia and Linnea as lead singers will head out on a tour this spring and our first musical production is selling like crazy!

My books are being translated into more languages and next year we will increase the tempo on our festival front and hold three unreached peoples festivals!

SOS Church Stockholm is growing aggressively and both the outreaches and the disciple training is wonderful, raw, radical and strong!

We do not want to grow by flirting with other churches or by lowering our standards or our radicalism but rather on raw faith and the miracle power from Jesus! God give us the unreached peoples, the mega cities and Stockholm!

See Ya!

Oct 8, 2009

Baptismal Pool in Place!

Our baptismal pool is finally in place at our premises on Kungsholmen! On Saturday we'll fill it with about 5000 liters of water and on Sunday it's time to baptise again! Two newly saved have already signed up and if you have a newly saved friend that you want to baptize on Sunday, e-mail Emma Gustafsson at emma.gustafsson@missionsos.org and you'll be a happy baptising person before you have time to blink!

Baptism in Mälaren earlier this year...

I'm teaching the book of Acts at SOS Mission Bible College and I'm enjoying all the reports of salvation miracles and baptisms in the Holy Spirit that takes place during the week through our wonderful students. Last night we had "Pastor's prayer" at our house - such an awesome spirit of prayer, humility, broken heartedness and faith that was poured out in our kitchen - hallelujah! The future is ours!

SOS Church started with 53 adult members and have already doubled and far passed the 100 line! About 150 adults regularly attend our services and we are about 100-130 adult visitors each Sunday. SOS Kids are growing all the time as well!

I am enjoying being a pastor in Stockholm and every day is adventure with the Holy Spirit!

See ya!

Oct 6, 2009

Ten simple tips for a happy marriage


Yesterday, October 5th marked the day 19 years ago when me and Maria became a couple! Yes you read right – almost twenty years together that is. On a sidewalk in the dusk of fall on our way home to Maria's parents from the small chapel building we kissed for the first time. :) The memory fills my chest with warmth. We have now been married for over 15 years already and engaged more than 17!

Maria is still my “girl”,great love and now also mother to our wonderful children – it just gets better and better as time goes by...

Here are ten tips for a happy marriage:

1) Always have a Bible on the kitchen table or in the window in the kitchen. Close for spontaneous on the run ten minute devotions with Jesus as a couple and family... In the midst of daily life, among the crumbs, coffee and leftovers...

2) Make it a habit to always pray n the car together every time you go for a drive, even if it is just down the road...

3) Live the same life and not one each. The same vision, dreams and plans.

4) Never stop kissing, cuddling and touching each other spontaneously during daily life.

5) Be a good listener, honestly interested of the other's work, thoughts and interests.

6) Compliment each other and be proud over your partner in front of others.

7) Surprise, kill dead routines and forbid routine in every life situation – chock your partner at times!

8) Lavish the other, and allow your partner to actually spend on shopping, hunting or other interest.:)

9) Make sure you have life changing experiences together – the festival trip, the Bible College years and the dream vacation.

10) Never stop having fun with each other and laugh together!

See Ya!

Oct 5, 2009

At Landvetter, on my way Home...

I have just preached an intense weekend at Zoé Church in Fredrikstad, Norway! So great! What a youth conference, what dancers, what musicians and singers and what "go" in the Holy Spirit! So many have been saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit - laughter, tears and joy - Holy Ghost blowout!


I'm tired and "mushy" now
and on my way home. Flying from Landvetter (Gothenburg) to Arlanda (domestic for a change) in a couple of minutes... My body aches today from the workout at the gym yesterday morning, I think I might have over done it a little (it's easy to forget that you're not 20 anymore...) ;)

A new exciting week as pastor in SOS Church Stockholm starts tomorrow and I'm already longing to go to work! Bible School, pastor's prayer and baptism on Sunday!

Have to run! They are boarding the plane now...

See ya!

Oct 2, 2009

Friends, Hunting, Norway and Israel...

One of my best friends , Aslak Bestul from Kristiansand, Norway, just stopped in for a short brief visit. He arrived late last night and had time for a simple dinner before he slept a short, fast night in our guest room. Then early this morning he departed to join a business retreat hosted by the Word of Life at their retreat facility Ribbingebäck outside Uppsala, just north of Stockholm... He is one of my best friends and I cherish him soo and we are soon to take another “man trip” to northern Sweden – it is time for Moose Hunt... Christian Hedegaard, Aslak Bestul, Chriss Roy, Mike Wisecup, Per Adeström are among them that will join in the fellowship around the campfires and in the forests somewhere between Jokkmokk and Boden on Oct 20th – 21st... We will travel north on the 19th and return on the 22nd . I am so looking forward to this years hunting trip with the guys!

Last year's hunt was great...

Tomorrow I will fly to Norway,
where I will preach in Zoé Church in Fredrikstad. I will have three services Saturday and Sunday – will be great! Pastor Jan Halvorsen is a true man of God and his church is wonderful! Thank you for continued trust in serving your church, Jan!

Aren't you one of them that will join Göran Duveskog and Daniel Viklund to Israel this fall?! Every Christian should at some point in life visit Israel – its that simple. That is where it all began, where it happens now and where it all will end! Israel is at the core of the universe and our world. Israel is the land of the Bible and Jesus home land!


See Ya!

Oct 1, 2009

Disciples of Jesus!?


Are you really a true disciple of Jesus if all you want to do is to hear an exert from the Bible a Sunday here and there and that you believe that the ethic and morale of the Bible is good? If all you live for is to fulfill your own dreams and to have a career in a business or in society, are you then a follower of Jesus?! Ego trip and God on my own terms!? God bless me. God help me do what I want. Me, myself, and I in the center... I want and I do not want. What happened to the Great Commission, the cross to carry, the radical life of Jesus and the pulse of the Book of Acts? Life with a capital L is not about my dream but instead about serving Jesus and to be part in fulfilling His vision and dream – that every people has the chance to hear the Gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus is Lord and I am not...

Many so called Christians are so busy doing everything but what Jesus commanded and at the same time wonder why the Christian life does not work. Many Christians never pray, fast, or share their faith with seekers and hungry people and then at the same time wonder why there is anxiety, emptiness on the inside and depression. Life it self, the flow, and the energy is with Jesus and in following him radically. I want to be like Him, and obey and do his commands just as they are when I read them in the New Testament.

To apologetically blame the need to provide, my partner, drive my kids, home care, car service, studies as reasons why I have no time for evangelisation and discipleship training does not hold up... At least not for those who call themselves for credible disciples of Jesus...

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
Luke 9:23-26
We need to get the job done now!

See Ya!