I was sitting together with around 3000 others in a big, old barn; listening to one of the best pacifist sermons I’ve ever heard. It was in August 2010, we were attending the Frizon festival – one of the biggest Christian youth event in Sweden (it doesn’t require much to be big in this country). The preacher, Jonas Eveborn, talked about how Jesus’ triumphal entrance to Jerusalem is a political contrast to how Pilate entered Jerusalem every Passover feast – while Pilate was riding a white war horse with armies and flags, Jesus rode a peaceful donkey with kids and palm leaves! Jonas went on contrasting the cross and the sword, and told us that he was convinced that Christians should not use violence.
After Jonas had given his message, the organisers of the meeting came forward and explained that the Evangelical Free Church – the church organising Frizon – had “a pacifist Baptist tradition” where “many had chosen not to do military service”. Then they invited those who wanted prayer to come forward – for salvation, for supernatural healing and for wisdom concerning Jesus’ peace message.
The next day, seminars and workshops on peace and pacifism was arranged. The next year, peace was the theme for the whole festival! What’s interesting is that the Evangelical Free Church is a theologically quite conservative Charismatic denomination. I talked the other day to a newly found friend who mentioned the troubles he had in his country when it came to find fellow pacifists in Charismatic and evangelical churches. In Sweden, it isn’t that hard.
As mentioned, the EFC has a tradition of peace. It is a coalition of three former churches, where at least one was officially pacifist and the other two included several pastors that frequently preached pacifism. In later years, pacifism within the denomination had become particularly evident in the youth organisation, EFK UNG.
Three years ago, they were very upset when the Christian Democrats, a political party founded by Pentecostals, organised an event together with arms companies on weapon export where the peace fellowships that wanted to give their view, including the Christian peace fellowship, were not welcome. When EFK UNG criticised this, a Christian conservative writer active within the word of faith movement criticised them back, stating they had a naive “moral of infants” since weapons and war are needed for our and other countries’ security.
EFK UNG then started to list other people with “moral of infants” – like Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Jesus – on their website to prove that pacifism indeed is the way to go. Then, as mentioned, they invited Jonas to preach on pacifism on Frizon, and thus inspired a whole generation young Charismatic Christians in Sweden to walk the way of peace and love their enemies. God bless them!
Charismactivism 
Well, how encouraging to find such young people DOING the GOSPEL of our LORD!!!! GOD be PRAISED
Amen, sister!
Somehow when growing up and living in a country that has an army trained by Israel, I was conditioned that it is right to have the men serve national service. Your blog post has challenged what I accepted to be the norm. The amount of money that my country pays to support arms and army is ridiculous. Not forgetting the waste of the best time of their lives serving the army, plus the huge amounts of mishaps and deaths that happen. Something really to pray about for my country that more people will speak out.
Thanks for sharing, I will defenitely pray. God bless you!
Dear Sir
I wish to apply to sponsor me so that i can establish a school for the poor and street children
I hope to hear from you
Thank you
Frederick
Tel: +233 271534586
Sure Frederick, where do you live and what’s the name of the ministry involved?
Blessings!
Dear savant of God.
Warmest Greetings to you in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.Apostle Tom Chacha and Oasis Of Miracles Church Nairobi Kenya together with other pastors of Network of Christ outreaches ministries in Kenya Humbly extend an open and honorable invitation for you and your ministry team to visit our country for grand crusades and Leadership Conferences in Kenya Africa at the best available month in your calender.
We do highly appreciate your ministry and the great work of souls Harvest you are undertaking to see total transformation globally.
Working with your ministry produces total change growth and developement with adeep sense of understanding towards our vission mission for great Harvest for the Lord in this region of the world. We are ready to co-operate partner and work together as ateam as we exchange programes by visiting one another to fulfill the great commission.
Kindly feel free to ask for for more infornation and iwil be glad to give them to you,we are eagerly waiting for your positive response, for the Lords Harvest.
Apostle Tom Chacha
Chairman of Oasis of Miracles church
Int’l
P.o Box 22617-00100 Nairobi Kenya.
Tel: +254 722501110 +254 733501110.
Email:apostletomchacha@yahoo.com
Skype: Blessed Apostle1
http://www.oasisofmiracleschurch.org
Thank you for considering my request,stay blessed,stay save inthe Hands of God IN JESUS NAME
[…] that the Swedish revivalists are very open for peace and justice. The biggest Christian youth event preaches pacifism. Shane Claiborne is extremely popular among the charismatic youth. So is Heidi Baker and Iris […]
[…] that the Swedish revivalists are very open for peace and justice. The biggest Christian youth event preaches pacifism. Shane Claiborne is extremely popular among the charismatic youth. So is Heidi Baker and Iris […]