Lewi Pethrus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pastor
Lewi Pethrus
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Lewi Pethrus in 1937
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| Born |
Pethrus Lewi Johansson
11 March 1884 |
| Died | 4 September 1974 (aged 90) Stockholm, Sweden
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| Education | Bethel Seminary (Betelseminariet) in Stockholm |
| Spouse(s) | Lydia Danielsen |
Lewi Pethrus (born Pethrus Lewi Johansson) was an important Swedish minister. He lived from 1884 to 1974. He played a big part in starting and growing the Pentecostal movement in Sweden. In 1964, he also founded a political party called the Christian Democrats.
Contents
Lewi Pethrus: A Life of Faith
Lewi Pethrus was born in 1884 in a place called Vargön in Sweden. He started working at a young age, around ten years old. In 1899, he began learning to make shoes in a factory.
His Early Faith Journey
In 1899, Lewi was baptized in a Baptist church in Vänersborg. He then moved to Norway in 1900. By 1902, he was a co-pastor at a Baptist church in Arendal.
Around this time, he had a special experience. He started speaking in tongues. This is something Pentecostals believe happens when someone receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Lewi said this happened to him suddenly, and he didn't understand it at first.
Becoming a Pastor
In 1903, Lewi Pethrus became a pastor for a small Baptist church in Bengtsfors, Sweden. He decided to get more training for his ministry. In 1904, he went to Bethel Seminary in Stockholm.
He later said that this training made him question his faith for a while. But he claimed to have regained his strong belief after a special vision. After finishing seminary, he served in the military in 1906. That same year, he became a pastor at the Lidköping Baptist Church.
Joining the Pentecostal Movement
In 1907, Lewi Pethrus met a Norwegian Pentecostal minister named Thomas Ball Barratt. This meeting helped him understand the idea of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. He felt that from that moment, he was truly part of the Pentecostal movement.
In 1910, he became a pastor at the Seventh Baptist Church in Stockholm. The next year, in 1911, he moved to lead the Filadelfia Church.
Starting a New Path
In 1913, Lewi Pethrus married Lydia Danielsen from Norway. That same year, his church was asked to leave the Swedish Baptist Union. This happened because they had different ideas about speaking in tongues and holy communion. His church believed in "open communion," meaning anyone could take part.
This event marked the beginning of a separate Pentecostal movement in Sweden. During this time, Pethrus also wrote a famous gospel song called Löftena kunna ej svika (which means 'The promises cannot fail').
Spreading the Message
The Filadelfia Church, under Pethrus's leadership, grew quickly. In 1915, they started a Bible school. In 1916, they launched a weekly magazine called Evangelii Härold ('The Gospel Herald').
The church also began sending missionaries to other countries. In 1916, they sent Samuel and Lina Nyström to Brazil. They helped to establish the Assembleias de Deus there. Pethrus and his church sent many missionaries to Africa, Latin America, and Europe. They also kept in touch with other Pentecostal groups in North America.
New Ventures and Politics
Lewi Pethrus continued to expand his work beyond the church. In 1942, he helped start a high school. In 1945, he founded Dagen, which is a daily newspaper.
He also helped create a credit fund in 1952. In 1955, he started a radio station called IBRA Media in Tangier, Morocco. In the same year, the Filadelfia Church hosted the Pentecostal World Conference, a big international meeting.
Later Life and Legacy
Lewi Pethrus stepped down as the main pastor of the Filadelfia Church on September 7, 1958. However, he didn't stop working. He continued to preach and travel. In 1959, he set up the Lewi Pethrus Trust for Philanthropic Endeavours. This trust helps with good causes.
In 1964, he played a key role in founding Sweden's Christian Democratic Party. He had become more involved in politics since the 1940s. The Christian Democrats believed in traditional values but also supported the idea of a welfare state, which provides help for people.
His wife, Lydia, passed away in 1966. A year before his own death, he received a special honor called Knight Commander of the Order of Vasa. Lewi Pethrus gave his last sermon in 1974, shortly before he died on September 4. His autobiography, Ett sagolikt liv ('a storied life'), was published after his death in 1976.
