Swedish Alliance Mission facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Swedish Alliance Mission
Svenska Alliansmissionen
Alliance Church in Jönköping
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	Protestantism
Region	international
Language	Swedish
Headquarters	Jönköping, Sweden
Origin	1919
Merger of	Jönköping Mission Society, Jönköpingskretsens kristliga ungdomsförbund, Skandinaviska Alliansmissionen i Sverige
Members	13,777 (2020)

The Swedish Alliance Mission, also known as SAM, is a Christian church group in Sweden. It is mostly based in the city of Jönköping. This group started from a big Christian "revival" movement in the 1800s. A revival is a time when many people become more interested in their faith.

As of 2020, the Swedish Alliance Mission had 13,777 members. These members were part of 153 churches in Sweden and other countries. The group was officially formed in 1919. It was created when three smaller groups joined together. These groups were the Jönköping Mission Society, the Jönköping District Christian Youth Association, and the Scandinavian Alliance Mission in Sweden.

History of the Swedish Alliance Mission

The Swedish Alliance Mission began with a Christian "revival" in the 1800s. This movement was strongest in Jönköping and nearby areas. One important leader was Per Magnus Elmblad. He became a priest in Jönköping in 1836. He invited people to read the Bible together. This led to a group of "awakened" people forming. Elmblad was later moved because of protests. He then worked with another group called the Swedish Evangelical Mission.

Early Gatherings and Societies

The group in Jönköping kept meeting in homes. They did this even though the Conventicle Act was in place. This law stopped religious meetings without a priest. In 1853, the Jönköping Tract Society was started. Its goal was to share Christian writings called "tracts." These were small booklets with religious messages.

Knut Wilhelm Almqvist was the first chairman of this society. The group was influenced by the teachings of preacher Carl Olof Rosenius. They hired people called "colporteurs" to spread the tracts. These were like traveling salespeople for books. Thor Hartwig Odencrants became chairman in 1856. He led the society for 30 years.

In 1861, the society changed its name to the Jönköping Mission Society. This group mainly sent "lay preachers" to different local groups. Lay preachers are people who preach but are not officially priests. The society also helped collect money for missions. This money often came from sewing groups. It was mostly sent to international projects. These projects were run by the Swedish Evangelical Mission and the Swedish Mission Covenant.

Growth and Mission Buildings

Local groups slowly formed in the countryside. They welcomed traveling preachers from Jönköping. They also collected money for missionary work. A common way to raise money was through "mission auctions." Women would sell their handmade items. These auctions usually happened in the spring.

In 1860, Jönköping built its first mission house. It could hold about 1000 people. This building was used for the society's four big meetings each year. These meetings happened during Jönköping's market days. Many people traveled from far away to attend. The building soon became too small. So, in 1876, a larger building was built. It could hold about 3000 people.

More traveling preachers joined the mission. They traveled to more areas, including Västergötland and Östergötland. In 1886, Karl Palmberg became chairman. He was a priest and a great speaker. He attracted large crowds. More mission buildings were built by local groups. These were used for meetings and auctions. Palmberg was a popular speaker at the opening of these new buildings.

Local missionary groups were formed in these buildings. They had their own leaders, money, and records. Some joined the Jönköping Mission Society. Others joined the Swedish Mission Covenant. Some even joined both. At first, these groups did not have their own preachers. But as they got more money, they hired "circuit preachers" or local preachers. This meant fewer traveling preachers were needed.

Youth Work and International Missions

In 1855, a Christian youth group started in Jönköping. They held Bible studies and choir practices. They also visited elderly people every week. They would give out newspapers and read to them. Other similar youth groups formed in the mission's area.

In 1892, the Jönköping District Youth Association was formed. It included 18 local youth groups. Their main goal was to send their own missionary to China. Girls also formed young women's groups. These groups also worked together. Over time, the boys' and girls' groups merged. They became known as youth associations. In 1907, the Jönköping District Youth Association was formed. It brought together both boys and girls. From 1919, this group was called the Swedish Alliance Mission Youth Association (SAU).

Fredrik Franson, a famous evangelist from America, visited Sweden many times. He worked with an American group called the Scandinavian Alliance Mission. His goal was to find 200 missionaries, mostly for China. He looked for missionaries among Swedish immigrants in America. But he also visited Europe and Sweden to inspire missionary work. Franson held short courses. Many young Swedes became missionaries because of him.

To support these missionaries, a group was formed in Jönköping in 1900. This group was called the Scandinavian Alliance Mission in Sweden. It was connected to the Jönköping Mission Society and the Jönköping District Youth Association. This group supported more and more missionaries. Their commitment to mission work grew quickly. They focused mainly on China, India, and Southern Africa. Sven Emil Hagberg was the chairman of this group.

The Formation of SAM

In 1919, the Swedish Alliance Mission was officially formed. This happened when the Jönköping Mission Society, the Scandinavian Alliance Mission in Sweden, and the Youth Association merged. This was a natural step. All three groups came from the same revival movement. They also involved many of the same people.

The Swedish Alliance Mission then grew from a mission group within the church to a "free church" denomination. A free church is a church that is independent from the government. The spirit of the revival lives on through their focus on sharing their faith and doing mission work. They have also done a lot of work with young people. This has been a special part of their movement.

Beliefs of the Swedish Alliance Mission

The beliefs of the Swedish Alliance Mission are connected to its history. It started as a mission group within the Church of Sweden. This was the official state church. Because of this, the Alliance Mission still practices "infant baptism." This means babies are baptized when they are very young.

The early members of the Alliance Mission, like other revival groups, sometimes used "civil disobedience." This means they peacefully broke the law. They did this to go against the Conventicle Act. This law, from 1726 to 1858, banned religious groups from meeting without a priest.

A key belief for the Swedish Alliance Mission was "Pietism." This idea emphasizes a "personal conversion" and "sanctification." Personal conversion means a deep, personal decision to follow God. Sanctification means growing to be more like God. Preaching was very important as people met in homes and mission houses.

The Swedish Alliance Mission believes in the "atonement" of Jesus. This is the idea that Jesus' death on the cross makes up for people's sins. They also generally have a "conservative biblical view." This means they believe the Bible is very important and true.

The Swedish Alliance Mission was also influenced by other revival groups in Sweden. This happened especially after it became a free church. For example, some of their practices are similar to those of Baptists. Baptists believe in "believer's baptism." This means people are baptized when they are old enough to choose their faith. The Swedish Alliance Mission follows a "double baptismal practice." This means they allow both infant baptism and believer's baptism. However, their main beliefs are still rooted in the Lutheran tradition.

The "ecumenical movement" has led SAM to work with other free church groups. These include the Evangelical Free Church in Sweden and the Swedish Pentecostal Movement.

A clear example of this teamwork is a joint training program. It is called the Academy for Leadership and Theology (ALT). SAM runs this program with the Pentecostal Alliance of Independent Churches and the Evangelical Free Church in Sweden.

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