Swedish Free Church Council facts for kids
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Sveriges frikyrkosamråd
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| Formation | 1992 |
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| Type | Christian ecumenical organization |
| Headquarters | Bromma, Sweden |
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Official language
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Swedish |
The Swedish Free Church Council (which in Swedish is called Sveriges frikyrkosamråd) is a group that brings together different free churches in Sweden. It was started in 1992.
This council is also a part of the Christian Council of Sweden (Sveriges kristna råd). Think of it like a team where different Christian groups work together. This is called ecumenism, which means different churches cooperating to promote unity among Christians.
What are Free Churches?
Free churches are Christian groups that are not part of the official state church. In Sweden, the main state church used to be the Church of Sweden. Free churches are often started by people who want to practice their faith in a different way. They believe that joining a church should be a personal choice.
Most free churches in Sweden belong to different types of Protestant Christian groups. These include Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, and others. Many of these churches began in the 1800s. This was a time when many people in Sweden became very interested in a more personal and active faith. This period is often called an evangelical revival.
Even though free churches have many different branches, they share a common idea. They all believe it's important for each person to have their own strong, personal faith.
Who are the Members?
The churches that are part of the Swedish Free Church Council have about 250,000 members in total. Almost twice that many people are involved in their activities.
The biggest church in the council is the Uniting Church in Sweden. It has about 85,000 members.
List of Member Churches
Here are some of the churches that are part of the Swedish Free Church Council:
- Uniting Church in Sweden (Equmeniakyrkan): This church was formed in 2011. It brought together three older churches: the Baptist Union of Sweden, the United Methodist Church of Sweden, and the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden. It also includes the Swedish Salvation Army, which is a separate group from the international Salvation Army.
- Salvation Army in Sweden (Frälsningsarmén)
- Swedish Alliance Mission (Svenska Alliansmissionen)
- Vineyard Norden (which is part of the Association of Vineyard Churches)
- Evangelical Free Church in Sweden (Evangeliska Frikyrkan)
- Swedish Pentecostal Movement (Pingströrelsen i Sverige)
- Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sweden (Adventistsamfundet i Sverige): These are the members who actively observe their faith.
