Word of Life (Sweden) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Word of Life |
|
|---|---|
Word of Life in Uppsala, 2014
|
|
| Classification | Evangelicalism |
| Orientation | Neo-charismatic movement |
| Senior pastor | Joakim Lundqvist, since 2013 |
| Headquarters | Uppsala, Sweden |
| Origin | 1983 |
| Members | 4,000 |
| Official website | livetsord.se/en/ |
Word of Life (Swedish: Livets Ord) is a very large church in Uppsala, Sweden. It is also part of a group of churches around the world. This church is a key example of a type of Christian movement in Sweden. It is similar to some Christian groups found in America.
Contents
How Word of Life Started
The Word of Life church began in Uppsala on May 24, 1983. It was started by a person named Ulf Ekman. In 1987, the church opened its new building in Uppsala.
Growing Around the World
In 2012, Word of Life started an organization called Word of Life International. This group helps to set up new churches in different countries. By 2023, Word of Life International had helped create about 1,000 churches globally.
Changes in Leadership
In 2013, Ulf Ekman passed on his role as local pastor in Uppsala to Joakim Lundqvist. Later, in March 2014, Ulf Ekman and his wife decided to leave Word of Life. They chose to join the Catholic Church. In April 2022, Jan Blom became the senior pastor. He was later injured in an accident and is currently on sick leave. In late 2023, a team of three leaders took over for a while.
Other Activities
Besides church services, Word of Life also runs schools for students of all ages. They also have special Bible schools. The church sends people to help others in many countries. These countries include Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Israel, and India.
Helping People Move to Israel
Word of Life works with Christian groups in the United States. Together, they have a special fund called "Operation Jabotinsky." This fund helps Jewish people from Russia who want to move to Israel. The fund is named after a Russian person called Ze'ev Jabotinsky.
Word of Life's Seminary
From 1994 to 2014, Word of Life had its own college. It was called Livets Ord Theological Seminary. This college worked with an American university, Oral Roberts University. Oral Roberts University is a large Christian university in the world.
What the Seminary Taught
The seminary offered college degrees like Bachelor's and Master's degrees. Students could study subjects like the New Testament, History, and Education. However, the college was never officially recognized by the Swedish government to give Swedish degrees.
Why the Seminary Closed
In February 2014, Word of Life announced that they would close the seminary. It had been losing money for some time.
Images for kids
-
Word of Life in Uppsala, 2014
See also
- List of the largest evangelical churches
- List of the largest evangelical church auditoriums
- Church service
