Word of Life (Sweden) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Word of Life |
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Word of Life in Uppsala, 2014
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| Classification | Evangelicalism |
| Orientation | Neo-charismatic movement |
| Senior pastor | David Ekerbring |
| Headquarters | Uppsala, Sweden |
| Origin | 1983 |
| Members | 1,700 |
| Official website | livetsord.se/en/ |
Word of Life (called Swedish: Livets Ord in Swedish) is a very large church, also known as a megachurch, located in Uppsala, Sweden. It is also part of an international group of churches. This church is a leading example of a Christian movement in Sweden that focuses on faith and spiritual gifts, similar to some churches in America.
Contents
How Word of Life Started
The Word of Life church was started in Uppsala by a person named Ulf Ekman. It began on May 24, 1983. In 1987, the church opened its new building in Uppsala.
Growing the Church 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 around the world. By 2023, Word of Life International had helped to establish 1,000 churches.
Changes in Leadership
Ulf Ekman, who founded the church, handed over his role as the local pastor in Uppsala to Joakim Lundqvist in 2013. On March 9, 2014, Ekman announced that he and his wife were leaving the organization. They planned to join the Catholic Church.
In April 2022, Jan Blom became the senior pastor. However, in August 2022, Jan Blom was in a serious motorcycle accident and took time off for recovery. During the fall of 2023, a temporary leadership team managed the church. This team included Simon Ahlstrand, Sebastian Asklund, and Christian Åkerhielm. David Ekerbring became the senior pastor in the fall of 2025.
What Else Does Word of Life Do?
Besides holding church services, the Word of Life movement also runs schools for students of all ages. They also have special Bible schools. The church sends people, called missionaries, to many countries. These countries include Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Israel, and India.
Livets Ord Theological Seminary
The Word of Life church used to have its own special school for higher education. It was called Livets Ord Theological Seminary. This school operated from 1994 to 2014.
About the Seminary's Programs
The seminary was connected with an American university called Oral Roberts University. This university is in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is one of the largest Christian universities that focuses on spiritual gifts. Livets Ord Theological Seminary offered American Bachelor's and master's degrees. These degrees were in subjects like New Testament studies, history, and education. However, the school was never officially recognized by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education to give out Swedish academic degrees.
Why the Seminary Closed
In February 2014, it was announced that the seminary would close. This decision was made because the school had been losing money.
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