Revisit the Acts of the Apostles

You can now download or stream all the teachings from this year's Calvary Chapel Scandinavia conference, including the workshops.

Go to calvarychapel.fi (click on this direct link) to access the powerful studies of the second half of the Acts of the Apostles, taught by David Guzik, Bil Gallatin, Nate Holdridge, Stan Marinussen, Jeremy Foster, Bob Pecoraro, Daniel Jacobsen, and Joel Wickström.

These teachings are also available in video format as you can now stream them from YouTube (click here to go to videos).

You can also find the teachings from last year's studies through the first half of the Acts of the Apostles on calvarychapel.dk or calvarychapel.fi.

Also, in the brand new episode of the radio podcast Calvary Scandinavia Update you can hear a special edited medley of powerful messages and points made from the pulpit at this year's conference.

Click here to download the newest podcast!

Rockers of Rome claim Viking Games 6 trophy

Viking Games 6 will go down as one of the most epic contests so far in the tournament's young history. Winning his second title in two years, captain Nate Holdridge led the Rockers of Rome to viking glory after a closely-fought showdown with the runners-up.

40 centimeters. That was the distance between success and failure in Viking Games 6 as it all came down to one final sprint between two of the leading team captains. Although all the six teams in this year's Viking Games (by now a trademark tradition at the annual Calvary Chapel Scandinavia conferences) competed in three different disciplines, the deciding (and defining) moment of Viking Games 6 came when Rockers of Rome captain Nate Holdridge edged himself over the finish line only an arm's length ahead of Antioch Adrenaline captain Bob Pecoraro in what will forever now be known as "The Sprint".

Former team-mates turned rivals
With the points difference between those two particular teams from all other tournament activities already extremely close, that sprint ended up becoming the tiebreaker that saw Nate Holdridge's team win for the second year in a row.

"I just wanted to do only what I needed to do to win and nothing more," captain Nate exclaimed only moments after catching his breath, while seeing Bob Pecoraro (his former team-mate from last year's championship team but now rival to the 2013 title) laying face down in disbelief and defeat.

"The finish line film doesn't lie - it is there for all to see how he cuts over into my lane just at the last moment. He and his team did a good job overall, I'll give him that, but if we were to run that race again - which I hope we can - he's going down," said Bob Pecoraro afterwards when he had had time to process the defeat.

Championships are like children to you
This year the six teams competed in Beach Volleyball, various water balloon activities, as well as some high-paced relay contests that ended up in a final sprint.

Six different pastors captained each their own team against each other, making for plenty of good-willed banter and heightened competitiveness among them (see photo).

All top 3 finishing teams ended up within a close point margin, with captain David Guzik's Cyprus Saints in third place and Bob Pecoraro's Antioch Adrenaline just short of the eventual champions, Rockers of Rome, consisting of Nate Holdridge (captain), Alex Lahtinen, Richard Mansour, Jacob Scott, Iiris-Maria Murtonen, Emil Riisum-Broegger, John Marsh, Samira Jarrouge, Adolph Karlsson, and Thorvald Allestad.

"Many people have asked me which championship or victory I am most proud of, but it's just so hard to say 'cause all titles are like children to you, they are all special. But this 2013 title was an incredibly special victory indeed which came through a great team effort, my savvy coaching decisions, and the sheer will of all my teammates," captain Nate said.

Can't break a true champion
Later that night, while parading the Viking Games trophy (or, as he dubbed it, "the chalice of victory") around the conference grounds during "fika", the Rockers of Rome captain delivered a clear-cut message to the Games Commissioner.

"Last year in 2012 I was part of a great squad and was able to lead the team of pastors to ultimate conquest and glory in Viking Games 5. This year, due to our dominance last year, the pastors were broken up into different teams, but you know, you just can't break a true champion," he said, all of the above jokingly.















Click here or on the video below to see some of the highlights from Viking Games 6:



The final scores of Viking Games 6:

120 points - Rockers of Rome (captain Nate Holdridge)
109 points - Antioch Adrenaline (captain Bob Pecoraro)
107 points - Cyprus Saints (captain David Guzik)
74 points - Lions of Lystra (captain Jeremy Foster)
60 points - Malta Menace (captain Joel Wickström)
39 points - Corinth Conquerors (captain Stan Marinussen)

Guest speakers encouraged by Scandinavian stamina

What this year's guest speakers thought of the 15th annual Calvary Chapel Scandinavia Conference.

The five guest speakers at the 2013 conference all pastor churches or ministries that are significantly larger in numbers than any of the Calvary Chapel (CC) ministries in Scandinavia. However, each of them left this conference encouraged and touched by the faithfulness and endurance of those serving in Scandinavia and by God's solid and slowly evolving work. Here are their reactions to and thoughts on this year's conference near Stockholm, Sweden.

Bil Gallatin, CC Finger Lakes
The perhaps most experienced of the guest pastors - measured solely by years of ministry - was Bil Gallatin, who was one of the pastors whom God used to bring the ministry of CC to the East Coast of the United States back in the 1970's as the so-called Jesus Movement spread from California to the rest of the country. While pastoring in New York state for decades, he has also been involved in various outreach ministries in Europe, but this year was the first time he attended the Scandinavian conference - and it made an immediate impression on him.

"It reminded me of Costa Mesa when it all started. It's exciting to see and to be a part of it. I go home praying that men and women in the United States would not be afraid of taking the steps of faith that you are taking here and that they would realize how God honors it. Scandinavia is clearly Acts chapter 2013," said Bil Gallatin.

David Guzik, CC Santa Barbara
As one of the co-founders of the Scandinavian conference 15 years ago (and married to Inga-Lill, who is originally from Sweden), David Guzik is no stranger to the region and its ministry conditions. This year he attended the conference for the 13th time along with Inga-Lill, and he enjoyed the opportunity to reunite with all those who serve here year in and year out.

"Each ministry here and the people in them seem to be growing, and more ministries are being prayerfully prepared. But it is slow work here and we have to be patient with God's work in this region. It's a unique work of God and we have to be humble about that and be faithful as it unfolds. It was a real blessing for Inga-Lill and I to revisit all those who serve here so faithfully, and to meet some of the new people who are joining the work in Scandinavia. We are always filled with joy and encouragement when we come here," he said.

Stan Marinussen, Cross Culture CC Amsterdam
Serving only a few hours's drive south of the Scandinavian region, Stan Marinussen pastors the church Cross Culture Calvary Chapel Amsterdam just outside the Dutch capitol. Since the post-Christian culture in the Netherlands is not all that different from that of Scandinavia, pastor Stan felt that he himself got just as much out of the conference as anybody else, being strengthened and encouraged.

"I thought it was absolutely great. I was pleasantly surprised to see the fervor and love of the people serving in Scandinavia. It was just wonderful to see God working in and through the Scandinavian people as He used people to touch lives at the conference. For my wife and I personally, God really used the conference to bless us, strengthen us, and encourage us - we leave here more charged for ministry than when we arrived," he said.

Jeremy Foster, CC Bible College Europe
As director of the English program at CC Bible College Europe in Vajta, Hungary pastor Jeremy Foster sees many aspiring missionaries come through semester after semester. That is how his connection to Scandinavia initially came about, and this year was his second time as a guest speaker at a Scandinavian conference, this time attending along with his wife Christi.

"I loved it. I really felt that the love I have for this part of the world and the saints serving here has really grown, and I can't wait to come back again - I loved being here. Our initial connection to Scandinavia was through some of the guys serving in Finland, but over the years we've come to know many of the other fantastic people working here, and there is a Spirit-filled fellowship going on here across ministries and borders that is just a joy to be a part of," said Jeremy Foster.

Nate Holdridge, Calvary Monterey
Guest speaking for the second year in a row (and the third time in total), pastor Nate Holdridge from Calvary Monterey in California noticed a visible solidification of God's work through the Scandinavian Calvary ministries.

"I was very encouraged to be here and see people still sticking with it, walking and running the race. One of the things that really stood out was the spiritual growth of some of the people I've gotten to know here over the years - it's been five years since I first came to this conference, and it is so encouraging to see God raise up men and women here. There is a deepening and maturing of the different works throughout Scandinavia. I think everybody recognizes that this is not a fast place to do ministry, and sometimes there is a discouragement about that, but the impression I got this year is that there's an acceptance of that reality in a very healthy and positive sense. To see people commit to this place even though that is the reality, wanting to pour into the saints in their fellowships and reach out to unbelievers, is just powerful to witness," Nate said.

The above guest speakers joined some of the local Bible teachers from Scandinavia as the conference sessions took us all through Acts chapter 13-28 (the first twelve chapters having been covered at last year's conference).

The local speakers this year were Bob Pecoraro (pastor of CC Finland), Joel Wickström of Calvary Stockholm, and Daniel Jacobsen of CC Hillerød near Copenhagen.

All teachings from this year's Scandinavian conference will be available online for streaming and downloading soon.

Scandinavia becomes Acts chapter 2013

The 15th Calvary Chapel Scandinavia Conference brought renewed strength to the believers serving in Calvary ministries in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark as record-high numbers gathered to seek Christ.

Nearly two thousand years ago, when Jesus told the disciples to go and be witnesses to Him "in Jerusalem, in all Judea & Samaria, and to the end of the earth", Scandinavia was one of the areas on our Master's mind - among other Gentile outskirts.

And on July 31st, the latter geographical part of that threefold commission to go to the end of the earth was revisited with extra focus as the annual Calvary Chapel Scandinavia (CCS) Conference 2013 kicked off with studies through the second half of the Acts of the Apostles under the theme title "To the Ends of the Earth".

Serving as an appropriate venue for a conference with that title, a former castle from the 1700's by the Swedish village of Rimbo near Stockholm, Sweden provided the fittingly remote surroundings - for the fifth consecutive year. With nearly 160 people involved in the conference overall, this was the most attended gathering in the 15 year history of these annual gatherings.

Acts chapter 2013
From Wednesday night to Sunday morning five experienced guest speakers taught alongside local ministry leaders from Scandinavia as the regional congregation went through Acts 13-28 in 11 main sessions (typically three per day), with a series of topical workshops added on some afternoons.

The fellowship was high-spirited and circled around heartfelt worship (led by Aaron Pratt from CC Finland and Brenton Collyer from Calvary Monterey), prayer meetings, Bible studies, mealtimes, fika (a Swedish term for socializing around café servings), a marriage ceremony (!), four baby dedications, and various fun sports activities, incl. the sixth edition of the Viking Games.

The guest speakers this year were pastors Bil Gallatin (CC Finger Lakes), David Guzik (CC Santa Barbara), Stan Marinussen (Cross Culture CC Amsterdam), Jeremy Foster (CCBC Europe), and Nate Holdridge (Calvary Monterey). God spoke pointedly to many of the conference attendees through the studies in His Word and during the many prayer sessions that followed.

"I think this conference encouraged us all, because it became clear that Scandinavia is the paper on which the Holy Spirit is writing Acts chapter 2013. There is a real sense of that. God's work through the ministries represented here is fresh, unique, and long-term. It may be slow, but it's promising, and I think these conferences help people realize that," says Theis, one of the four conference organizers.

The conference video
More photos, videos, and reactions will be shared on this blog in the coming days. The teachings from all the sessions at this conference will be available online soon (at which point it will be announced on this blog). In the meantime, you can click here or on the video below to see some visual snapshots from this year's conference:

The Stan Marinussen Interview

The radio podcast Calvary Scandinavia Update has interviewed pastor of Calvary Chapel Cross Culture in Amsterdam, Stan Marinussen, who is one of the guest speakers at the upcoming Scandinavian conference.

With hopes of becoming the Dutch version of Chuck Smith, a 29 year-old Stan Marinussen left Southern California in 1993 and moved with his wife and kids to the Netherlands, his country of birth where he hadn't lived since he was eight. But their first attempt of a church-plant failed after years of trying to introduce Calvary Chapel to the Dutch people, and it left the Marinussen family with frustrations and a desire to go back to America.

However, in the midst of the frustration and restlessness, God gave Stan orders to stay, and during what seemed like an eight year dry spell God changed the focus and the heart of Stan Marinussen until one day he found himself called to start a new church just outside Amsterdam. With his focus now fully on Jesus Christ (and less on Calvary Chapel) and suddenly surrounded by a team of young people willing to serve and share the love of Christ, Stan Marinussen saw a fresh work take off as Cross Culture Calvary Chapel became an established church, which today - six years later - is the home church of about 60 people, most of whom are serving actively alongside each other to the glory of Jesus.

In an exclusive interview with the podcast Calvary Scandinavia Update, pastor Stan tells the inspiring story of how Jesus lovingly and patiently removed Stan's primary focus on Calvary Chapel and replaced it with a pure focus on Jesus Himself, thus paving the way for a fresh work of God near the Dutch capitol.

During the interview, Stan shares the lessons he has learned during the 20 years he has now spent in the Netherlands. He reveals how persistance and an unwavering dependence on Christ is essential to planting and pastoring a fruitful ministry in secular Europe, where the mission's field is so hard that it will slowly but thoroughly break anyone trying to plow it on their own strength.

The 40 minute interview is available now on the Calvary Scandinavia Update podcast which you can download or stream via iTunes or on calvarychapel.fi.

Click here to hear the exclusive interview with Stan Marinussen and click on the short video below to hear Stan express his expectations for the upcoming Scandinavian conference where he will be among the guest speakers:

Calvary Stockholm reaches out to Sweden's capitol

On Sweden's National Day Calvary Chapel Stockholm took to the streets to reach out to their part of the capitol with a big-scale outreach event. Many came by to hear the gospel message through music and one-on-one conversations.

"We'd been planning it for months together with a few other church-plants, so it was really great to see it all work out just as we had hoped and prayed for. We got to talk to a lot of people, and it was great to see our whole church involved in reaching out to the city. It was great team work and it really did knit us together even more," says pastor of Calvary Stockholm, Joel Wickström.

Calvary Stockholm's own worship team were among the bands that played at the event as were worship leader Aaron Pratt from CC Finland who came over to play and help out at the event.

In the weeks following the event, the reactions have been positive from many.

"I have talked to many people who came to the event, and they were touched and blessed. We even had one girl come to our church service yesterday because she had gotten a flier at the event and had been thinking about the message," says Joel.

In addition to the event on Sweden's National Day, this summer has been one with several new opportunities to evangelize for Calvary Stockholm. This past week, for instance, a sudden opportunity came upon the young church as four non-believers walked into Calvary Stockholm's church facilities by mistake after a church service. They fell into a conversation with several members of the church fellowship and two of them ended up receiving Christ as their Savior, walking out the door with each their own new Bible and a desire to follow Jesus!

Below is a brief video report from the outreach event on Sweden's National Day:

The Nate Holdridge Interview

The radio podcast Calvary Scandinavia Update has interviewed pastor of Calvary Monterey, Nate Holdridge, who is one of the guest speakers at this year's Scandinavian conference.

When Nate Holdridge drove through the main gate at the Bible College in Murrieta at age 18, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. As the son of a pastor, he was struggling to find a solid foothold in his own relationship with Jesus but still thought he knew most of what there was to know about the Bible and Christianity. But God met Nate during the time at Bible college, showed him his need for His Spirit, and called him to be a teacher of His Word. And he has been teaching ever since.

In an exclusive interview with the podcast Calvary Scandinavia Update, pastor Nate Holdridge shares the story of his journey from growing up in a pastor's home, to finding his own faith in Christ, to taking his first careful steps into ministry, to suddenly becoming the senior pastor of a large church at age 29, to now balancing his own roles as a pastor and a parent.

He reveals how he felt when some people left the church after he became pastor, and how he approaches teaching God's Word to God's people. Also, find out how he met his wife Christina, and why they have a growing passion for the work of God in Scandinavia.

The 50 minute interview is available now on the Calvary Scandinavia Update podcast which you can download or stream via iTunes or on calvarychapel.fi.

Click here to hear the exclusive interview with Nate Holdridge and click on the short video below to hear Nate express his expectations for the upcoming Scandinavian conference:


201304_ConferenceTeaser_NateHoldridge from Calvary Chapel Scandinavia on Vimeo.

Scandinavian leaders retreat into Swedish heartland

A dozen leaders and elders from various Calvary Chapel-related ministries across Scandinavia came together this weekend for the first ever Scandinavian leadership retreat. All left sharpened and refueled for service unto Jesus.

In a small guest house near Karlsborg in the heart of Sweden, surrounded by frosty forests and frozen lakes, twelve men involved in different Calvary ministries in Scandinavia gathered to pray, worship, and encourage each other this weekend. Invited to impart some outside inspiration, teaching, and perspective was pastor Rafael Manzanares from Calvary Chapel Mallorca in Spain.

Although he found himself visiting a Sweden still in winter's grip, pastor Rafael was kept warm by the unity in the group of Scandinavian ministry leaders.

"To see the willingness of the guys here to work together, to encourage one another, and to serve the Lord faithfully without personal interests, has left me deeply moved. Ministry in Scandinavia may be a slow work, but it's a beautiful work, and it was a special time for me to be here for this retreat," says Rafael Manzanares.

Stepping out to retreat
Scandinavia's first ever Calvary Chapel leadership retreat was planned and hosted by the Fuchs family - led by brothers Tim and Simeon while their parents and other siblings served as caring, gracious hosts for the participants all weekend. The idea for this retreat originated in Tim Fuchs' mind a while ago, but he was pleased to finally see it take place.

"We see a need for the leaders in Scandinavia to come together and be equipped for their ministries and lives, and a retreat can be a good way to do that. We've been praying about starting a retreat ministry for a while, and this retreat was sort of a step of faith for us to just see what the Lord would do with it, and it seemed to really bless everyone. God used it," says Tim Fuchs, who won't make any promises but is optimistic about possibly planning more retreats in the future - not just for leaders, but also for other groups.

You can hear more reactions and interviews from the retreat on the upcoming episode of the radio podcast Calvary Scandinavia Update.

The David Guzik Interview

The radio podcast Calvary Scandinavia Update has met with pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, David Guzik, for a rare in-depth and personal interview about his life and ministry.

A 16 year-old David Guzik gets in a car with his twin sister and begins driving to Ojai in California. In the backseat is a guitar and a Bible. A few hours later, David is teaching a Bible study group for the first time in his life. Little did he know that night that thousands of teaching sessions would follow and that just three years later, he would become a pastor.

In an exclusive interview with the podcast Calvary Scandinavia Update, pastor David Guzik shares the story of how he gave his life to Christ and became a pastor while still a teenager. Hear David's own reflections on the responsibility of teaching the Bible as he shares some of the lessons he has learned during 30 years of ministry on both American and European soil. He expresses his feelings for Scandinavia and the people who serve there, and recounts how he met his Swedish wife Inga-Lill and what she has meant to him through all the years of pastoring.

The 51 minute interview is available now on the Calvary Scandinavia Update podcast which you can download or stream via iTunes or on calvarychapel.fi.

Click here to hear the exclusive interview with a man whom God has used as a support to many of those who are involved right now in Bible teaching ministries in Scandinavia and beyond.

Sign up for the 2013 conference

The registration for the Calvary Chapel Scandinavia Conference 2013 is now open. The conference will take place from July 31st to August 4th. Here's why you should sign up.

THE PLACE
For the fifth year in a row, Ekebyholm Castle will be the venue for the Calvary Chapel Scandinavia (CCS) Conference this year. Situated about 30 minutes' drive outside Stockholm. The location is a former royal castle from the 1700's, which today is used as a boarding school. Outdoor facilities include a large playground, two beach volleyball courts, a football pitch, and lots of space for both indoor and outdoor activities.

THE TEACHING
"To the Ends of the Earth" is the theme title for this year's teachings as a selection of experienced guest pastors and young local missionaries will teach through the second half of the Acts of the Apostles. The conference will also offer specific workshops on topics that are highly relevant to our daily lives as Christians. All teaching will be in English.

THE TEACHERS
This year we expect to welcome between 4 and 5 guest speakers to teach alongside local ministry leaders from Scandinavia throughout the conference. So far, the confirmed guest speakers are pastors David Guzik (CC Santa Barbara in California), Bil Gallatin (CC Finger Lakes in New York), Nate Holdridge (Calvary Monterey in California), and Stan Marinussen (CC Cross Culture in Amsterdam).

THE TIMING
The official program will be announced soon. Until then, please note that the "Arrival and registration" takes place on Wednesday (July 31st) between 4pm and 7pm. The first worship and teaching sessions starts at 7:30pm.

IMPORTANT: Please note that due to people's differing arrival times, the Wednesday evening dinner is NOT included in the attendance prices listed below. However, if you would like to have a light dinner on Wednesday evening, you must let us know when filling out the registration form. It will be served at 6pm and costs an extra 50 SEK pr. person. If you would like lunch on Sunday, you can buy lunch for 75 SEK pr. person.

THE SLEEPING FACILITIES
When you sign up, you can choose between three different types of accommodation which all vary in price (see below): Private bedroom (with your own key), Gender-divided dorms in classrooms or bedrooms (mattresses will be provided), or space for self-brought tent.

IMPORTANT: Please note that private bedrooms will be assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis, however married couples, families with children, and elderly attendees will be prioritized in case of simultaneous overbooking.

ATTENDANCE PRICES
The price for your attendance depends on what type of accommodation you choose. See all prices below. The price covers your accommodation, your use of the castle facilities (such as restrooms, showers, sports facilities, etc), and all meals throughout the entire conference (meals include breakfast, lunch, dinner and various servings of refreshments in the afternoon and evenings).

IMPORTANT: Please note that discount prices apply if you register before May 1st 2013. If you register from May 1st and onwards the price for attending will increase due to the added administration burden for the organizers.

Signing up before May 1st 2013:

Adults/teenagers: 1200 SEK (bedroom) / 900 SEK (dorm) / 800 SEK (tent)
2-12 year olds: 600 SEK (bedroom) / 450 SEK (dorm) / 400 SEK (tent)
0-1 year olds: 100 SEK (bedroom) / dorm not possible / free if in tent.

Signing up on May 1st 2013 or later:

Adults/teenagers: 1500 SEK (bedroom) / 1200 SEK (dorm) / 1000 SEK (tent)
2-12 year olds: 750 SEK (bedroom) / 600 SEK (dorm) / 500 SEK (tent)
0-1 year olds: 100 SEK (bedroom) / dorm not possible / free if in tent.

HOW TO SIGN UP
If you want to attend this conference, please CLICK HERE to fill out the official registration form and click the "submit registration" link afterwards to complete your registration.

IMPORTANT: Please note that the deadline for paying your attendance fee is July 1st. When you register, we will send you a confirmation email with pre-payment details. It is not possible to pay in cash when you arrive.

MORE INFO
All who sign up will receive an email with specific transport directions and the official conference program. Until then, if you have questions that aren't answered on this page, please feel free to email us at conf@calvarychapel.dk.

Please note that the Calvary Chapel Scandinavia Team cannot assist or vouch for any participants in any visa application process (if you require special visas to enter Sweden due to your citizenship you must provide this on your own).