Guest speakers found the foundation strong in Scandinavia

No less than five guest speakers graced the pulpit at this year's Calvary Chapel Scandinavia conference. They taught through some tough chapters in the second half of 1 Corinthians, and all of them were blessed to the see the response.

Of the five guest speakers who joined the local pastors on the teaching bill this year, two of them attended their first ever Scandinavian conference. Pastors Alex Kruse (CC Siegen, Germany) and Kyle Eckhart (CC Szegen, Hungary) made their debut while Mark Walsh (CC Bible Institute, New Zealand) returned for his fourth appearance since 2005 to lead worship and teach a session. 

For the third year running, pastor Kurt Ibbotson (CC Leipzig, Germany) came with a children's ministry team and pastor Darrel Wilmoth (Calvary Front Range, Colorado) with a team of helpers to serve in practical work during the conference. Both Kurt and Darrel taught at the conference for the first time this year.

Here's what the guest speakers thought of this year's conference:

"I've often heard about what God has been doing up here from friends who have come and taught here. For me it was just amazing to see how God is setting things in order and laying a foundation for what He wants to do here in the future. There is a great group of people here that God is using. My wife and I have been extremely blessed to be here," says Kyle Eckhart, pastor of CC Szegen in Hungary.

"It was awesome. It was so much fun. It was great meeting so many new people who are serving here, and to see the family-like union among everyone here. I also saw people receiving the Word of God like dry ground soaking up water. There is really an eagerness for the Word here and a love between people that is so awesome to witness," says Alex Kruse, pastor of CC Siegen in Germany.

"The first time I came to one of these conferences was 10 years ago, so coming now for my fourth time really gives me perspective. One of the exciting things is the maturity of the work here, the sense that something is growing beyond that which is new or childlike. In many ways it's still a new work, but there's a depth to it now that was not there yet in 2005. There is a whole crop of leaders being developed. Ten years ago we were praying for and dreaming about leaders, ten years later there's a whole bunch of leaders. The next ten years will be those leaders doing something. It's very exciting," says Mark Walsh, pastor and leader of CC Bible Institute in New Zealand.

All teachings from this year's conference will be available online soon. Stay tuned on this blog for more info.

You can also click here to see a video with reactions from the guest speakers and some of the local Scandinavian pastors.