Guest speakers were outgiven by God

All four guest speakers at this year's Scandinavian conference were left blessed, impressed and refreshed by God's work in Scandinavia, and found themselves leaving the conference just as edified as the people they ministered to.

From Wednesday evening to Sunday morning four guest speakers and three local ministry leaders taught through the first half of "the Acts of the Apostles" and also served up a few sharp workshop teachings for married couples, singles, men, women, and worship leaders (respectively) at the 2012 Calvary Chapel Scandinavia Conference near Stockholm. This provided a fruitful platform for God's Spirit to work from as He ministered to each heart according to need.

But as praise reports from this year's conference participants are currently filling up the organizers' inboxes and flooding Facebook, the guest speakers all insist that they find themselves on the receiving end of the blessings.

A Deeper Work
Pastor and director of Calvary Chapel (CC) Bible College in New Zealand, Mark Walsh, attended his third Scandinavian conference, the second as a teacher. It has been six years since his last visit to Scandinavia, so for him the growth was evident:

"I loved seeing what God has founded and grown in Scandinavia in recent years - and just to see some of the leaders being more sure of their calling. There was a sense of the ministry being deepened and consolidated, this is real work and it is healthy. I was very blessed," he says.

New Friendships
Another guest speaker to make a comeback at the Scandinavian pulpit was pastor of Calvary Monterey in California, Nate Holdridge, who previously made one guest appearance in 2009:

"I saw first-hand the Spirit moving people towards a life of ministry and service. Each session seemed to bang the drum of the forward march of God in the Scandinavian countries. What an incredible privilege to be involved in God's work at this level! Around the conference center people were in continual ministry towards one another, encouraging each other in their walks with God, helping one another endure in life and ministry, and shaping one another towards greater fruitfulness. It was wonderful to see," he says.

In 2009 Nate Holdridge journeyed to Scandinavia alone, but this year he came with his wife Christina, who served on the prayer team and as co-speaker at the marriage workshop.

"I was honestly blessed through new friendships. I hadn't expected to form such wonderful bonds with other laborers. Additionally, it was great to serve with my wife in this way. With three small children it isn't often we get an opportunity to serve like this together. She was a pro," Nate Holdridge says.

A Rare Love and Unity
Two of the 2012 guest speakers made their debut at the Scandinavian conferences, one of whom was pastor and director at CC Bible College Europe in Hungary, Arpad Horvath-Kavai. His wife Andrea also participated as she taught the women's workshop and served on the conference prayer team.

"We are so glad we came to this conference. God stirred our hearts and we love it. I was blessed by the teaching, by God speaking into my life, but the biggest blessing to me was being able to minister in a team with my wife as we haven't had a chance to do that to this extent since our first child was born. We were also blessed to get to know new people and to re-connect with some old friends, to see God working in the lives of all these people. To be honest, I was surprised by the love and the unity believers showed to everyone around them. It was something I don't see too often," he says.

God Outgave Us
The other pastor to make his first ever appearance at a Scandinavian conference was pastor and senior director of CC Bible College Europe, Phil Metzger, whose wife Joy also attended and served on the prayer team.

"I really enjoyed the response times after a study. It's always a beautiful work when we hear God's Word and then have the chance to respond! I loved how responsive the people were. Personally, I can't even begin to count the ways I was blessed at this conference. I heard some great teachings that really encouraged me, and Joy and I enjoyed the times of fellowshipping with as many people as we could. The stories and testimonies of how God saved people was wonderful to hear," he says.

"It is an incredible work of God up in Scandinavia and it was a joy for us to come and give but, as always, our God outgives whatever we give to Him. I left more refreshed than I had come. God is good!"

Amen.
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The teachings at the Calvary Chapel Scandinavia Conference 2012 are available online now.

For audio streaming or download click here or here.

For video streaming click here or here.