Origin of Cepac
Swedish Pentecostal Missionary Work in Africa
The Swedish Pentecostal missionary work in Africa began in the early 20th century, and it was primarily focused on evangelism and the establishment of Pentecostal churches across the continent. Swedish Pentecostal missionaries were known for their emphasis on the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit, and they sought to spread their message to people across Africa.
The missionaries set up mission stations in many different parts of the continent, including in countries like Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Zambia. These mission stations were intended to serve as centers for evangelism, education, and social services. The missionaries built churches, schools, and medical clinics, and worked to establish a network of local pastors and leaders who could continue the work of evangelism and church-building in their communities.
In addition to their focus on evangelism, the Swedish Pentecostal missionaries also placed a strong emphasis on education and social services. They recognized that many of the people they were seeking to reach were living in poverty and lacked access to basic services like healthcare and education. As a result, the missionaries worked to establish new schools and medical clinics in many parts of Africa. They also provided training and support for local teachers and healthcare workers, helping to build a foundation for sustainable development in the communities where they worked.
The work of the Swedish Pentecostal missionaries in Africa was not without its challenges and risks. Many of the countries where they worked were experiencing political instability and conflict, and the missionaries often found themselves caught up in these events. In addition, they faced cultural and linguistic barriers that made it difficult to communicate their message effectively to local communities.
Despite these challenges, the work of the Swedish Pentecostal missionaries had a lasting impact on Africa. The establishment of new churches and the growth of the Pentecostal movement helped to provide a sense of community and hope to many people, and the schools and medical clinics established by the missionaries continue to provide important services to communities across the continent.
Regenerate response
Who was Lewi Pethrus?
Lewi Pethrus (1884-1974) was a Swedish pastor and one of the founders of the Pentecostal movement in Sweden. He was born in a rural area of Sweden and had a strong Christian upbringing. He became a pastor in the Swedish Baptist Union and was instrumental in bringing the Pentecostal movement to Sweden.
In 1913, Pethrus attended a conference in the United States where he was exposed to the teachings of the Pentecostal movement. He returned to Sweden and began preaching about the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit, which led to the establishment of the Swedish Pentecostal movement.
In 1917, Pethrus founded the Filadelfia Church in Stockholm, which became the center of the Pentecostal movement in Sweden. He also founded the Pentecostal magazine "Evangelii Härold" and the Swedish Pentecostal Bible school.
Pethrus was a controversial figure in Sweden and faced opposition from the established church and the secular authorities. He was also known for his social and political engagement, and he founded the Swedish Christian Social People's Party, which later became the Christian Democratic Party.
Today, Pethrus is widely regarded as a key figure in the history of the Pentecostal movement in Sweden and his legacy continues to influence Swedish Christianity.
Born: March 11, 1884, Vargön, Sweden
Died: September 4, 1974, Stockholm, Sweden
Books: Lewi Pethrus: a Spiritual Memoir, Lewis brev: urval ur Lewi Pethrus korrespondens
Organizations founded: Swedish Pentecostal Movement, Christian Democrats, Lewi Pethrus Foundation
Education: Bethel Seminary (1904–1906)
Spouse: Lydia Danielsson (m. 1913)
NOTE: THIS SITE IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, IF YOU HAVE MORE INFO ABOUT 8e CEPAC PLEASE SHARE WITH US VIA OUR EMAIL: cepacmonde@gmail.com
Swedish Pentecostal Missionaries in Africa
Lewi Pethrus and other Swedish Pentecostal leaders sent missionaries to several countries in Africa to spread the Pentecostal message. Here are a few examples:
Here are a few more countries in Africa where Swedish Pentecostal missionaries worked to spread the Pentecostal message:
Congo (formerly known as Zaire) - In the 1920s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to the Congo, including Erik and Signe Nyström and Erik and Märta Lindholm. The Nyströms established the first Pentecostal congregation in the Congo in 1921 and worked with local leaders to establish new churches and train pastors.
Tanzania: Swedish Pentecostals began working in Tanzania in the 1940s, and established mission stations in several regions of the country. They focused on evangelism and church planting, and also built schools and medical clinics.
Rwanda: Swedish Pentecostals began working in Rwanda in the 1960s, and established several mission stations throughout the country. They built churches and schools, and also established a Bible school to train local pastors and evangelists.
Burundi: Swedish Pentecostals began working in Burundi in the 1960s, and established several mission stations throughout the country. They built churches and schools, and also focused on community development projects such as agriculture and clean water initiatives.
Kenya - In 1933, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent the missionary couple Ture and Elsa Johansson to Kenya. They established a new mission station in the Kikuyu area, where they built a church, a school, and a medical clinic. They also worked with local pastors to train them in Pentecostal theology and practice.
Uganda - In the 1930s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to Uganda, including the missionary couple Lars and Inga Kristensson. They established a new mission station in the town of Jinja, where they built a church and a school. They also worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
Other countries in Africa where Swedish Pentecostal missionaries worked include Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. Some of the missionaries who served in Africa during this time include Ture Lindholm, Per Lindberg, David Hedegård, and Karl Gustav Hilding.Ethiopia - In the early 1940s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent the missionary couple Arvid and Gertrud Hultgren to Ethiopia. They established a mission station in the town of Nazareth, where they built a church, a school, and a medical clinic. They also worked with local pastors to train them in Pentecostal theology and practice.
South Africa - In the 1950s and 1960s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to South Africa, including Gösta and Gerda Johansson and Lars and Kerstin Åkerlund. They established new mission stations in different parts of the country, where they built churches and schools and worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
Zambia - In the 1960s and 1970s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to Zambia, including Bertil and Ingegerd Åkerström and Bengt and Christina Hultman. They established new mission stations in different parts of the country, where they built churches and schools and worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
Zimbabwe - In the 1950s and 1960s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to Zimbabwe, including Lars and Birgitta Persson and Gösta and Ingrid Bergqvist. They established new mission stations in different parts of the country, where they built churches and schools and worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
Nigeria - In the 1960s and 1970s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to Nigeria, including Lars and Ingrid Söderholm and Jan and Ingrid Nilsson. They established new mission stations in different parts of the country, where they built churches and schools and worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
Ghana - In the 1960s and 1970s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to Ghana, including Lars and Maj-Britt Johansson and Ulf and Britt-Marie Göransson. They established new mission stations in different parts of the country, where they built churches and schools and worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
Angola - In the 1950s and 1960s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to Angola, including Gösta and Ingrid Olofsson and Sven and Birgitta Johnson. They established new mission stations in different parts of the country, where they built churches and schools and worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
Malawi - In the 1950s and 1960s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to Malawi, including David and Margit Forsberg and Rolf and Ulla Englund. They established new mission stations in different parts of the country, where they built churches and schools and worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
Sudan - In the 1940s and 1950s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to Sudan, including Sven and Ingrid Hagström and Nils and Gertrud Holgersson. They established new mission stations in different parts of the country, where they built churches and schools and worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
Sierra Leone: Swedish Pentecostal missionaries established a mission station in the town of Freetown in the 1950s. They built a church and a school, and also worked with local pastors to spread the message of Pentecostalism.
Senegal: Swedish Pentecostal missionaries established a mission station in the town of Dakar in the 1960s. They built a church and a school, and also worked with local pastors to spread the message of Pentecostalism.
Liberia: Swedish Pentecostal missionaries established a mission station in the town of Monrovia in the 1960s. They built a church and a school, and also worked with local pastors to spread the message of Pentecostalism.
South Africa - In the 1950s and 1960s, the Swedish Pentecostal mission sent several missionaries to South Africa, including Gösta and Gerda Johansson and Lars and Kerstin Åkerlund. They established new mission stations in different parts of the country, where they built churches and schools and worked with local leaders to train pastors and evangelists.
These are just a few more examples of the many countries in Africa where Swedish Pentecostal missionaries worked to spread the message of Pentecostalism. In each country, they faced unique challenges and opportunities, but they remained committed to their mission of sharing the Gospel and building up local churches. Their work had a lasting impact on the growth and development of the Pentecostal movement in Africa, and many of the churches they founded continue to thrive to this day.
In Congo (DRC), Swedish Pentecostal missionaries established mission stations in different parts of the country, such as kivu, Tshikapa, Luebo, and Kananga. These mission stations were often the first places where the message of Pentecostalism was introduced to local communities, and the missionaries would work with local pastors to train them in Pentecostal theology and practice. They also built churches, schools, and medical clinics to support the community.
The Swedish Pentecostal missionary work in Africa was characterized by the establishment of mission stations in different parts of the continent, where missionaries would work with local leaders to spread the message of Pentecostalism and establish churches, schools, and medical clinics. Here are a few examples of how this played out in specific countries. Swedish Pentecostal missionaries worked include Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. Some of the missionaries who served in Africa during this time include Ture Lindholm, Per Lindberg, David Hedegård, and Karl Gustav Hilding.
Lewi Pethrus and his fellow Pentecostal leaders in Sweden founded churches throughout the country, with the Filadelfia Church in Stockholm serving as the central hub of the movement. As the movement grew, they established regional and local congregations and trained pastors to lead them.
One of the ways they expanded the reach of the Pentecostal movement was through evangelism and missionary work. Pethrus and other leaders traveled extensively throughout Sweden and neighboring countries to preach and hold revivals. They also sent missionaries to other parts of the world, including Africa and Asia, to spread the Pentecostal message.
In addition to establishing new churches, Pethrus and his fellow leaders also founded educational institutions to train pastors and leaders for the movement. The Swedish Pentecostal Bible School, which Pethrus founded in 1918, provided theological education and practical training for pastors and evangelists.
Pethrus and his fellow Pentecostal leaders were committed to expanding the movement and making it accessible to as many people as possible. They believed that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were available to all believers, and they sought to create a community of faith that was characterized by a powerful and transformative experience of God's presence. Today, the Pentecostal movement remains one of the largest and most vibrant Christian movements in Sweden and around the world.
History of Cepac
How was Cepac founded?
8è Cepac was founded from 1921 to 1960. Cepac has undergone different dominations: Swedish free mission (mission libre suédoise, MLS):
1960-1970 the domination was changed: Association of Pentecostal Churches (AEP)
1970 -1972 the domination changed again the Cepac was called again: the community of Pentecostal churches (CEP) lasted 3 years
1972-1997: Community of Pentecostal Churches in Zaire (CEPEZA).
1997 in our day: After the war of the first liberation by Mzee Laurent Desire Kabila: domination has changed again, and to avoid change from time to time, it is called Cepac:(community of churches of pentécôte in Central Africa
1921: the missionaries arrived in Congo, especially in Uvira, which is the birthplace of 8th Cepac, it was extended to Burundi and Rwanda, in some parts of Congolese regions, and it was expanded around the world, but the place of origin was in Uvira.
Leaders of the mission
The first wave of Missionaries:
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.