Reviving the Remnants: How a Swedish church reawakening Is Reimagining Its Culture to Faith
By Warren Bird
Having grown up in Sweden, he sees remnants of Christianity in the culture. “Among average people in Sweden, we still have strong connections to Christian ethics and values—such as providing for the poor, helping those in need and supporting people who are vulnerable,” he explains. “My first step is to look for what I can affirm.”
Piensoho draws inspiration for that approach from Acts 10:3–4 when God sends an angel to tell Cornelius—who had no idea at that point who Jesus was—that God has heard his prayers and sees his good works.
“While I’m no angel, I want to do like that angel,” he says. “I can affirm in almost every human’s life the footsteps and fingerprints of God. I can find them, identify them and cheer them.”
Piensoho’s efforts in new conversations to be more affirming rather than confrontational might draw attention not just to a person’s good works, but also to character qualities that come from God. “After all, in one of the apostle Paul’s sermons to unbelievers, he said that it is God who ‘fills your hearts with joy,’” he notes.
When Piensoho suggests this method to leaders from other secularized countries—including those in the United States—they report that rather than alienating those who are already skeptical of the church, it has opened the door to more meaningful and respectful dialogues about faith, allowing people to feel valued rather than attacked.
“If you confront, you come across as a teacher: I want to tell you the truth. Listen to me. I know and you don’t know. I have the light, and you’re in darkness. That may be true, but too often it ends the discussion. With post-Christian groups, you can often get further by highlighting what you can see that God is doing in their lives.”
