Reviving the Remnants: How a Swedish church reawakening Is Reimagining Its Culture to Faith
By Warren Bird
Inviting the Community to Show God’s Love
Piensoho’s approach also scales into larger contexts. One of the most effective ways Philadelphia Church has reached out to its community is through social ministry, which involves meeting the practical needs of those who are marginalized or in distress. Such efforts are much in keeping with the church’s heritage, having been founded in 1910 and quickly following up in 1912 by establishing a men’s rescue mission.
One recent December, for example, Sweden experienced an influx of gypsies from Eastern Europe. “It happened almost overnight, like a flood of people,” Piensoho recalls. They were living on the streets and camping in front of grocery stores to beg. Then the temperature fell below zero. “The authorities started to call churches and others, asking ‘Can you open the building so these people can stay overnight?’ We said yes.”
As Philadelphia Church opened its doors to provide shelter, what followed was nothing short of remarkable. The church’s call for help went viral, and within days, hundreds of secular Swedes offered their assistance. These were individuals who did not identify as Christians but were moved by the church’s mission to care for the needy. They were drawn to the church because of its commitment to helping others, rather than its doctrine.
However, many came back to the worship services to hear more about a God who began to seem more relevant to their lives.
“We work hard to give people an excuse to come to church,” Piensoho says. “For example, since we’ve been serving Ukrainian refugees, we started to celebrate the date of Orthodox Christmas. Or we’ll have a prayer meeting for Ukraine and invite people to come and share.”
Pandemic Flexibility
Philadelphia Church’s story is also one of adaptability. During the pandemic, for example, it remained resilient by being willing to adapt to changing circumstances. It had to close its doors for two years, but during its pivot to online services, it gained thousands of followers on YouTube by translating the services with AI-generated subtitles in up to 50 different languages. This willingness to embrace new methods of ministry ensured that the church could continue to reach people even when in-person gatherings were not possible.
