The firstborn Laestadian awakening movement

The Laestadian awakening movement is named after the Dean Lars Levi Laestadius. Our faith and doctrine are nothing new, but the same Apostolic Christianity that Jesus Himself established when He founded His church. The apostles were the first messengers, after which this Christianity has subsequently traveled through smaller and larger awakenings up until today. It is the same Christianity that Martin Luther brought forth in the Reformation in the 16th century and later Laestadius in the 19th century. This Christianity is still alive and in full operation.

After His death, Jesus arose from the tomb, came unto His disciples and greeted them with the greeting of peace. Jesus said unto them. ”Peace be unto you. As my Father has sent me, even so send I you.” Having said this, He breathed on them and said unto them: ”Receive the Holy Ghost. Whose soever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins you retain, they are retained.” (John 20:21–23). Jesus Himself sent His first disciples to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins in His name (Luke 24:47). God has always used people as His servants, and the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are still in use in our midst. (see Matthew 16:19).

The reformer Martin Luther (1483–1546) lived for years with an awakened conscience, trying to become reconciled with God through monastic life. It was only when the word of the forgiveness of sins was preached unto him that he found peace, and this kindled a living faith in Luther’s heart, a faith that only God is able to ignite. A ray of light passed through Luther’s heart, when he experienced the Biblical Word: ”The just shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17). The ministry and power to forgive sins has been given by Jesus into His church here on earth. Of this Luther says: “Although the power to forgive sins belongs to God, we must know, that He exercises this power through that office to which He called the apostles.”

Lars Levi Laestadius (1800–1861) was born in Arjeplog in the village of Jäckvik, in Northen Sweden. He studied theology and botany at Uppsala University, he was ordained a pastor in the Swedish church in 1825 and was then appointed as pastor in Karesuando. It was not until 1844 that Laestadius came into living faith, and that was the beginning of a powerful awakening. While on one of his many inspection trips, in 1844, a Saami girl, Lapp Mary (Milla Clemensdotter), came to talk to him. Based on her own experience, she recognized Laestadius’ soul condition, and came to his aid in his distress of soul. Mary was herself a fervent Christian, who had received living faith through Per Brandell, the revivalist preacher and pastor of Nora parish.

This consolation, the word of faith, (Rom.10:8) is being preached among us, namely the testimony of the forgiveness of sins in the name and blood of Jesus. Thus, the gospel and living faith has spread from heart to heart, ”from faith to faith” (Rom. 1:17). One of Laestadius´ closest fellow laborers, John Raattamaa (1811–1899) describes having seen this awakening grow from a small seed into a great tree whose branches reach across the borders of nations and oceans. The tree has its roots in Swedish Lapland. Through missionary work in accordance with the apostolic period, this Christianity is united with the mother congregation in Swedish Lapland.

We keep the Bible to be the book of books, but we also consider Laestadius’ sermons so valuable that we read his sermons whenever we gather in our services to the hearing of the Word of God. Our service begins with a hymn, a prayer and the reading of a sermon by Laestadius, after which one of our preachers speaks alongside a Bible text. The service ends with a prayer and a hymn.

To our great joy, many children and youth are following the Christianity with living faith in their hearts and with the assurance that they are children of God. We do extensive work with the children and youth. Our services are open to all who want to hear the Living Word of God, the doctrine proclaimed by Christ and the apostles. Our prayer is that the Word of God could affect in the hearts of the people of our time, also in your heart. The most important thing for a person is a personal living faith and Christianity, that gives purpose and refuge in life, comfort in death and the assurance of eternal life.