Finland
The Land and the
People
Finland is the 7th largest country in area in Europe. During the summer in the far north, the sun does not set for about 70 days, creating what is known as the white nights of summer. During the winter, the sun does not rise for about 50 days. Finland has a 100 percent literacy rate and is one of Europe's most prosperous nations.
Religion
The spirituality of Finland has been defined historically by the Lutheran Church. Since World War II, indifference to Christianity has grown and values based on the Bible have lost ground in society. Only 3 or 4 percent of the population attend Sunday church services at Lutheran churches. However, most still marry in the church, have their children baptized and confirmed, and have a Lutheran church funeral.
The Pentecostal-Charismatic movement grows virtually unopposed in all Christian denominations. Ecumenical cooperation between most churches is growing.
Past and Current
Work
Tom and Linda Ruhkala moved to Tampere in July 1980. At the end of their first term they won one older man to the Lord, and he continues to be the pillar of their church. They have found most Finnish people to be indifferent to matters of eternity and uncomfortable speaking about God, although they are willing to read printed materials. Tom has written and published tracts and sermons and has seen three books translated and published in Finnish. In 1996 the Ruhkalas organized a Baptist church with seven adult charter members.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tom has enjoyed a fruitful ministry of preaching in churches and teaching seminars in the St. Petersburg, Russia area, providing much needed literature for the believers. Recently, their Russian ministry has focused on ministering to Russian believers immigrating to Finland and on publishing and sending Christian materials to Christians in the former Soviet Republics.
Goals
The Ruhkalas have not found other traditional Bible-believing churches in Finland with which to fellowship. Nor have they found camps, radio ministries, youth works, or Bible institutes they can recommend wholeheartedly to the Finns. Also, most of the Christian literature that is currently being published in Finnish promotes Lutheranism or the Charismatic Movement and is therefore unusable.
Workers needed
Church planters are needed to build Bible-believing congregations in other parts of Finland.