Launch of Compassion Scandinavia

This year, a global partner office opened in Scandinavia.

Compassion Scandinavia CEO Leif Ingvald Skaug shares his prayers and hopes for the future of the ministry in Scandinavia.

As a leader, I’ve sometimes felt I’ve had to lead with my brakes on.

I come from a part of the world where the ‘Jante law’ is scarily present: Don’t think you are any better than anyone else; don’t think that you can do anything better than others. Because of this, it can be difficult to stick your head out and lead and live fully.

As I read the below passage some weeks ago, I was hit with a realization: If we as leaders dare to trust God, our calling, and our fellow workers, we will have more than we need.

So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.

Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary.

And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses: “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.”

Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.”

And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.” — Exodus 36:1-7, NIV

We are living and breathing a ministry that is so close to God’s heart, and we certainly are in a position to experience people bringing freewill offerings morning by morning to build His Kingdom.

If we allow ourselves to play out all that God has given us as leaders — resources, talents, giftings, mandates, etc — we may end up in Moses’ position: with more than enough “because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.”

Even during those times when it may feel more like a nightmare than a privilege to be one of God’s chosen servant leaders, there is nothing greater than to serve Him with all we are and do. Because, when it comes to it all, we have to remember that God Himself, through Jesus Christ, has chosen us “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:12).

So my prayer for this month is:

May God bless Compassion with an abundance of life and resources like we have never encountered before. And I pray, in Jesus’ name, that we as leaders dare to live and lead fully according to our calling — with passion. Amen.

In Christ,

Leif Ingvald Skaug
CEO Compassion Scandinavia

Will you lift up this new partner office in your prayers? Here are some prayer requests from Compassion Scandinavia:

• Please pray that our IT systems and the building of our website will be completed quickly.
• Praise God — we were able to move into our new offices on 1 March 2013 as planned!
• Please pray that we will find the right people to fill the positions that we have open.
• Pray for God’s protection on our families during this crucial time before our launch.
• Praise God — we now have four people on staff, and several artists and others who want to work together with Compassion as ambassadors and volunteers.

Original post published on the Compassion Australia blog.