It was a great experience to listen to Charles Whitehead as he shared that The Roman Catholic Church had 180.000 members who had experienced a Charismativ Renewal - Whitehead served as President and the leader-team had an office in the Vatican and Pope John Paul II - used to visit them when the leader-team had their meetings.
In this link you can find more information about the movement.
I interpreted Sue & Barry Swanson at
Already in the 'pre-meeting' for the retired officers I understood that this was going to be a blessed time. In addition to the main guests of the Congress, the florist Finn Schjøll was invited and made a presentation in which he involved Sue - they straight away were in tune, and with a smile her husband commentet to me: "The two of them are made for each other!".
It was a delight to interpret both Sue and Barry - what they had prepared to share was so in line with the spiritual 'climate' at the time. I had for some years seen something in Isaiah that resembled a sandwich - and in the last meeting of the congress Sue confirmed the 'fill of the sandwich. (I don't think that it is a coinsidence that all three parts now had been confirmed during a congress by three individual guest-speakers).
"That none should perish""Prayer-Evangelism""Women: God´s secret weapon""Anointed for business"
You find more information in this link
I interpreted Victor Poke in:
I have suggested several times that I should actually be exempted from interpreting as my brain works slower than it used to. However, I said 'yes', and interpreted first in an officers-meeting and thereafter in a "Public meeting" that was also streamed.
But it worked well and by God's grace I quickly got into the flow. I know Brian and Rosalie well, and Magna and I were on The High Council where he was elected General in May 2018. Peddle was also pleased, if I correctly understood his comment after we finished : "Your preaching has improved!" - and replied: "And so has yours!" - at least the brain worked fast in the reply 😂.
The Territorial Congress - Oslo 1994
I remember him as very gentle, mild, sincere man of God - he forgave me my first greeting when I met him: "I hope your main language is Mandarin, because my Cantonese is very rusty!" - when I saw his smiling face, follwed by "Do you really speak Chineese?" - I had to beg forgivness and say that I depended on him speaking English - his English was excellent with a charming accent.
His messages were centered around following Jesus and not let the world come between ourselves and Christ as the light so that we walk in darkness. A blessed memory!
I also served on THQ when under his leadership, and we did quite a few projects together. Like the theme-song for the congress in 2014 "Jesus in our time"
Here you find the text (with music) in Norwegian, English, Rumanian and Russian
It was captured by the congregation as well:
This year's Norwegian Congress has been quite exceptional in so many ways, and amongst the many aspects which will long be remembered was the dynamic preaching that took place in all the meetings. I am referring to Commissioner Jim Knaggs and Jostein (Joe) Nielsen. What was different was that it was not just a case of the preacher with a translator standing by his side simply repeating everything that was said, but rather, because of the empathy between two Spirit filled men, it was more of a duet because each one gave the other impulses that spurred them on, and to those who understood both languages it was both an inspiration and a spiritual delight.This would not normally work! I can imagine in some situations where the main speaker would be irritated that the translator at times answered him back, but here it worked to the delight of the congregation and also at the same time challenged them. There were so many such moments between Jim and Joe that brought laughter, tears and challenge to everyone present. There was the repartee between them that not everyone would have picked up on. For example: at one point Jim was talking about an incident in Alaska, when he made a little aside mentioning other details. When he returned to the main subject Jim said to Joe "That was just a little extra."Immediately came the response, "I'll put it on the bill." I do not believe anyone attending the congress this year has ever experienced such powerful "duet" preaching as we have been blessed with. The whole congress was filled with blessings, but the Spirit inspired "duet" preaching will long live in the memories of those present, and especially for those who made life changing decisions during these days. Thank you, Jim and Joe, and the Spirit's influence in your lives. Do I hear an AMEN, HALLELUJAH?
I was Rev. King´s interpreter during:
THE ANNUAL CONGRESS OF THE SALVATION ARMY IN NORWAY 2001
You find her life-story here:
Magna and I met Tony and Patricia for the first time when we met them as our assisting DCs in Ukraine where we had a joint welcome meeting in Kiev (see picture). For the Kennedys it was their third appointment in EET in their first three-year term in EET. We shared a great fellomship together. After an appointment back in their home-territory Canada, we met them again in Murmansk in 2009. There was already a strong connection with the corps in Kirkenes in Norway, and Fretex was trying to establish a ministry in Murmansk under the leadership of Karstein Kristiansen. Magna and I travelled together with Karstein, his wife Solfrid, and the DCs in Northern Norway Divison Margaret and Paul William Marti. It was a wonderful reunion - also with the corps officers shom we knew from our first term in EET, Galina and Vladimir Baskinov.
One of the tasks Tony had come to do was officer's review with the COs and I stepped in as interpreter for review Tony had with Vladimir - so they both became 'victims' of my interpretation - it seemed to work out OK. God is gracious. When we needed some Sr. officers to step inn for short term leadership throughout EET when we were in leadership - Tony and Patrcia stepped in several times - wonderful people!
.JPG) |
| The COs Alexandr and Nadina Volosenko stand on each side Tony and Patricia are next to Nadina - we next to Alexandr. |
The orders from Benny Hinn's team were very specific both in terms of the layout of the hall and that there would be four interpreters to choose from. I was one of the four, but I was to interpret Ronn Haus (his warm-up preacher). Benny was in a caravan behind the stage and watched the start of the meeting before he came on stage just before he was to speak. He sat down on the chair and turned to me and said "You are going to interpret for me tonight!" - there was no time or place to discuss this - so it was like this . . . everything was broadcast on the network with the title: "This is your day ..."
To this day I wonder why it happened like this - God alone knows. It was a big burden afterwards, and probably the reason why we were not given three extra years in Bergen as we requested in the next appointment-change in our territory. But God also used this for a lot of good!
 |
The Northern Divisional Youth Band
on their tour of Norway May/June 1985
It was a great tour, a very good band and a very good preacher!
However, it was not my first meeting with Bill, nor the last.
TSA-world is small!
I interpreted David Gruer when he was the Executive Officer for Canadian Staff Band on their Tour of Norway 1987 - he delivered brief devotions in the concerts and when we spent time together as we travelled along the west-coast of Norway - starting with a big Brass-event in the Grieg-hall in Bergen he told me about his ministry which had taken him and his family to South America. He also told me that his ancestors came from Norway (as the surname suggests).
Gruer in an older version
That TSA is a small world was made evident 15 years later when I travelled with the Oslo Temple Band on a tour to Spain. We started in Madrid for a concert at the corps in Madrid - and when it was time for my devotion I was interpreted by the CO who happened to be the daughter of Colonel Gruer.
You can read more about Gruer's life here!
I met Bill and Diane Uri for a few moments before I interpreted them in a public holiness-meeting at the Temple corps in Oslo 19. April 2024.
Here you find out more about their ministry.
The interpretation happened with simultanous translation, and we were several officers who shared the burden.
Beth introduced one of the songs she had written to the tune "Finlandia":
I translated it into Norwegian: "Å, Gud, vår Far, vi ydmykt kommer til deg."
I interpreted John Gowans at:
I have made a specific blogg with the name "Gowans på norsk" (Gowans in Norwegian) were I have posted my 'translation' of all his poems and included the English texts.
Magna and I were fortunate to have Lyndon as our 'line-manager' in the role as Chief of Staff when we were TCs in Eastern Europe - and I think EET was the first territory Lyndon and Bronwyn visited in their new roles when they came to conduct the celebration of 25 years precense in Georgia in October 2018.
General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham visited our territorial congress in Oslo in the summer of 2025.
It was decided that simultanious translation should be used for the first time in such big event. There are "pros & cons" with such a solution. If the interaction between the preacher works very well - the overall experience is better. This happened in the ordination of the cadets the night before the congress started.
Our daughter Captain Janne Våje Breen (teacher at the training college) did a great job - and many have said that this was probably the best presentation during the event. However, simultanous translation was used - and I had a go in one of the meetings. I admire Lyndon's preaching and his enthusiasm for our mission.
"Ordet og Israels sommerstevne"
at Danvik Folkehøgskole, Drammen 1993.
.jpg)
I have had many wonderful experiences as an interpreter, but being allowed to interpret Israel Gaither is very high on the list. I experienced that God used him prophetically, and it was wonderful to be able to stand in the flow with him. The presence of the Spirit was very strong both during and after the meetings. Thank God that such people come into leadership positions!
I especially experienced that his preaching from Isa. 54:1-4a was a direct message to us as a movement. It was very exciting that these were also the verses that Lars Berg (my friend and prayer-warrior) emphasized that God had shown him as the main focus through his 40 days of fasting and prayer. He shared this with us at the Tuesday prayer meeting a little over one week before the start of the congress.
I received a personal letter from the Israel Gaither after the congress in which he felt the same unity and share this sentence from the letter "How grateful I am that our spirits were joined as we both felt the anointing of His Spirit in every opportunity of ministry."
It had nothing to do with us, it was simply The Holy Spirit taking over control.
 |
| "A glimpse of the history" |
"Church Growth" for officers at
Jeløy Folk High School in 1991
"The Strategy for Growth Conference" in London in 1989 - That I was sent from Norway to this event was only because I had notified leadership that we should focus on "Church Growth" in our courses for officers in our territory. I had just seen this spreading as priority in most denominations.
I was not aware that TSA internationally had discovered the same. However this course was one of the best events I have ever been to in TSA, and since then, Commissioner Cutmore who led the conference became a person whom I could confide in and use as a mentor.
I interpreted him
"A Church Growth Course for Officers" at Jeløy in 1991
At the annual congress in Norway in 1993
Larry Colvin works in Kgolagano in Botswana.
"A Course in Ethics and Holiness" Jeløy 1992
And in Colonel Bo Brekke's funeral in October 2007
Biography
You can read a synopsis of his life in this link!
He wrote several books on important matters.
It was quite a task since my own knowledge on the subject also was linked to the English articles I had read on the subject - and Campbell was an eager and fast communicator.
I know that he and his family as late as 2022 is involved in the ministry of "Walking with communities"
I interpreted Major Bradley Caldwell in:
.jpg)
In March 2008 when I was the CO in Drammen corps I heard about an interdenominational pastors meeting in Asker. It was on a busy day, but ...
