I was born in a town near the city of Narvik in the northern part of Norway. My parents were strict Lutherans. When I was 13 years of age, I left the Lord. But at the age of 15 a Baptist lady led me to the Lord again. Right away I felt the calling of evangelism.
One of the first books that I read after I got saved was a book written by an American missionary - T.L. Osborns book “Healing The Sick”. The message of the book touched me very deeply. I said to God: “God, give me the power to heal, otherwise you can take me home.” I was 15 years old at that time.
Touched by God´s Power
In my second year of theological training (in May of 1971) in the seminary in Oslo a Lutheran priest from USA visited the school, and shared with the students the message og healing. After the service I went straight up to my room, locked the door and knelt before God. I wanted to be filled with the Spirit, and I deeply wanted to be used in the healing ministry. Right there I was baptized in the Spirit. The summer of 1971 I saw my first miracle. My sister-in-law was healed from flat feet. To her surprise her flat feet got normal arches! I had seen my first healing! Today she is a nurse and is still walking on two nice, normal feet!
I graduated from the theological seminary in May 1973. From 1973 to 1981 I was basically doing evangelistic work in the northern part of Norway. From 1981-82 I was pastoring a covenant church in Skien. When I was there I met a Norwegian/Canadian missionary. His name was Olav Ryland. For several years he had been doing mission work among the Canadian First Nations. Right there God started to call me to missionary work among the First Nation people in Canada. Olav Ryland contacted an apostolic Church in The Pas, Manitoba, Canada. The church called me to be the Assistant Pastor.
Immigration to Canada
The 29th of July 1982 my family and I immigrated to Canada. In Grace Apostolic Church in The Pas I was doing some pastoral work. I also had an outreach to the First Nation people around The Pas. It was exciting!
In the summer of 1983 I was called to be a pastor in an independent Full Gospel Church in the city of Flin Flon. Here I was pastoring for five years. Besides doing pastoral work I also had an outreach to the First Nation people in different native communities and reserves in the district. I also had a jail ministry and started my own TV show in the city. Several got saved and healed.
In 1986 I was ordained in a church in Winnipeg that belonged to The Fellowship of Christian Assemblies.
When we lived in Flin Flon, I took two courses at The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg. I also took four theological courses at The Canadian Bible College in Regina.
In 1987 an elderly healing preacher in Norway called me to work as an evangelist in his society. I accepted his calling. In August 1988 we moved back to Norway after six years in Canada. We received a canadian citizenship. When I was working in this society, many healings were taking place through telephone ministry, campaigns and personal prayers. The healing ministry was booming.
Evangelistic Ministry
In april 1990 I started Misjonen Jesus Leger (Jesus Heals Ministry). In Desember 1990 we started our own magazine – “Legedom” (“Healing”). The magazine became a bridge between the Mission Society and its friends, with an evangelistic approach. Healing and salvation is the main message. The numbers of subscribers has increased greatly during these years. Today the magazine has over 43.000 subscribers and is the largest Christian magazine in Norway. It is read by 200.000 people in Norway (3% of the population).
In November 2001 we bought a building for our healing senter, and later this year (2007) we are going to build a new center for healing in Vennesla, where we live. We hope to get a loan from the bank. It will cost us 17 Norwegian kroner. Here we will arrange healing seminars and have our studio and offices.
Publishing company.
In 1991 I started my own publishing company: Forlaget Legedom. Since then I have written four bokks about healing and one bokk about salvation. I have also written a pamphlet and two tracts of salvation.
My wife Solveig is a specialiced scool teacher. She began working in the society in 1997. She has written a very interesting book about forgiveness. The books have been very popular. In 1997 a Christian journalist wrote a biography of my life: “Mirakelmannen” (“The Miracle Man”)
I 1989 I started a healing ministry at Sundby in Saltdalen. A nice elderly couple invited me to use their home as a base for my healing minstry. Up til now about 8000 people have visited this home. Many of them were saved and healed during these years.
Mission among Native People in Canada
In 1994 we started a sister society in British Columbia, Canada (Jesus Heals Ministries Society). The intent was to send Norwegian missionaries to minister among the Canadian First Nations. Since then we have sent out several missionaries to work with a native Pentecostal Church in the City of Chilliwack, British Columbia.
Our society has also had outreach to other foreign countries. In 1993 and 1996 we had two crusades in the city of Culiacan, Mexico. In 1996 we were invited to visit Pakistan. In 1996 we had a healing crusade in Karachi. In 1997 we had a healing cusade in Faisalabad, Pakistan. The results were overwhelming. In 2001 we had two crusades abroad: one in India and one in the Solomon Island in the Pacific Ocean. There I had a chance to meet the Prime Minister and pray with him. After the meeting he said to me: "This is the best meeting I ever have had in my office!"
We have also visited the Scandinavian countris, Island, The Ferro Islands, Canada and Ukrain and England. We are planning to visit other countries of the world later.
TV Ministry
From 1995 I was invited to a popular national talk show – “Lønning Direct”. The subject was healing by prayer. At the end of the show 81,6% of the people who called to the TV station said they believed in divine healing. A sleeping giant began to awaken. Since then I have participated in several national TV shows about healing. Every time over 80% have phoned to the TV station telling that they believe in superantural healing. Lots of magazines and newspapers have written about my ministry. The result has been that healing by prayer is no longer a taboo in Norway.
In 2005 we started our own TV show in Vennesla. Here we make programs about healing and salvation. The program is called "The Miracle is Yours". It is beeing transmitted to about 80 countries in the world: Europe, The Middle East and to half of Africa. It is beeing transmitted through three satelites: Thor 2, Hotbird and Eurobird. The last one is the most popular satelite in England. Eight million homes in England are connected to this satelite. We now recive E-mails and telephones from many nations. Many muslims from the Arabic nations contacts us.
Reported to the police
But I have paid the price: In September 1993 I was reported to the police by the Ministry of Health as having broken the law against quackery. The reaon was that I had prayed for a lady that was healed from AIDS. The health Department thought that I tried to practice medisin (which was wrong). Several newspapers wrote about the case. After 14 months I was at last aquitted by the Attorney General. At last I was a free man. That opened the door for anybody to pray for sick people in Norway. Since then media have contacted me many times. The journalists would like to write about healing.
Summary.
Since I came back to Norway in 1988 I have prayed nearly one million prayers for sick people: in my office, in healing services, letters and E-mail from the whole world. I belive that thousands have experienced the healing touch of Jesus through our ministry. I have taken time to pray with sick people. The longest meeting has lasted for 16 hours! The people come from far distances and does not want to go home before I have prayed for them. They decide the length of the meetings. During these years I have led several thousands to the Lord. That is the greatest healing of all.
In July 2004 I received a Ph.D. in theology from a university in Tampa, Florida.
I give glory to the Lord for the ministry that he gave me. I do not want to bury my talents, but boldly use them for the extention of his kingdom. I love God and I love people. That´s why I can´t stop doing what God has called me to do.
