In his editorial for Suomen Viikkolehti, the weekly newspaper of the Evangelical Free Church of Finland (Suomen Vapaakirkko, SVK), church leader Tommi Koivunen has called the denomination to refocus on its foundational mission. Writing under the headline "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing," Koivunen reminded readers that the church's purpose has never been ambiguous: it is rooted in the clear instructions of Jesus Christ himself.
Koivunen grounded his message in three direct commands from the Gospels: to love God above all else, to love one's neighbour as oneself, and to make disciples of all nations. "As his followers, we don't need to guess our mission — it has been expressed in the clearest of words," he wrote. The editorial comes as the Finnish Free Church reflects on a summer season that saw its annual festival at the Teopolis seminary campus in Tampere draw over 6,000 participants, with reports of evangelistic momentum, international baptisms, and renewed youth engagement across the movement.
The editorial reflects a broader conversation within the SVK about renewal, evangelistic focus, and keeping theological education and international mission anchored in the unchanging core of Christian calling. The SVK, one of the founding members of the International Federation of Free Evangelical Churches (IFFEC), maintains theological training through Teopolis and international mission work through SVK Missio. Koivunen's message appears to call the diverse activities of the church back to their common centre: the love of God and neighbour expressed in word and deed.
(Originally published in Finnish. Summary translated by CC / Connexion.)
Source: Suomen Vapaakirkko / Suomen Viikkolehti — svl.fi
