Report From Kåre J. Smith’s 60th Birthday Feast at Brunstad

Report From Kåre J. Smith’s 60th Birthday Feast at Brunstad

We had the opportunity to cel­ebrate Kåre J. Smith’s 60th birth­day during the Brothers’ Confer­ence at Brunstad in October/November, 2004. As brother Stadven expressed it, it was time that we had a proper feast for our dear brother, whom God has given to the church as a prophet and shep­herd, and that the friends in the church could express their thank­fulness for his extensive and valu­able ministry. The feast meeting was an unusually rich experience, and here are some glimpses from the gathering.

In 1 Samuel 3:19-21, we read that Samuel was entrusted with being a prophet for the Lord, and that the Lord revealed Himself to him by the word of the Lord. This is also how we experience brother Kåre J. Smith. God’s word has been entrusted to him to a special degree (Rom. 3:2), and Jesus’ com­mandment, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,” has become an important vision for his life and work.

In the church we also experi­ence Kåre Smith as a good shep­herd who is not a respecter of peo­ple, a shepherd with a big heart who cares for great and small. This was also expressed in the song Sverre L. Riksfjord wrote for the occasion: “You’ve been a shepherd in soul and mind; your heart you’ve enlarged more and more.” And in connection with his faith­fulness, which was severely tested, it says further in the song, “A prophet, a man, with God’s life and Word from out of the depths came to view.”

When it concerns building the New Brunstad it has been said that many can work, but it is something entirely different to “stand in the gap.” It is primarily because of Brother Smith’s prophetic spirit and enthusiasm, and the great con­fidence that the friends place in him, that Brunstad has become what it is today.

It can truly be said that Kåre Smith stood forth as the church’s savior at a difficult time for the church. We understand how im­portant it is that we have men among us who do not judge by the sight of their eyes, nor decide by the hearing of their ears, as we read in Isaiah 11:1-4, but who can make decisions in the Spirit of wisdom and understanding that result in peace and blessing. Brother Kåre has abundant grace over his life in this regard; therefore he is able to take things into consideration that others may not have thought of. He is an exceptionally gifted per­son, but his life can be summarized with these few words: simple faith­fulness to Christ, or according to Ephesians 4:8, a prisoner of Jesus Christ and a gift to mankind. Mercy is his outstanding character­istic. Many people can see right and have the right answers in life’s situations, but not all have the mercy that is needed to bring help in the situations. Many can testify to having experienced Kåre’s mercy and empathy. He himself once testified about Song of Solomon 8:7, while accusations and al­legations were raining down on him: “Many waters cannot quench love.”

To describe her husband, Kåre’s wife, Eva, read from Isaiah 11:3-4 where we read, among other things, about judg­ing the poor with righteousness. She, on the other hand, is a valu­able “helper who is comparable to him.” Kåre described her as someone who truly fights for what she believes. A brother also described her by reading in Proverbs 17:22: “A merry heart does good, like medicine.”

The many testimonies from his family also were a clear state­ment of his humble life, his for­giving attitude, and his ability to spread joy and pleasantness around him. And many, many testimonies from brothers and sisters from many countries around the world expressed their great thankfulness for our brother’s ministry and for the under­current of goodness and mercy that proceeds from it, whether he chastens or comforts. A sister expressed it in this way: “I have heard many exhortations from him from the platform, but the greatest exhortation is the life I have seen.” That is the life where the meekness of wisdom becomes evident in the time of tribulation. And by this life brother Kåre Smith has become a faithful stew­ard who can “give them their portion of food in due season.” Luke 12:42.

Here are some excerpts from the many testimonies:

By brother Kåre’s ministry the gifts that God has given each in­dividual have become more vis­ible and have found their right­ful place in the church. And each one learns to use his gifts, free from complexes and feelings of inferiority. “Here burns the fire of lowliness; in love we serve each other” characterizes his ministry. (NS 158, v. 5)

Kåre helps us find the way “in the midst of the paths of justice” and avoid driving in “the ditches.”

Our brother’s ministry has eradicated a lot of hypocrisy and sanctimony. 2 Corinthians 11:29 applies to his life: “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?”

We experience so much per­sonal care and personal exhorta­tion from our dear brother.

A plumb line proceeds from his life and ministry, which leads thoughts and minds onto the way of humility.

The words of the wise are like goads, and we are constantly re­minded of them in life’s circum­stances.

It took such a man of God to lead the church into the 21st cen­tury.

The words “with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5) fit brother Kåre well.

His father, Helge A. Smith, took up this important point among other things: “Like my father, Kåre is very happy when he can hear by the tone of a person’s voice that he has received revelation in God’s Word.

Kåre used his youth time to dig into the Holy Scriptures as for hidden treasures. This be­came the riches from which he is now constantly drawing.

Kåre does not seek people’s applause. He has imprinted in us how necessary it is to serve the living God, to stand before His face and not before men.

Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. These are the main components in God’s king­dom. They are also the main components in brother Kåre’s life.

“Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” Rev. 4:1. That is also the effect of brother Smith’s ministry. Therefore we carefully ought to heed the words that he speaks.

Kåre has been able to say the right words in both the “ups” and “downs” in our lives. He can lift us up like the eagle and let us see far. He can roar like a lion against sin and unrighteousness. He is strong like the oxen when it concerns drawing unto Christ. He has “a face like a man,” and he can smile encouragingly at everyone. See Revelation 4:7.

At the end brother Kåre ex­pressed his great thankfulness for the chastening that came over his life and for his spiritual guides who both admonished and exhorted him. Nothing has as good an effect on our spirit as chastening. It is for our educa­tion and our spiritual upbring­ing. By chastening we shall be trained, and get to taste the blessed fruits of righteousness. Heb. 12:11. Therefore we must all be willing to bear some such “treatment.” The Lord chastens us because we are His true sons.

It was altogether great riches for the church to experience this feast for our dear brother, and we will again say what was sung at the end of Sverre L. Riksfjord’s song: “We thank you as fervently as we can, may health and God’s peace be with you!”