YWAM Ruurikkala
YWAM Ruurikkala
”The vision of YWAM Ruurikkala is above all to be a place for God’s presence and a training base for knowing God and making Him known in Finland, Israel and the nations!”
Our vision is to be a healthy community, where we grow closer to God by being transparent, honest and committed to obedience ~ A center where we serve with a happy and devoted heart, working diligently and doing good to others. We are a community where the Word of God is the supreme authority, the foundation of our lives and our growth.
The focus of what we do is summed up by the idea of ‘service in three key ministry areas’
1. A Centre for Prayer and Praise
2. A Training and Missions Center
3. One New Man (Ephesians 2:11-22)
Ruurikkala is a place for God’s presence, out of which we will be inspired, innovate and create new things. We believe that God will give us new ways to bless our community and our society, as well as the nations through new ideas, education and ministries. Israel is at the core of our calling, which is reflected in a diversity of ways in life at the center.
Four seasons at Ruurikkala
Calendar
We build new!
YWAM Ruurikkala is involved in organizing a completely new kind of training that disciples, while having an impact on society. This ”in English only” international training is co-produced with several major organizations, and is called the School of Inspiration, Innovation & Influence. The nine-month course combines discipleship, Bible knowledge, understanding of the world, growing in leadership and inner entrepreneurship, coupled with internships / an outreach. The School of Inspiration, Innovation & Influence, upon completion, provides a certificate in both the Finnish Further Qualification in Entrepreneurship and YWAM DTS, which opens the door to postgraduate studies at the University of the Nations.
The School of Inspiration, Innovation & Influence starts on September 2025 and we receive applications until 1 August 2025. Welcome aboard!!
Ruurikkala is expanding!
In 2009, God spoke for the first time about Ruurikkala as a University of the Nations campus. In the same year, a process began with the aim of acquiring plots of land in the vicinity of Ruurikkala for future expansions. Now, 12 years later, that vision and obedience of faith has materialized in a real estate deal! The area of Ruurikkala has increased from the original 1.6 hectares to its current 6.9 hectares!
Next step
The best part belongs to God. The firstfruits belong to God. Ruurikkala 2.0 becomes a reality as a Majakka (Lighthouse) will be built first in the most beautiful place in Ruurikkala, on the shore of Lake Evijärvi. Majakka was build in 2021.
Majakka will serve as House of God’s presence and serve in a variety of ways, including camps and events.
In 2021, a townhouse next door was also acquired for the Ruurikkala to serve the needs of family accommodation. We call it Lupaus (Promise).
Ruurikkala 2.0 is an entity that includes both financial acquisitions and investments, as well as the construction of new types of education and social influence. Feel free to contact us if you want to hear more or support Ruurikkala in one way or another! Any support is welcome!
How can you be involved?
We are looking for staff / responsibilities for the following tasks:
* kitchen
* hospitality
* member care
* building and car maintenance
* construction
* outdoor and garden work
* media ministry
* cafe ministry
* art ministry
* pastoral ministry
* family ministry (schools, childcare, camps, seminars, premaritial ministry)
* training, school staff
* praise
* prayer
APPLICATION FOR STAFF
We pray for people who have a desire to serve God and make their gifts available according to God’s plans. We pray for those who are committed and motivated, willing to grow in their relationship with Jesus, and to serve others.
We pray for Leaders, Visionaries, Pioneers, Inspired Innovators, Servants, those who serve with love and passion for their Creator, and people near and far.
You can apply to serve as staff with YWAM after completing your DTS. However, in practical work, you can serve without having completed a DTS. There are numerous short-term service opportunities, which you can ask us more about.
Contact us at:
ruurikkala@ywam.fi
Building the Kingdom of God also requires financial resources, and in this area we need your help!
Bank Details
YWAM Ruurikkala Ry
IBAN: FI38 5534 0520 1835 04 (Osuuspankki)
BIC: OKOYFIHH
Reference number / dedication
100010 – Where the need is greatest
100230 – Building projects
100340 – Training
100450 – Local Ministry
100560 – Israel Ministry
Fundraising Permission
Owner of the permission: YWAM Ruurikkala Ry
Identifier: RA/2020/1652
Granted by: Poliisihallitus, Arpajaishallinto
Execution period: Starting from 1.1.2021
Execution area: All of Finland excluding Åland.
Link for US Tax deductible gift
Link for CA Tax deductible gift
Towards the Future
For more than a decade, YWAM Ruurikkala has been known throughout Finland as a Christian training base where the Word of God, the Fear of the Lord and the presence of the Holy Spirit were at its core, and strong teaching was given through various seminars, camps and Discipleship Training Schools (DTS).
Over the years, thousands of young people, young adults and families have participated in Ruurikkala’s events. Almost 300 students from Finland and around the world have taken part in Discipleship Training Schools and other long courses. More than 200 students have been trained and sent on short-term missions. Nearly a hundred employees have served on our staff over the years.
How did it all start?
During the fall of 2005, God placed a supernatural Faith in my heart to believe that one day Ruurikkala would be used in God’s plan for His Kingdom’s work. In the middle of morning prayer, I had this thought: “One day Ruurikkala will become a home for YWAM youth, a place where we will educate people to serve God’s church with their own gifts”. I experienced God crying into my heart: “Ruurikkala belongs to Me!”
Because I was born in the city of Evijärvi and knew Ruurikkala’s worth, I smiled to myself at the idea. Over a year passed by and the thought of Ruurikkala being used as a YWAM base stayed buried at the bottom of my heart, but then, in the fall of 2006, I noticed myself starting to think of the idea more and more, beginning to pray for Ruurikkala and dream of it full of youth, who want to change this world. I reached a point where I could not sit stagnant any longer, deciding to be obedient to God and take steps of Faith which didn’t always make sense even to myself. These decisions were followed with a season of being in a storm, but God was in control and He was orchestrating things with tremendous speed and power.
It was miraculous to see how God brought different people together and spoke to many about this place, starting to show us all that He was really taking this place back for its original purpose. In the spring of 2007, we made attempts to get Ruurikkala, but we could not come to an agreement about the price. At the end of 2007, however, the doors began to open for Ruurikkala again.
In the spring of 2008, we went through a heavy prayer battle over Ruurikkala. We weren’t the only buyers desiring the place, and our offer wasn’t even close to the amount that our competitors were willing to pay, but we decided to continue to offer the amount that God had revealed to us in the fall of 2006. The battle looked as though we were defeated many times, but God encouraged us time after time to continue to pray and believe in Him.
In April of 2008, our situation unexpectedly changed, when another Ruurikkala buyer backed out, without an explanation. Something had happened, something that we still to this day don’t know about, but they decided to back out, and as a result, we were able to buy Ruurikkala in June of 2008. The Bible says that God affects our willingness to do good works and helps us in this, and in this process we really were able to see God work amidst us. Father, Ruurikkala belongs to you!
Roope Laukkonen
While our ministry was ‘at its peak’ in 2015, to our surprise God spoke to us about a “pruning time” ahead, followed by a period in which both ministry and Ruurikkala staff and leaders would be pruned in many ways. As a result of this process, all activity at Ruurikkala was put on hold in late 2019.
“We have gone through difficult and painful years, where we have been pruned both personally and as a base. We have had to give up a lot, not being able to imagine where or how God wanted to lead us next. We believe that life is birthed only through death. We have been cleaned, burned, pruned, taken to weakness so that God would bring forth the fruit and plan He has for Ruurikkala.
All of this has required immense faith and trust in God, but He is faithful, His word is our foundation, and His strength is our weakness. With enthusiasm and fire in our hearts, we continue to pray and walk with Jesus towards Ruurikkala’s new future.”
– Roope ja Sanna-Maria Laukkonen, base leaders
Our vision has not changed, but it has expanded, been strengthened, and gained flesh on the bones. We believe that our training ministry will expand in the coming years and we will create completely new types of schools. In the fall of 2021, we pioneered a new school called the School of Inspiration, Innovation and Influence.
This school combines discipleship, the Biblical worldview, leadership, entrepreneurial studies and an internship / outreach. During the nine-month school period, you will be inspired and create a real business / projects, and in addition to completing a DTS, the school will provide you with a Finnish Further Qualification in Entrepreneurship. The school is co-produced with various organizations. In the future, the school’s emphasis will be extended to various areas of society, e.g. the arts and politics.
In addition to this, we will organize Discipleship Training Schools, second level University of the Nations programs, as well as seminars and camps.
In the near future, we want to offer UofN (University Of The Nations) second level education, which you can pursue after doing a YWAM Discipleship Training School (DTS). We want to expand our education from Bible studies to different areas of influencing society.
In the future, our vision is to be a university where the Word of God is our textbook, the Holy Spirit our Teacher, the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom, and loving God and people its fulfillment!
Evijärvi Info
YWAM Ruurikkala is located in Southern Ostrobothnia in Finland, in the municipality of Evijärvi. The nearest cities with good connecting public transportation are Seinäjoki, Kokkola and Pietarsaari. The closest train station is in Kauhava and the nearest airport in Kokkola. Evijärvi offers essential services, such as a grocery store, bank, pharmacy, restaurants, post office, library, clothes store, electronics store, etc. There are also good opportunities for various activities, including a new, well-equipped gym and a wonderful sports playground for children.
Evijärvi has a lot of forest, fields and several lakes. Our asset is our clean and beautiful nature, along with many nature-friendly opportunities created around it, such as hiking trails, lean-ins, a running track, a disc golf course, etc. In winter you can enjoy cross-country skiing on a well-maintained ski track and ice skating in an ice hockey rink.
Ruurikkala is located on the shore of Lake Evijärvi, and in addition to swimming (and sauna!), the lake offers many opportunities for outdoor activities, such as rowing, SUP boarding, fishing and all kinds of water sports. In winter you can experience the joy of cross-country skiing on the lake or go ice swimming and take a dip in the icy water! For those of you who appreciate pure nature and forests, Ruurikkala’s nearby terrains offer lots of opportunity to get around in nature and even pick healthy berries, which the forests are full of!
For families with children
Evijärvi has a municipal daycare centre, as well as several family daycares, and afternoon activities for school-aged children. The district offers good educational opportunities from preschool all the way through high school.
Contact us
Ruurikkala is located in Evijärvi, Finland
Kirkkotie 401, 62500 Evijärvi.
Puh. 044 544 6054.
Email: ruurikkala@ywam.fi