The mission today

Led from the field.

Since 2007, Abbi and Per Åkvist have led Joshua Campaign’s work in Ethiopia and the Sweden office—preaching Jesus, helping the vulnerable, serving local churches and carrying the founding vision into a new generation.

Per Åkvist holding crutches above the Joshua Campaign stage before a large crowd
Per Åkvist · Field leadership

Faith proclaimed before the crowd.

Per leads from the campaign platform, keeping public proclamation connected to prayer, local pastors and long-term follow-up.

A Joshua Campaign crowd gathered before the stage in a mountain valley
The field gathered to hear the Gospel
A local man sharing his story during Joshua Campaign ministry
Every number has a name and a story
25 yearsCelebrated in 2024
5.2 millionSalvation books given away
1997Joshua Campaign founded
4.2 millionDecisions recorded
3.37 billionPeople still unreached
Per and Abbi Åkvist together in Ethiopia
Leading Joshua Campaign since 2007

Abbi & Per Åkvist

Abbi and Per Åkvist lead Joshua Campaign Ethiopia and the Sweden office. After fourteen years of church planting across the former Soviet Union—from Siberia to Baku, Azerbaijan—they came to Ethiopia in 2005 and joined Joshua Campaign two years later. Their shared vision is direct: reach the unreached and help the helpless.

Per is from Borås. A former biker, he encountered God in Sweden’s faith movement in the mid-1980s and began a life of pioneer ministry. Abbi was born in Ethiopia and came to Sweden at fifteen after a childhood marked by poverty and hard work. Adopted into a Swedish family, she describes being healed from hatred and bitterness through God’s love and receiving a lasting call to bring the Gospel and practical help to poor women and children in her first homeland.

“Give every person one chance to hear the Gospel.”

Their leadership keeps Joshua Campaign close to the local church: campaigns mobilize pastors, new believers are connected for follow-up, and pioneer leaders are equipped for sustained ministry.

Hear Per speak about Joshua Campaign
Karl Härgestam preaching before a large Joshua Campaign crowd
Founder · Founding vision

Karl Härgestam

Karl Härgestam founded Joshua Campaign International. He left Sweden at 21 with a mandate to take the Gospel to unreached peoples in Africa, and together with Jennifer Härgestam helped establish a movement marked by pioneer evangelism, large-scale outreach, aviation and church planting.

Today Karl serves as Global Missions Director for the Pentecostal Church of God. His enduring message is to give every person one chance to hear the Gospel. One Chance for Every Person connects the founding impulse of Joshua Campaign with a wider global call to ensure no person is overlooked.

Karl’s PCG leadership profile