Interview with Sandra from Norway

Sandra Bjorno from Norway - 2nd year student at Hillsong International Leadership College.

Sandra's grandma grew up in Australia and since she was a kid she always wanted to go to Australia. When she was eight she actually wrote in her diary that she would go to Australia one day! Talk about early commitments! She did Bible school for a year in Norway, but did not feel like she was “done”, so she decided to go to Hillsong Leadership college. We met with her for a chat about college, Hillsong Church and life in Australia.

What has surprised you, in a positive way, moving from another country to Australia?
I guess lots of small things. I love raisin toast and banana bread :-)  I love church. It’s a lot about the culture in the church. I don’t know if I really know the full picture of the Australian culture, but the Australians are very friendly and they have an extreme calmness which is kinda funny. They know how to enjoy life!

What has been your favorite subject during the years you have been at college?
I can’t really decide between Christian doctrine and preaching. Christian Doctrine really opened my mind to studying theology. I found God in a new way. I sat a lot in awe and all of a sudden I understood God, the church and myself in the whole picture. It put words on the things I haven’t been able to express. It gave me hope for the church - that it can be really beautiful and as effective as God want it to be.
Preaching left me stuck with the sentence - “How dare I to preach, how dare I not? - It put words on a lot of things in my heart. It was both very practical and inspirational but also very challenging (it scared me to death!) I felt the responsibility more than I ever have before. In a way you don’t have a choice when it comes to preaching. We had an incredible teacher for this class who really lives out what he believes!

What has challenged you the most during your stay?
GOD has been challenging me! I have been dealing with lots of things on the inside while I have been at college. In the morning of the Hillsong Album Recording, in March of my first semester here, I got the news that my grandma had had a stroke. My grandma and I were VERY close, so this was really hard for me. She was my hero and an example to me. This shook the core of me, but not my foundational beliefs. God really challenged me, whether I in all circumstances am willing to do his will. I had to choose to step up in the middle of my grief.  Once you get things that shake your world, are you willing to then still trust and live that out? Are you willing to stay and be obedient when things are not going your way?

What, out of the things you have learned at Hillsong College, will you still be using 10 years from now?
I have learned to love church! And I will definitely do that in 10 years from now as well. I stepped away from being the pastors daughter and I saw how beautiful the church is! It is gorgeous and it is strong! I love how leaders here at Hillsong are personal and live life in a good way, That has taught me how to live a good and pleasing life for God.

What is one of the main things that God has done in your life while being at college?
He has really challenged me on my core values. I have had some situations where I didn’t have the control. One of the main things for me has been to learn to give God the full control. God has been asking me - are you willing to give up everything up for me?

Do you feel more equipped to do what God has called you to do after having been at college and in what areas/how?

Yes, I definitely feel more equipped. Now I know, for example, how to lead a team in better ways. I used to lead everything myself, but now I have developed a delegating leadership style, where I am leading a team. For instance my role is not to do all the calls - but to make sure all the calls are done. I feel like college has created a new culture in me.

In what areas do you think you have grown the most?
In my devotional life. I love how the culture here is that you have the word in your mouth all the time and that you speak it out. I  have learned to trust God and to let go of my control.

What is the very best thing about studying at Hillsong College?
You have teachers and lecturers with lots of integrity. They live what they are preaching. They live honest lives! You have 60 nationalities represented in one college which means that you build a network with people from around the world which you will be able to use in years to come.

Have you gotten what you came for?
I don’t know if I really knew what I came for - but I am very happy with what I got! You build a stable foundation for life that will NOT shake you! You can’t deny it. It all boils down to the fact that God is still God.

Is college worth it? Why?
Yes, of course it is! I would not stay if it wasn’t. It is SO worth it! You spend a few years working on yourself. You are preparing yourself. You can come here and learn a lot, because you can see that the leadership has managed to build a beautiful house and with lots of fruits. It makes good sense to go become a good leader in a place where good leaders are!

After finishing second year at Hillsong International Leadership College Sandra is going to go into the degree program and study theology for the next two years. After that she doesn’t really know what will happen, but she is sure of one thing - she wants to build the local church. She wants to be where God wants her to be. That is what it is all about.