Pentecost, 2014
08/06/14 04:35
I grew up among reserved people. We weren’t too big on public displays of emotion. I remember my parents holding hands in public, and there was an occasional kiss in front of us kids, but that was about it. There was no doubt that they loved each other. There was no doubt that they loved us. But that love didn’t require loud exclamations or public show. My Great Uncle Ted was always around our house at family gatherings, and he was a big part of our family, but we knew that a simple hug would make him nervous. Handshakes were close enough for him.
Where we did express our emotions was in words. We were not a quiet family. Arguing and discussing were encouraged. We were challenged to support our arguments with facts and knowledge. There were more than a few family dinners in my home that paused for a moment while someone looked something up in an encyclopedia to make their point. Visitors to our family who came from calmer and more sedate stock found our family gatherings to be rather loud and sometimes thought that we were angry with one another, when all that was going on was a sense of competition and a desire to win an argument.
When I first encountered a Pentecostal worship service, I felt no small amount of unease. In my opinion, people were being far too loud and the service lacked cohesion and focus. I enjoy the intellectual challenge of thinking about God in a somewhat systematic fashion. I am bothered by theological inconsistencies. I am a stickler for the precise use of language. None of those things were in evidence in the particular corner of the Pentecostal church we were visiting. It seemed to me to be uneducated and disconnected from the traditions of the church.
These days I know Pentecostal Christians who are well-educated and who have a grasp of theology, but that style of worship is not my way of being in relationship with God and the people of God.
I am aware, however, that the spirt of the people is an important dynamic and well worthy my attention. Congregations that become discouraged have trouble getting out of that rut. They can find themselves focusing more on the problems than on the opportunities. I have been at more than a few church meetings where there is little excitement or vision for the future. We go through the motions, but the passion is subdued and the mood is less than enthusiastic.
Today we celebrate the birthday of the church and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The reading of Acts 2:1-21 is always used to initiate the opening of the season of Pentecost following the seven weeks of Easter. Over the years there have been several different ways that we have shared that reading. We’ve read it straight. We’ve had readers’ theatre. We’ve had confetti and other visual effects. We have used people who can speak different languages to imitate the experience of those first Christians gathered in that place.
It would, however, be an exaggeration to say that I fully understand that text or the events that it reports. Jesus’ ministry engages me intellectually. He is able to hold his own with the Pharisees and Scribes and students of Jewish law. He employs parable and poetry and frequently quotes the words of prophets in his teaching. He presents a faith that is equal to the questions of our minds and able to be explored intellectually. The Holy Spirit, however, is much more amorphous.
Still, I believe that there is much more to the experience and expression of the Holy Spirit than a mere puff of emotion. There are some forms of Christian worship that are little more than emotional manipulation. Stir up the folks with the right combination of music and “in-your-face” preaching and someone is bound to come to tears or an outburst of emotion. People will succumb to the pressure of an altar call and do things that they had not previously thought they would do. Later the experience may or may not be life-changing. As our Costa Rican pastor, Dorotea says, “Some people have been baptized so many times their souls are wrinkled.”
Really lifting the spirits of a congregation is far more than mere emotional manipulation. Making church meaningful and engaging is a bigger pursuit than a few moments of worship. In our congregation we find that we have to work together, shoulder to shoulder, before our sense of closeness can find its expression in worship. We study and pray and work hard to discover meaningful mission and ministry that reaches beyond just offering worship services. And, on occasion, our worship is a reflection of the many lives of faith that come together to do the work of Christ.
The Spirit is so much more than emotion. It is shared experience. It is hospitality that requires practice. It is born of deep commitment.
People who visit our church often need to make multiple visits before they begin to feel a part of our community. A day working on a mission project can speed the process. Our church offers high-quality and engaging worship. We work hard at preparing and producing those experiences. But we are much more than the services we do.
If you want entertainment, there are probably other venues that offer what you are seeking. But if you want to be a part of a community of love and care that is dedicated not only to providing for each other but serving our neighbors, our church might be just the right place.
We do pay attention to the Spirit. We do care passionately about our congregation. We are willing to work hard and show deep commitment.
Pentecost is an invitation for me to take stock of the spirit of the congregation. Perhaps there are some areas that could use a little more attention. Perhaps my priorities need to be re-aligned. The work is never finished.
I am confident that you will find our congregation to be a spirited place once you get to know us.
Where we did express our emotions was in words. We were not a quiet family. Arguing and discussing were encouraged. We were challenged to support our arguments with facts and knowledge. There were more than a few family dinners in my home that paused for a moment while someone looked something up in an encyclopedia to make their point. Visitors to our family who came from calmer and more sedate stock found our family gatherings to be rather loud and sometimes thought that we were angry with one another, when all that was going on was a sense of competition and a desire to win an argument.
When I first encountered a Pentecostal worship service, I felt no small amount of unease. In my opinion, people were being far too loud and the service lacked cohesion and focus. I enjoy the intellectual challenge of thinking about God in a somewhat systematic fashion. I am bothered by theological inconsistencies. I am a stickler for the precise use of language. None of those things were in evidence in the particular corner of the Pentecostal church we were visiting. It seemed to me to be uneducated and disconnected from the traditions of the church.
These days I know Pentecostal Christians who are well-educated and who have a grasp of theology, but that style of worship is not my way of being in relationship with God and the people of God.
I am aware, however, that the spirt of the people is an important dynamic and well worthy my attention. Congregations that become discouraged have trouble getting out of that rut. They can find themselves focusing more on the problems than on the opportunities. I have been at more than a few church meetings where there is little excitement or vision for the future. We go through the motions, but the passion is subdued and the mood is less than enthusiastic.
Today we celebrate the birthday of the church and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The reading of Acts 2:1-21 is always used to initiate the opening of the season of Pentecost following the seven weeks of Easter. Over the years there have been several different ways that we have shared that reading. We’ve read it straight. We’ve had readers’ theatre. We’ve had confetti and other visual effects. We have used people who can speak different languages to imitate the experience of those first Christians gathered in that place.
It would, however, be an exaggeration to say that I fully understand that text or the events that it reports. Jesus’ ministry engages me intellectually. He is able to hold his own with the Pharisees and Scribes and students of Jewish law. He employs parable and poetry and frequently quotes the words of prophets in his teaching. He presents a faith that is equal to the questions of our minds and able to be explored intellectually. The Holy Spirit, however, is much more amorphous.
Still, I believe that there is much more to the experience and expression of the Holy Spirit than a mere puff of emotion. There are some forms of Christian worship that are little more than emotional manipulation. Stir up the folks with the right combination of music and “in-your-face” preaching and someone is bound to come to tears or an outburst of emotion. People will succumb to the pressure of an altar call and do things that they had not previously thought they would do. Later the experience may or may not be life-changing. As our Costa Rican pastor, Dorotea says, “Some people have been baptized so many times their souls are wrinkled.”
Really lifting the spirits of a congregation is far more than mere emotional manipulation. Making church meaningful and engaging is a bigger pursuit than a few moments of worship. In our congregation we find that we have to work together, shoulder to shoulder, before our sense of closeness can find its expression in worship. We study and pray and work hard to discover meaningful mission and ministry that reaches beyond just offering worship services. And, on occasion, our worship is a reflection of the many lives of faith that come together to do the work of Christ.
The Spirit is so much more than emotion. It is shared experience. It is hospitality that requires practice. It is born of deep commitment.
People who visit our church often need to make multiple visits before they begin to feel a part of our community. A day working on a mission project can speed the process. Our church offers high-quality and engaging worship. We work hard at preparing and producing those experiences. But we are much more than the services we do.
If you want entertainment, there are probably other venues that offer what you are seeking. But if you want to be a part of a community of love and care that is dedicated not only to providing for each other but serving our neighbors, our church might be just the right place.
We do pay attention to the Spirit. We do care passionately about our congregation. We are willing to work hard and show deep commitment.
Pentecost is an invitation for me to take stock of the spirit of the congregation. Perhaps there are some areas that could use a little more attention. Perhaps my priorities need to be re-aligned. The work is never finished.
I am confident that you will find our congregation to be a spirited place once you get to know us.