May 31, 2020 is Pentecost Sunday - the birthday of the Church.
Why not go retro?
And radical.
And party like its A.D. 33.
Households Of Faith
What if every Pastor and Board seizes the moment and leads the way in celebrating the Church as who we are, not where we gather.
Return stronger by celebrating God’s Church at home.
By choice, because we can.
With love, because we must.
Every congregation, large and small, on a levelled playing field, in households.
Acts chapter two kinds of gatherings.
Where the priesthood of all believers would be on display.
Numbered With The Humble
What if every leader said to the Head of the Church, “I will joyfully submit my longing to assemble in numbers to be numbered with the humble.”
And the First Baptist’s and the First Assembly’s and the First Avenue’s would put Jesus first.
And each Bethel, Bethesda, Beulah, Cornerstone, Celebration, Emmanuel, Engage, Evangel, Evolve, Hillside, Hope City, Impact, Nova, Outreach, Vineyard, and every Life Centre would be the Church.
Return Stronger
When the day would be used as a teaching moment to show children that faith is bigger than a building and more powerful than a pandemic.
Identity is the origin of significance.
Where pastors delegated the ministry to households.
Where the depth of the experience not the length of the service was the goal.
The might and fire of the Holy Spirit would fill rooms and hearts across Canada.
The Church will return stronger, empowered as Jesus’ witnesses.
3 Options For A Service
Gather as a family or with “buddy” families.
1. All Digital
As per your ministry’s usual digital weekend service. Music, stories, preaching all focused on the identity of the Church.
2. All household service
Have members of a household hold a service at the kitchen table or in the living room. Delegate elements of the service for household members to lead. Someone reads a Scripture, leads a prayer, and in unison read the benediction.
3. Hybrid service
Combine an online song and a message of encouragement and explanation from a pastor about the meaning of the Church. How Pentecost Sunday is a reminder of the power of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives. That we are the church where ever we are.
i) Sing along with The Blessing Canada’s music video.
ii) Read - Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
iii) Pray - Ephesians 3:16-21 (NIV)
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
iv) Thank God for His Church – the people in the room.
Our church is an embassy of the kingdom of God, an outpost of the new creation, the presence of the future, and a sacred community whose people are shining slivers of heavenly light into the present age.
We are pausing not just to celebrate the past and orchestrate the present but also to anticipate the future. Because we know that there’s a greater Sunday coming. The crown of thorns will become a crown of glory, the trail of tears will become a finished story, and all that is holy and good will win, and win forever.
v) Dedicate yourself to Jesus – heart, mind, strength, and soul.
vi) Ask God to fill each person with his Holy Spirit.
vii) Pray a benediction - Hebrews 13:20,21 (The Message)
May God, who puts all things together,
makes all things whole,
Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus,
the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant,
Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd,
up and alive from the dead,
Now put you together, provide you
with everything you need to please him,
Make us into what gives him most pleasure,
by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah.
All glory to Jesus forever and always!
Oh, yes, yes, yes.
viii) Celebrate with a cake or cupcakes or better still an ice cream cake.
Use one candle to represent one love – Jesus.
ix) Use the day to do one kind thing for one neighbour.
x) And see the Lord add to His Church those who are being saved.
Bob Jones is the founder of REVwords.com, an author, blogger, and coach with 39 years of pastoral experience. Bob is also an Advance Coach with the ABNWT Resource Centre. You can connect with Bob here.