According to the Christian calendar, Pentecost is 23 May this year. However, for many people associated with Community of Christ, a Pentecost experience happened between 22–28 April, when more than ten languages were spoken and heard as the worldwide church gathered at the 2023 World Conference for worship, fellowship, visioning the future, decision-making, and so much more. 

In the Hebrew Scriptures, Pentecost was fifty days after Passover. It was a time to celebrate the first harvest. In the New Testament, Pentecost took on new meaning in Acts 2 with the Holy Spirit coming as flames and touching each person present. Despite diverse backgrounds, the crowd was united as one body with people hearing the good news in their own languages. 

Today, Christians celebrate Pentecost on the fiftieth day of Easter. It is a day of celebration as we remember the abundant blessings of the Holy Spirit and the clarion call to all people in all languages to share the good news with everyone. 

As we journeyed through the week of Conference, I was amazed at the presence of the Holy Spirit moving in and through those gathered. At times I heard the Spirit rush in, and I felt the Spirit blessing each one with a sense of belonging and courage to live Christ’s mission. 

It is a day of celebration as we remember the abundant blessings of the Holy Spirit and the clarion call to all people in all languages to share the good news with everyone. 

This awareness came during a variety of times: 

• Celebrating the Lord’s Supper. 
• Singing songs and praying in many languages. 
• Hearing the good news proclaimed. 
• Witnessing the response to new ways to serve. Struggling with difficult conversations. 
• Honestly reflecting on our past. 
• Courageously facing current and near-term challenges. 
• Using our prophetic imagination to glimpse God’s vision for the future. 
• Making decisions to guide the church. 
• And maybe most importantly, recommitting ourselves to live Christ’s mission where we live and serve. 

A Pentecost moment is like a mountaintop experience. For a brief time, all doubt is pushed aside, fears subside, differences melt away, and clarity of purpose and mission as disciples of Christ are crystal clear. Like the verse in “There is a Balm in Gilead”: “Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again” (Community of Christ Sings 234). Pentecost moments revive our soul, unite us in Christ, and give us courage for the service and ministry that come next. 

As much as we want to stay in our Pentecost moments, discipleship—living Christ’s mission—often takes place in the messy, complex, good, and bad realities of our everyday life. In Acts 2, after being blessed by the Holy Spirit, Peter—the apostle who denied he knew Jesus just months earlier—preaches the sermon of his life to those gathered, and more than 3,000 people are baptized in response. 

As much as we want to stay in our Pentecost moments, discipleship—living Christ’s mission—often takes place in the messy, complex, good, and bad realities of our everyday life.

If you’re like me, you may be thinking that sharing your testimony—as powerful as it may be—probably won’t lead to such numerical success, especially if you live in countries like the USA, where secularization is rising. 

It’s true the church is facing numerous challenges. In some places, membership is shrinking. In other places, membership is growing faster than the church can provide disciple formation and support. Around the world, we face financial constraints that will drive us to make difficult, previously unimagined decisions. Amid all that, we still need to discern leadership for the future and keep our hearts and minds focused on living Christ’s mission. It can feel overwhelming. 

Our Pentecost moments give us courage to overcome challenges and strength to respond faithfully to mission opportunities. We are a community abundantly blessed by the Holy Spirit and guided by the Living Christ. As I said during World Conference: “Courage is not a response based on our strength. Courage comes from our willingness to move past our weaknesses, trusting that when God calls us, and we respond, we do not go alone.” 

Our time together at World Conference reminded me we are many, we are one…one in Christ…and together as we discern where God is leading us, we can courageously navigate the journey, whatever it may bring. As we’ve been told: 

The path will not always be easy, the choices will not always be clear, but the cause is sure and the Spirit will bear witness to the truth, and those who live the truth will know the hope and the joy of discipleship in the community of Christ. 

“If you can’t preach like Peter, if you can’t pray like Paul, just tell the love of Jesus and say he died for all” (CCS 234).