I owe everything to the gift of Pentecost. For fifty days the facts of the Gospel were complete, but no conversions were recorded. Pentecost registered three thousand souls. It is by fire that a holy passion is kindled in the soul whereby we live the life of God. The soul’s safety is in its heat. Truth without enthusiasm, morality without emotion, ritual without soul, make for a Church without power.
___Samuel Chadwick____________
Dear Friends,
I am intrigued by this quotation (above) from SamuelChadwick. He is, of course, speaking about the importance of the fire of holy passion kindled, so dramatically, on the occasion of Pentecost as described in the second chapter of Acts. This will be our reference point as we gather for worship this coming Sunday. We will read this familiar story and its dramatic descriptions of fire, wind and an explosion of languages from around the world.
It was in this earth-shaking moment that the Church firstsprang to life with a passion and a power that was astonishing! Three thousand people joined in the ranks ofthe fledgling Christian movement and then proceeded to live out their faith with a remarkable sense of harmony, dedication and love.
It may be difficult for some of us to read this story in Acts,Chapter Two, without feeling a twinge of envy. After all, the church was alive, filled with passion and power andpossibility! The Spirit was at work, and lives were being changed on a daily basis.
A quick glance at our current church / religious climatewould suggest a very different picture. Instead of bursting with energy, passion and power, some churches seem to be so caught up in a lethargic boredom that are causing them to focus not on growth and expansion, but upon decay and decline. In some cases, they may be entertaining discussions about whether or not they even have a future.
It’s difficult to imagine a greater swing of feeling andemotion between the story described in the Book of Acts and the stories that some churches are telling about their present circumstances.
To reference the quote by Chadwick, “Truth withoutenthusiasm, morality without emotion, ritual without soul, make for a Church without power.” That is certainly what several churches today are experiencing—a loss of power.
The question, of course, that we all wonder about is justhow we might reclaim that power? How might we go about rekindling this flame of holy passion? In what ways can we learn to practice our faith with enthusiasm,emotion and soul?
While these are not easy questions to answer, I will do mybest to offer my perspective in my message this week, “The Age of Spirit.” I do believe that at the heart of the current energy crisis in the church is the simple truth that we have often forgotten that vital faith is often linked to an experience of the Holy, an encounter with the Divine. Unless faith is allowed to become “personal,” it is not likely that it will do much of anything to stir us up and move us forward on the journey that is before us.
While no one would dismiss the importance of being “thinking Christians,” neither should anyone deny the importance of being “feeling Christians,” that is, those individuals who cultivate the presence of God and the experience of God’s enlivening Holy Spirit. Both head and heart are needed if we are to reclaim the power and thepassion, the energy and the Spirit that gave birth to the Church in Acts Two.
As you prepare for worship this week, you might want to take some time to reflect upon the balance in your life between your ability to think about your faith and your ability to feel (experience) your faith. Is it a good balance? What adjustments, if any, might be needed?
I am looking forward to talking with you further about theimportance of Pentecost and the invitation it extends to each one of us who are a part of the community of faith we call the Church.
Grace & Peace,
Ron
Rev. Ron Dunn