What's the new National Leader of the Baptist Union of New Zealand been thinking about lately? Find out in this video update from Chris Chamberlain – see the abridged transcript below.
Kia ora koutou New Zealand Baptists,
This is one of the best times of the year: it’s Pentecost! One of the ‘high’ periods of the Christian calendar.
A lot of Christian people seem to almost disappear on these high days, they go away on holiday, so churches don't tend to have huge crowds worshipping on Christmas Day. It’s the same with Easter, everybody takes one last opportunity to get away, and our churches seem to empty out instead of filling up.
Right now, we have two of my favourite high days. Last Sunday was Ascension Sunday when Jesus gives us the promise of his Spirit and he ascends to Heaven, and this coming Sunday is Pentecost which is like the birthday of the church.
For followers of Jesus, Ascension is an amazing moment. Fully divine and fully human, Jesus has passed through the heavens, so you can say with certainty that a human person is in eternity. I often wonder there was dirt under his fingernails when he ascended. It might seem a strange question to ask but if there was, that tells us what God thinks of all creation and what the future will be like when everything is put right. He has taken a piece of earthly creation with him through the heavens.
Pentecost is a time when we get excited about recalling that the Spirit is sent to us and the Spirit sends us. It’s a time to remember that we are filled with the Holy Spirit but it’s not just to fill us with warm fuzzy feelings, the Spirit is also sending us. Pentecost Sunday is a great day to celebrate! We are not alone; God is with us by the Spirit!
Some of you will know about the Acts Two movement, a global Baptist project, that is ramping up. The year 2033 will be the 2000-year anniversary of the birth of the Church, of the resurrection of Christ, and the Acts 2 movement where Baptist churches are invited and encouraged to intentionally love our neighbours and communities using the framework of five pathways.
So, for the next seven years, especially around Pentecost Sunday, there will be quite a focus on this Acts 2 movement.
Elijah Brown, the General Director of the Baptist World Alliance introduced us to the Acts 2 movement when he was in New Zealand not long ago. Elijah prayed this prayer that I want to share with you.
“Lord, what you did on that first Pentecost, would you do it again.”
This is what I invite you to pray.
‘Lord, would you send your Spirit again? May tongues of fire fall on us, may we recall who we are. We are the people of God, we are accompanied by the Spirit, we are comforted by the Spirit, we are also sent by the Spirit, and we are sent into God's world and tasked with discovering what God is doing. We're not alone because the Spirit is with us.’
Until next time,
Chris
Read more Together columns from Chris:
- Together: week one with Chris | Baptist New Zealand
- Together: When children struggle, the Church responds | Baptist New Zealand
- Together: The Acts 2 Movement | Baptist New Zealand
- Together: Kingdom people | Baptist New Zealand
