The Salvation Army Chatham

Thoughts for Whitsun from Major Drew McCombe

Major Drew McCombe

EMPOWERED

When the Spirit came at the first Pentecost he did two things. First, he empowered the very ordinary, scared and hesitant followers of Jesus with the fullness of God’s Spirit.

It was intensely personal, life transforming and enabling. The Spirit turned them around, gave them gifts for service, and a personal experience of intimacy with God which showed them that what they believed was true.

We need some more of that, for sure! This year I hope that people will discover this fresh touch of God.

Secondly, he drove them out into the city square. He put them at the heart of a multi-faith and multi-cultural market-place, and gave them the power to speak in the language of the people.

He gifted them to communicate in ways they could understand, and in a manner that made them want a slice of the action themselves! Little wonder that 3,000 new believers were added to the church that day!

For too long, we’ve built our little empires and developed our Christian sub-cultures.  I believe God is calling us to receive the Spirit afresh and to do something different. It’s a call to find a God-empowerment for all the people called Christian, and not just the ‘big name’ talent. It’s a call to move out of our buildings, a call to take the action back into the multi-cultural market place, a call to celebrate what God has done in ways that shine with love, hospitality and service.

This is not ‘evangelism’, with preachers shouting condemnation down loudspeaker horns. No, this is celebration! Let the party begin… and whoever wants to come is invited. Let’s re-discover Pentecost for our day and community.