A Pentecost Spirit

What does it mean for a church to speak the language of its community? When you look around the Fairfield community, you will notice a large number of churches and centers of worship within our borders. It is often overwhelming to pass by these various monuments to God and not feel discouraged by what appears to be a division of the Word of God, spread among so many groups of people. One can become even more confused as to why churches exist in various sizes. We have churches in our community that host anywhere from dozens to hundreds, ranging from contemporary to traditional, from simple wooden-frame structures to large modern buildings. Who is right? What is going on? Why can’t all these churches just get along!? It is true that many churches are divided along theological lines. Many are separated by various forms of governance or particular differences in the interpretive nature of certain biblical passages. But in truth, each church in our community believes in the following. They believe in God, the Father Almighty, who made the heavens and the earth; they believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and Lord of all; they believe in the work and presence of the Holy Spirit, and the truthfulness and steadfastness of the Word of God, and in sure and certain hope of Christ’s return and the establishment of God’s kingdom on this earth. So, if they all agree on these principles, why the degree of separation, why the separate spaces? Let’s read these words from the second chapter of Acts, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.” Each heard the Word of God in their own tongue? Now, what would this look like in a community that speaks primarily in English? Language is not just dialect or linguistics; it is culture, it is history, it is the preferred way in which we learn and grow. Different styles of worship or denominational structures allow the expression of Gospel truth to be cast like a wide net over our community. Instead of just one string of worship, it is a cast net of styles and methods that allow the Pentecostal message to spread widely. So, my dear friends and fellow citizens of Fairfield. Let us not despair in the diversity of churches among us. Let us instead rejoice that the Pentecost spirit is alive and well in Freestone County!