Pentecost Sunday
Celebration in the evangelical church
Evangelicals shied from the Holy Spirit due to the charismatic movement sparked by the Azuza Street Revival in the early Twentieth Century. Although church leaders held legitimate doctrinal concerns regarding Pentecostalism, such as the second blessing, I maintain ignoring the third Person of the Trinity is an overreaction and mistake. The pendulum is shifting, and I know several colleagues whose Southern Baptist churches celebrate Pentecost Sunday. After explaining the biblical background of Pentecost, we will explore how evangelical churches can celebrate the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost in the Old Testament
The Septuagint translates the Hebrew term Shavuot found in Exodus 34:22, Deuteronomy 16:10, and 2 Chronicles 8:13 to the Greek word Pentecost. Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks, marked the beginning of the summer wheat harvest, celebrated fifty days after the Feast of First Fruits. Translators chose the term Pentecost because the root word refers to fifty.
Jesus’s teaching about the Holy Spirit
In John 16, Jesus tells his disciples will go to the Father (v. 5), and he promises to send the Holy Spirit (v. 7). He defines the Holy Spirit’s role as to help, convict of sin, guide in truth, speak what He hears, prophesy, and glorify the Son (v. 8–15).
In Luke 24, following the resurrection, Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus, then he appears before the apostles in Jerusalem. Thinking Jesus was a spirit, he pointed to his wounds and dined with them, demonstrating that he was in bodily form. In Luke 24:49, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit and ordered the apostles to stay in Jerusalem until the Spirit came to empower them.
Pentecost in the New Testament
In Acts 2, we find the apostles celebrating the Feast of Weeks, fifty days after Jesus’ death, in a house in Jerusalem with people from various parts of the world who spoke different languages (v. 1). They heard a loud sound from heaven as the Holy Spirit filled the house (v. 2), and they saw tongues of fire resting on the believers gathered together (v. 3). Filled with the Holy Spirit, people spoke in other languages (v. 4), and everyone understood what they were saying in their language.
The church was born that day due to the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Peter, who denied he knew Jesus just two months earlier, preached a Spirit-filled sermon (v. 14–36). As a result, over three thousand people were convicted of sin, repented, were baptized, and received the Holy Spirit (v. 37–41). In Acts 2:42–47, we learn of the early church’s worship practices: teaching, fellowship, prayer, and ministry. The apostles performed many miracles, and the church grew as God added to their number.
Celebrating Pentecost Sunday
Why celebrate Pentecost Sunday?
Although the Holy Spirit has always existed, He came to dwell inside believers on Pentecost. He is so essential to the life of the church that Jesus instructed his followers to wait in Jerusalem until he came. Jesus said it was good for him to leave the world because the Father would send the Comforter in his place. Commemorating the Holy Spirit’s descent is worth celebrating.
When is Pentecost Sunday?
We celebrate Pentecost Sunday on the seventh Sunday after Easter. For example, if Easter is April 17, then Pentecost Sunday is June 5.
How to celebrate Pentecost Sunday?
Church leaders who have never offered a Pentecost Sunday service may first opt to promote a church-wide, month-long emphasis instead of a worship service. Here is a list of suggested ideas.
- Provide a reading plan from the Book of Acts
2. Provide a prayer and fasting guide which leads congregants to thank God for the Spirit’s work.
3. Promote service projects so congregants can exercise their spiritual gifts.
4. Encourage congregants to give generously to a Christian ministry or a needy person.
5. Encourage people to witness to at least one person.
Are you ready to celebrate a Pentecost Sunday service? As a word of caution, orthodox Christian worship is Christ-centered, and the Holy Spirit glorifies the Son (John 16:14). While it is appropriate to celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit, we must elevate the Son above the Spirit. I offer several worship elements for consideration for your Pentecost Sunday celebration.
- Visual Aids: Include banners, projected images, artwork, and a bulletin cover with Pentecost imagery and scripture.
2. Scripture Reading: If you have bilingual people in your congregation, have them read Acts 2:1–4 in various languages. If you do not have bilinguals, invite bilingual people from other churches to lead that portion of your service.
3. Prayer: We can thank the Holy Spirit for his role: to help, convict of sin, guide in truth, speak what He hears, prophesy, and glorify the Son.
4. Videos: Produce or purchase videos that teach the importance of the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of the Church.
5. Sermon: The pastor can preach a message drawn from a Scriptural passage about the Holy Spirit.
6. Songs: Although many songs exist that celebrate the Holy Spirit, I offer a few examples below.
