Pentecost 2007
It wasn't planned this way (by me) but I find it perfect timing to be at Pentecost just as I have reached the point in my series on the church that I will talk about the church I would hope to minister with. This coming Thursday I will start putting it all together.

Today is the day of the church. It is the third of the Big Three Days of Christian faith. Christmas gets us started, Easter shows us the power that makes it all possible and Pentecost reminds us that the power is here, for us, today and every day. It is not a dream or wishful thinking that can never come true. It is here- just as on that first Pentecost day.

But it is striking how different the church of today is from the one envisioned in Acts. It prompted Wordsworth to write the following which says all I want to say about it today.

The church I see in Acts
is so different from the church I see today.

Following Jesus was an all-consuming fire
and some
(many)
surely did perish in its flames.

Today,
Jesus is that little
extra
that makes our lives nice.

Have we made a mockery of the
sacrifice?

When we thank Him for saving us,
are we really thinking
He’s made us safe?

by Wordsworth as found at
Poems for the Journey

May we pray that today, in our world, the ancient fire will be found again, alive, in our midst.