Preacher to Preacher

From the Editors

What place does the observance of Pentecost have in your local congregation? For churches in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, Pentecost ought to be one of the most energetically and creatively celebrated days of the Christian year. Does Pentecost Sunday get as much planning and intentionality as say, Mother’s Day?

The message of Pentecost is a relevant and timely word to disconnected people. It’s no secret that people in our contemporary communities are hungry for meaningful connections. The message of Pentecost is good news! Pentecost is about the creation of Christian community as much as anything else.

When the Holy Spirit descended upon those disciples something truly miraculous happened. All the peoples of the world were represented in Jerusalem that day and God began to show them that the whole world was being reconciled and redeemed. The fractured, alienated peoples of the earth, broken into so many different languages and cultures, were now being healed and brought together—not politically, not economically, but spiritually. The miracle is that through the Holy Spirit, true community can finally happen.

The season after Pentecost, often called “Ordinary Time,” is a wonderful opportunity for preaching and teaching on the gift of Christian community. It’s interesting that most of the Christian calendar is marked by something called “ordinary.” But that’s kind of how life is. Most of it is pretty ordinary. Perhaps the challenge of discipleship in ordinary time is the greatest challenge of all. It’s one thing to remain focused on the call of Christ during Lent or even during Advent, seasons filled with special and meaningful opportunities for spiritual formation. But one of the good pastoral acts is teaching our people how to reflect Christ in the ordinary days of our lives.

The first set of sermons for Pentecost and the season after is presented by Mark Berhnardt. Mark serves as pastor of the Living Hope Church of the Nazarene in Monterey, California.

The next set of sermons for the season after Pentecost is presented by Bud Reedy. Bud serves as pastor of the Stillmeadow Church of the Nazarene in York, Pennsylvania.

The sermons for the balance of ordinary time are presented by Dr. C. S. Cowles. Dr. Cowles is professor emeritus of Bible, Theology, and Preaching at Northwest Nazarene University. He is also adjunct professor at Point Loma Nazarene University.