Preacher to Preacher

From Dan Copp
Clergy Development Director

Eighteen months into our first senior pastor assignment my wife Vicki and I had the privilege of traveling to the Holy Land with a group of pastors and spouses. I wish there was a way to make it possible for every young preacher to visit the Holy Land. The experience for me, like so many others, made Scripture come alive in a deeper way. From that day to now I find myself bathed in the sights, sounds, and smells of being there when I read Scripture, teach a Bible study, or preach.

One of the sites we visited in Jerusalem was an “upper room” designated by tradition as the place the followers of Jesus were gathered together praying when the Holy Spirit came. As our group of pastors and spouses from Southern California filled that small room on the other side of the world it really didn’t matter whether this was the “actual room” or not. A profound sense of the God of Pentecost was with us. Vicki was prompted by the Spirit to sing a song that was popular in those days, “In This Very Room” by Ron Harris.

In this very room there’s quite enough love for one like me,
And in this very room there’s quite enough joy for one like me,
And there’s quite enough hope and quite enough power to chase away any gloom,

For Jesus, Lord Jesus is in this very room.

I am sure it was one of those “you had to be there moments,” but it was a Pentecost moment as God met us in that room and through the song reminded us that He is the “quite enough God.” God coming at Pentecost affords each of us quite enough love, joy, hope, and power to transform our lives, our communities, and our world. Pentecost is a celebration of hope. God through His Spirit is at work among His people redeeming the world. Nearly twenty-five years later I still find myself bathing in the sights, smells, and sounds of that upper room, and am reminded that God’s coming in the person of the Holy Spirit is quite enough!

Our preaching resources for Pentecost 2008 come from Dr. Sam Vassel and Rev. Mark Hendrickson. Sam is serving as senior pastor for Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene in Bronx, New York. Mark is serving as co-pastor with his wife Stefanie for the Church of the Nazarene in Drexel, Missouri. I trust that these wonderful pastors will contribute to your Pentecost preaching!