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BRINGING YOU RELEVANT INSPIRATION, RIGHT FOR THIS MOMENT
May 2025
If you pay any attention to denominational reports you will find the same statistics—churches and denominations are getting smaller. According to a national survey, FACT 2020, the average weekly attendance in the United States has dropped over 50% since 2000 and half of all congregations in the U.S. have 65 or fewer people in worship on any given Sunday. In the United Kingdom, attendance went from 11.8% of the population in 1980 to 5.0% in 2015 according to research by the Brierley Consultancy. A 2001 survey in Canada found that only 20% of the population were attending worship weekly. No longer can churches depend on birthrate and generational commitment to a particular denomination. And while denominational offices are sounding the alarm and developing strategic campaigns, I'd like to suggest something seemingly much simpler—faithful prayer, faithful worship, faithful living.
It is the Holy Spirit that does the converting of hearts and transforming of lives. As Christians we are called to pray for the Holy Spirit to work in and through us and we are called to worship in a way that glorifies God, proclaims the gospel message, and calls us to live lives of faith that are so compelling that non-believers desire to know the God whom we worship. As pastors and worship leaders we need to remind our congregants of our call to be witnesses. What better time to focus on that then on Pentecost Sunday and the Pentecost season.
From the Cross, through the Church, to the World Resources for Celebrating Pentecost
Pentecost is a great time to celebrate the mission of God to the world. The church has often made the connection between Pentecost and international missions. However, the traditional distinction between home and world missions is increasingly fuzzy as our own communities have become home to many people from distant parts of the world—immigrants as well as temporary residents who come for higher education or business opportunities with plans to return to their places of origin. Both of these phenomena were present already in biblical times, with a Roman centurion living in Judea who witnessed the crucifixion and people from all over the Roman world and beyond who were present in Jerusalem for Pentecost.
This article includes suggestions for Pentecost worship highlighting the mission of God. The ideas that follow could be used in worship in successive weeks (perhaps Pentecost and the preceding Sunday) or even in the same service in order to help your congregation see and participate in the one mission of God that embraces all people, both near and far.
Ascension Day Video With Children's Artwork and Readers
Inspired by the liturgy by Doug and Rev. Jane Porter, "Lifted Up to Power and Glory" found on this website, the worship committee at Grace Christian Reformed Church, in Chatham, Ontario, collaborated with their Sunday School to create a video for their Ascension Day service. Tuck this idea away for next year's Ascension Day or any time you have a narrative scripture reading.
Pentecost and Missional Worship A Reflection
At least three thousand miracles happened at the festival of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2. Three thousand people put their faith in Jesus Christ. Each of those miracles involved three people: an apostle who preached in an intelligible language; a festival-goer who heard the gospel message in his or her own language; and the Holy Spirit, who produced faith. As the apostle and the festival-goer come together through the work of the Holy Spirit, we see the mission of God and his church.
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