Pentecost is a fairly low-key church holiday in the non-liturgical Church of the Brethren. In many of our congregations, the service might seem like any other Sunday. But even if no one is dressed in red, the service likely—as in other churches in town—features a reading from Acts 2. (Hearing the long list of tongue-twisting place names, listeners might be grateful that they weren’t tapped to read scripture that morning.)
This story of the beginning of the church emphasizes the diversity of the people who are receiving the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. Those gathered were so dissimilar that it took the Spirit to be their interpreter. The people were amazed and astonished.
One of my regrets in life is that I speak only one language. I know plenty of people who are fully bilingual, and some who are fluent in as many as five languages. Compared to those linguistic riches, my schoolbook-level, foreign language abilities feel paltry indeed.
For me, then, the ability to speak in a profusion of languages is one of the more captivating miracles recounted in the Bible. What a vivid representation of the flowering of the church.
If the account in Acts 2 is how the church is described, then what could that mean for us? If we seek to be like the early church—as the early Brethren sought to be—then what should we expect?
To congregate with “every people under heaven.” Church could be a rich tapestry, a colorful quilt. We could marvel at the array and celebrate our differences.
To hear many languages, and to learn new ways of speaking. We would feast at a banquet of words and ideas. At first, names and places of origin would be hard to pronounce, but we would keep practicing.
To be amazed and perplexed. So many differences could make it difficult to be together. But, if we stuck it out, we would end up astonished by new life.
To dream dreams. We could imagine a community better than what we see around us. Day by day, as we spent much time together, we could join our glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.
Wendy McFadden is publisher of Brethren Press and executive director of communications for the Church of the Brethren.