I have been attending a new church for the past few weeks. It has been a good time of getting to know new people and being inspired as I hear their journeys of faith. Not only is it a new church for me but it is also a different denomination. Over the years I have been a denominational nomad, moving from church to church, depending on where I was living. For me, the location and faith of the community have always been more influential choice factors than denominational brand. I have a long list of churches in my denominational CV.
Each church has its own language and its own way of doing things. There are many similarities, but it is only when changing church or visiting a new one that we notice them, because as part of the community what we do becomes second nature. The difference in words is normally down to denominational stance and belief. Listening to the words used in a church you are visiting, can tell you a lot about what it believes... and often what it feels you should believe too.
Most Christians are able to understand most things spoken in church. Despite the denominational differences, if we have been Christians for a while we can get by in mostchurches. But what of those outside of the church?
This week the Lectionary informs me that it is Pentecost. Pentecost Sunday is when Christians celebrate the birth of the church and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. This got me thinking. How many people outside the church understand what Pentecost is and what it means? The word, unless you have a knowledge of Greek, means very little. So for the average person who hasn’t been near a church, if they turn up this Sunday, think about the language you use. In fact, even if they have been to church regularly since birth, think about the language you use, they just might be from a different denomination.
Getting across the meaning of Pentecost, or any Christian belief, isn’t easy. But it is something The Seed can lend a hand with. With over 43,000 resources, which are tagged to make an advanced search easier, you can find hymns, commentaries, images and much more, that can help you explain the things we believe and celebrate.
If we speak the language of those listening, we may see a response Like Peter did in Acts 2.
