thoughts about Pentecost Sunday
Pentecost Sunday was last weekend for Western Churches (It will be on June 3rd for the Eastern Churches). Many Christians don't even mark Pentecost as part of the Church calendar; ironically many Pentecostals don't even know when their namesake is! Those who claim to care less about the Church calendar won't make that claim at Christmas or Easter. Dates have always been important for Jews and Christians and Pentecost was, after Easter, the most important day to commemorate for the Early Christians. Many Christians today argue over the significance and modern relevance of the day of Pentecost. Evangelicals are far more concerned about being "born again" and focus their attention largely upon the work of the Holy Spirit in the initial conversion experience of the believer. In other words their primary interest in the Holy Spirit's work has been soteriological. Pentecostals have been known to focus their attention upon a "second blessing" whic...