All of us have birthdays, though some of us are more enthusiastic about celebrating them than others. Individual congregations have birthdays, too. In the case of First Baptist Church of Portland, we were constituted as a congregation on May 6, 1855, which will make us 153 years old in a few days. But what is the birthday of the Church Universal?

Some might say Christmas, because that’s when we celebrate the coming of the Savior into the world, the creative Word of God “made flesh”. (John 1:14). Some might say Easter, because that’s when Christ was raised from the dead, the “first fruits of those who have died” (1 Corinthians 15:20), bringing with him the promise of life everlasting for those who belong to him. But I would like to suggest that the day of Pentecost is the birthday of the Church in the fullest sense. Why do I say this? Because on the day of
Pentecost (a Jewish festival celebrated seven weeks after Passover), the Spirit of the Risen Christ came to accompany the believers, to guide their witness and to bring power and holiness to their life together. And the Church as a supernatural unity, continuing Christ’s presence and mission in the world, was born. 

"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” (Acts 2:1-4)

What does the Holy Spirit bring to believers? First of all, the Spirit brings the presence of the risen Christ.   “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you”.(John 14:18). Christ continues to accompany us today, both as individual believers and as the supernatural Body of Believers. “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Then, the Spirit gives us the power to communicate, as he did on that extraordinary day in Jerusalem when thousands of pilgrims heard the story of Jesus in their own languages, and as he does today in our own multilingual congregation.

Furthermore, the Spirit gives us gifts – ordinary and extraordinary capacities for carrying out Christ’s mission in the world (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). And the Spirit brings fruit into our lives – virtues such as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23) – to lead us into holy living which makes Christ visible in the world. Around the globe millions of Christians are part of the modern-day Pentecostal movement, which has brought the power and gifts of the Spirit to the forefront of the Church’s life and witness in the last century. Baptists and other traditional Protestants have often been wary of this Holy Spirit renewal of the Church. We feel uncomfortable with its emotional excesses and its challenge to our rational, Word-based faith. But when the power of the Spirit serves and commends the truth of the Word, and when we as believers experience a profound unity and a holy boldness in and through the Spirit’s presence, the Church is truly the Church.

This year we celebrate Pentecost on Sunday, May 11. Our English, Cambodian and Spanish language congregations will worship together, and we will greet one another and proclaim Christ’s lordship in every language spoken by members of our congregation – more than twenty last year. And we will say, “Happy Birthday, Church. And may you be what Christ has called you to be.”

–Dr. David L. Wheeler–