When Jesus shared his final words with his followers, as recorded by Luke in Acts 1:8, he said that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on them. In 2023, my prayer is that you and your church receive power from the Holy Spirit as well. This mysterious power brings energy, passion and direction. This power leads to God inspired, God infused, fruitful ministry.
So, how does one tap into the Holy Spirit and receive this power? Author and speaker, Sue Nilson Kibbey, Director of the Bishop Bruce Ough Center for Innovation and an ordained Elder in the UMC, believes the key is prayer. Not just any prayer, but prayer that is open-ended, asking God for direction and next steps. Prayer that includes intentional listening and reflection. She’s not talking about us adding another prayer program to our already full schedules. She’s talking about us tweaking the praying that we already are doing by inserting these powerful additives.
In verse four of the first chapter of Acts, Jesus tells his followers to “wait for the gift my Father has provided….you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit.” Of course this happens at Pentecost. And, it can still happen today and one way is through the regular practice of breakthrough prayer which requires us to wait.
So how about it? How about you and your congregation, in 2023, focus on waiting on and praying for and listening to the Holy Spirit. By doing so, expect your church to receive a fresh wind of the Spirit and its power!
Note: Rev. Kibby will be offering training in her breakthrough prayer initiative on February 4th for Indiana United Methodists–both lay and clergy. The event will be offered across the conference in a number of convenient locations as well as online via Zoom. For more information and to register, click on “Falling Forward with Breakthrough Prayer.”
— Ed Fenstermacher, Associate Director of Church Development
Making Disciples, Transforming Communities 