Plugging In

Leading an interdenominational Christian ministry, we are tempted to go silent on subjects that might highlight doctrinal differences.

We easily find common ground when talking about God the Father and about Jesus the Son. Prayer, serving, and making disciples tend to be safe ground from a doctrinal perspective, even though we may vary a lot in our practical application.

But discussion of the Holy Spirit can make some people uneasy. The truth is, we all believe in the Trinity, including the Holy Spirit, but there are differences of opinion on how the Holy Spirit operates today. Pentecostal and charismatic churches see things differently than fundamentalist churches.

Early on, we had a Baptist pastor ask us directly how broadly we were stretching the stakes of our YES! tent.

We’re not theologians. We love seeing how God uses a variety of denominational, interdenominational, and non-denominational churches to reach the world. From the start, YES! took on serving projects with volunteers from a variety of churches blessing both denominational and non-denominational ministries and churches.

We’re blessed to serve side-by-side with those who may interpret Scripture differently than us. And we love hearing people from non-Charismatic churches talk openly about the Holy Spirit.

Bottom line, we need the Holy Spirit actively involved in our lives, both individually and corporately. We can’t leave the power cord unplugged. We need the Holy Spirit to help us overcome fear, at all stages of life, perhaps even more in later years as some of our natural strength dissipates. He is our Advocate, Helper, and Comforter.

May we all fully embrace the love of God expressed through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We need all of Him. We can’t get the job done in our own strength.

And thank you for standing with us, as we challenge adults to bravely step out into new, unchartered waters, with the Holy Spirit here to encourage and empower.