“We hear them speaking in our own languages the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11b).
We charismatics tend to focus on the upper-room experience of Pentecost, where they spoke in tongues as evidence of the infilling with the power of the Holy Spirit. But when they went out into the streets the other miracle of Pentecost was the ability to be heard and understood by the people. It took both the power of the Holy Spirit and the ability to be heard and understood to give birth to the church at Pentecost. Now, after centuries of division, the church needs a new Pentecost of hearing and understanding to come together to reach the world as Jesus prayed in John 17:23.
This new Pentecost of hearing and understanding was poured out last week as many leaders of the church gathered in Kansas City at the Kairos 2017 conference to dialogue, worship and pray together. They heard and understood charismatic tongues, Catholic tongues, Eastern Orthodox tongues, evangelical tongues, Messianic tongues and Protestant tongues. There were black tongues, white tongues, Asian tongues, Spanish tongues and English tongues celebrating the diversity of the church. Many were healed of diseases as the power of the Holy Spirit followed the miracle of hearing and understanding.
Kenneth Copeland exposed Satan’s plan to turn diversity of tradition, race, gender and age into division and hatred. Catholic Cardinal Di Nardo likened church division to the wounds of Christ, and urged Christians to abide in unity with each other and with Christ. One by one, the 40 leaders gathered at Mike Bickle’s Forerunner Church urged Christians to repent of division, reconcile, unite and bring healing to the nation. As Lou Engle, one of the participants, has said “Only a united church can heal a divided nation. “You can view the entire meeting at kingdomflame.com/kairos-2017/.
Forty years ago, the largest ecumenical meeting in history was held in Kansas City. It culminated in the prophecy that the body of Christ was broken because of our divisions. Many believe that God is sending an outpouring of the Holy Spirit as a new generation picks up the mantle to bring the broken body of Christ together.
Join us as we pray for a new Pentecost of hearing and understanding to bring unity to the Body of Christ and revival to the nation. {eoa}
Ron Allen is a Christian businessman, CPA and author who serves in local, national and international ministries, spreading a message of reconciliation to God, to men and between believers. He is founder of the International Star Bible Society, telling how the heavens declare the glory of God; the Emancipation Network, which helps people escape from financial bondage; and co-founder with his wife, Pat, of Corporate Prayer Resources, dedicated to helping intercessors.
