On Waning Powers, Waxing Prayers, and Awakening Young People

By Donald N. Bastian

At my present age of 97, my life seems to me to have gone by very fast.

When I was 6 years old, I was a “sparky” kid — at least that is the way I remember it. I was full of energy, and my parents did their best to trim me back, making me more aware of what was appropriate in my environment.

When I was 21, I had a beautiful bride on my arm: Kathleen and I were in a blessed state of mind and body, eager to build a family and devote our lives to ministry.

When I was in my 40s and in the midst of a challenging pastorate at the Greenville Free Methodist Church, I went through moments of depression, feeling that life was closing in, wondering where all those years had gone, afraid I hadn’t made good use of all that energy.

In 1993, at 68, I retired from an active role in ministry as a leader, teacher, and pastor. It seemed that the shadows were falling, that the time had come and gone too fast. That said, the Lord gave me the energy to preach here and there and to teach the Bible — for example, weekly for several years at Light and Life Park in Florida. For something like 10 years I gave seminars once a semester at Northeastern Seminary of Roberts Wesleyan University, Rochester, New York, in which I shared insights into the pastoral life. I also published three books, “God’s House Rules,” “The Pastor’s First Love,” and, a year ago, my memoir “From Kitchen Chair to Pulpit.”

Now, both of us 97, Kathleen and I have reached the milestone of 75 years of marriage. Close family members celebrated with us in a wonderful afternoon in a large room in our retirement center this past December. We were warmed by the large number of letters, cards, emails, and Facebook greetings we received from family and friends near, far, and wide, which were read to us during that celebration.

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“The Lord has sustained us through the ups and downs — mostly ups — of life.”

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These greetings have prompted Kathleen and me to survey our entire lives, including times of more active friendships not only in Toronto but also in Lexington, Kentucky; New Westminster, British Columbia; and Greenville, Illinois. And via the “memory machine,” we have been transported to times long ago in Saskatchewan and Niagara Falls, Ontario, the latter being the stage on which our engagement and wedding were played.

The Lord has sustained us through the ups and downs — mostly ups — of life. But today I wonder even more where my energy has gone. I have limited hearing and vision. I struggle to type anything on my beloved but now balky computer.

However, thanks to technology, I can listen to the Bible and other books. And, more importantly, I can pray.

Commitments Wanted

And what is my prayer?

More and more it is this — that 50 young people in our denomination will commit themselves to a life in ministry. Praise is due to men and women who become pastors after they have had another career, but I long specifically for young people to answer the call of Christ and spend the whole of their lives for the cause of the gospel.

Sixteen days after sharing this prayer on my Just Call Me Pastor blog, something remarkable began happening among the students at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. Difficult as it is now for me to use my computer, I heard of it by word of mouth first and shared the good news with Kathleen and our children, who also began monitoring what is going on.

What is going on? It appears to be a spiritual awakening! Students are worshipping, praying, and confessing for hours on end.

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“The Holy Spirit — is moving in hearts and minds on these campuses.”

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This went on continuously for many days at Asbury. It has spread to several other universities, including Spring Arbor, Samford, Lee, Belmont, and Cedarville.

How should we think of this? I would say that the third person of the Trinity — the Holy Spirit — is moving in hearts and minds on these campuses.

Who is the Holy Spirit? Jesus answered that question. After the resurrection, His followers were distraught when He told them He would be leaving them. To reassure them, He said, “And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever” (John 14:16 RSV).

Believe + Receive the Paraclete

His word as it appears in the Greek New Testament is paraclete, and He used that word for the Holy Spirit at least elsewhere, including John 14:26, 15:26, and 16:7).

The King James Version translates paraclete as “Comforter,” meaning at the time of that translation, hundreds of years ago, “Strengthener.” Today, “Comforter” means something more like “Consoler,” which is only one aspect of what the Holy Spirit does.

Building on its root meaning, a paraclete is like a coach who stands at our side cheering us on as we begin a challenging foot race; or like a lawyer we might summon to help us face injustice. Both experts know what is needed and give encouragement and direction.

But what did Jesus mean by referring to Him as “another” paraclete?

In English, that one word has two meanings. It can mean “different,” as in “let’s go another way.” It can also mean “additional,” as in, “I have another dollar at the bottom of my purse.” Unlike in English, there are two distinct words for these meanings in Greek, and the one used by Jesus means that the Holy Spirit is an “additional, duplicate” paraclete besides Himself.

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“When we today turn to Holy Scriptures with heart and mind, the paraclete — Holy Spirit — illuminates our meaning.”

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Jesus had been a paraclete (counselor, coach, advocate, encourager) to His disciples, and He promised that the Holy Spirit would be not a different but a duplicate paraclete to what He had been. Some say that the Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of Christ.” That fits Our Lord’s promise that the Spirit would bring to remembrance all things that Jesus Himself had said to them. And so when we today turn to Holy Scriptures with heart and mind, the paraclete — Holy Spirit — illuminates our meaning.

Our Lord’s ministry to His followers 2,000 years ago was direct and in person. What He did for them, the Holy Spirit continues to do in the hearts and minds of Christians wherever they are found — whether in Canada, the Philippines, Brazil, Tanzania — or on university campuses in the United States.

Note that the New Testament teaches that we are not merely to believe the Holy Spirit but also to receive Him.

That is, God’s Holy Spirit is more than a doctrine to be understood. He is a person to be experienced. He is the paraclete sent to be with us forever.

In the fury of our times, the Holy Spirit continues to make Jesus and His teachings, His salvation, and His Lordship real to disciples new and old.

It appears that this is what is happening in a special way at Asbury and other universities. If you want to get in on this movement and steward it in your own church and community, expose yourself daily for two weeks to our Lord’s words about the paraclete. Open every recess of your life to Him. Answer the Holy Spirit’s call to complete obedience and, in faith, expect Him to counsel you — to make His presence and leadership in your life real and life-changing.

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