“Everybody Gets to Play”: Rediscovering Pentecost Together - Bishop Justin Duckworth

As we continue to reflect on Pentecost, Bishop Justin Duckworth is inviting us—across our churches and communities—to rediscover just how transformative the gift of the Holy Spirit really is.

Bishop Justin draws us back into the story of Acts chapter 2, where Peter quotes the prophet Joel: “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” It’s a familiar passage, but Justin suggests we might need to hear it again with fresh ears—because it carries a truth that reshapes how we see ourselves and one another in the Church.

At the heart of his reflection is a simple but powerful idea: everybody gets to play.

Pentecost is about all of us. The Spirit is poured out across every dividing line—young and old, women and men, people from every culture and background. The miracle of Pentecost, with its many languages and voices, shows us that God meets people where they are, speaking into their own context and experience.

“The Spirit… is the great leveller,” Bishop Justin says. And that means none of us is left out. Each of us, wherever we are and whoever we are, is invited into a life empowered by the Spirit.

This helps us see why Pentecost is often called the birth of the Church. It’s not just the beginning of an institution, but the beginning of a Spirit-filled, worldwide movement—one where every person has a part to play.

And that’s where Justin both encourages and challenges us.

On one hand, this is deeply good news. The Spirit is not something distant or reserved—it’s a gift offered freely to each of us. On the other hand, he gently acknowledges that many of us may not feel like we are living fully into that reality.

“I find it deeply encouraging… but also… a bit sad,” he reflects, noting that not all followers of Jesus seem to experience the Spirit as something that truly empowers and transforms daily life.

So what might we be missing?

Bishop Justin points to the Spirit as the one who enriches our lives, enables our ministry, and empowers us for mission. It’s also about seeing our families, our communities, and our churches transformed.

To bring this home, he offers a simple analogy many of us can relate to: a house without electricity. When the power is off, even basic tasks become slow and difficult. But when the power is flowing, everything changes—it becomes easier to live, work, and thrive.

In the same way, life with the Holy Spirit is different. It’s not about striving harder; it’s about being connected to the source that makes all things possible.

The invitation, then, is clear. Pentecost is something we’re invited to step into, again and again.

“You are invited to receive the Holy Spirit… do not miss out,” Bishop Justin urges us.

A Spirit-empowered church is one that is truly diverse and inclusive. But, this kind of Church doesn’t happen by accident, or by effort alone.

If we want to see boundaries broken down—across culture, background, and experience—then we need the Spirit at work among us.

“If we want an inclusive and diverse church, we want the Holy Spirit’s work in our church,” he says.

In other words, the vision we carry for the Church is inseparable from the presence of the Spirit. It is the Spirit who brings unity without uniformity, diversity without division, and life where there might otherwise be limitation.

As we continue in this season, Bishop Justin’s encouragement lands simply but powerfully for all of us: the same Spirit poured out at Pentecost is still being given today.

And that means each of us is invited to receive, to be empowered—and to join in what God is doing.

Because in God’s Church, filled with the Spirit, everybody really does get to play.

Listen to Bishop Justin’s talk here.