I learned some Latvian words on Sunday. The reason? A church where my wife and I visited is hosting members of their sister congregation in Latvia. The guest preacher delivered a potent sermon on Pentecost, reminding us that the Holy Spirit can come with a convicting whisper or the force...

  Pentecost is the red-headed stepchild of Christian observances. Think about it: we get prepped up for Lent and Advent, buying devotional books and planning our spiritual disciplines. At Easter and Christmas, we deck ourselves out in holiday finery, sing triumphant hymns and prepare big family meals. Pentecost? The preacher wears a...

  ¿Quienes hablan español? Levantan las manos, por favor.” Translation: “Who speaks Spanish? Raise your hands, please.” I ask this question during one of my magic routines. Of course, the Hispanic kids eagerly raise their hands while the English speakers respond with “Huh?” When I translate into English, a lot of the...