Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:29-32).

MO is at Black Rifle Coffee, Beyond Black is in the cup, silence is on the playlist, and God is in the room preparing for Pentecost this Sunday.

We sat in the conversation collective, talking about life and lessons learned. It was relaxing, comfortable, and intoxicating. In the middle of what seemed like a serious discussion about the Holy Spirit, one of the guys announced, "You know, after you've been around someone for almost a year, you'd like to think they know your name."

I listened to his distress and then broke in, "Has he EVER called you by name?"

"NO! Yesterday, I asked him, kinda jokingly, if he knew my name. His answer, 'I know exactly who you are,' but still didn't call me by name, not even then."

Ummmmmm.

He continued, "You'd think pastors would be the best at calling people by name, that the Spirit would make it so. But for some of us, we never ask God for help. This Sunday is the birthday of the church — Pentecost — a celebration of the Holy Spirit. It's a good day for shaking things up a bit, to enlist the Spirit's help.

"Get in your pastor's face," he suggested, "tell him your name... ask him to say it! Give him a Pentecost challenge! Let's learn everybody's name, even the janitor's name, by the end of the year. With the Spirit's help, we can do it together.

"The Pentecost Challenge can be a game changer!"

We sat in silence for a time, then I asked, "Remember the theme song from Cheers?"

"Oh yeah, who doesn't?" he responded.

"A whole generation doesn't, but they are recklessly looking for a place like it, a place where misfits, old farts, weirdos, young whippersnappers, and the boring people know each other's names... a place like Cheers Bar. I think for its time, it was perfect. And, I loved the theme song... still do."

We sang it together... sort of:

Sometimes you wanna go
Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows your name!

You wanna be where everybody knows your name!
"The church is supposed to be THAT place... the Spirit must be really sad to show up and be ignored," he said.

We talked for a couple of hours, telling stories, laughing, and calling each other by name. By the way, his name is Danny. Danny decided to take the Pentecost Challenge, whether his pastor does or not. Don't you think Abba has given us all this Pentecost Challenge?

Oh, and I just met Gabe. He's a Black Rifle Coffee Company early-morning barista. He even asked me, "Is your name Ron Rose?"

You know, I really liked hearing my name.

Ummmmm.

I believe we all "wanna be where everybody knows your name!"

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12).