The celebration of the Holy Spirit around the world, coordinated and promoted by Empowered21, spanned a full week with thousands of believers marking the date that the Holy Spirit descended upon believers in the upper room.
Regional Empowered21 celebrations were held in Canada, Ghana, Hong Kong and the United States, among others. Believers and churches from more than 130 countries participated in this year’s initiative with testimonies and reports of salvations, healings and baptisms in the Holy Spirit pouring in.
“The Pentecost 2014 week was amazing! Empowered21 ministry events of various sizes and shapes took place around the world. Thousands of Spirit-empowered Christians from every inhabited continent were involved with the E21 network in celebrating the Holy Spirit,” said Billy Wilson, president of Oral Roberts University and global co-chair of Empowered21.
“There is a growing hunger among new generations globally for a personal encounter and relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Pentecost Sunday initiative continued to grow this year, pushing us toward Jerusalem 2015 where we will experience the Holy Spirit together at the next Empowered21 Global Congress.”
Registration is open now for the Empowered21 Global Congress to be held in Jerusalem May 20-25, 2015, at jerusalem2015.com.
The Empowered21 Africa Congress was held on June 4-7 in Gomoa Fetteh, Central Region, Ghana and hosted 3,000 attendees from 30 nations. Africa Co-Chairs Opoku Onyinah and Frank Chikane hosted the conference. The conference took place at the Pentecost Convention Centre and focused on 2 Timothy 1:5-6, aiming to fan the flame of Pentecost for global impact to set generations ablaze.
Empowered21 Asia hosted a conference June 5-7 in Wanchai, Hong Kong, and had 3,000 people in attendance from 18 nations. The program was conducted in English and Mandarin, with Cantonese interpretation available. Held at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium Arena, this program included daily workshops as well as evening sessions with speakers including Wilson, Cindy Jacobs, founder of Generals International and member of the E21 global council, and Lawrence Khong, senior pastor of Faith Community Baptist Church and E21 Asia cabinet co-chair.
The goal for Empowered21 Asia is to bring together members of Spirit-filled churches from throughout the region to learn, encourage and experience the presence of the Holy Spirit and the love of Father God. The focus of this year’s congress was to build up a prayer network and to effect transformation in the different sectors of society for His Kingdom and glory.
The Empowered21 USA Congress 2014 was a two-day gathering of Spirit-empowered believers and also included a pre-conference hosted by SocialEcclesi focused on purposeful ministry engagement on social platforms. The Congress was hosted by USA Co-Chairs Alton Garrison, assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, and Greg Surratt, founding pastor of Seacoast Church. Individuals from many different denominations and backgrounds came together to celebrate the Holy Spirit, the significance of Pentecost and to pass on the importance of Spirit-empowered living to the next generation. This event featured a panel discussion of next generation leaders addressing issues on what is needed for passing the baton to the next generation and raising up spiritual successors.
Attendees also participated in an outreach, led by the Atlanta Dream Center, to minister the homeless and those trapped in human trafficking, and a block party for children in downtown neighborhoods.
Empowered21 Canada hosted a Pentecost 2014 experience and national webcast with cabinet member Ron Mainse and other Empowered21 leaders on June 8, 2014. The webcast was watched in 20 nations and shown via livestream. The webcast will be available on demand beginning June 9. Churches across Canada were encouraged to show the stream to their congregations.