Ken Sharpe stands at the bustling North American Division booth inside the General Conference Session exhibit hall, eager to share a message that’s taking hold across thousands of churches. As project manager for Pentecost 2025, Sharpe is helping steer an ambitious initiative designed to spark spiritual revival, community engagement, and ultimately, evangelistic growth.

“Pentecost 2025 is the evangelism outreach program for the North American Division in 2025,” Sharpe explains. “We actually began last year, encouraging our people to pray for the Holy Spirit and experience what the apostles did in the upper room. Once you truly have the Holy Spirit, you can’t sit still any longer.”

The initiative follows a simple but powerful progression: first, personal revival through prayer; then community involvement; next, Bible studies; and finally, what Sharpe calls “harvest events,” or public evangelistic meetings, and discipling new members. “We’re trying to train our people in the complete cycle of evangelism,” he says.

The response so far has exceeded expectations. More than 5,200 churches and schools across the division have signed on to participate. “It’s for the entire North American Division,” Sharpe emphasizes. “That includes more than 5,000 churches and schools that have volunteered to be part of this.”

Most of these churches have yet to hold their primary evangelistic meetings, making the timing of the General Conference Session ideal. Sharpe and his team are using the event to encourage pastors and lay leaders to keep the momentum going. “We’re here to let people know what’s happening and to urge them to continue. We’re also telling the rest of the world that North America is alive, that we want Jesus to come, and that we’re praying for the Holy Spirit to work here.”

Already, the early results are inspiring. From just the first 400 churches that reported back, 15 to 17 percent have seen membership growth of more than 10 percent. “It’s absolutely incredible,” Sharpe says. “And that’s not us. That’s the Holy Spirit working.”

The scale of the initiative hasn’t gone unnoticed. “When people hear that 5,200 churches in North America are involved, that catches attention,” he says. “They’re coming to our booth asking, ‘What are you doing? How do we get our churches involved?’”

This interest is sowing seeds for a global movement. Sharpe believes that before long, Pentecost 2025 won’t be just in North America as there are many division wide initiatives that have the same goal as Pentecost 2025. “We’re thankful for that and extremely thankful that the Holy Spirit is pouring itself out here in North America.”

Financially, the division itself has invested heavily — more than $15 million so far. But Sharpe sees it as a wise investment. “Evangelism doesn’t cost. It pays. When people become members, they return tithe, and that money comes back quickly.”

For those stopping by the booth at the GC Session, Sharpe hopes they leave inspired. “We want our members to be encouraged to keep going with Pentecost, and we want the rest of the world to be encouraged too. We don’t want this to end. We’re already hoping for a second cycle in 2026 and again in 2027.”

— Debbie Michel is communication director for the Lake Union.