The Church of the Brethren affirm that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, personal and divine. The Spirit works in the world and in the church, drawing all humanity toward God, enabling faith, and empowering believers for mission.

The Spirit is understood as active in the church community. The Spirit guides the church in discernment (particularly in Annual Conference decision-making), provides gifts for ministry and witness, and produces fruits of holiness (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.). The church is the body of Christ indwelt by the Spirit.

While the denomination affirms all spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), including tongues, it does not emphasize glossolalia as a normative sign of Spirit-filling or as foundational to spiritual experience. The Spirit works in diverse ways in different believers. The focus is on the Spirit's role in sanctification, community building, and prophetic witness.