“Lives are changed through mere words - may be that is the only way we ever change” – William Willimon[1]
I. Introduction
Stephen Neill calls the emergence of the
There are broadly three kinds of Pentecostals in the world today. There are Classical Pentecostals who have their separate identity and are not affiliated to any mainline churches. Secondly there are Neo-Pentecostals who constitute the traditional mainline churches and thirdly there are Catholic Charismatics who are members of the Catholic Church who are having the Pentecostal experience.[4] Four words may be used to describe the Pentecostal movement. It was a Restoration Movement, Renewal movement, Protest Movement and a Liberative Movement.[5]
In this paper the methodology used is to analyze the common features, Positive elements, concerns and issues not addressed in Pentecostal worship is followed by few suggestions for change and concluding with a critical evaluation.
II. Characteristic Features in Pentecostal Worship
The common features of Pentecostal worship in my analysis are the following:
1) They are Bible based and to a large extend are Bible saturated messages;
2) There is a lot of emphasis on the theology of Heaven and Eternal Life;
3) There is also a portrayal of Christian life over against other life;
4) Defence of faith is other major Characteristic in the preaching;
5) Faith as a way of life is reinforced;
6) In Christian life, we are bound to suffer (Theology of Suffering);
7) Holy Spirit is given great significance;
8) Water Baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism also gets importance;
9) Scripture as offering all the solutions to the ills of the world, society, family and individuals is emphasized.
10) Bible Prophecy especially on the last days has given prominence.
III. Positive Elements in Pentecostal Worship
The major positive elements in Pentecostal worship and preaching are:
- the use of Bible;
- the use of imagination;
- the use of arguments;
- the use of illustrations;
- emphasis on holiness and
- the element of hope.
IV. Five Major Concerns
The Pentecostal Preaching in my view has to come to terms with the following five realities if it has to be relevant and challenging in the society:
1) The reality of Poverty;
2) The reality of Pluralism;
3) The reality of Ecumenism;
4) The reality of Social Justice and Human Rights and
5) The reality of Inter-Religious Dialogue.
If the Church has to be the ‘salt and light’ it has to address these issues seriously.
V. Issues Not Addressed in Pentecostal Preaching
There are seven major Issues which are not generally addressed in Pentecostal Preaching and which cry for remedy. They are:
1) Dalit Issues;
2) Role of Women;
3) Issue of Material Sharing;
4) Practice of giving and taking of Dowry;
5) Christian Unity/ Ecumenism;
6) Response to Religious Fundamentalism;
7) Citizenship and Christian Role in
VI. Suggestions for Change
I want to conclude this paper by giving 10 suggestions to the Pentecostal Churches with regard to its preaching ministry. They are:
1) Need for Pentecostal pastors not to be too other-worldly but to address the text in correlation with the context.
2) There is a lack of interest in Biblical exegesis in preaching which needs to be remedied;[6]
3) Preparation and Presentation both need to be given more time and energy;[7]
4) Be sensitive to the local cultural, social and religious realities;
5) Open for dialogue with other traditions both within the church and outside the church;
6) Avoid theological bias and a need for level of teachability;
7) Need to address issues like Human Rights and Social Justice apart from favourite themes like Sin, Salvation and Eternal Life;
8) Prophetic task of the church needs reinforcement;
9) Need for theological training for pastors and preachers to be made compulsory and
10) Urgent need to involve in the modern media and avail this opportunity.
VII. Critical Evaluation and Conclusion
Our Lord Jesus’ ministry has been described in the gospels by the evangelists as three-fold: Preaching, Teaching and Healing. Hence the need for the church to be more conscious of its preaching ministry. The preaching of Martin Luther aroused the medieval church from its slumber for thousands of years. It is also my firm belief that ‘the credibility of the preacher matters the most when it comes to preaching’.[8]
I want to conclude this paper with two critical comments. Firstly, along with making proper theological training mandatory for Pentecostal Preachers, the church should also find means and ways to train the inadequate and untrained existing preachers and pastors through short-term-in service training. Secondly, the Pentecostal church had an egalitarian vision in the beginning and its biggest challenge in my view is to rediscover that vision and the best way to reinforce it is through preaching. Pentecostal Churches need to realize that we are called not to create just a society but a just society.
| “Our problems are large but our heart are larger, Our challenges are great but our will greater, Our failures are endless but God’s love is boundless” - JIMMY CARTER |
Bibliography
·
· Carnegie, Dale. How to Develop Self Confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking,
· Carnegie, Dale. The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking,
· Neill, Stephen. A History of Christian Missions. Harmonds Worth: Penguin Books, 1964.
· Robinson, Gnana. “Communicating Christ in
· Stephen, M. Towards a Pentecostal Theology and Ethics. Kottayam: Christava Bodhi, 1999.
[1] Willimon, William. “The Power of Mere Words”, A Voice in the Wilderness: Clear Preaching in a Complicateed World, ed. by Steve Brown, Haddon Robinson and William Willimon, Multnomah Press, Sisters, OR, p.23.
[2] Stephen Neill, A History of Christian Missions (Harmonds Worth: Penguin Books, 1964), p.459.
[3] Robert Maps Anderson, “Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity” in The Encyclopedia of Religion Vol. II, Mirecea Eliade ed. (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1987), p.229. M Stephen claims that, “The Pentecostals constitute around 300 million people all around the world and there are around 15 to 20 lakh Pentecostals in
[4] M. Stephen, Towards a Pentecostal Theology and Ethics (Kottayam: Christave Bodhi, 1999), p. 1.
[5] It is a Restorative movement because it restores the apostolic elements such as holiness, baptism in the Holy Spirit and Charismatic Gifts such as prophecy and healing. It is a Renewal movement as it upholds repentance, brotherhood and sisterhood, love, unity and faithfulness. It is a Protest movement as it reclaim the Biblical principles which accept the inerrancy of the Bible, salvation through Christ and challenges the institution of Pope, worship of Mary and papal infallibility. It is a Liberative Movement since it promotes an open community in which people from any caste, class or religion could join the movement. It is interesting to note that a large number of oppressed groups became the members of the Pentecostal communities in different parts of the world and this is true of Latin America and
[6] I personally believe that it is a sin to bore people with the word of God.
[7] Here I am reminded of an anecdote where a senior pastor told his junior who did badly with his sermon that “ Either there should be fire in your sermon or you should throw your sermon into fire”.
[8] Gnana Robinson, “Communicating Christ in
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