PENTECOSTAL CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP

MINISTERIAL THEOLOGY

SPECIAL ESSAY

Convenor: Dr Neil McDonald

Author: Misenga

Special essay title: theological reflection upon Pentecostal contemporary worship

Introduction

This essay attempts to explore the approach of the Pentecostal worship and its major elements, which are identified in the Pentecostal theology and in its global settings. Owing to this fact, I will also focus on the terms like Pentecostal and Charismatic, with reference to their importance and differences; consequently I will try to define them by using various resources. Furthermore, I will also provide the definition of the worship within the Pentecostal perspective. As it has been witnessed that the definition is often misunderstood from the singing of the songs and did not consider as the 'the act of the people for their God, which they normally do to say thank you to their God both in private and public life that give glory to God'. As one of our lecturers Dr Daniel Eshun has defined it. Therefore, I will affirm that 'Christian worship' is about an offering to God including our soul, body, and mind. Next, I am going to reflect theologically upon the Pentecostal contemporary worship which is the main purpose of this essay.

Discussion

Pentecostalism origin

This phenomenon 'Pentecostalism' has its roots at Azusa Street in 1906 in North America through the revival led by the Afro-American Methodist preacher William Joseph Seymour. The movement has also been identified as one of the largest and leading growing religious group that the Church has ever experience since its history though it has only started over hundred years but it continues to be extended into the twenty-first century. 'Pentecostalism' consider as a global movement that presents various elements within itself and in both beliefs and praxis and it includes 'Charismatic' movements and other connected movements such as 'new Pentecostal' or 'Neocharismatic' (Anderson, 2004).

There is also another view the origin of the 'Pentecostalism' that asserts its beginning from the Jewish feast of Pentecost commemorated on the fifth day after the Passover. In Christian history the day of Pentecost is also known as the coming down of the Holy Spirit as the completion of the promise of Jesus to His disciples. Therefore, the feast of Pentecost traditionally is accepted like the origin of the Church as establishment and it is celebrated by the Church as God transferred the gift of the Holy Spirit 'the outpouring of the 'Spirit' or 'latter rain' and in consequence the beginning of the Christian community ( Joel 2:23; Acts 1:1-4; 2:2-13; John 16:7, 13).

How does Pentecostal differ from Charismatic?

First of all 'Pentecostalism' is considered as an expression of theology. In fact, Kay cited in his book 'Pentecostalism' is about the assertion made by Walter J Hollenweger who proposed “we should think of 'Pentecostalism' as a way of doing theology as it is related to the experience, open to oral rather than literary forms of transmission, ecumenical by virtue of its plurality and expressing itself in the categories of 'pneumatology” (2009:7). Charismatics group though share in some certain features in beliefs and practices ...