ST JOSEPH MAJOR SEMINARY

P.O. BOX 1039

IKOT EKPENE, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

(AN AFFILIATE INSTITUTE OF PONTIFICAL URBAN UNIVERSITY, ROME)

DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY

FIRST SEMESTER 2022/2023 ACADEMIC SESSION

QUESTION: THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH IS BELIEVED TO BE THE

FASTEST AND RENOVATED CHRISTAIN MOVEMENT IN THE
WORLD. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?

By:

2020/1473

CLASS: THEOLOGY THREE

COURSE: PENTECOSTALISM

COURSE HOLDER: REV. FR. PROF JAKE OMANG OTONKO.

JUNE, 2023

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1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 EXPLICATION OF TERMS

2.1 PENTECOSTAL

2.2 MOVEMENT

3.0 SPREAD OF PENTECOSTALISM

3.1 HOW PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES TOOK OVER THE WORLD

3.2 FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RAPID GROWTH OF PENTECOSTAL

CHURCHES?

3.3 WHY PENTECOSTALISM IS THE FASTEST GROWING RELIGION IN THE

WORLD.

4.0 METHODOLOGY OF THE PENTECOSTALS IN CONTRADISTINCTION WITH

THAT OF THE MAINLINE CHURCHES

4.1 EMPHASIS ON HEALING AND WHOLENESS

4.2. PROPHESY AND VISION

4.2.1 MODE OF EVANGELIZATION

4.2.3 WORSHIP SERVICE

4.2. 4 PROVISION OF SOCIAL AMENITIES AND CHARITY WORKS.

5.0 CONCLUSION

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Pentecostal church is believed to be the fastest and renovated Christian movement in the
world. This is because they have pervaded every part of our social, economic and political life. It
has created a spiritual change and indeed a dynamic reality which enable its members to think
freely. Pentecostal churches place much emphasis on miracles, healing, casting out devils, and
prophesying. In our world today, people cherish and love to experience where things are
happening. These vibrant churches and especially their pastors, are aggressive evangelizers,
having a total commitment to evangelize in the buses, media, hotels, schools, offices and road
sides. They also conduct evangelism through gospel drama, railings, workshops and crusades.
Most often, their evangelism is free of charge. They are popularly referred to as merchants of
prosperity gospel.

In this work, we shall examine some the factors that have propelled Pentecostal churches to
emerge as the fastest growing Christian movement in the world. No matter our personal views,
the truth is that Pentecostalism has awaken the mainline churches from dogmatic slumber.

2.0 EXPLICATION OF TERMS

2.1 PENTECOSTAL

Etymologically, the term Pentecostalism is derived from the word 'Pentecost,' which is an
anglicized version of the New Testament Greek word, " Pentescoste," meaning " fiftieth ( 50th)
day, which corresponds to the Hebrew"feast of weeks," popularly referred to as the "Shabuoth, "
in the Old Testament.1

Conventionally, "Pentecostal" refers to those who belong to classical Pentecostal denomination

such as the Assemblies of God, the Church of God, the Church of God in Christ, the
International Church of the Four-Square Gospel, the Winners Chapel and Redeemed Christian
Church of God, etc. As a point of emphasis, the name "Pentecostal" is derived from the account
of the day of Pentecost as described in chapters 1 and 2 of Acts of the Apostles, when the Holy
Spirit descended upon the first Christians.2

1
Jake Otonko. Pentecostalism And us A Dynamic Reality ( Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd, 2005), 1

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The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, an event that commemorates the descent of the
Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem
celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31).

2.2 MOVEMENT

The term movement stems from the Latin expression movere, meaning "to move, set in motion".
It is the act or process of moving. Especially: change of place or position or posture. .3

3.0 SPREAD OF PENTECOSTALISM

The movement spread first among minority communities in North America and spread quickly to
Europe. By the end of 1906, missionary work had begun in Norway, and in 1907 it spread to
Scandinavia and Germany, Italy, and Holland. Since its beginning in Los Angeles in 1900,
Pentecostalism, a branch of evangelical Protestantism, has spread over the world. The acceptance
of Pentecostalism from other Christian traditions through the related Charismatic movement in
the 1960s marked the beginning of a true global sprawl. Pentecostal Christians emphasize a
direct personal experience of God and believe that the Holy Spirit acts here and now to bring
inspiration, health and wealth to believers. Today, one quarter of the two billion Christians in the
world are Pentecostal or Charismatic. Pentecostalism is the fastest growing religion in the world.
While the Pentecostal movement's growth has been enormous, it has been taking place over
several decades and in relative silence. With new members being baptized every three seconds
its steady expansion has become normality, taking place in the background unnoticed by the
daily news cycle.4

3.1 HOW PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES TOOK OVER THE WORLD

It was the summer of 1906, something extraordinary took place in a tumble-down shack in the
industrial outskirts of Los Angeles. Crowds gathered day and night at the Apostolic Faith
2
Jake, Omang. Otonko. Is God In Troubled Waters? : The Church, Society And Pentecostal Currents ( Kaduna: Pyla-
mak Publishers, 2018), 3.
3
Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/movement, retrieved, 10th June, 2023.
4
Gordon Melton, ‘’International growth of Pentecostalism’’ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aladura, retrieved,
10th June, 2023.

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Mission to be part of the Azusa Street revival, a charismatic Christian renewal movement led by
a black minister from Louisiana named William Seymour.

The Los Angeles Times took notice of the unusual spiritual awakening on Azusa Street,
describing ecstatic attendees "breathing strange utterances and mouthing a creed which it would
seem no sane mortal could understand," adding that "devotees of the weird doctrine practice the
most fanatical rites, preach the wildest theories, and work themselves into a state of mad
excitement."The Times may have scoffed, but for the thousands of believers who traveled cross-
country to join Seymour's grassroots spiritual movement, there was real power and Biblical truth
in all of that "madness." Their spontaneous and euphoric expressions, known as "speaking in
tongues," were a clear sign that they had been baptized in the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus's disciples
were "filled with the Holy Ghost" and "began to speak with other tongues" during the Jewish
feast known as the Pentecost. Word of the spiritual storm on Azusa Street quickly spread across
the country and eventually around the world, launching the wildly popular Christian movement
now known as Pentecostalism. Pentecostal worship is famous for its spontaneous outpourings of
the Holy Spirit through singing, speaking in tongues and divine healing. Today, just 113 years
after the Azusa Street revival, Pentecostals number about 300 million believers worldwide,
ranking second only to Catholics as the world's most practiced Christian denomination.

In the United States, two of the largest Pentecostal denominations are The Church of God in
Christ whose 6.5 million members are mostly African-American, and the Assemblies of God
with 3.2 million members across more than 13,000 congregations. There is also the United
Pentecostal Church International which has 5.3 million members worldwide. Pentecostalism and
related charismatic Christian movements are among the fastest-growing religious denominations
in the world. In 1980, 6 percent of all global Christians were Pentecostals. By 2015, 25 percent
of global Christians were Pentecostal with the greatest concentrations in what's referred to as the
"Global South" — largely impoverished regions in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia.5

3.2 FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RAPID GROWTH OF PENTECOSTAL

CHURCHES?

5
Dave Roos, ‘’How Pentecostal Churches Took Over the World’’
https://people.howstuffworks.com/pentecostal.htm, retrieved, 11, June, 2023.

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Some of these factors include political, economic and social issues. Another factor responsible
for the rapid growth of indigenous Pentecostal churches in the area is “spiritual thirst”.
Pentecostalism is a renewal movement within Christianity that places primary emphasis on gifts
of the Holy Spirit, joyful worship, exorcism and discourse on prosperity and the “born again”
experience.

3.3 WHY PENTECOSTALISM IS THE FASTEST GROWING RELIGION IN THE

WORLD.

According to Jessica Raddif, the most important thing is that the Spirit of God is in these
churches. By her own admission, Jessica grew up a Catholic and did not experience anything
close to what she had experienced in the Pentecostal church. It’s exuberant and lively, and
people’s lives get changed. People worship and praise with hands lifted high and dance and sing
and can be brought to tears because of the presence of God that fills the place. Without the Spirit
of God, there is no movement. Second verse in the Bible says, the Spirit of God moved upon the
waters. Churches need to invite the Holy Spirit and let it move upon the people and God will fill
those hungry souls out there, wanting more of him, with his Spirit. Preachers with the Spirit of
God are anointed and when they preach with the Holy Ghost inside of them, preaching becomes
so powerful. There’s no going to church once a week for an hour any longer because we have
this schedule to adhere to, and ears are only tickled instead of hearts being pricked in a
Pentecostal church. People’s spirits are checked, they are convicted of sin, healings and miracles
take place, and they are moved to tears because of the Spirit moving freely in these churches.
Planting churches and sending out missionaries to all these countries that need to hear the gospel
and organizing revival is prominent in Pentecostalism. And people get drawn to it because it’s
like nothing they have ever felt before in another church. They obey Acts 2:38 and are reborn,
and they see lives changed and transformed in a manner that only God can do. It’s also a church
that is set apart from the world and does not attempt to stoop down and accept cultural and social
norms, just to raise numbers.

4.0 METHODOGY OF THE PENTECOSTALS IN CONTRADISTINCTION WITH

THAT OF THE MAINLINE CHURCHES

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It is pertinent to note that, in the mainline churches, the tradition of "Sunday-Sunday" encounter
between the pastors and the faithful is more the order of the day than otherwise. A personal and
informal relationship enables pastors to have a good knowledge of the people and their plights.
No wonder Pentecostal church is the fastest and renovated Christian movement in the world
because of their pastoral approach.

The Pentecostals apply a different method in their pastoral approach. First of all, they have the
capacity to de-cloak Christianity of its foreign dress and to express their faith in a less formal and
less alien way necessary. Thus, they come down to the people of God, enter into their lives, feel
with and for them in their plights and endeavor to supply their needs (spiritually, materially,
socially and otherwise). That is why, many are attracted to this movement today. 6

4.1 EMPHASIS ON HEALING AND WHOLENESS

Contrary to the practice in mainline churches, the Pentecostals tend to be more successful
because of the emphasis placed on healing and wholeness, which tallies with the cosmological
conception of Africans. In other words, many Nigerians, like other Africans, believe that
sickness is not caused by bacteria or by defective bodily organ but by spiritual beings, which
work through people and events, and through objects.7

4.2. PROPHESY AND VISION

Prophesy and vision are highly esteemed among the Pentecostals as means of looking into the
future or of revealing the causes of what is actually happening in the present e.g. sickness or any
other kind of misfortune. Visions are considered to be means through which God communicates
his message and revelation to the prophets and other individuals who have received this gift. The
Pentecostal churches attract people through prophesy and vision.8

4.2.1 MODE OF EVANGELISM

6
Jake Otonko, Pentecostalism And us A Dynamic Reality ( Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd, 2005),66.
7
ibid
8
Jake Otonko, Pentecostalism And us A Dynamic Reality ( Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd, 2005),68.

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The Pentecostals in their method show a great deal of mutual-interaction. They use culture to
interpret Christianity and create a new cultural identity for the society in the light of Christian
faith. Consequently, we have come to understand that this approach as well as the act of meeting
people one-to-one for evangelism is the reason why they keep on expanding their church.9

4.2.3 WORSHIP SERVICE

In the Pentecostal Churches, attempts are made to make the worship service more exciting by
allowing unrestrained freedom for such activities as singing, hand-clapping, shouting, jumping,
etc.10

4.2. 4 PROVISION OF SOCIAL AMENITIES AND CHARITY

It is evident that some of the Pentecostal Churches build homes and provide other amenities and
facilities for their members, especially the poor: These include hospitals, Schools, skills factory,
etc. One of such churches is Omega Power Ministry ( OPM) . When they do this, they get more
members and keep on growing faster.

4.3 MERIT OF PROSPERITY GOSPEL

1. It persuades believers to come to faith
2. Preachers of prosperity target not only those who belong to their fold but also those from
outside
3. They invest heavily in the word of God to transform individuals and the masses.
4. They do not rely on foreign aids or mother church for finance
5.They cultivate the spirit of inculturation,11

9
Jake Otonko, Pentecostalism And us A Dynamic Reality ( Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd, 2005),69.
10
Jake Otonko, Pentecostalism And us A Dynamic Reality ( Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd, 2005), 70.
11
Kate Bowler, A History of the American Prosperity Gospel (London: Oxford University Press, 2011)

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From the above listed merit of prosperity gospel, it is obvious that Pentecostal Churches are
capable of drawing members to their church. Pentecostalism preaches the gospel of prosperity,
abundant life and blessing, at the detriment of the Gospel of the Cross.12

5.0 CONCLUSION
It is pertinent to conclude that the Pentecostal Churches tend to be growing faster than their
orthodox counterparts due not only to their aggressive evangelism through the media and other
approaches, but also to the manner in which they anticipate and cater to the needs of their
members, especially the poor who are soft targets of messages and promises of success and
immediate breakthroughs.

12
Otonko, Pentecostalism, 70.

It

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Otonko Jake. Pentecostalism And us A Dynamic Reality. Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd, 2005.

Otonko, Omang. Jake. Is God In Troubled Waters? : The Church, Society and Pentecostal
Currents. Kaduna: Pyla-mak Publishers, 2018.

Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/movement, retrieved, 10th

June, 2023.

MeltonGordon,‘’InternationalgrowthofPentecostalism’’
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aladura, retrieved, 10th June, 2023.

DaveRoos,‘’HowPentecostalChurchesTookOvertheWorld’’
https://people.howstuffworks.com/pentecostal.htm, retrieved, 11, June, 2023.

Bowler Kate, A History of the American Prosperity Gospel. London: Oxford University Press,
2011.

Ukpong, Pius, Donatus. Nigerian Pentecostalism: Case, Diagnosis and Prescription. Uyo: Fruities’
Publications, E4, Housing Estate, 2008.