African Pentecostalism and World Christianity. Группа авторов

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СКАЧАТЬ experienced some of the phenomena. In consequence, they invited foreign Pentecostal missions to come to take control of their groups. Those churches that came to Africa included the Apostolic Faith Mission, the Assemblies of God, the Apostolic Church, and the Foursquare Gospel Church. Soon, especially, in West Africa, churches emerged as independent, indigenous, classical Pentecostal churches. The notable ones include the Christ Apostolic of Nigeria, the Gospel Faith Mission of Nigeria, and the Church of Pentecost of Ghana. Some of these churches not only have branches in neighboring West African countries but across the globe.42

      South Africa became an important influence in the spread of Pentecostalism in Central Africa, especially with regard to the Anglophone countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi. Most of the classical Pentecostals who evangelized Central and Eastern Africa were from Pentecostal denominations in North America and Europe. The prominent ones include the Apostolic Faith Mission and Full Gospel Church. Similarly, the independent Pentecostal denominations from Europe and North America also expanded the Pentecostal faith in East Africa. Some well-known ones among them were the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, the Elim Pentecostal Church from the UK, the New Testament Church from the US, and the Pentecostal Holiness Church from the US.

      Pentecostal Beliefs and Practices

      Pentecostal beliefs and practices are very appealing to Africans, and these beliefs and practices resounded across the entire Christian spectrum in Africa. Thus, yes, it is a Pentecostalization of the faith, but it is also an Africanization because it has been shaped by Africans and it reveals what elements of the faith they most clearly embrace: a God who engages and lifts His people supernaturally and victoriously.

Pentecostalism presents the Bible in a way that speaks directly to the African worldview in both confirmation and condemnation. On the one hand, the gods, demons, sorcery, and witchcraft are taught as real and powerful. They can destroy people’s lives and destinies. Yet, on the other hand, God is taught as almighty, and His power supersedes those of the devil and the gods. Those who worshipped the gods, practiced traditional religion, got involved in witchcraft and sorcery are invited to denounce them and come to Jesus. The power of God can be given to anybody who believes and accepts His Son Jesus. To receive Him is to be born again. The fullness of His power is received through the baptism of the Holy Spirit with emphasis on speaking in tongues. This is considered a powerful weapon for evangelism. Healing and exorcism are to accompany those who are baptized in the Spirit in their evangelistic efforts.43

With these teachings about the power and presence of God, the early Pentecostals were addressing the basic problems of Africans. These problems had also been presented to the missionaries, but the missionaries had failed to respond adequately. Because it connected with the people, Pentecostalism swept over the continent by winning many converts and drawing members from the mainline churches. Such members from the mainline churches were asked to receive Jesus again and be re-baptized by immersion.44

      Contribution of Para-Church Organizations to Pentecostalization

In the 1980s, the parade of members from the mainline churches to the Pentecostal churches was boosted by those who had experienced new life in various parachurch organizations in Africa, especially those in tertiary institutions. The Fellowship of Christian Union (FOCUS) in Kenya facilitated the expansion of the Pentecostal renewal in the neighboring countries. In Ghana, the members of the Scripture Union (SU) and University Christian Union who had Pentecostal backgrounds spread the experience among their colleagues. Some Nigerians who did their language study in the francophone countries in West Africa (Togo, Benin, Guinea, and Cote d’Ivoire) also spread the experience.45

The Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship (FGBMF), which was created in the US in 1951, spread throughout the continent in the 1980s. It contributed to the Pentecostal experience immensely through its breakfast meetings. The female counterpart of the FGBMF was the Women’s Aglow. These groups invited businessmen and women to their meetings. Through the sharing of testimonies, many people were won to Christ and were encouraged to seek for the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.46 Many people who joined the student movements and the business fellowships crossed over from the mainline churches to join the Pentecostal churches.

      Response of Mainline Churches

As they lost members to the Pentecostal churches, the mainline churches soon raised an alarm. In Ghana, some of them established committees to investigate and make recommendations as to why people were leaving their fold to join the African-initiated Churches.47 Eventually, because of the spreading of the Pentecostal faith, and, in a way, as a response to the finding of such committees, renewal groups were organized within the mainline churches. Currently, the prayer meetings of such renewal groups follow the practices of their Pentecostal counterparts. Often it is difficult to notice a difference between a Pentecostal/Charismatic church and a renewal movement in a mainline church. Sometimes, after a mainline church has finished its liturgy, it will shift to the informal Pentecostal way of worship, which includes singing choruses, drumming, clapping hands, dancing, and simultaneous congregational prayer. This is the type of Christianity in Africa now. This is what some pastors and theologians see as the “Pentecostalization” of Christianity in Africa.48 It has changed the theology and form of Christianity in Africa, and it reveals a supernatural, active, victorious God.

      Pentecostal Spirituality and the Resultant Proliferation of Churches

      Pentecostalism depends greatly on charisma with no requisite of theological training. Based on 1 Peter 2:9–10, the priesthood of all believers is promoted. A major feature of Pentecostal spirituality is spontaneity, demonstrated in orality. Worship does not depend upon a scripted, written-and-taught liturgy. Therefore, preaching does not demand hermeneutical accuracy. The hermeneutics of Pentecostals is action based, with experience and Scripture handled in partnership. The Holy Spirit is believed to uphold the truth in life experience. Thus, priority is placed on experience, emotions, relations, and the freedom to interpret and appropriate the multiple meanings of biblical texts.

The preference is on narrative—or story—texts. Pastors read them eschatologically as the intrusion of the kingdom of God into the present and as empowerment for living out its promises. The sermon is presented in a transformative way so that the hearers must respond. Pentecostal Christians come to churches with their Bibles, iPads (or notebooks), smartphones, and pens to take notes. Many of the churches record the messages and sell CDs, DVDs, books, and magazines for congregational consumption. In addition to such traditional media, Pentecostals are active with new media (websites, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) as tools for ministry. Considering how some Pentecostals and Charismatics touch the TV and the radio during preaching and prayer, Asamoah-Gyadu rightly asserts, “For contemporary Pentecostals, mass resources tend to be seen . . . as possessing a certain sacramental value.”49

One of the main challenges that accompanies Pentecostal spirituality is its liberty. A Nigerian Church historian, Ogbu Kalu, rightly observes, “Leadership thus becomes dependent upon proved worth and charisma and not upon inherent right. As soon as some detect a fault, a weakening of charisma or autocratic exercise of power, a split occurs.”50 With this freedom, new churches spring up daily. Many churches have arisen from renewal groups within the mainline churches and even the classical Pentecostal churches. There are many new Charismatic churches on the continent—and more are added regularly. Six or more churches can worship in one school block, each one in a different classroom. In many African cities, churches are found at every corner and in every vacant space. Their names are all different, and they tell of the excitement inside.

      African Initiatives Enriched by Western Pentecostal Preachers

      The ministries of some Western Pentecostal preachers fueled the efforts of Africans to change the face of Christianity on the continent. This began in the 1970s when African ministers eagerly read the books and listened to the cassettes of the Western Pentecostal preachers in order to enhance their ministries. In addition, many of them—such as T. L. Osborn, Reinhard Bonnke (Germany), and Morris Cerullo—were СКАЧАТЬ