Radical economic approach in Pentecostalism: A Pentecostal response to economic difficulties

Economies of the African continent have been faced with difficulties in the last decade caused by various factors including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), unemployment, poverty and so forth. In the South African context, there is another factor that has emerged in the last decade called ‘load-shedding’ resulting in power cuts that affected the economy of the country. Consequently, many small businesses had cut jobs as they could not afford alternative energy generation such as generators and solar energy. These harsh economic conditions have produced some level of economic difficulties where the economy is not growing because of job losses and other challenges. How do Pentecostals respond to economic difficulties? This article attempts to answer this question through the radical economic approach. This approach is framed as a theory that confronts the conventional economic approaches. In addition, this theory is based on radical giving, radical charities and radical development. Contribution: The radical economic approach is relevant in dealing with economic difficulties; however, its radical giving has the potential to produce some level of exploitation of the poor and the marginalised in some instances. To deal with these exploitations, this article suggests a radical economic approach that will be considerate of the poor and the marginalised in communities by juxtaposing it with radical sociology

Public testimony in the Pentecostal liturgy: A transformative experience approach

Pentecostal liturgy in Africa is quite distinct from other forms of liturgies (such as mainline churches) within the Christian tradition. As opposed to the reserved liturgy in Western missional churches, a Pentecostal liturgy is participatory and lively. One of the aspects of the Pentecostal liturgy is the public testimonies that are offered during a Pentecostal service. Literature review on public testimony shows that the same has been previously used for advertising, marketisation, and commercialisation of religion in the Pentecostal movement. However, an evaluation of public testimony as a transformative experience remains under-researched. This article uses the literary analysis to bridge this research gap by analysing the value of public testimony in the Pentecostal transformation experience. This will be achieved by introducing the Pentecostal liturgy in the context of the Pentecostal movement. The concept of public testimony in Pentecostal liturgy will be outlined to understand its significance. The aim here is to demonstrate the fact that public testimony does not only serve the purpose of marketing, advertising, or selling religion but is also a transformative experience. Contribution: This article proposes a transformative Pentecostal experience to the practice of public testimony within the Pentecostal liturgy. Public testimony is not only used for marketing and advertising but also serves as a transformative tool in the Pentecostal movement in Africa

Globalisation of missions: An exegesis on the Great Commission (Mt 28:18–20)

This article is an exegesis on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20 by using a grammatical historical approach. A grammatical historical approach on Matthew 28:18–20 demonstrates that Jesus’ authority in heaven and on earth is a global authority. Furthermore, the commissioning of Jesus’ disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptise them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and teach them to observe all things that Jesus has commanded them, is a call to global mission. When Jesus promised the disciples that he would be always with them, he assured them of a global victory. This will be achieved by looking at the history of interpretation of Matthew 28:18–20. The exegesis of this passage is explored in detail. The conclusion is that the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20 is a call to global mission

Singing as a therapeutic agent in Pentecostal worship

Singing has always been part of worship in a Pentecostal spiritual service. However, the role of singing in Pentecostal worship as a therapeutic agent has been under-researched. In order to bridge this research gap, this article is an interdisciplinary study of singing and Pentecostal worship. It seeks to demonstrate that the act of singing is a therapeutic agent in Pentecostal worship. The article will explore singing as a biblical concept to establish its theology. The purpose is to demonstrate that singing is not only part of the liturgy in a Pentecostal worship service but also acts as a therapeutic agent for all sorts of ailments, including spiritual, physical, emotional and psychological ailments. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The importance of this article is twofold; firstly, the article demonstrates that singing plays a pivotal role in Pentecostal worship as much as it did in the Bible. Secondly, the article illustrates that singing is more than a liturgical exercise; it acts as a therapeutic agent in Pentecostal worship

Singing as a therapeutic agent in Pentecostal worship

Singing has always been part of worship in a Pentecostal spiritual service. However, the role of singing in Pentecostal worship as a therapeutic agent has been under-researched. In order to bridge this research gap, this article is an interdisciplinary study of singing and Pentecostal worship. It seeks to demonstrate that the act of singing is a therapeutic agent in Pentecostal worship. The article will explore singing as a biblical concept to establish its theology. The purpose is to demonstrate that singing is not only part of the liturgy in a Pentecostal worship service but also acts as a therapeutic agent for all sorts of ailments, including spiritual, physical, emotional and psychological ailments. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The importance of this article is twofold; firstly, the article demonstrates that singing plays a pivotal role in Pentecostal worship as much as it did in the Bible. Secondly, the article illustrates that singing is more than a liturgical exercise; it acts as a therapeutic agent in Pentecostal worship

Megacostalism and the pandemic: Developing a megacostal theology of care beyond COVID-19

Megacostalism is a concept developed here to refer to the growing trend of mega Pentecostal churches in Africa. The mega Pentecostal churches are popular in the United States of America with leading pastors such as T.D. Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, and so forth. There is an interesting growing trend of this type of churches in Africa particularly in West Africa in countries such as Nigeria and Ghana. There has also been a development of mega Pentecostal churches in South Africa after 1994. This article assesses this phenomenon by paying attention to how such churches dealt with the challenges of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as opposed to smaller churches. The study will use a case study method to assess the COVID-19 experiences in churches such as the Rhema Bible Church in Randburg, Christian Revival Church and Doxa Deo. This article will attempt to address these research questions through a conceptualisation of megacostalism. In addition, the study will look at how different mega Pentecostal churches dealt with COVID-19 to develop a proper megacostal theology of care beyond COVID-19. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article is interdisciplinary between theology and the health sciences among the mega Pentecostal churches in the context of Pentecostalism. The study makes an important contribution to both the study of theology and epidemiology in the understanding of challenges posed by pandemics such as COVID-19 and how to address such challenges through a theology of care

River baptism and climate change among African-Initiated Churches: An eco-theological critique

River baptism has biblical and historical significance in the Christian tradition. Many established mainline churches have baptismal pools where they safely conduct baptism. However, some African-Initiated Churches have been practicing river baptism because of their beliefs, theology and at times a lack of resources. While African-Initiated Churches have a theological basis for practicing river baptism, the challenge is that during rainy seasons, river baptism among African-Initiated Churches becomes hazardous because congregants can get swept away by water during the baptism ritual. This study uses an eco-theological critique to assess the relevance of river baptism amid climate change. This is a conceptual study that opted for content analysis as the research methodology. The study recommends that African-Initiated Churches that still practice river baptism must take extra caution in ensuring the safety of their congregants. If possible, life savers can be included in the baptismal programme of such churches as a way of ensuring the safety of their members. Most importantly, the African-Initiated Churches will have to rethink their theology of practicing river baptism amid climate change and other environmental crises. Such a theology should find a balance between the beliefs in river baptism and the safety of the believers. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The theological concept of baptism is discussed within the environmental science challenge of climate change. The article proposes solutions to contemporary challenges of river baptism in African-Initiated Churches through an eco-theological critique

From altar to action: Customising the pneumatological imagination to sustainable development

Pentecostal ecotheology has been explored as the theology that can go beyond the anthropocentric focus of salvation towards the salvation of the non-human. This aspect of Pentecostal ecotheology has been explored by previous studies; however, the research gap exists in applying the same to sustainable development goals (SDGs). This article uses the pneumatological imagination as a theoretical framework to apply Pentecostal ecotheology to SDGs. The article argues that a pneumatological imagination is relevant in addressing the SDGs on hunger and agriculture (SDG2), water resources (SDG6), energy (SDG7), climate change (SDG13), conservation and sustainable management of marine resources (SDG14) and sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems (SDG15). The research findings are as follows: the pneumatological imagination can broaden the eschatological message to encompass social justice, political change and ecological repentance, beyond conventional evangelism. The pneumatological imagination envisions practical ways to engage in and contribute to the triune God’s redemptive renewal of the world. The pneumatological imagination elevates individuals whose voices have been historically and traditionally marginalised because of gender, power dynamics or socioeconomic class. The pneumatological imagination aspires to provide a universal panorama and an inclusive capacity that envisions the salvation of everyone. The article is a literature review and data were analysed using the different themes of the United Nations’ SDGs. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article explores the relationship between theology and development studies by proposing a pneumatic Pentecostal ecotheology in the fulfilment of the SDGs of the United Nations

Prosperity gospel and the culture of greed in post-colonial Africa: Constructing an alternative African Christian Theology of Ubuntu

Christianity in post-colonial Africa is highly influenced and shaped by the prosperity message. The popular and materialistic gospel is sweeping across the continent like a gale-force wind, which is irresistible. Previous studies on prosperity gospel have indeed defined the concept as a global phenomenon and in an African context. This study is an interdisciplinary reflection on prosperity gospel and the culture of greed in post-colonial Africa. The study proposes the African Christian Theology of Ubuntu as an alternative to prosperity gospel. Ubuntu is prescribed here as an antidote to the culture of greed in prosperity gospel because it is a theology of life, care, solidarity, economic justice, hope and accompaniment. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The paper challenges previous missiological perspectives on prosperity gospel and the culture of greed. The study proposes an African theology of Ubuntu as an alternative to prosperity gospel because it is a practical theology of life, care, solidarity, economic justice, hope and accompaniment

Social media and religion: Missiological perspective on the link between Facebook and the emergence of prophetic churches in southern Africa

Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiolog