scholarly journals Pentecostals and the pulpit: A case study of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Nel

In general, early Pentecostals did not use any pulpits in their halls in order to underline their emphasis that each believer is a prophet and priest equipped by the Holy Spirit with gifts for the edification of other members of the assembly. All participated in the worship service by way of praying, prophesying, witnessing and bringing a message from God. From the 1940s, Pentecostals in their desire to be acceptable in their communities formed an alliance with evangelicals, accepted their hermeneutical viewpoint and built traditional churches in accordance with the Protestant tradition. From the 1980s, the pulpit started disappearing from the front of Pentecostal churches. This is explained in terms of new alliances that Pentecostals made with neo-Pentecostalist churches and a new hermeneutical viewpoint. The hypothesis of the article is that the Pentecostal stance towards the pulpit was determined by its hermeneutical perspectives. It is described by way of a comparative literature study and applied to a specific case study, the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa.

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-170
Author(s):  
Marius Nel

John G. Lake visited South Africa in 1908 as part of a missionary team with the aim to propagate the message of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as experienced at the Apostolic Faith Gospel Mission in 312 Azusa Street, Los Angeles under the leadership of William Seymour, son of African-American slaves. Lake’s missionary endeavours that ended in 1913 established the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa and eventually also the African Pentecostal churches (‘spiritual churches’, ‘Spirit-type churches’, ‘independent African Pentecostal churches’ or ‘prophet-healing churches’) constituting the majority of so-called African Independent/Initiated/Instituted (or indigenous) churches (AICs). This article calls for remembering and commemorating Lake’s theological legacy in South Africa in terms of these two groups of churches.


2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Nel

The phenomenon of discrimination against women within Pentecostal churches in terms of ministry and leadership is investigated to propose a strategy for deconstructing such structural violence. The violence is described in terms of a case study, the history of a prominent South African Pentecostal denomination (Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa) that initially recognised the involvement of women in all forms of ministry; subsequently in the 1940s refusing their ministry as preachers and pastors, and eventually at the end of the 1970s offering them the same ministerial privileges as for males. Their recognition is, however, characterised by a practical non-application of a church order that in effect represents the commitment of violence against women. It is argued that the change in perspectives of women’s ministry and leadership is hermeneutical in nature. To deconstruct it would need revisiting Pentecostalism’s original hermeneutic as well as restoring its restorationist urge of egalitarianism and inclusiveness.


2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mookgo Solomon Kgatle

The Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) of South Africa has experienced schisms from the year 1910 to 1958. The schisms were caused by sociological and theological factors. These are schisms by the Zionist churches (Zion Apostolic Church, Christian Catholic Apostolic Holy Spirit Church in Zion, Zion Apostolic Faith Mission); Latter Rain; Saint John Apostolic Faith Mission and Protestant Pentecostal Church. The sociological factors that led to the schisms by the Zionist churches and the Protestant Pentecostal Church are identified as racial segregation and involvement in politics respectively. The theological factors that caused these schisms by Latter Rain and Saint John Apostolic Faith Mission are manifestations of the Holy Spirit and divine healing respectively. After comparison of the factors, it is concluded that racial segregation is the main factor that caused schisms in the AFM.


2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Soleman Kawangmani

Pemberitaan Injil selalu berhadapan dengan budaya pendengar. Pengenalan budaya dan pemanfaatannya sebagai jembatan komunikasi akan mengefektifkan pemberitaan Injil.  Sebaliknya, pengabaian budaya dapat mengakibatkan penolakan atau penerimaan dan penghayatan Injil yang sinkretis. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu menemukan suatu desain pemberitaan Injil berbasis pengenalan budaya rumpun keluarga bersuku Jawa. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode studi kasus. Pengumpulan data melalui wawancara mendalam dan pengataman kepada keluarga Suk yang bersuku Jawa di Surakarta dan studi pustaka. Peneliti menemukan worldview keluarga Suk sebagai inti budaya yaitu animisme. Untuk menjangkau keluarga suku Jawa berorientasi keagamaan animisme dengan Injil, peneliti mengusulkan suatu “Desain Pemberitaan Injil-6P”, terdiri dari enam komponen yaitu persiapan penginjil; ‘dambaan keselamatan,  hidup bahagia dan tenteram’ sebagai point of contact Injil dan budaya,  pentahapan isi berita Injil, pelaksanaan pemberitaan Injil, pentingnya motivasi kasih, doa dan pertolongan Roh Kudus, serta pemuridan korektif sebagai basis pelayanan lanjutan. Keenam komponen desain ini harus diintegrasikan dalam pelaksanaannya.The preaching of the gospel is always dealing with the culture of the listener. The introduction of culture and its use as a communication bridge will make the preaching of the gospel more effectively. On the other hand, cultural neglect can lead to rejection or acceptance and a syncretic living of the gospel. The purpose of this study is to find a design for preaching the gospel based on the introduction of Javanese family culture. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method. Collecting data through in-depth interviews and observations of the Javanese Suk family in Surakarta and literature study. The researcher found the worldview of the Suk family as the core of culture, namely animism. To reach Javanese families with animistic religious orientation with the Bible, the researcher proposes a “Gospel Preaching Design-6P”, consisting of six components, namely preparation of evangelists; 'desire for salvation, happy and peaceful life as a point of contact with the Gospel and culture, phasing out the contents of the gospel message, carrying out the preaching of the gospel, the importance of love motivation, prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit, as well as corrective discipleship as the basis for continued ministry. These six design components must be integrated into their implementation.


2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harri Englund

AbstractRecent scholarship on Pentecostalism in Africa has debated issues of transnationalism, globalisation and localisation. Building on Bayart's notion of extraversion, this scholarship has highlighted Pentecostals' far-flung networks as resources in the growth and consolidation of particular movements and leaders. This article examines strategies of extraversion among independent Pentecostal churches. The aim is less to assess the historical validity of claims to independency than to account for its appeal as a popular idiom. The findings from fieldwork in a Malawian township show that half of the Pentecostal churches there regard themselves as 'independent'. Although claims to independency arise from betrayals of the Pentecostal promise of radical equality in the Holy Spirit, independency does sustain Pentecostals' desire for membership in a global community of believers. Pentecostal independency thus provides a perspective on African engagements with the apparent marginalisation of the sub-continent in the contemporary world. Two contrasting cases of Pentecostal independency reveal similar aspirations and point out the need to appreciate the religious forms of extraversion. Crucial to Pentecostal extraversions are believers' attempts to subject themselves to a spiritually justified hierarchy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mookgo S. Kgatle

Pentecostalism is known for the belief in Spirit baptism that is accompanied by the doctrine of initial evidence, that is, speaking in tongues. The practice of the doctrine of initial evidence has become a unique feature of Pentecostalism for many years since its beginning. Similarly, Spirit baptism and the doctrine of initial evidence are practised in African Pentecostal Christianity, especially in classical Pentecostal churches and charismatic movements. However, there are challenges with this doctrine: speaking in tongues is perceived as the only evidence, and there is an emphasis on gifts than fruit of the Holy Spirit and a great emphasis on public spiritual experiences than personal encounters with God. In re-imagining the doctrine of initial evidence in African Pentecostal Christianity, speaking in tongues should not be emphasised or practised as the only evidence of Spirit baptism because there are other evidences that demonstrate the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The emphasis should be on prayer than the speaking of tongues. In addition, priority should be given to the fruit of the Spirit and on a personal encounter with God. Finally, speaking in tongues should be accompanied by interpretation in a public service because the public cannot understand the language.


2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mookgo S. Kgatle

This article demonstrates a practical theological approach to the challenge of poverty in post-1994 South Africa by using Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) as a case study. It argues that while the Reconstruction Development Plan, the Growth Employment and Reconstruction strategy, Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, New Growth Path and the National Development Plan have achieved some level of economic growth, the majority of people in South Africa still live in poverty. To establish this argument, the article starts first by describing the challenge of poverty in post-1994 South Africa. The different economic approaches to the challenge of poverty in post-1994 South Africa are also explained in detail. Lastly, the article elaborates on the ways in which the AFM through its local assemblies can alleviate poverty. The article concludes that the AFM is a collaborator to the post-1994 South African government.


2003 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kloppers

Veni, veni, o Oriens... the worship service as communicative action aimed at orientation, expression, change and commitment Through symbolic communication the experience of faith can be brought about and the Christian tradition actively transmitted in a worship service. In this article it is argued that in the worship service faith is communicated through various communicative actions by means of which symbolic communication on all levels is established. The worship service itself is an encompassing communicative action aimed at orientation, expression, change and commitment. The Triune God is the foundation of the worship service and the point of orientation. The love and presence of Jesus Christ through the working of the Holy Spirit are the conditions under which the expression of faith takes place and all communicative actions become performative. Through these actions commitment is brought about, participants come to a new understanding of faith, and fundamental change is experienced.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-111
Author(s):  
Ferderika Pertiwi Ndiy ◽  
S Susanto

Church growth is an important study in church history. The Bible has important principles in church growth, therefore these principles need to be analyzed so that they can contribute to the study of church growth. The Acts of the Apostles is a book that has a history and principles of church growth, therefore the author conducted research on church growth based on Acts 2: 1-47. The author uses a qualitative approach to literature study to find the principles of church growth based on Acts 2: 1-47. The results showed that there were three principles for the growth of the early church. The first principle based on the fourth verse is to depend on the Holy Spirit, the second principle based on verses 14-36, 42 is to preach the Word of God, the third principle based on verses 42-46 is to live in fellowship. For the growth of the church today the church must depend on the power of the Holy Spirit, teaching based on the word of God, and the church lives in fellowship.


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