Pentecostalism and Passionate Spirituality

From its beginnings, Pentecostal worship has been demonstrative.

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Perhaps it was the overflow of joy expressed by so many of the early participants as they experienced freedom from repressive circumstances. Perhaps it was the influence of African-American spirituality as Steven Land suggests. Whatever the reason, Pentecostal worship was participatory, emotional, and expressive.

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Handclapping, hand-raising, crying, laughing, boisterous singing, exclamations of praise, dancing, falling, “jerking,” corporate prayer, laying on of hands, “Jericho Marches,” tarrying at the altar, visions, messages in tongues, interpretation of tongues, words of prophecy, words of knowledge as well as animated preaching placed Pentecostalism in the tradition of the Camp Meeting Movement. Pentecostals considered the staid, ritualistic, liturgical, or creedal forms of worship as “unspiritual.”

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When one steps back and looks at the sweep of Christian history, it seems clear that God was orchestrating events to prepare for the “restoration” of an “apostolic” ministry—one with a passion for global missions. It seems that step-by-step God was restoring key elements to His Church—Sola Scriptura, justification by faith in the atoning work of Christ, an expectation of subsequent experiences with the Holy Spirit, a contemporary prospect for signs and wonders including divine healing, an anticipation of the imminent return of Christ, a passion for missions and a freedom to experience God personally.

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Where is the fire? Where is the fervency? Where is the passion?

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Did the pioneers of the Pentecostal Movement have something we have lost? If so, what must we do to reclaim the passion for God and His work in the world?

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