A Theological Evaluation of Pentecostalism and its Relevance for the Contemporary Church

Abstract

The wave of spiritual dimensions in the Christian faith cannot be over-emphasised due to personal encounters with the Divine God and subject to people's understanding and knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. The writer adopted a historical and theological approach in discussing, appraising and evaluating Pentecostalism and its relevance to the contemporary Church. A notable distinction is made between classical Pentecostal denominations, that is, those which began in the first quarter of the twentieth century, the charismatic Movement within the historic churches since 1960 and the newer charismatic, and the third wave, that is, the independent churches since 1775. The paper argues that Pentecostalism is one of the most significant religious phenomena in twentieth and twenty-first-century Christianity and that the Azusa street revival is a notable historical Pentecostalism worldwide. The paper concluded that the Azusa revival remains the mainstream of Pentecostalism in Africa and the world at large and that Pentecostalism is undoubtedly a source of blessings to the Church, yet it is expected of the Church to thirst for it without delay. Pentecostalism serves as a means of membership retention within the organised structure; it has the potential to pave the way for harmonious living and teamwork within the body of Christ in general.