Public testimony in the Pentecostal liturgy: A transformative experience approach

Abstract

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.