Pentecostal Sacraments: Encountering God at the Altar
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a sacramental encounter. It is often assumed that Pentecostal spirituality is essentially anti-sacramental. It is true that early Pentecostals were anti-liturgical, favoring spontaneous worship over the formal worship of traditional churches. However, it is a mistake to assume that Pentecostalism is anti-sacramental. The embodied spirituality of Pentecostalism, expressed in the doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, suggests that Pentecostalism is essentially sacramental. Pentecostal worship is experiential in a variety of ways. Worshipers sing, shout, clap, and dance. They speak in tongues as the Spirit “gives the utterance” and hear tongues speech. In prayer, a worshiper may be anointed with oil and prayed for with the “laying on of hands.” Pentecostal worship is ecstatic and somatic: that is, “out of the body” or S/spiritual, and “of the body.”
Sacraments are spiritual graces and those who participate in faith encounter the “real presence” of Christ through the Holy Spirit. As we approach the altar to participate in sacramental worship, we do so “in the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit makes us aware of heavenly realities, and we experience heavenly mysteries.
Prepared as a companion for The Great Commission Connection, the study guide presents each chapter in a brief outline that will assist the pastor/teacher in presenting this material to the local church. Also, the guide offers questions for further discussion and assessment, practical suggestions for implementing the Commission, and other helpful resources for further study and practice.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a sacramental encounter. It is often assumed that Pentecostal spirituality is essentially anti-sacramental. It is true that early Pentecostals were anti-liturgical, favoring spontaneous worship over the formal worship of traditional churches. However, it is a mistake to assume that Pentecostalism is anti-sacramental. The embodied spirituality of Pentecostalism, expressed in the doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, suggests that Pentecostalism is essentially sacramental. Pentecostal worship is experiential in a variety of ways. Worshipers sing, shout, clap, and dance. They speak in tongues as the Spirit “gives the utterance” and hear tongues speech. In prayer, a worshiper may be anointed with oil and prayed for with the “laying on of hands.” Pentecostal worship is ecstatic and somatic: that is, “out of the body” or S/spiritual, and “of the body.”
Prepared as a companion for The Great Commission Connection, the study guide presents each chapter in a brief outline that will assist the pastor/teacher in presenting this material to the local church. Also, the guide offers questions for further discussion and assessment, practical suggestions for implementing the Commission, and other helpful resources for further study and practice.
This is the “first draft” of Pentecostal Sacraments. Written for small group study, this book is available from the Center for Pentecostal Leadership and Care. 2006, 90 pages, $10.00. Click for more information.