a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

entitled ‘Pentecost: International Report,’ 42 and also special articles on the death
of international Pentecostal leaders like Lewi Pethrus. 43 Moreover, the urban
churches in Rajasthan like Rajasthan Pentecostal Church and Agape Fellowship
Church (Jaipur), two of the largest and the fastest growing urban Pentecostal
churches in the state, look like many other mega-Pentecostal churches in the
world. For example, RPC’s pattern of worship and preaching, the use of mass
media in the actual worship service, the administrative and ministerial function of
the church, the regular visit of charismatic preachers from all over the world, and
even the design of the church building 44 express its link with global
Pentecostalism. Many village pastors and believers who are exposed to the
worship and function of RPC are tempted to imitate the RPC style. Eleven out
thirteen local pastors from Udaipur district expressed their desire to develop their
church along the lines of RPC. 45 During a course on ‘Church Planting’, ten out of
the fourteen of a graduating class said that RPC was their model church. 46
42 For example, see ‘Pentecost: International Report,’ Cross and Crown 3, no. 5, 6 (1973): 10-15;
‘Pentecost: International Report,’ Cross and Crown 4, no. 4, 5 (1974): 9-14. They include other
subtitles like ‘Assemblies of God Convene Council on Spiritual Life,’ Society for Pentecostal
Studies Sponsors Inter-Pentecostal Dialogue,’ ‘First European Pentecostal Conference Draws
Large Crowds,’ Pentecostal Fellowship of North America Meets in Toronto, Canada,’
‘Charismatic Movement Continues to Grow Among Presbyterians,’ ‘Charismatic Movement
Spreading in Ireland,’ and ‘Church of God Nearing 1.5 million Members.’
43 For example, see Eric Andreasson, ‘Pastor Lewi Pethrus Promoted to Glory,’ Cross and Crown
5, no. 1 (1974): 14-15; Thomas Mathews, ‘A Tribute to Pastor Pethrus,’ Cross and Crown 5, no. 1
(1974): 16-19
44 It is said that the design of the new building of RPC was borrowed from the previous building of
Lakewood Church, Houston, Texas, when John Osteen was its senior pastor. The founder of RPC
was tempted to adopt the design of Lakewood church after his visit to the Lakewood in the early
1990s. This was revealed by a Pentecostal leader from Maharastra, who attended the funeral
service of the founder of RPC, when I was also present (27 November 2005). He said that he was
also a visitor at Osteen’s church when the minister of RPC visited the Lakewood church.
45 Because it is a mega-church, it is a prosperous, multi-cultural and growing church. This view
was expressed during a participant observation of a pastors meeting on 7 May 2006.
46 This view was expressed by students in one of my lectures on Church Planting in 2004. This is
mainly because of its growth, worship and preaching style and its popularity.
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