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

missionaries from south India, particularly Kerala, came to Rajasthan. The Spirit
revival in Banaswara, without any influence from non-Rajasthanis, was very
significant for the growth of the movement as it produced some influential native
leaders of Pentecostalism. It could be concluded that the south Indian missionaries
had a similar role to the one that western Pentecostal missionaries had during the
beginning of Indian Pentecostalism. Just as the establishment and
institutionalization of the Pentecostal movement in India took place due to the
extensive work of western Pentecostal missionaries, so the establishment and
institutionalization of Pentecostalism in Rajasthan took place as the result of the
rigorous service of south Indian Pentecostals. Although there were many south
Indian pioneer missionaries involved in grass-roots level evangelistic activities,
even in remote villages, their greatest contribution was towards the
institutionalization of the movement. This chapter also suggested that just as the
Pentecostal movement in India began to spread to other states due to the wide
missionary activities of indigenous workers, the major reason for the present
expansion and growth of the movement in Rajasthan is the growing number of
Rajasthani Pentecostal workers.
Although Pentecostalism is a minority movement, with most of its followers from
a poor socio-economic tribal background, it has become the fastest growing sector
of Christianity. Despite the fact that it is a new movement in Rajasthan, there are
several Pentecostal organizations, churches and believers scattered all across the
state. Chapter three maintained that the mission theology and practice of
Pentecostals played an important role in the growth and establishment of the
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