An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

CHAPTER FIVETHE HOLY SPIRIT, POWER AND CONTROL –WHO HAS THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO HEAL?5.1 IntroductionThis chapter describes the power and control of the minister, the organizational cultures ofthe churches as religious and charitable bodies and compares these with the organizationalculture of secular organizations. It argues that the authority structure is related to atheology of the Holy Spirit, and this governs religious practices (such as „speag intongues‟ as well as spiritual healing), following the discussion of the relation of theologyto issues of power, authority and control in the church as an organization. Although thereare overarching commonalties, aspects of each congregation will be examined separately toprovide an in-depth view of the differences. The church as an organization has similaritieswith other caring organizations where care “is fundamental to the pact involving humanbeings” and where it is more than a service industry (Aldgate and Dimmock 2003). Withinboth churches there are many sub-cultural traditions but the main contrast examined here isbetween the black majority and white majority cultural and racial perspectives. In additionto this, the organizational and political culture of healing is also examined.The terms „pastor‟ and „minister‟ are used interchangeably: COGIC and other Pentecostalchurches use the term pastor to identify the director or chief executive of the local churchwhile URC uses the term minister for the same purpose. The word „leader‟ describes thosein a leadership position, be it only for the purpose of one meeting or a subsection of the149