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

to become approved (professional) ministers.The terms „pastor‟, used by COGIC, and „minister‟, used by URC, have biblical originsand describe those who have been selected as leader and who possesses special qualities.To be called pastor or minister, the individual is required to undertake a period of trainingor apprenticeship commitment, and discipleship within their organization/denomination toprepare them for the role. They will also have expressed a vocational calling and alsopossess the approval and acceptance of the wider and local church.The main contrast that I will examine here is that existing between the differingperspectives of the black majority and white majority churches. There is evidence that thetwo churches differ in the disputes and fission explored by Calley (1965) who conductedgroundbreaking research on the Pentecostal movement in England. However, Calley termsthe Pentecostal movement a „sect‟, a term limited in its usefulness given its negativeconnotations and its implication that the „Pentecostalists‟ are distinctly set apart from themainstream churches. Calley‟s linguistic choice when describing Blacority churchesdefines those with different cultural practices as „aliens‟ despite their presence in Britishsociety. My research brings me to the opinion that Calley‟s interpretation of the worshipmethods and organizational structure of Black majority Pentecostal churches is personalrather than rigorously researched. He fails to give an overview of the various culturaltraditions that exist in British Black majority Christian churches. Hill (1973) describes thestructure of the blachurches as resting on „charismatic legitimacy‟. It is a fact thatcharismatic leadership and an animated style of worship is a common denominator amongblack majority churches. Hill (1973) unpache term „charismatic legitimacy‟ byoutlining its constituent elements which include persuasive force, compliance, obedience154