Worship In Evangelical Hispanic Churches

Hispanic worship can be divided into four main expressions: Catholic, evangelical Protestant, Pentecostal, and spiritist. This article briefly describes the primary emphases of worship in the evangelical and Pentecostal worship traditions.

The evangelical Protestant church in Hispanic countries grew out of the evangelical missionaries, who labored among the masses to bring them into the Protestant or Reformation tradition of Christianity. These evangelical groups ranged from denominations like Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Lutheran to independent non-aligned missionaries. Many of the new members of these churches were either former Roman Catholic Christians or were a part of formerly unevangelized Indian tribes in remote jungles and mountains. The evangelicals brought a distinct pattern of worship to the Hispanics. Worship was centered on the preaching or teaching of the sacred Scriptures. The preacher or pastor became the focal point of the church and of the worship experience, although lay participation was also encouraged, especially in singing, praying, and sharing of special talents. The climax of the service was the encounter of the worshiper with the Word of God. Due to its strong European ties and its literal adherence to the written Word, evangelicals have not been as open to syncretism as has Roman Catholicism. Evangelicals rejected anything that was not biblical. The negative side to this approach is the rejection of Hispanic cultural norms in favor of European and North American norms. Those groups that have rejected Hispanic culture more intensely have had a difficult time gaining acceptance and many have disappeared, when their European or North American connection weakened or disappeared. The evangelical Protestant worship tradition gave birth to the Pentecostal or charismatic tradition. Around the turn of the century, a new system of worship arose in North America characterized by distinct manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the form of ecstatic utterances (speaking in tongues), the baptism of the Spirit, the presence of sign gifts of miracles and healings, and the liberation of women in the worship experience. Pentecostalism swept across Latin America like a fire attracting people from Roman Catholic and evangelical churches, as well as indigenous peoples. Traditional Pentecostal denominations like the Assemblies of God, the Foursquare church, and certain holiness groups were responsible for the spread of Pentecostalism. Pentecostal worship is marked by personal expression. Although the preaching of the Word is important, the manifestation of the Spirit in the form of praying in tongues, healings, slaying in the Spirit, and prophecies occupy an important part of the worship experience. Pentecostal worship is unstructured, spontaneous, eclectic, and unpredictable. The people come for an encounter with God. Hispanic evangelical and Pentecostal worship is informal as compared to Catholicism. Rituals are noticeably absent. People attend the worship service for God to do something or say something, but God cannot be tied to a set program in these traditions. The ritual is not as critical as the relationship the worshipers have with each other and with God. There is also a sense of community. The worshiper does not "?go to church;?" he or she is the church. The interrelationships are highly pronounced and encouraged. The worship is indeed a fiesta, a festival. The worship time is warm and enthusiastic. There is interaction, corporate singing, even audible corporate prayers. The worshipers erupt in hand-clapping, raising of hands, loud hosannas and amens. The key is participation. The priesthood of all believers is the doctrine that permeates the worship experience. Hispanic worship in evangelical and Pentecostal traditions takes this doctrine to its logical conclusion: everyone can participate. Pentecostal Hispanic worship may take the same form as the evangelical, but with different emphases and forms of expression. Pentecostal worship is usually louder, more emotional, more spontaneous, and more unpredictable. The song service may continue for some time unabated. The people are free to clap and dance. Some bring tambourines or maracas to aid in the worship. Most of the music is comprised of coritos, not traditional hymns. The aim of the worship service is to stir the emotions and to gain participation, not necessarily impart doctrine through sacred hymns. There is also spontaneous and prolonged periods of prayer. A portion of the service may involve a call to prayer, with people making their way to the "?altar?" to seek God in prayer. The sermon is designed to move people to action, not necessarily to expound a text. The preacher wants to bring the worshipers to an encuentro con Dios (an encounter with God). The climax here is the manifestation of the Pentecostal experience of the second chapter of Acts upon the congregation in the visible display of the coming of the Spirit upon the people. The worshipers come expecting to be baptized by the Spirit, to be healed of disease, and to be "?slain by the Spirit.?" The typical worshiper leaves with a sense of emotional release and spiritual rejuvenation. Hispanic worship is by no means staid. It is in constant flux. Churches are including the latest developments in technology in their worship. Some evangelicals are borrowing from the Pentecostals; and some Pentecostals are becoming less spontaneous and more sophisticated. Yet, they still continue to reflect in their worship the Hispanic culture.