Spiritual Formation in the Pentecostal African American Church: What Factors Most Influence Perceptions

The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study involved a sample size of 12 participants was to explore how believers perceived their own spiritual formation journey and whether length of time as a practicing Christian and regular attendance at worship services had any impact on their perceptions. The research occurred in four predominantly African American Pentecostal Churches in Oakland, California with participant interviews and sermon observations. The central research question sought a deeper understanding of how African American believers in the Pentecostal church grow spiritually through learning and practicing of the spiritual disciplines and if the variables of time and regular attendance at worship services had an impact on the believer’s perceptions. Spiritual formation was defined as how individuals believe they are progressing in their spiritual growth to become more like Christ. The theories considered in this study are Fowler’s (1981) Faith Development Theory and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (1984). The study found that most participants perceived that their spiritual formation was enhanced through using their faith practices while experiencing life challenges, by increasing their practices of prayer and worship services and keeping a positive mindset about God. The study did not find that perceptions differed amongst believers based on their length of time as a practicing Christian. However, attendance at worship services along with a strong practice of prayer were identified as variables that influenced perceptions of spiritual formation.