My background is: some time spent in Mainline church, and mostly in Pente churches, now as a pastor – last 15 yrs.

I too get a little upset with the lack of content in people’s praise to God, and yes it is all too easy to mutter words without much meaning attached to them. I think people in pente churches do sometimes babble on a bit unnecessarily, and without much deeper thought. Often in prayer there are more Hallelujahs, ‘praise you jesus’s’ than meaningful content.

As a pente pastor I like to encourage more thoughtfulness in expressing praise to God, for example in our services, perhaps after a rousing song, I call for people to thank and praise God for who He is, and all He has done. Rarely do I cop a lot of ‘Pente mantra’, but rather, sensible and intelligent words of adoration and worship to our Lord. And yet, there are moments when the congregation is caught up in a symphony of rapturous praise that can hardly be expressed quietly, or with only a few well placed words. Rather, people lift the cry of there hearts to God, sometimes shouting His praise, yes, even repetitiously. But why is repetition so evil, if it is the genuine cry of the heart? it may offend some traditions, but that doesn’t make it wrong. (I do oppose mindless and vain repetition though). Other times our praise is expressed through silence.

Pentecostal style worship and praise, if led well, can foster an expression of praise that is both intelligent (full of content) and an expression of the emotional cry of human hearts . Our tradition may not be perfect, and certainly there are extremes, but, I for one, love the way we do worship, and praise God.

What is praise? Dictionary meanings are helpful, but, for me it is the personal or corporate expression of deep gratitude and thanks to a loving and gracious God, offered up in a variety of ways: speaking, silent, singing, crying, laughing, thinking, articulating, reasoning, pausing, meditating, demonstrating, body, soul, and spirit, both in church, and right throughout the week.

Here’s an uncommon question from a Pente pastor.

Why do Pentecostal churches continue to use the term ‘Praise and worship’ to describe the fast and slower songs, respectively, in the song section of a worship service. It remains a continual annoyance. I don’t loose sleep over it though, I just try to better educate people.

(withhold name please)