Student’s Perception of Religious Practices and Spiritual Maturity within Pentecostalism

Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how 10 Pentecostal-Charismatic
college students perceived the influence of Pentecostal-Charismatic religious practices on their
spiritual maturity in Florida. All Christian denominations are distinctive and identified by name,
style of leadership, doctrine, beliefs, practices, and spiritual activity. One of Pentecostals
distinctive beliefs, adherents are taught from scripture that the initial evidence of being baptized
in the Holy Spirit—speaking in tongues (e.g., Acts 2:4, 10:45–46). To explore this phenomenon,
the researcher interviewed college students and a campus pastor, and students responded to a
spiritual maturity index as a questionnaire to determine the student’s level of spiritual maturity.
Current findings revealed students who received the baptism in the Holy Spirit identified two
spiritual gifts given with their experience—speaking in tongues, and prophetic utterance. These
students perceived the gift of tongues, the prophetic, and the gift of healing enhanced lives.
Therefore, with this positive perception, these college students shared their gifting in worship
services, with friends and family, and even with strangers. However, the study failed to find a
direct connection between students’ perception of the spiritual gifts and how it influences
spiritual maturity.
Keywords: Pentecostals, charismatics, religiosity, spirituality, agape love, speaking in
tongues, prophecy/prophetic, gift of healing, baptism in the Holy Spirit