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