The Dynamics of Prayer in the Latino Pentecostal Community

In this biblical, theological, and contextual study of prayer, Dr. Mireya Alvarez argues that Latino Pentecostals practice prayer as a way to enter into the presence of God. In the Latino community, the manifestations of the Holy Spirit are experienced in spontaneous prayers, joyful singing, speaking in tongues, and in an openness to unplanned liturgical movement. For immigrants undergoing culture shock and feelings of disorientation, the church becomes a community of acceptance and consolation where they can cry, laugh, and express unrestrained worship. Alvarez grounds her theology of prayer on a biblical study of Luke-Acts, arguing that Latino Pentecostal prayer aligns with Luke's theology of prayer. Luke-Acts reveals the redemptive-historical acts of God occurring in a context of prayer. Alvarez traces the function of prayer in Pentecostalism, focusing on Hispanic and Latino churches. She interviews Latino immigrants and learns how prayer helped them cope with hardship, grief, depression, and blatant discrimination. Alvarez concludes that Latino churches must keep prayer alive to preserve their vitality and to bring renewal to the church in America. Mireya Alvarez (DMin, New York Theological Seminary) is Academic Dean at the Seminario Biblico Pentecostal Centroamericano in Guatemala and Adjunct Professor at the Pentecostal Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tennessee.