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Often overlooked is the point of contact that children offer. Umbanda is an adult religion. Children become acquainted with the religion at home in only an informal way. Vacation Bible classes held in homes in working class neighborhoods attract large numbers of children. It is an excellent opportunity to teach salvation in the context of a Christian view of the world. Classes held once a week for an extended period of time are more likely to relate the Christian host family with the nonbelieving parents.

Christians should be aware of a great amount of variety existing among spiritist groups. Furthermore, spiritists in general and Umbandists in particular range in involvement from the casual spectator to the highly committed chiefs of centers. A pat answer, a ritual prayer, a standard phrase and gesture of spirit expulsion or a canned presentation of the gospel are not adequate instruments of the Spirit to lead an Umbandist to Christ. They can and are used occasionally by God, but personal involvement with the Umbandist and a prayerful dependence on the Spirit's leading is much better.

Pentecostal Protestantism

In many ways Pentecostal Christianity is ideally suited to reach adherents of Umbanda, especially those who have the mindset of folk Catholicism and are only occasional attenders at centers and seekers of blessing women. What are the elements that make Pentecostalism familiar and attractive?

1. Pentecostals have lively worship services. The songs are often choruses in Brazilian rhythms and are easy to memorize and sing. Preaching is practical and relevant to the people's life situation and the audience is expected to respond with "amens." Testimonies are a regular part of the service. After the message, people are invited to come forward to demonstrate their decision for Christ and to ask for prayer. At this time, sick people are cured and demons are expelled. The pastor and the elders place their hands on the sick and when demons come out, the possessed fall limp to the floor. Sometimes a converted Umbandist will bring his images and paraphernalia in a sack and dump them on the platform to be broken up before the audience. Worship, similar to an Umbanda center, is filled with sound and movement. Conflict with supernatural powers is both seen and felt (Wagner 1973, 101-119).

2. Pentecostal churches train their pastors through the apprenticeship method. Leaders are discipled by pastors and trained in teaching, visiting, healing, casting out demons, and given responsibilities. A faithful deacon will remain on his job while he conducts the services and pastors a small preaching point or home Bible class. Those who are especially fruitful are quick to learn from the formal training, and show loyalty and obedience to the pastor and the church will be given the mission to start a church. If successful, they can expect to pastor the church that has grown under their care (Wagner 1973, 89-100). In this way the Christian church can proliferate as fast as Umbanda centers.

3. Believers are urged to seek the baptism of the Spirit demonstrated in the speaking of tongues. To the Pentecostal, baptism is but the external sign of belief that brings salvation, but the filling with the Spirit leads the believer into service. We do not have to get into a discussion of the meaning of baptism and the work of the Spirit, but it is important that members are encouraged to seek power from God in order to witness, evangelize, pray, and serve. This giving of oneself to service is seen as the highest spiritual blessing (Wagner 1975, 77-88). Umbandists know what submission and service are. They pledge allegiance to a demon and live in bondage and fear. The call to faith in Christ in terms of commitment and loyalty is both reasonable and understandable to an Umbandist (Tippett 1975, 848).

4. Pentecostals take spiritual beings seriously and wage spiritual warfare with them, patterning their ministry after that of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. Pentecostal leader Robert McAlister states, "If a missionary can't cast out demons, he might as well go home" (Maust 1985, 50). A Christian worker may not have the Pentecostal experience, but is assured victory if he or she takes spiritual warfare seriously and puts on the full armor of God (Eph. 6:10-19).



Charles Uken, D. Min., was a church developer with the Christian Reformed World Missions and the Presbyterian Church of Brazil from 1967 to 1985. A graduate of Calvin Seminary, Grand Rapids, he is pastor of Newman Chapel, an outreach ministry of the New Era Christian Reformed Church. Address: 4877 South First St., New Era, MI 49446.


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