Bridging the fire: A Wesleyan lens on Pentecostal Theology and its implications for discipleship in the Methodist Church Ghana

Fiifi Afenyi-Donkor ORCID iD 

Issue: Vol. 12 No.2 2026 Issue Article 4 pp.64 – 76
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261224| Published online 31st March 2026.
© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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This study examines the growing Pentecostal and charismatic influence within The Methodist Church Ghana, with specific attention to renewal movements such as the “Prayer Tower.” Its purpose is to explore how Pentecostal spirituality can be constructively integrated into Methodist discipleship without compromising Wesleyan theological identity. The research adopted a qualitative, literature-based methodology grounded in hermeneutical and theological analysis, interpreting key Wesleyan and Pentecostal texts to identify convergences and divergences in doctrine and spirituality. Although limited by the absence of fieldwork, the study’s conceptual aim was to develop a theological framework for Spirit-led renewal within Ghana Methodism. Findings reveal shared emphases on sanctification, experiential faith, and openness to the Holy Spirit, alongside differences concerning Spirit baptism and glossolalia. The study proposes contextual strategies for integrating Pentecostal vitality through “Prayer Tower” fellowships, pneumatological education, and Spirit-empowered discipleship within Wesleyan ecclesiology. It recommends intentional theological dialogue, leadership training in charismatic discernment, and structured incorporation of spiritual gifts into Ghanaian Methodist worship and formation. The study contributes to scholarship by advancing Wesleyan–Pentecostal dialogue in Africa, providing a framework for charismatic integration in historic mission churches, and offering a model for Spirit-driven discipleship that bridges Wesleyan holiness with Pentecostal fervour for transformative renewal.

Keywords: Pentecostalism, Wesleyan theology, Methodist Church Ghana, Holy Spirit, discipleship

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Rev’d Fiifi Afenyi-Donkor, M.Div. (Distinction), Trinity Theological Seminary, Accra, Ghana, is an ordained minister of The Methodist Church, Ghana and Personal Assistant to the Presiding Bishop. His research centers on Wesleyan theology, New Testament studies, Mother-Tongue Theology/Translation Studies, and discipleship, emphasizing the integration of personal piety with social and civic responsibility. He employs hermeneutical and historical-theological methods to articulate a biblically grounded, contextually relevant African Christian voice.

Afenyi-Donkor, Fiifi. “Bridging the fire: A Wesleyan lens on Pentecostal Theology and its implications for discipleship in the Methodist Church Ghana.” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies 12, no.2 (2026): https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261224

© 2026 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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