The Rise of ‘New Generation’ Churches in Kerala Christianity

Abstract

It is 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning, the official day of worship in many Muslim countries. Migrant workers and their families arrive in the hundreds to the Heavenly Feast worship service in Jleeb Al-Shuyouk, Kuwait, locally called Abbassiya, the enclave of Malayalee immigrants in Kuwait. This is one of the fastest growing churches in Kerala and in Kuwait. Men and women, youth and children, fill the 500-seat auditorium quickly. The worship leader, who is a young man in his twenties wearing jeans and a T-shirt accompanied by an electronic keyboard, leads the congregation in song. The multi-layered sounds from the keyboard make it seem as though there is an entire orchestra hidden behind the curtains. The majority of churches in Kuwait worships on the National Evangelical Church of Kuwait compound located in Kuwait City which functions as the official and legitimate place of worship. Because of the limitation of space on the compound, scores of churches meet in basements, hotels, villas, schools, and auditoriums such as the one I am visiting today. The auditorium fills with the sound of audience’s clapping along to popular worship songs sung in many of the Pentecostal churches in Kerala. The service is almost entirely in Malayalam, the language spoken in Kerala, interspersed with English phrases and worship songs. Throughout, the worship leader encourages the audience to shake hands with their neighbors with instructions for declarations such as, “I am going to be blessed today.” The worship medley of more than ten hymns strung together flows from one song to the next, interspersed with shouts of “Hallelujahs.” About an hour into the singing, the pastor comes on the stage. He appears to be in his late thirties, wears a short sleeve shirt and dark trousers, and continues to lead the congregation in the singing. He declares victory and deliverance over evil spirits, specifically calling out spirits of suicide and addictions. He goes on to declare, “We will see even greater things ... we will fill this hall, we will fill a stadium full of people. We will have worship in every language in Kuwait!” A spirit of expectation and anticipation is palpable in the room.