Digital Pentecostalism in Indonesia: Transformation of worship and virtual community

Abstract

The digital age has radically changed how religious communities worship, and the Pentecostal church is no exception. This article explores Digital Pentecostalism, focusing on how Indonesian Pentecostal congregations have capitalised on the changing worship, virtual community and new media in 2020–2024. Using qualitative methods through literature analysis, this study highlights key transformations in Pentecostal practice, including blending digital technology with preserving traditional Pentecostal aspects such as prophecy, speaking in tongues and healing ministry. This article also discusses the challenges and opportunities for connectedness in virtual communities, social media, spiritual authenticity and spiritual engagement in an increasingly digital world. The findings show that digital platforms offer a new way to engage in this digital transformation. However, they also raise questions about the authenticity, intimacy and spiritual implications of Pentecostal virtual worship.

Contribution: This study contributes to understanding how to redefine church membership in ecclesiology, analyses digital platforms as sacred spaces in media studies, studies embodied worship in virtual settings in anthropology, and studies the connectedness of prayer as a part of psychology and sociology.