ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CHRISTIAN WORSHIP: A THEOLOGICAL DISCOURSE

The question of what constitutes Christian worship has been a front burner in Christian theological discourse for many years. The general perception of many Christians on the subject of worship, gives a picture that Christian worship is about singing, clapping and dancing, however, a close observation reveals that Christian worship is much more than that. The aim of this paper is to analyze the role of oral communication in Christian worship from a philosophic-theological perspective. The methods adopted to achieve the above task are the phenomenological, historical and critical analysis methods. The findings show that Christian worship is deeply intertwined with oral communication, serving as a primary means of dialogue and reinforcing faith. Effective oral communication in a worship service occurs during sermon delivery, Scriptural interpretation by clergies, prayers, and hymns singing. It helps congregants get involved in the worship activities that promote both individual spiritual growth and communal bonding. It also enhances the clarity and impact of religious messages, promotes congregational participation, and strengthens togetherness. The paper concludes that oral communication in Christian worship promotes dialogue between God and congregants through spoken prayers and hymn singing, and dialogue between one congregant to another through the order of worship, storytelling and proverbial sayings.