Abstract
This study examines language use in the prefatory remarks of Pastor E. A. Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), focusing on their rhetorical, stylistic, and pragmatic functions in Nigerian Charismatic sermons. The objectives are to identify recurrent prefatory patterns and explore how these linguistic features sustain meaning and achieve the sermon's communicative and spiritual goals. Seventy-two Holy Ghost Service (HGS) sermons delivered between 2006 and 2012 were purposively sampled, and six sermons, three each from March and December services across 2006, 2009, and 2012, were selected for detailed analysis. Findings reveal that prefatory remarks serve as linguo-spiritual tools that engage the audience, mediate meaning, and reinforce the sermon's persuasive and performative effects. The study demonstrates that Adeboye’s strategic use of language in these introductory moves exemplifies the interplay between form, function, and theology in Pentecostal preaching, offering insights into the broader patterns of Nigerian Charismatic discourse.
Keywords: Prefatory Remarks, Nigerian Pentecostal Sermons, Rhetorical strategies, Holy Ghost Service.
