Influence of Youth Empowerment Programs in Nurturing Responsirle Christian Adults in Gospel Tarernacly Churches Machakos County 2013-2018
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Date
2023-06
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Th?: youth all over the world face different challenges. The church as part of the
society, has a role to play in helping the youth overcome these challenges. Thus, the
“h“"c'{ runs youth empowerment programs where young people gain ability,
tmt_hon(y, and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives.
This research study explored the influence of these youth empowerment programs in
nurturing responsible Christian adults in Gospel Tabernacle Churches (GTC),
Matun_gulu Sub County in Machakos County. The study was guided by the
following f our objectives: to identify the influence of youth empowerment economic
programs in nurturing responsible Christian adults at GTC Matungulu sub county, to
examine effects of youth empowerment knowledge acquisition programs in
nurturing responsible Christian adults, to evaluate youth empowerment life skill values acquisition programs in nurturing responsible Christian adults and to assess
you?h ‘empowerment gifts and talent development programs in nurturing responsible Christian adults at GTC Matungulu Sub County. The area of study was Matungulu
Sub C_ounty Gospel Tabemnacle Churches (GTC), Machakos County. On the thec;reucal framework, the study used Social Gospel Theory. A descriptive survey design was considered useful. The target population for GTC Matungulu under
study was 825 respondents. They included; 290 registered adult members, 500
youths, 20 church leaders and 15 pastors. However, the sample size comprised of
250 r.espondents. To obtain the study’s sample random and purposive sampling
techniques were used. To collect data for the study, questionnaires and interviews
were used as the research instruments. Narratives of the interviews were recorded
¥hen transcribed. Thereafter, the collected data was analysed, synthesized and finally
interpreted. The findings were presented in percentages, frequency distribution
tables, pie charts and bar graphs. The study’s findings revealed that though GTC
Matungulu Sub County has established youth empowerment programmes that
nurtured the youth to be responsible Christian adults, they are still facing many
challenges. The study concludes that the dominant youth challenges can be dealt
with if the church develops and diversifies her delivery methods of the youth
empowerment programs. Moreover, there is need to immediately to re-examine and
sufficiently renovate the delivery methods of youth empowerment programs. This
can be done through enabling many youths to obtain higher education levels, to
minimize the effects of the dominant youth challenges like poverty by dealing with
it from its source, provision of efficiency resources, frequency of delivery, teaching
content that is well suited to modern times and diversity of delivery methods and
programs. Besides, the age limits for the youths receiving empowerment could be
extended and the church should consider partnering with other stakeholders to assist
the youth. It is hoped that the finding of this study could serve as a wakeup call to
the church, county governments and the national government to come up with
proper policies and implementation frameworks for youth empowerment programs.
Description
A Thesis Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts in Religious Studies of Kenyatta University June , 2023