Church and youth empowerment: a study of pentecostal missional orientation in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Based on the massive explosion of Pentecostal churches in present-day Nigeria, there is almost no street in Edo State without at least one Pentecostal church in it. This shows the remarkable proliferation of Pentecostal churches in this Nigerian state. However, when turning to the situation of the youth in these churches, many are unemployed. Unemployment is a major problem faced by many people, especially by young school graduates. The youth, and especially those who graduated from tertiary institutions, wander in the streets in search of jobs to enable them to make ends meet and survive in the midst of hardship. However, all of this is futile given the dearth of employment opportunities. Hence, these youths succumb to the temptations of making a living through illegal means such as internet fraud, just to be able to survive and overcome the hardships in society and in the country at large. If nothing is done, the crime rate will only increase and Edo State will no longer be a place conducive to living a decent life. This study sought to address the aforementioned problem area through the following research questions: What orientation do the Pentecostal missions in Edo State have with respect to the challenge of youth empowerment? How and to what extent are Pentecostal churches involved in meeting the challenge of youth empowerment in Edo State? How can Pentecostal missions successfully engage in empowering its youth for national development? The aim of this research was to develop a more informed understanding of the missional orientation of Pentecostal churches and how this orientation impacts on the churches‟ contribution to youth empowerment in Edo State. The study adopted the qualitative research method to achieve these aims. This entailed interviewing church leaders and conducting focus group interviews with youths in selected churches in the Pentecostal tradition. The findings from the focus group and individual interviews conducted respectively with members of the Church of God Mission, Living Faith Church, Omega Fire Ministry, Believer‟s Love World and Foundation Faith Church revealed that Pentecostal churches are struggling to come up with a relevant strategy or program with regards to youth empowerment. This is because the Pentecostal churches display little strategic orientation to tackle the issue of youth unemployment, whether through their teachings or practical actions. The study, as part of its recommendations, suggests that Pentecostal churches should not wait for government to solve the issue of youth unemployment, but rather, take a leading role in addressing this challenge. iii Aspects of such a role are spelled out in more concrete terms and in greater detail towards the end of the study.