Theses and Dissertations

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    The Role of Television in Evangelism :a Survery of the Nairobi Area
    (2014-05-27) Mweu, Peter Bernard
    The aim of this study was to investigate the part played by television as perceived by the people who live within the precinct of Nairobi. It attempts to find out the implications that this perceived role of television as a medium of communication might have on the proclamation of the gospel. It was a descriptive study that was done by using closed and open-ended questions designed to gather relevant data on the viewing of both commercial and Christian television programs, motivations for watching television, and viewing habits. The instrument was administered and so provided data for analysis. The gathered data from respondents together with corresponding interpretation provided answers to the research questions that were asked. Based on the research findings, possible conclusions and recommendations were made to stake holders within church and para-church organizations on the utility of television media for the purpose of preaching the gospel. Findings of this study showed that most Nairobians watch both commercial and Christian television. Research data showed that people in Nairobi turn to television for its capacity to inform, educate and entertain. Most respondents are motivated to understand and learn how to cope with their changing society and lifestyle. Others desire to watch TV to get a biblical perspective on moral and political issues. The church remains the place most people would rather go, and most people will not watch Christian TV programs instead of going to church. Strong, healthy families are important, and many respondents sense that TV can function to help uphold the traditional family and the biblical concept of family values. In particular, they are not attracted to the prosperity doctrine. TV plays an insignificant part in .the shaping of attitudes and ideas to many Nairobians, but they suggest that TV might play a complimentary role to the Church. For this to be achievable, both producers and viewers need to hold the medium up to standards of spiritual, moral, and artistic integrity.
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    Analysis and Critique of Traditional Explanations of African Indipendency : a case study of the Eternity Worship Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
    (2014-05-26) Weah, Jackson Garpu
    In the last two decades a new phenomenon has occurred within African Christianity. There has been a proliferation of new religious groups, churches and ministries which for the most part have seceded from the classical African Initiated Churches or among themselves. These movements arose in the wake of the collapsed economic and political systems in the decade of the 1980s. The failure of nationstates created massive disillusionment which resulted in many Africans turning to these popular religions as a place believed to give full participation and satisfaction. This present work attempts to tell the story of the Eternity Worship Centre as an example ofthis new phenomenon by utilizing oral history, relying heavily on the memories of the founding members. It aims at analyzing and critiquing the traditional explanations of African independency which states that Africa Initiated Churches emerged as a result of revolting against legitimate missionary leadership. The first chapter/ introduction state the purpose, significance and methodology of this task and review some of the relevant literature. The next four chapters tell the story of the Eternity Worship Centre and its secession from the Rhema Fellowship. The second chapter briefly traces the background of Christianity in Africa as well as the rise and traditional explanations of African independency. Chapter three mainly focus on the rise of the new phenomenon (popular religion) in Africa in the decade of the 1980s and concluded with the history of Rhema Fellowship and the birth of Eternity Worship Centre. Chapter four highlights the analysis and influences on the Eternity Worship Centre by different religious forces. Chapter five takes a careful look at the factors which were responsible for the secession of Eternity Worship Centre from the Rhema Fellowship. The thesis concluded with lessons, recommendations, and future of the new phenomenon in Africa in Chapter six.
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    A study on Conversion from Islam to Christianity among the Borana Women in Nairobi, Kenya with Implications for Christian Witness.
    (2014-05-23) Murumba, Pauline Cherop
    The Borana MBB women are converts from Islam to Christianity. The Borana in Nairobi originated from Isiolo, Moyale and Marsabit. Some of them have lived in Nairobi all their lives though their parents migrated from the rural area. The Borana are part of the wider Oromo people group. The dominant religion among the Borana is Islam but there are also minority Christians among them. This study is an attempt to understand the conversion process of the Borana MBB women living in Nairobi. It applies Rambo's model of understanding conversion with regard to the experiences of these women. The changes resulting from the conversion are also examined. This study employs the ethnographic research method to gain insight into the experiences of the Borana MBB women. Being a phenomenon that touches human behavior, the research has preferred this anthropological research method in order to establish what cannot be studied scientifically. For better understanding of this complex phenomenon, the study has used Kraft's worldview theory of relationships as the running theme together with Love's concepts of 'encounters'. Through the findings of this study, it has been established that the Borana MBB women mostly came to Christ after they faced some form of crisis in their lives at the personal, social and the supematurallevels. The agent who left the greatest impact in the life of the informant is the one who came into their life at the point of crisis. Power encounter greatly contributed to conversion through healing and deliverance from evil spirits. Upon conversion, the convert came not only to Christ but also to the body of Christ, the church. This called for a smooth transition that could reduce 'culture shock' to the new convert as was often experienced. Recommendations are made out of the findings with proposals that can be applied in ministry to the Borana Muslim women in particular and Muslims in general. There is need for better understanding of the specific needs of Muslim women in order to reach them better with the gospel of Christ. The MBB should be empowered to become an agent of the gospel of Christ in his family and community at large. This will only happen if she has proper follow up and sound discipleship that can strengthen the new convert.
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    An Examination of factors Affecting Church Growth of Good News Africa Gospel Church in Nairobi, Kenya
    (2014-05-21) Ouma, James
    The study stemmed from the need to understand the factors that have hindered quantitative church growth at Good News Africa Gospel Church (GNAGC) despite its location in a densely populated area in Nairobi. It became apparent that the results of such an undertaking would provide both theoretical and practical platform for the development of sound mission strategies that would cause the church to advance towards God's intention for it. There are abundant literature that covers church growth phenomenon and principles pertinent to the biblical and practical ways that deal with churches. However, recent African scholarships have paid little attention to church growth phenomenon irrespective of increasing challenges that several churches are experiencing especially in fast growing cities in Africa. The 35 participants interviewed in the study were drawn from the GNAGC and other churches where former members of GNAGC fellowship on Sunday. Frequency tables and cross-tabulation were generated using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Software application in order to provide deep insights of the variables under investigation. The findings of the study have shown that the GNAGC was not growing quantitatively as the church expected because of problems related to lack of commitment by church leaders particularly in the area of evangelism. It was concluded that GNAGC was not growing quantitatively. This conclusion paved way for recommendations that appeal to the need for church leadership to come up with programs that will foster togetherness and team work in the church for effective communication and common vision.
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    Factors that Influence the Attitudes of Adolescents Towards Christian Religious Education in Nairobi secondary schools /
    (2014-05-19) Jusu, John Kpaleh
    This research was designed to determine the factors that influence the attitude of students towards Christian religious education. Consequently, the present research faced a dual purpose. In the first place, it sought to identify the type of attitude students in Nairobi secondary schools offering CRE as an examinable subject express towards CRE and secondly to ascertain the demographic and pedagogical variables that may be related to such attitudes. Two hundred and twenty-two (222) Forms 2 and 3 students were randomly selected from six schools operating the local 8.4.4 system of education to make the research sample. The students were requested to rank by preference the subjects they were taking in the present term of the research. From the rank lists, two groups of students were identified: those who ranked CRE high and those who ranked CRE low. These two categories of students formed the bases for the examination of the factors that were considered to influence the attitudes of students towards CRE. The crosssectional design was used and the instrument for data collection was designed after the Likert Method and Scaling. The student version of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used for analyses of data collected. The research revealed that generally, students have a positive attitude towards CRE, but the positive attitude was not related to demographic factors of age, level of education, Church attendance, involvement in Church activities and gender. The attitude of students was related to pedagogical factors. The students' perception of the role of CRE in the curriculum, the content and approach of CRE, and the textbooks used in CRE were found to be related to the attitudes of students towards CRE. Students generally accept the role of CRE in the curriculum as worthwhile. Unlike those with a negative attitude towards CRE, students with a positive attitude towards CRE have a favorable disposition towards the content of CRE, the approach teachers use for CRE and the textbooks used in CRE. Notably, the research revealed that students do not generally perceive their teachers as honest, friendly and dependable, they are, generally further convinced that their teachers do not know them very well.
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    Contributions of Karen Bible School to the Growth of the Churches in the Free Pentecostal Fellowship of Kenya in Nairobi between 1991 - 2001
    (2014-05-19) Kumu-malengo, Molongola Motitya
    To prepare and equip church workers through training is crucial and a matter of concern for both the church and the associating theological institutions. This study was done to find out the contributions of Karen Bible School which foster in the growing of the churches in the FPFK in Nairobi. The contributions of Karen Bible School depend on the results of the training it does to produce competent church workers who serve in the ministries of the church for the Lord.The study was done through documents of the school, interview conducted with the school authority,particularly with the Dean of Studies, and a questionnaire administered to graduates of between 1991-200] and local church leaders of Free Pentecostal Fellowship of Kenya. The information was gathered through a set of closed-end and open-ended questions contained in questionnaire in Appendices A, B and C. The closed-ended items were rated in the model of Likert Scale. The responses analyzed quantitatively with frequency count and then percentages calculated, while responses from openended items were analyzed qualitatively. Findings revealed that Karen Bible School has contributed to the growth of the churches in the Free Pentecostal Fellowship of Kenya through training church workers, most of whom are in full time ministry. They were equipped and are active teaching believers in the congregations, training other workers and evangelizing to win people for God. Some of the graduates are in leadership positionsand make policies for the churches.
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    Rastafarianism : a Nairobi case study
    (2014-05-19) Reed, Curtis D
    The origin of the Church in Africa is often associated with the coming of Western missionaries sometime in the nineteenth century after the birth of Christ. This, however, is a misnomer, for there have been African expressions of Christianity dating back to the fourth century AD. Egypt, Nubia (Cush) and Ethiopia (Abyssinia) each had Christian religious statements as direct informants to their respective cultures. In particular, Ethiopian Christianity and history survives as an ideological source for the emergence and sustenance of several modern African Christian cults, sects and denominations. One of the most popular African Christian expressions is that of Rastafarianism. Since its humble beginnings in the 1930's on the island of Jamaica, Rastafarianism has risen to become a universal phenomenon, captivating the hearts and minds of millions of African people all over the world. In addition, many whites have also embraced Rastafarianism as its beliefs have been drastically modified over the past thirty years. The African Evangelical Church and African governments have been at odds with Rastafarianism from the time of its inception. This conflict, however, is more than theological, it is also socio-cultural and socio-economical. The city of Nairobi, Kenya is an interesting microcosm of the relationship between Rastafarianism, the Evangelical Church and African government. As such Nairobi serves as the geographical locus of a case study approach to Rastafarian analysis and dialogue with other societal institutions. The story of Rastafarianism is an important one, having many implications to current African society and its institutions, namely the Church and State. That is the nature of this study, and it is pursued from an African perspective as distinct from the .missionary or ecumenical approaches to the telling and interpretation of African history.
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    Effective Leadership Development in Urban Kenyan Churches : an evaluation of Key Leadership PrinciplesTaught on theInternship Programmes of Five Select Nairobi Churches
    (2014-05-19) Kikuyu, David Masidza
    This study was an evaluation of key principles of leadership that are taught on the internship programme of five select churches in Nairobi. The primary method of data collection was by way of a questionnaire. This questionnaire consisted primarily of close-ended questions, mainly due to the nature of the research. Its intention was to determine the perspective of the respondents in regards to the principles of leadership taught to them on their respective internships. In order to derive this information adequately, the researcher developed three research questions. He further raised twenty nine items that would clarify in detail the intention of the research questions posed. It was faintly discovered that there were three key principles of leadership which were taught on these internship programmes in general. These were Planning, Delegation and Vision. However, it was also observed that principles of leadership are not strongly taught on the internship programmes of these five churches.
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    The Educational Level of the Boy Child in the Low Economic Class Estatesopf Nairobi Kenya : case study of Kawangware
    (2014-05-16) Omagwa, Samwel Atunga
    Kawangware is a small market suburb located about 11 kilometres west of the capital city of Kenya - Nairobi. Most of the residents belong to the low-income class. It's inhabited by 86,000 people and most of them provide domestic and support services to the neighboring suburbs. Amongst the things that one notice on visiting the area are the number of boys loitering around and ferrying various goods to the market, instead of being in school. This study explores the Educational Level of the boy child in Kawangware, and the factors that cause a significant number of boys not to attend school. A qualitative research design employing ethnographic tradition was used for study. Data was collected using face-to-face open-ended interviews. The findings revealed that many covert factors hinder the educational level of the boy child in Kawangware. Twelve themes emerged to explain these factors. The researcher concluded that there is a dire need to facilitate and offer solutions to these hindrances, which impede meaningful education to the boy child in Kawangware. Although the findings in this research offer implications to the Church, government and non-governmental organisations and the society in general, the recommendations provided are limited to the role the Church can play to alleviate the suffering of the boy child. At least one other research topic arose out of this investigation; in order to grasp deeper insights into the educational level of the boy child in Kawangware and to establish more effective strategies to help them, the researcher recommends a further study that explores the social life of the boy child in a home context. Based on the findings, the educational level of the boy child is in dire need of help and the church and society must be challenged and be engaged in this issue in meeting their felt needs.
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    An Investigation into the factors that Influenced Numerical Growth of Deliverance Church Eistleigh in Nairobi, Kenya from 1981 to 2006
    (2014-05-16) Lang'at, Joshua Kibet
    The purpose of this research was to bring to light the factors that influenced the growth of Deliverance Church Eastleigh (DCE) from a congregation of 500 in 1981 to a congregation of2500 in 2006. One of the main reasons that made it necessary to carry out this research is because many Churches struggle with the issue of Church growth. By making these factors aware, such Churches are able to compare their methods with the methods used at DCE and thus be able to determine which methods work for them best. The research was carried out using qualitative method of research where 32 participants were interviewed using open ended, .semi-structured questions. The findings were analysed and it was discovered that the major factors that caused growth in the Church were effective leadership, committed members, effective church activities and meetings, effective departments, evangelism, missions and follow-up and good administration. The main factor that stood out as a major influence on the other factors of growth was effective leadership.