DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING AND ITS EFFECTS ON REFUGEE CHURCH MEMBERS IN SELECTED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES OF SOUTH SUDANESE IN KENYA

Abstract

This study investigated discipleship training and its effects on refugee church members in selected Presbyterian Churches of South Sudanese in Kenya. It sought to establish whether or not discipleship training has impacted refugee church members. Before the start of the study, it was realized that civil war in South Sudan led thousands of casualties who fled their home country to refugee camps in Kenya, Uganda and the neighbouring countries. Most of these refugees became traumatized by the impact of war. There was need to disciple them to heal from trauma. The study therefore investigated how discipleship training has impacted refugee church members. The study was conducted as a case study design. Data was collected using interview method from a sample of twenty refugees in selected Presbyterian churches of South Sudanese in Kenya. The study found out that discipleship training is a key factor in the growth of the refugee church members. The training positively impacted the lives of refugee church members to the extent that they become responsible in the church. The training was also an avenue for leadership development. Majority of the refugee church members were new young believers who were in need of basic Bible training. Inadequate counselling sessions became a big issue because the refugees needed a lot of counselling sessions to heal their wounds and be empowered to live a balanced life. Leadership training was also inadequately done in most of the churches yet leadership development is very critical to the development of the refugee church members. Discipleship training takes a long process. For one to implement the biblical leadership principles during the training session there is need for prayer, patience, godly love, individual personal attention as well as the example of the disciple for discipleship to bring about positive results. The researcher concluded that refugee church members’ discipleship training is very important and cannot be ignored while suggesting four points of effective discipleship training; developing discipleship training materials, contextualizing discipleship programs to the refugee situation, discipleship training should develop lay leaders and discipleship training should be taught as a required course in Christian Education. Based on this study, the researcher recommends the need of the church to rectify the situations that need attention in the area of discipleship training.