Youth Conversion from Mainstream to Pentecostal Churches: A Case of Selected Churches in Matero and Emmasdale Townships in Lusaka District
Keywords:
Conversion, Pentecostalism, Charismatic Churches, Mainstream Churches
Abstract
The study sought to investigate the reasons that led to youth conversion from mainstream to Pentecostal churches in Emmasdale and in the neighbourhood of Matero. The study was guided by Horton’s intellectualist theory of conversion in Africa. It used a case study design. The method of data collection included semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire. Findings of the study were that, there was automatic conversion taking place among the youths in mainstream churches to Pentecostalism. This was evident in all respondents in mega Pentecostal Church who had a mainstream background. Church leaders in mainstream churches were aware of youth converting to Pentecostal churches by accepting back the youths who had converted to a Pentecostal Church but had later made up their minds to go back. The study further revealed that non-Pentecostal parents supported and encouraged their children who converted to a mega Pentecostal Church owing to incentives such as; scholarships, employment and supportive programmes provided to their children. The study recommends that: sermon presentation should be revised in some mainstream churches. Explaining scriptures should not be exegetical only but linking scriptures to real life struggles of the youth. The church leaders in mainstream churches must formulate programmes that are more practical and youth oriented like charismatic prayer service, provision of scholarship, employment and positions of responsibilities through different ministries within the mainstream churches. Non-Pentecostal parents should not be too sceptical about children who associate themselves with Pentecostalism but encourage them to genuinely convert to this brand of Christianity.References
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2. Anderson, A. (1997) The Origins, Growth and Significance of the Pentecostal movement in the Third World. Paper given at a Postgraduate seminar, University of Leeds November 1997.
3. Asamoah-Gyadu, K.J. (2013) Contemporary Pentecostal Christianity-Interpretations from an African Context. Eugene, Regnum Book International.
4. Carmody, B. (2001) African Conversion. Ndola, Mission Press.
5. Carmody, B. (1998) Conversion and Jesuit schooling in Zambia. New York, E. J. Brill.
6. Cheyeka, A.M. (2006) “Charismatic Churches and their Impact on Mainline Churches in Zambia”. The Journal of Humanities, 5 (1), 54-71.
7. Cheyeka, A. M. (2009) Towards a history of the Charismatic churches in post-colonial Zambia. In Jan-Bart Gewald, Marja Hanfelaar, Giacomo Macola (eds.) One Zambia Many Histories: Towards A History of Zambia. Lusaka, Brill.
8. Chitando, E. (2002) A Study of Gospel Music in Zimbabwe. Uppsala, Nordic African Institute.
9. Gadsden, F. (1992) Education and society in colonial Zambia. In Chipungu (ed.) Guardians in their Time. London, Macmillan Press.
10. Gray, R. (1978) Christianity and Religious change in Africa. In Carmody (ed.), African Conversion (pp. 80-83). Ndola, Mission Press.
11. Hollenweger, W. (1997) Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide. Peabody Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishers.
12. Hunt S. J. (2002) Deprivation and Western Pentecostalism Revisited: Neo-Pentecostalism. Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Pentecostalism and Charismatic Movements, 1 (2), 105-125.
13. Lonergan, B. (1992) Method in Theology. New York, Herder and Herder.
14. Lumbe, J.M.K. (2008) Origins and Growth of Pentecostal and Neo Pentecostal Church Movements in Zambia Between 1989-2000, (Master’s thesis). The University of South Africa, South Africa.
15. Ojo, A.M. (1988) The church in the African State: The Charismatic Pentecostal Experience in Nigeria. Journal of African Thought, 1 (2), 932-1002.
16. Patton, M.Q. (1990) Qualitative Education and Research Methods. Newburg Park, CA: Sage Publications Inc.
17. Robeck, J. & Cecil, M. (2006) An Emerging Magisterium? The Case of the Assemblies of God, Pneuma. The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, 25 (2), 164-215.
Published
2020-06-30
How to Cite
Muyuni, A. and Cheyeka, A. (2020) “Youth Conversion from Mainstream to Pentecostal Churches: A Case of Selected Churches in Matero and Emmasdale Townships in Lusaka District”, Journal of Law and Social Sciences, 4(2), pp. 14-20. doi: https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jlss.4.2.468.
Section
Social Sciences