YOUTH MIGRATION FROM FOURSQUARE TO NEW GENERATION CHURCHES IN FESTAC REGION

Abstract

This study was on youth migration from Foursquare to new generation churches in fectac region. Three objectives were raised which included: To find out the proffer factors responsible for the migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region, Lagos, to find out whether the migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region of Lagos is consider as church growth and to find out responsible for this dichotomy. The total population for the study is 75 youths resident at festac region of Lagos state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies. The study recommended that by virtue of emotional intelligence, concerted efforts must be made by Foursqaure Churches welfare and counselling teams to meet the various needs of their youth.

Chapter one

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

Following the testimonies of the early Church immediately after Pentecost included reports that many were added to their number day by day and that their number increased (Acts 2:47; 4:4; 6:7). This numerical growth of the early Church was important to ensure its continued existence. It is without doubt that attendance to church services and programmes is key to determine and sustain Christian churches and fellowships. When church membership declines, there are fundamental and foundational lapses which are pointers to the fact that the health of that church has been compromised. Currently, it has been noted that some mission or historic churches around the globe have recorded low attendance to the extent that some have closed down(Achim Gyimah, 2013). The global picture is grim, especially in the developed world. Between the years 2000 and 2017 in the United States of America, the Roman Catholic Church closed down churches while the Evangelical Lutheran Church closed 150 churches after losing 200,000 members, majority of whom are youth, due to decline in attendance and drift to other churches. The United Methodist Church also closed 65 of its churches for similar reasons Church growth in Africa, particularly Nigeria, can best be described in the context of this study as “robbing Peter to pay Paul”. That is, members of one church moving to another church. Recently, it appears there is a lot of internal migration of church membership especially the youth from one local church to another as compared with converts that join the local churches from different faiths (Islam, Traditional Religions and others). This has gained considerable attention by some scholars (Aboagye Aryeh, 2018)

According to Larbi, “the numerical strength of the Pentecostal movement is found both with the classical Pentecostals and neo-Pentecostals. This trend has led one commentator to refer to the phenomenon as Pentecostal explosion. The movement has penetrated the very centre of the historic churches, as key figures come under the influence of the Pentecostals. Victor Counted shares the opinion that “in traditional churches today, it appears that youths’ migration to Pentecostalism is already on-going and gradually attracting concern(Benyah, 2019) On the other hand, church leaders in Pentecostal churches are progressively creating more flexible youth-driven frameworks.”  This Pentecostal influence and penetration is seen in the movement of the youth from historic mission churches to Pentecostal and Charismatic churches in Nigeria especially Festac region. Asamoah-Gyadu also points out that in Ghana “some churches are declining numerically and others are enjoying new leases of life in the face of challenges from the context that has become religiously pluralistic. This statement follows an opinion he shares with Barret who “postulated that the phenomenological growth in African Christianity would weigh more in favour of ‘younger’ churches than the older Western ones,” that is, the historic mission churches (Kroger, J, Martinussen, 2010). As this fight progresses”, it is evident that, the omnipotence of historic Protestantism” and Roman Catholicism “is collapsing in the face of Pentecostal” and Charismatic growth in Nigeria today and in Africa at large. Cephas Omenyo suggests that, this Pentecostal growth in Nigeria, Africa and worldwide is the result of “new separate churches or massive loss of members to African Initiated Churhes (AICs), to Neo-Pentecostal or to Classical Pentecostal churches (Manna, S. “2017). These Pentecostal churches do not exist just for a numerical growth only, but to some extent, for their interest in the prolefiration of churches in Nigeria through the instrumentality of African breakaways which already post treat and fear on historic mission churches. Based on this the researcher wants to investigate the youth migration from Foursquare Church to new generation churches in Festac region

Statement of the problem

The proliferation of churches in today may suggest that some Christians would change churches like clothes. It is therefore possible that a person can be a member of more than one church. This phenomenon is noticeable among the youth. People join the local churches day in and day out. Some join these churches through evangelistic activities of various forms whiles others become members of the local church on their own. This youth migration pathogen is gradually infecting the continent of Africa as some mission churches in West Africa continue to lose membership while the Pentecostal, Neo-Pentecostal and Charismatic churches have seen a surge in membership. The Church of Pentecost recently has seen an outburst in church growth with particular focus on the youth ministry. Even though the Foursquare Church of among the mission churches recorded an appreciable upsurge in youth growth, is facing youth migration, and subsequent low turnout of the youth to church services. How can this phenomenon (the movement of the youth from one church to another) be considered as church growth? What is responsible for this dichotomy? What is the proffer factors responsible for the migration trend and suggest remedies to tackle it.

Objective of the study

The objective of the study is to ascertain the causes of youth migration from foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region. The specific objectives are;

1. To find out the proffer factors responsible for the migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region, Lagos
2. To find out whether the migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region of Lagos is consider as church growth
3. To find out responsible for this dichotomy

Research question

The study formulated the following research question;

1. What is the proffer factors responsible for the migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region, Lagos?
2. Does the migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region of Lagos is consider as church growth?
3. What is responsible for this dichotomy?

Research hypotheses

The study formulated the following research hypotheses

H0: there are no proffer factors responsible for the migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region, Lagos

H1: there are proffer factors responsible for the migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region, Lagos

H0: there is no migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region of Lagos is consider as church growth

H2: there is migration of youth from Foursquare church to new generation churches in festac region of Lagos is consider as church growth

H0: there is no responsible for this dichotomy

H3: there is responsible for this dichotomy

Significance of the study

This research work will assist churches, ministries, pastors, etc in discovering the vital roles youths play in the life of a Church as they are the leaders of tomorrow and future of every church. From this research, we will discover what a healthy church is like and how youth life style can boost church growth. This research is very significant because youths are the future of every organization especially the Church. Many, if not all church denominations in Nigeria have been affected by the change in the lifestyles of their youths. The researcher aims at digging the root cause, the effect and the appropriate way of solving the worldly lifestyles affecting our youth ministries so that organizations, parents and youth will benefit from the research findings and the main causes of youth migration from Foursquare church to new generation churches. The study will also serve as a reference to other researcher that will embark on the related topic

Scope and limitation of the study

The scope of the study covers the youth migration from Foursquare church to new generation churches. The study will be limited to youths in festac region of Lagos state

Limitations of study

Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8   Definition of terms

Many terms have been used in this work but few uncommon English terms are defined below.  These definitions should be understood in their utility for our purpose:

Youth Ministry: Youth Ministry, also commonly referred to as youth group, is an age-specific religious ministry. Faith groups or other religious organizations carry out youth ministry to involve and engage with young people who attend their places of worship, or who live in their community.

Church Growth: is a movement within evangelical Christianity which focuses on developing methods to grow churches based on business marketing strategies.

Youth: Youth is the time of life when one is young, but often means the time between childhood and adulthood (maturity).

Life style: Lifestyles define us; they are the way we live our lives, what we do, with whom, where, how and what we use to do it.

 Migration: the process or act of migrating. a migratory movement: preparations for the migration. a number or body of persons or animals migrating together

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