Influence of Discipleship on Youth Participation in Church Activities within Mainline Protestant Churches in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between discipleship and youth participation among youth in the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), and Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK). Despite the strong presence of Protestant Christianity in Kenya, youth engagement in Nairobi’s mainline Protestant churches remains a concern, yet limited evidence exists on the link between discipleship and youth participation. The study implemented a convergent mixed-methods design guided by Transformational Leadership Theory and Social Learning Theory. The study population included 4,500 youth from nine different youth groups. A final sample of 341 youths was selected through multistage sampling, using purposive and random sampling. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and ordinal logistic regression, while thematic analysis examined the qualitative data. Discipleship had a mean score of 3.52 on a five-point Likert scale. A significant relationship was observed between discipleship and youth participation (χ² = 12.54, p = 0.002). Ordinal logistic regression analysis indicated that increased levels of discipleship were significantly associated with increased odds of youth participation, with odds ratios ranging from 2.25 to 7.52. Qualitative findings indicated that mentorship and follow-ups were aspects of discipleship associated with youth participation. The study found a positive relationship between increased discipleship and youth participation. It recommends that churches strengthen their mentorship programmes, follow up with youth, and train their leaders to engage with youth through mentoring.