MASS EXODUS OF YOUTHS FROM MAINLINE CHURCHES IN NIGERIA: THE WAY FORWARD

Abstract

This research investigated the declining Youth attendance to main-line churches in Nigeria with particular interest in Anglican and Roman Catholic church denominations.   The specific objectives of the study was that it examined some of the factors and effects of the declining of youth attendance to the above mentioned churches and other main-line churches in Nigeria. The principal findings of this study  revealed  that  exclusion of the youths  in the decision-making of the church has obviously led to a huge declining of youth attendance to main-line churches. Moreover, the thrust of this research is to find some possible solutions to the declining youth attendance to main-line churches in Nigeria. Scholars have highlighted a series of reasons for the declining , such as being that the churches are too focused on power and money, too involved in politics, or they are too focused on their theological rules. The paper x-rayed these factors to find a way forward out of the problem under study. To achieve this goal, the paper adopted primary and secondary sources through oral communication and library materials as the main method for data collection. Analytical method was also adopted for data analysis. The paper thereby, recommended that  main-line  churches should intensify more efforts towards including the youths  in Church leadership responsibilities. Furthermore, the various churches should make efforts towards training of the youth in all areas of Church leadership in preparations for further inclusion and engagement in leadership .In this way, it is believed that  the mass exodus of the youths from the main-line churches would be reduced to the barest minimum.