Journal of Sociology, Psychology and Religious

The Impact of Christian Interventions in Rehabilitation of Offenders and Reduction of Recidivism: A Case Study of Kodiaga Maximum Prison, Kisumu County

Maswage Celine Nyamburi — 2025-06-26

Religion has a role in ensuring conformity and regulation of human behavior through moral and ethical guidance. However, deviation from the norms and values results in punitive measures such as incarceration, which is believed to be justice for the aggrieved. Despite the existence of punitive measures, crime continues unabated. Additionally, the probability of ex-inmates reoffending is high. This has been attributed to an extremely high economic state with a high burgeoning need to be satiated. The study assessed the impact of Christian interventions in reducing recidivism and their effectiveness in rehabilitating inmates. Through the authority of scripture, Christianity commands believers not to steal or covet a neighbor’s property but to work with their hands. Thus, when individuals fail to observe such principles, the law catches up with them through punitive incarceration. The study area, the Kodiaga prison, is the largest prison in western Kenya. The study employed a qualitative research method and data collection tools that involved interviews and questionnaires. The pastoral Circle theory was applied because of its great input in defining social issues as crime. The finding posited that several Christian intervention programs bible study, Christian counseling, and mentorship, Music offered at Kodiaga prison had a positive impact on transforming the lives of inmates. This greatly helped the inmates reintegrate and resettle after incarceration, thus reducing the probability of offending.

The Influence of the Practical Implementation of the Great Commission Missiological Praxis on Church Growth Among Mainline Churches in the Busoga Region

David Kitonde Kigya — 2025-08-04

The study aimed to evaluate the influence of the practical implementation of the Great Commission missiological praxis on Church Growth among mainline Churches in the Busoga region. The study employed a descriptive survey design. The target population consisted of 20 church leaders and 100 laity members from 20 mainline congregations in the Busoga region. Primary data was collected using questionnaires. This study employed a fixed sample size of 95 respondents, drawn from 20 mainline Protestant congregations in the Busoga region. From each congregation, a minimum of 5 participants were selected, comprising 1 church minister, 1 lay leader, and 3 committed members actively involved in the church's ministry, particularly in areas of discipleship and evangelism. A pretest of data collection instruments was done in a nearby Buganda region that has similar conditions of church decline to the Busoga region. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of SPSS version 22. The results were presented using frequency tables, percentages, and charts. The study found that the practical implementation of the Great Commission missiological praxis is not widely adopted among mainline churches in the Busoga region, with many churches practicing it at a minimal level. Despite this, almost all respondents (98.7%) agreed that such implementation is crucial for church growth. Although most respondents (76.3%) had accepted Christ, many (73.7%) indicated that there were no deliberate altar calls for new believers, and 78.9% asserted that the church largely relied on biological growth rather than outreach. Additionally, over half (53.9%) of the respondents were unsure about experiencing God's presence during church Sunday services, with 60.5% further agreeing that they became church members through marriage and family subscription, and a significant portion (82.9%) noted the absence of a systematic training program for new believers. Fulfilling the Great Commission by practically implementing the missiological praxis is crucial for both spiritual and numerical growth of mainline churches in the Busoga region. The more these churches apply the missiological practices, the more they are likely to experience growth and establishment. However, many of the mainline churches sampled in this study appear to neglect this approach, which has negatively impacted their influence on church growth in the region. The Church must actively facilitate the fulfillment of the Great Commission by implementing its missiological praxis. This involves developing strategies to engage members in local congregations, encouraging active participation in church activities, and fostering both spiritual and numerical growth through discipleship and outreach initiatives.

Church Organizational Structure Determining Men’s Absenteeism at PCEA Nyeri Presbytery, Nyeri County, Kenya

Priscillah Ndumia — 2025-08-05

Men’s participation in church has raised concerns about the sustainability of congregational engagement, spiritual leadership, and community development efforts. In recent times, churches, researchers, and religious analysts have recorded absenteeism and a declining trend in the attendance of men in the church, both on Sundays and/or weekly church activities. This study thus sought to evaluate the contribution of church structure to men’s absenteeism at the Nyeri Presbytery. The study was guided by classical secularization theory. The study employed a descriptive research design, using stratified sampling to select 131 respondents. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews, then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data. Quantitative data analysis entailed descriptive (percentages and means) and inferential (regression) statistical methods with the aid of Statistical Packages for Social Sciences. The qualitative data were analyzed through themes and patterns. Presentation of analyzed data was through charts, tables, and graphs alongside a discussion to enable inference, conclusion, and recommendations. The study findings indicated that the church organization structure has a positive and significant effect on the absenteeism of men in the church. Additionally, ineffective lay preaching and evangelistic approaches further contributed to disengagement. The study recommended that to address absenteeism, the church must restructure its evangelistic approach, incorporating more interactive and inclusive fellowship programs.