ASSESSING THE CHURCH STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING DIVORCE CASES OF AFRICA INLAND CHURCH, STAREHE SUB COUNTY, NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA.

Abstract

The main objective of this study was assessing the Strategy of addressing divorce cases in Africa Inland Church. It identified factors leading to divorce among families, and also examined the level of awareness of the type of support given to members by the Church; determined effects of divorce in the establishment of the infrastructure of the church and also it established the strategies adopted by church to address divorce cases. The study was conducted in Starehe Sub County in Nairobi County, targeting the Africa Inland church. Church leaders and members of the church were involved to give their views on problem of divorce and if there any strategies that the church has applied in addressing divorce. The research was built on the ecological system theory which look at five environments that human being interact which has great impact on once future and present life. The argument behind the systems theory is that a system consists of various components or subsystems which must function together for the system to work. The researcher used mixed research design. A mix research method is a procedure for collecting, analyzing and mixing both qualitative and quantitative research design and methods in a single study to understand research problem. A purposive sampling was used to select a sampling frame consisting of those members who have been divorced between the age of 18 and above 50. The main data collection tools included questionnaires, interview schedules and focus group discussion. The findings of the research were analyzed using computer packages such as Micro Soft Excel that enable researchers to come up with recommendations for adoptions by relevant stakeholders to address these challenges. The study findings revealed that the church has some strategies in place to address the couple and the divorced members among the church. The study recommends that the government should involve the churches when making some legal matters pertaining marriage and divorce Churches being one of the big firms that officiated 75 percent of the wedding in every corner of the world are supposed to be involved in decision making and taking highest level in the welfare policy than the government. In addition, the family and the church have an obligation to give education to children to be nurtured to be morally upright from the tender age. Commitment and faithfulness towards each other will bring stability in marriages. The church should also give post marital counseling to the married couple as a way to minimize divorce cases.