DOES RELIGIOUS GIVING MATTER? AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF GIVING IN CHURCH ON THE BELIEVER`S FAITH IN SELECTED URBAN PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES IN NAKURU TOWN, NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of giving in church on the Christians’ economic status in selected urban Pentecostal churches in Nakuru town, Nakuru County. The objectives of the study were; to determine whether giving in church is mandatory in Pentecostal churches in Nakuru Town, to establish if Christians should give according to their capacities in Pentecostal churches in Nakuru Town, to assess the amount of money given per month by Christians in Pentecostal Churches in Nakuru Town. The researcher focused on Ninian Smart’s dimensions of religion while putting emphasis on the practical and ritual dimension, the experiential and emotional dimension, the ethical and legal dimension. The practical and ritual dimension focused on what members of a religion did as part of that religion. The target population included church members and leaders of Pentecostal churches in Nakuru town. The study used simple random sampling and a total number of 311 respondents were sampled. The questionnaire was used as the only instruments of the study. The study found out that Christians should give according to one’s capacity as opposed to the stated amount given by some churches. The study asserted that the urban Pentecostal churches lay more emphasis on giving than on spiritual nourishment. The study recommended the following: Young couples should be advised properly on issues regarding the issue of marriage, this is because the divorce rate among the church members was high. Churches should come up with ways of encouraging giving in church other than search for blessings. There is need for churches to nurture the spiritual life of Christians as majority of the respondents felt that they had focused on material possession A study should be carried out on the effect of church financial auditing and on Christian giving.