Impact of prosperity gospel in selected neo-pentecostal movements in Karingani ward, Tharaka Nithi county, Kenya

Abstract

The prosperity gospel has spread from the West to other parts of the world, attracting many followers, mainly in the south, especially in Africa. The African Continent is viewed expectant of redemption from poverty, famine, diseases, and other forms of evil. Hence, the entrance of any institution that claims to bring remedy is much welcomed. In Kenya, Neo-Pentecostal movements have stretched from Urban to Rural areas. Karingani ward in Tharaka Nithi county is a representative where NeoPentecostal movements indicate growth in numbers from 2010 to 2024. This compelled an investigation into how prosperity teaching influenced individual followers of prosperity gospel in social, economic, and political aspects. This study investigated the impact of the prosperity gospel in selected Neo-Pentecostal movements in Karingani Ward, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The following objectives guided the study: To examine the impacts of the prosperity gospel on the social aspect of an individual follower in the neo-Pentecostal movement in Karingani Ward; to evaluate the economic influence of prosperity gospel on individual followers in neo-Pentecostal movement in Karingani Ward and to assess the impacts of the prosperity gospel on the political aspect of individual followers in the neo-Pentecostal movement in Karingani ward. This research answered the following research questions: What is the impact of the prosperity gospel on societal aspects among followers of neo-Pentecostal movements within Karingani Ward? How has the prosperity gospel influenced followers economically at an individual level in Karingani Ward? Moreover, what is the impact of the prosperity gospel on the political aspect of its followers in Karingani Ward? Emile Durkheim’s Functionalism theory guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was employed in the study. The study was conducted in six neoPentecostal churches, namely Deliverance church, World Harvest, Evangelical Kingdom, Breaking Limitation, Grace Chapel, and Jesus Winners within Karingani ward in Tharaka Nithi County. The research targeted an estimated population of 1049 members from the 6 selected churches. The sample was obtained through Yamane's (1967) sampling formula, with a cluster and purposive technique used to attain a sample size of 294. Tools for data collection were Questionnaires, interviews, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The qualitative data from interviews and FGDs was analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Further, descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data collected using questionnaires with the help of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. The findings indicated that prosperity gospel had positive and negative impacts on its followers. The teaching had negative effects on the social aspect and a positive influence on the economic and political aspects. It was concluded that productive prosperity gospel could be useful in the fight against poverty and unemployment. This thesis makes some recommendations that, when applied, could transform new religious movements. The findings of this study benefit the church, sociologists, and psychologists of religion and add to the existing religious body of knowledge on the impact of the prosperity gospel on its followers in terms of social, economic and political aspects in the field of new religious movements.