Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal

Abstract

Pastoral care is the spiritual and morally sustaining concern of the pastors for their flock, of which teenagers are inclusive. Every teenager needs the full attention of the pastoral caregiver in the area of healing, sustaining, guiding, educating, nurturing and reconciling to God. The paper examined how pastoral caregivers can comprehend the peculiarities of teenagers in Nigeria to minister accurately and adequately to them. The findings of the study revealed that there is a wide generational gap that often causes a problem between adults and teenagers. It also revealed that teenagers have a hardened lifestyle when their survival needs are deficient or are neglected due to parental or societal challenges that negatively affect them. The paper recommends that pastoral caregivers familiarize themselves with the peculiarities of teenagers, especially in Nigeria, and also get a proper understanding and adequate deployment of the pastoral care functions to minister effectively to teenagers in this contemporary time.

Keywords: Pastoral care, Teenagers, Nigerian context, Contemporary, Praxis.

Impact Statement

The paper examined how pastoral caregivers can comprehend the peculiarities of teenagers in Nigeria to minister accurately and adequately to them. There is a wide generational gap that often causes problem between adults and teenagers. The study investigated how the generational gap can be filled and found that pastoral caregivers need to study the teenagers well enough and should be able to cut them some slack when and where it is needed. The study establishes that guided and balanced familiarization with the peculiarities of the teenagers could be of immense help to the practice of pastoral care to teenagers in Nigeria.

About Author/s

Janet Omotola Adeyanju, PhD is a lecturer in the Administration and Leadership Department of the Faculty of Education at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso. She holds a PhD in Pastoral Care and Counselling from the same institution. She also holds another Ph.D. in Educational Management from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. Her interest is in Christian Leadership through timely Caregiving and Empathic Counselling.

Omolola Adepeju Akano, is a Master’s student at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, specializing in Pastoral Care and Counselling. She is a passionate teacher of God’s word, a Missionary, an educationist, an astute writer, and a communicator with a mandate among teenagers and youth for raising kingdom leaders. She possesses a good sense of humor and delights in seeing that her arts and acts contribute to people’s happiness. 

Cite this Article

APA 7th Style: Adeyanju, J. O., & Akano, O. A. (2024). Praxis of pastoral care to teenagers in the Nigerian context. Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal, 3(02), 227–243. https://doi.org/10.59231/SARI7699

Chicago 17th Style: Adeyanju, Janet Omotola, and Omolola Adepeju Akano. “Praxis of Pastoral Care to Teenagers in the Nigerian Context.” Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal 3, no. 2 (2024): 227–243. https://doi.org/10.59231/SARI7699.

MLA 9th Style: Adeyanju, Janet Omotola, and Omolola Adepeju Akano. “Praxis of Pastoral Care to Teenagers in the Nigerian Context.” Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal, vol. 3, no. 2, 2024, pp. 227-243, https://doi.org/10.59231/SARI7699.

Statements & Declarations

Review Method: This article underwent a double-blind peer-review process by independent experts in Practical Theology and Adolescent Psychology to evaluate the pastoral methodologies and psychosocial interventions within the Nigerian cultural and religious landscape.

Competing Interests: The authors Janet Omotola Adeyanju and Omolola Adepeju Akano declare that they have no financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that could have inappropriately influenced the research findings or the theological praxis presented in this study.

Funding: This research was conducted through the academic resources of The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso. No specific external grants were received for this inquiry.

Data Availability: The analysis is based on a qualitative study of pastoral care models, congregational feedback, and psychological theories of adolescence. All referenced theological frameworks and cultural observations are cited within the manuscript.

License: Praxis of Pastoral Care to Teenagers in the Nigerian Context © 2024 by Janet Omotola Adeyanju and Omolola Adepeju Akano is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. This work is published by the International Council for Education Research and Training (ICERT).

Ethics Approval: The study followed the ethical guidelines for pastoral and social research. Participation in interviews or surveys was voluntary, with informed consent obtained, ensuring the confidentiality of the subjects involved in the ecclesiastical assessment.

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