Establishment of the current approaches to children's ministry in the Diocese of Kampala

<p dir="ltr">The study, titled “Approaches to children’s ministry in the Church of Uganda: a focus on the Diocese of Kampala,” explored the understanding, practices, and challenges of children’s ministry within the Diocese of Kampala. It examined how the Church perceived its responsibility toward children, the strategies employed to nurture their spiritual growth, outreach to non-Christian children, and areas where improvements were needed. The study received ethics approval from the University of Pretoria and the Diocese of Kampala before data collection. It therefore gathered qualitative data through interviews with key stakeholders in the church, including clergy (bishops, archdeacons, and priests) and other church leaders such as Mothers’ Union members, parents, Compassion-assisted project workers, and Sunday school teachers. The interviews focused on the following areas:</p><p dir="ltr">Understanding of Children’s Ministry: exploring participants’ personal and institutional understanding of children’s ministry and their perceptions of the Church’s responsibility toward children. Current practices and approaches: investigating how children’s ministry was implemented within parishes, including activities, teaching methods, engagement with biblical teachings on children, and outreach to non-Christian children. Prioritisation and growth: Assessing whether children’s ministry was given sufficient priority within the Diocese and exploring trends in its growth or decline. Challenges and opportunities: identifying challenges faced in implementing children’s ministry and opportunities to enhance its effectiveness. Improvement and promotion: Examining strategies that church leaders could use to improve children’s ministry, including promoting biblical teaching and extending outreach to non-Christian children. With a focus on both clergy and other church leaders, this study provided a comprehensive understanding of the approaches to children’s ministry in the Diocese of Kampala, highlighting best practices, gaps, and recommendations for strengthening the spiritual nurture and outreach of children in the Church of Uganda.</p>