Author: Stephen Olaniran Bolarinwa
Date: 2026
Youth empowerment has emerged as a strategic instrument for fostering sustainable growth and vitality within contemporary church communities. This study examines youth empowerment as a catalyst for church growth, with particular emphasis on leadership development, skill acquisition, digital media engagement, and youth inclusion in church governance. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study relies on secondary data obtained from scholarly literature, church growth reports, and documented case studies on youth empowerment initiatives. Social Capital Theory serves as the theoretical framework, highlighting the role of trust, networks, and collaborative relationships in strengthening youth participation and institutional sustainability. Findings reveal that churches that intentionally invest in youth empowerment experience increased youth retention, stronger leadership succession, enhanced community outreach, and improved organisational vitality. The study concludes that youth empowerment should be integrated into the core strategic framework of church development rather than treated as a supplementary ministry activity.
Keywords:Youth Empowerment; Church Growth;Youth Leadership Development; Digital Media Engagement; SkillAcquisition; Church Governance; Social Capital Theory.
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