Table Of Contentftn Assessment _Qf_The Impact Of Sabbath School Lesson Study Programme
On _Seyenth_Pav Adventist Church Adherents: A Case Study Of
Homa-Bav District, Kenya.
By
James Omondi Onyango
A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfilment Of The Requirements
For The Degree Of Master Of Arts
Department Of Religious Studies
University Of Nairobi
APRIL 2001.
of NAIROBI Library
DECLARATION
This Thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree or diploma in any
other university.
3 .3 h \ r> o o %
JAMES OMONDIONYANGO DATE
This Thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as University supervisors.
\ \ - <=\'
DR. P.M. MUMO DATE
I
ABSTRACT
Despite various documented works on Seventh-Day Adventists, there has been no specific
study conducted on the impact of Sabbath school lesson study programme on Seventh-Day
Adventist Church adherents yet lesson study motif is and continues to be a piliar in the
Seventh Day Adventist Church. Without the lesson study, the SDA Church would^more
vulnerable to criticisms by non Seventh Day Adventists and would be pushed to the
periphery by other denominations.
The Seventh-Day Adventist Church has been in Kenya since 1906 yet it is a movement that
many people have not understood its tenets, organization and practices. Sabbath school
motif in particular, has been misunderstood by many due to misrepresentation and
misinterpretation by both Adventists and non-Adventists, as they do not know what it
entails. Some critics have argued that Sabbath school lesson study programme is just a
brain storming session or interaction of ideas of people and as a result, it has no spiritual
consequence and does not stir or arouse faith and strong conviction. The lesson study
programme influences lives of Seventh - Day Adventist church members from childhood,
youth and adulthood. By reading this work, the reader will be able to see the fruits of
Sabbath school lesson study programme and therefore find a reason as to why the
programme is crucial in the SDA church.
On the ensuing above, it is worth commenting that an unreasonable faith or belief does not
stand the test of time, because in the event of new discoveries old beliefs are abandoned
altogether in favour of the new discoveries and this renders belief systems or churches
volatile. Sabbath school lesson study programme being a well thought out programme
caters for spiritual development of SDA church adherents.
ii
It makes Bible study possible and in fact easier for all classes viz children youth and adults.
Through memory verses, bible stories and general discussion on the Word of God Biblical
knowledge is imparted to SDA church adherent. Lessons booklets used during lesson study
programme systemises bible study making it easier for the students to study the Bible.
The work comprises the background to the study, founding of the S D A church in America,
origin and development of the Sabbath school lesson study programme, its influences on
the Luo of Homa-bay, its impact on children, youth and adults and finally, conclusions and
recommendations. The thesis is a result of both secondary and primary data. The
secondary data was collected from Jomo Kenyatta memorial library, Maxwell SD A Church
Library (Nairobi) and seventh day Adventist East - African union headquarters (Nairobi).
The primary data was collected mainly through administration of questionnaires, direct
personal interviews as well as group discussions.
Informants comprised, Pastors, Sabbath schoolteachers, superintendents, elders and other
informed SD A members.
The research findings confirmed that the S D A Church its Sabbath School lesson study
programme has played a significant role in the disintegration of Luo cultural practices by
condemning such customary aspects as initiation, widow inheritance, polygamy, dietary
prohibitions and practice of magic.
The study has highlighted that it is the Sabbath school lesson study programme which
makes Seventh-Day Adventist Church service peculiar, unique, sober, stable and organized
compared to other Church services. It is hoped that this thesis is going to open doors to a
better understanding of Seventh-Day Adventist Sabbath School lesson study programme.
This study among other things shows how the lesson study programme has been used to
inculcate moral values to children, youth and adults.
The study concludes that Sabbath school lesson study programme is the most popular
programme in the SDA church and SDA church members should devote more time to it
because it holds the church together as a medium of instruction for the children, youth and
adults. It makes Adventist church members become good Bible students who are equipped
with scriptural arguments to face any adversaries.
iv
LIST OF MAPS AND TABLES
Map 1 Location of Homa-Bay District ........................................................................................vi
Map 2 Administrative Boundaries.................................................................................................vii
TABLES
I. Relationship between Sabbath School Attendants and Baptism ...........................130
II. Training of Sabbath School Lesson Teachers in Sabbath Schools Studied 137
^ r i - s ; - • r*T -ii5 |c-A -Ir••:*f*r?.--: k^.f v ,’,•»;* *•'3 '*:&.M?^-: ‘ •"' - •.t
a? 11
LOCATION OF THE DISTRICT
n^Tzr^i
! , v /
E T H l 0 P I A
HAKBERA
Il'HAHA
?
IU 6 A NO a \ ,'S:\ t
W Ail K
/ - ' > c'
__^V/ESI POKfll.' \ /
SAHBURU ISIDIO
Ml (ICS* (O IfiHS t
) - A _ * BiR!KfiC "\ _
]w/.iW*wv^1 \ T | \
V<; , t r ^^sm'o* 0,.
y, ^ ! ^rIrScHutUil\>d’ -I
l iMVAMQUU
,tuAMfti , j uuiru
i \ * i.' I D~7M ’-v < -■./ ^ F
A' tharaTa y \
- ^ HHjfl <
,r,~ jTAtHrtijwrf1 n , VK i-mTu„ yls" vV " y -1 a 1T /§| 1■>EMOtPj' CAA1SSA
- BII'S W ,^ ' 'v jHCDAIM'g-rtjSb MWlltl
■‘H--L...-1- ^ \ s f ........ k w*hw> V * >
> / KAROl l ^ - /'iuha'-t r vj—
^)IU«S MARA / ' ^ -^haimbi A !
f MACHACDS . I T AHA RIVER
^ N /-
i \ / ^
/■ i l mot
-V
IAJIAU0
\
\
\
h~ \
H Z Y
.Inlet national bounckuy ^ ( mm
—________District boundary
7AITA TAVIU
t,\
'MOMBASA
Scale :— 1 : 5 000 000
200 ktn
L. ---1
Prepared by D/1.1HS
Vl
Woo No 2
S
\
>
/
/
s'rsorea it 35«S
! ./■:
vii
acknow ledgment
First, I am greatly indebted to my supervisors, Dr. P. M. Mumo and Dr. D. W. Waruta for
their invaluable advice, guidance and close supervision. I acknowledge their criticisms, and
comments in the process of writing this thesis.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to pastors J. Okelo, J. Othoo of the seventh - Day
Adventist East African Union headquarters, Nairobi for their encouragement, and also for
allowing me to use literature in their library where I got a lot of materials for this thesis.
Special thanks also go to brother Caleb, Deacon Maxwell S D A Church (Nairobi) who
introduced me to Maxwell Church library. I would also like to thank 3omo Kenyatta
Memorial Library Staff for the cooperation they showed during my literature review in the
library.
I am also grateful to Vision Enterprises, for assisting me in typing this work by use of their
computer. Their willingness to read my handwriting, and even to make spelling and
typographic::! corrections on this work where they found necessary proved invaluable.
I also received crucial advice from others such as my colleagues in M. A degree course, like
K. Otsola and P. Wenje, friends and relatives. To my beloved wife, R. Omondi, a teacher
and mother to our son S. Onyango, I cannot be more thankful. Her hard work and
encouragement contributed greatly towards completion of this thesis.
VIH
To my loving son S. Onyango who constantly complained about dad spending too much
time on studies and not playing with him, " Your complaints and cries gave me impetus to
complete this thesis." It is not possible to list all those who assisted me in one way or
another during the difficult moments of putting this work together I say "Thank you all".
IX
Description:mystic name for supernatural cause, or abstract statement of a mere series of phenomena, according as it approximates more nearly to the theological
