Games, Sports, and Moral Formation: Contesting Assumptions of Efficacy among Youth in the Methodist Church in Kenya, Meru Region

Abstract

This study assessed the efficacy of games and sports in inculcating moral values among the Methodist Church in Kenya, Meru Region youth. The study was guided by Lawrence Kohlberg's moral development theory (1958), a cognitive-moral-reasoning framework. It targeted youth and clergy from the six synods of the Methodist Church in Kenya, Meru Region. The study employed a descriptive survey design, using stratified random sampling to select participants. Data were collected via youth questionnaires and clergy interviews, analysed using SPSS Version 27, and presented through descriptions, tables, and pie charts. Findings revealed that several churches (59%) held games and sports in the Methodist Church in Kenya, Meru Region; a good number did not hold the programmes. The number of youths who did not participate in games and sports in their churches was more than those who participated. Additionally, a lack of variety in games and sports activities, poor organisation, and limited facilities were why some youth members failed to participate in games and sports activities in their churches. The findings and recommendations of this study are useful to the MCK Meru Region as they point to what needs to be adjusted to effectively inculcate moral values among the youths.