Towards a New Pastoral Care Model for Youth Retention in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana: A Case Study of the Brong-Ahafo Presbytery

Church dropout among the youth has become a major hindrance to church growth in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG). Contemporary scholars have attributed this phenomenon to the lack of a modern pastoral care model for the youths in the mainline churches. The present study proposes a new pastoral care model for youth retention in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. The pastoral care model that would help retain the youth embraces theological sensitivity to not only the spiritual but also the physical needs of the youth (satisfaction) for their holistic growth without compromising the biblical truth. This study employed a quantitative and qualitative analytic approach with primary and secondary data sources. In the study, the researchers sampled eighty (80) youth from four pastoral districts and the Youth Coordinator of the Brong-Ahafo Presbytery of the PCG. The findings showed that the pastoral care needs of the youth in the PCG include emotional, spiritual, physical, intellectual, social and personal needs. These needs can be met through regular visitation, welfare support, youth discipleship, friendly leadership, spiritual gift nurturing and management, disciplining with love and care, teaching doctrine, a friendly worship atmosphere and positive youth development programmes. The study also showed that some church leaders largely ignore the pastoral care needs of youth. Furthermore, it was established from the survey that the decline of youth in the PCG is due to lack of pastoral care which is important in faith formation and spiritual development in the youths. The study, when engaged, could help the church revise its current approach to youth ministry that would meet the holistic needs of youth while meeting ministry and mission goals. Keywords – Pastoral Care, Youth Retention, Mainline Churches, Church Dropout