Preaching Ethics and Congregation Growth in Southern Kaduna Churches, Kaduna State

Southern Kaduna in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria, is home to a large Christian community that has experienced significant population growth alongside recurring inter-ethnic and inter-religious violence. The role of preaching in this context is both spiritually formative and socially consequential. This study examines the ethical dimensions of preaching and their relationship to congregation growth and community stability in churches in Southern Kaduna. A descriptive mixed-methods design was adopted, with questionnaires administered to 150 congregation members and semi-structured interviews with twelve pastors across six churches in Kafanchan, Kaura, and Jema'a LGAs. Sermons from 30 recorded church services were analysed using a developed preaching ethics assessment framework covering truthfulness, contextual relevance, social justice engagement, and reconciliation orientation. Results indicate that churches whose preaching directly addresses reconciliation themes, social justice, and community solidarity show stronger long-term congregational health and community impact than those focusing exclusively on personal salvation and prosperity. However, extreme political preaching that inflames communal divisions is identified in 15 percent of analysed sermons. The study concludes that preaching ethics in Southern Kaduna must be shaped by a theology of reconciliation and communal healing appropriate to the context. It recommends a preaching ethics charter for Southern Kaduna churches developed through an ecumenical pastoral development process.

Keywords: preaching ethics, congregation growth, Southern Kaduna, reconciliation, Kaduna State