Church Growth Risk and Protective Factors: Perspectives from Leaders of Selected Pentecostal Churches in Kenya

The trajectory of Pentecostalism has been a subject of scholarly debate albeit without consensus. While some scholars report significant expansion, others document substantial barriers. To reconcile these perspectives, the present study aimed to conduct an in-depth analysis of the risk and protective factors affecting church growth with Pentecostal churches in Kenya in perspective. This study adopted a qualitative research design, utilizing in-depth interviews to explore church growth risk and protective factors. The target population consisted of Pentecostal church leaders, members, and theological scholars with direct experience in church governance and growth dynamics. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select 20 members of the clergy with significant leadership experience and first-hand knowledge of church operations. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured, in-depth interviews. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis. The study identified key factors influencing both numerical and spiritual church growth, including evangelism and outreach, record-keeping, training and discipleship, church expansion, ethical leadership, organizational commitment, and role specialization. Evangelism and outreach were central, with structured follow-up enhancing retention, while accurate record-keeping ensured accountability. Training programs fostered spiritual growth, and new branches improved accessibility. Ethical leadership-built trust, and a shared mission promoted unity and engagement. Operational specialization further increased efficiency. However, challenges such as weak leadership, internal conflicts, and financial constraints hindered progress, limiting ministry activities and infrastructure development. To sustain growth, church leaders should prioritize structured evangelism, follow-up mechanisms, and revival meetings. Given that most Pentecostal churches struggle to outgrow their smallness, a future study should specifically focus on how leadership affect financial growth, and to what extent financial constraint is attributable to the leadership of the church.