PRAXIS OF PASTORAL CARE TO TEENAGERS IN THE NIGERIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

Pastoral care is the spiritual and morally sustaining concern of the pastors for their flock, of which teenagers are inclusive. Every teenager needs the full attention of the pastoral caregiver in the area of healing, sustaining, guiding, educating, nurturing and reconciling to God. The paper examined how pastoral caregivers can comprehend the peculiarities of teenagers in Nigeria to minister accurately and adequately to them. The findings of the study revealed that there is a wide generational gap that often causes a problem between adults and teenagers. It also revealed that teenagers have a hardened lifestyle when their survival needs are deficient or are neglected due to parental or societal challenges that negatively affect them. The paper recommends that pastoral caregivers familiarize themselves with the peculiarities of teenagers, especially in Nigeria, and also get a proper understanding and adequate deployment of the pastoral care functions to minister effectively to teenagers in this contemporary time.