Paranormal Experiences and Understanding of God for Innovative Community Development: Interrogating the Akurinu Believers in Kenya.

Abstract

The study’s objective was to examine the relationship between Akurinu Believers’ understandings of God and their use of paranormal experiences with an emphasis on innovative community development in Nairobi County, Kenya. The research was guided by Divine Command Theory and Diffusion of Innovations Theory. Descriptive and correlation designs were used. The study was conducted among 2618 Akurinu believers who formed Akurinu congregations registered with the General Conference of Akurinu Churches Assembly in Nairobi County. Data were analysed on Software Package for Social Sciences computer system to generate frequency distributions, and the Chi-square test was used on qualitative data to test agreement between variables. Wald Chi to test for predictive probability in quantitative data. A logistic binary regression model was used to test the hypothesis on quantitative data. Qualitative data were presented in frequency tables, and percentages and inferential data were presented in SPSS software tables. Based on α=0.05 level, the hypothesis is statistically significant with a predictive probability of odds ratio of 0.259 of change on the dependent variable. P-value was less than α=0.05. The study concluded that sustainable innovations in Akurinu spirituality, education and economics existed. They were understanding God through the Bible and relying on the Holy Spirit. Although Akurinu believers and leaders claimed that they derived their understandings of God through paranormal experiences, the probability was less than 50 per cent (0.259 odds ratio). The study recommended that the Akurinu leaders use theological principles, here called understandings of God, to train Akurinu believers to understand God better.