Research

To build a Spiritual Leadership Foundation that serves as a basis of children’s human development based on a Biblical worldview, we start with thorough Research.

Do children still "Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and love your neighbor as yourself"? Luk. 10:27

Transforming Kids into spiritual champions, is a mutual effort and dependant on strategic processes and a journey with several partnerships.

The Mission revealed:

• If you want your life count for the Kingdom of God and have the greatest possible impact, then consider employing spesific resources in Ministry to young people.
• You are invited to reconsider the priority of spiritual growth in the lives of children and to accept it as being more important than intellectual, physical and emotional developement.
• God has entrusted us to the ministry of children, our desire is to challenge your current preference in favour of putting more into children’s ministry.
• Partnerships between parents, churches, schools and ministries is a mutual effort to raise God-loving and God-fearing children.

We want to enable the partners to engage in the process of transforming children into spiritual champions.

Focus on Character:

The research we focus on is the Spiritual health of Children vs Adult believes concerning children. Some of the critical character traits we should look for in a child’s developement is:

Honesty, Kindness, Gentleness, Reliability, Encouragement, Mercy, Discipline, Compassion, Patience, Self-control, Consistency, Humility, Maturity, Trustworthiness, Love, Joy, Loyalty, Perseverance, Justice, Stability and Sincerity.

Character does not magically emerge without intentional effort. Who you are matters a lot more than what you accomplish.

TRANSFORMING KIDS RESEARCH PROPOSAL

1. INTRODUCTION

Moral values are the standards of good and evil, which direct an individual’s behavior and choices. Individual’s morals may derive from society and government, religion, or self. When moral values derive from society and government they, of necessity, may change as the laws and morals of the society change.

2. BACKGROUND

Values are the guidelines and beliefs that a person uses when confronted with a situation in which a choice must be made (Ivancevich, Konopaske & Matteson, 2005:468). George and Jones (2008:74) state that ethical values are personal convictions about what is right and wrong. They (2008:74) also distinguish between three types of ethical values:
• Utilitarian values – decisions produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
• Moral right values – decisions protect the fundamental right and priviliges of people.
• Justice values – decision allocate benefits and harms in a fair, equitable manner.

Most religions have built-in lists of do’s and don’ts, a set of codes by which its adherents should live. Individuals who are followers of a particular religion will generally make a show of following that religion’s behavioral code. Christianity goes beyond all other religions in that it is more than just a system of do’s and don’ts; it is a relationship with the living God through His Son, Jesus Christ. A Christian’s set of moral values go beyond society’s mores and selfish instincts. Christians ideally behave correctly because they love God and want to please Him (All about philosophy, 2011).

In the context of America George Barna (2003) discovered 21 values of children who possess a biblical overview that shapes their decision-making process.

3. AIM OF THE RESEARCH

The main objective of this research project is to determine the influence and problems of children in Pretoria.

The following research questions will be answered:
1. What problems do primary school children experience?
2. What influences play a big role in primary school children’s lives?
3. What problems do primary school children cause?

4. POPULATION AND SAMPLE

The population is the primary school children from Pretoria. The sample consists of the grade 5 children. Specific schools still need to be identified.

5. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Informed consent forms will be distributed to the parents of the children to ask permission for their children’s’ participation in this research project.  A quantitative research design will be utilised. Questionnaires will be developed. The questionnaires will be available in Afrikaans and English. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient will be determined to ensure the reliability of the questionnaire. Other measurement tools can be developed to holistically determine different relevant dimensions. The questionnaire will be distributed electronically or hand-delivered. The completed questionnaires will be sent to the MonkeySurvey (or newly created research) website or alternatively fetched from the schools and churches in dispatched “research boxes” to ensure confidentiality.

6. CONCLUSION

This research will enlighten the current problems around children between the ages of 10 and 12 years and recommendations can be made to address any problem areas as a result of this research. Future research also can be conducted as results of this project.