Kenya (MNN) — Christianity is well-established in Kenya, but that doesn’t mean every pastor is teaching biblical truth.
Kenya Hope’s Steve Holman says, “The Gospel is widely known, but it’s more of a prosperity Gospel. The vast majority of churches are prosperity; it doesn’t matter what the label is.”
The Lord provided a strategic partnership between Kenya Hope and Emmanuel Baptist Church of Nairobi to help pastors get the training they need.
Last month, 41 pastors attended a conference organized by Kenya Hope and Ekklesia Afrika, a ministry of Emmanuel Baptist Church.
Representative photo
(Photo courtesy of Ekklesia Africa via Facebook)
“For the first time in our mission history, well-qualified Kenyans came to teach, and they taught a package of materials in a seminar format that laid the foundation for healthy pastoring and healthy churches,” Holman says.
“Out of that will come five or six pastors interested in being part of a formal program.”
Ekklesia Africa developed its Soma program to fill the training gaps held by many Kenyan pastors. As described here, the four-year program leverages cohort learning to expand leaders’ knowledge:
Soma is both a Swahili word meaning ‘to read’ and a Greek word meaning ‘body.’ The Soma program is divided into a four-year curriculum that covers key areas of study like Ecclesiology, Biblical and Systematic Theology, Pastoral Theology, Word-based Ministry, and Missions. Soma’s approach to learning revolves around cohort-based study and Socratic discussions. Each month, pastors in different cohorts receive a chosen book, accompanied by a study guide and report-writing guide, in preparation for a joint monthly cohort discussion. With cohorts comprising 6-12 pastors, these gatherings take place locally, allowing pastors to stay close to their homes and churches.
“If you’re being trained while you’re already on the job, it works really well,” Holman says.
“This is not a denominational thing. It is simply a good way to learn together.”
Strategic partnerships make it all possible. While Ekklesia Africa provides the training, Kenya Hope offers logistical support. “This was a test run, and everything we see indicates it’ll be an ongoing conference as the Lord provides,” Holman says.
Church partners in the US help through funding and volunteer work. “They partner with us for a specific place and period, and they help to establish a solid foundation for building Gospel bridges,” Holman says.
“When we’ve shown we care for real human needs, we get the opportunity to slowly, patiently, and systematically teach them the Gospel and call on them to put their trust in Christ in a genuine way.”
Contact Kenya Hope to learn more about church partnership.
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Gracious Adebayo/Unsplash.
