Chapelites April Edition

DEVELOPING
WORLD CLASS
LEADERS
August
2013
APRIL 2014
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It’s all about Leadership!
I
t has been said before that ‘Everything rises or falls on
This has now become a daily prayer “Leaders, leaders, leaders.
leadership’ and I could not agree more. Outside of divine
Lord give us more leaders”. The goal is to populate our system
intervention and prayer, everything does truly depend
with something like 100 – 200 Leaders in preparation for the
on the quality of leaders a ministry or organization has.
work of Church Planting.
That thought struck our Leadership as we reflected together
on what it would take for us to accomplish our mission of
Secondly, we believed that God would answer our prayer
planting 300 churches by the year 2020.
so we needed to better prepare for the flood of Leaders
He would send. We had revamped the Kinara Internship
It quickly dawned on us that the key was leadership – if we
Program and also started a Church Planting School. The
had the leaders to plant the churches, then the Vision would
hardest piece was to find men and women ready to go and
be accomplished. If we did not have the leaders, then having
plant Churches as Lead Pastors. We combed Bible Schools,
money, systems, plans and passion would still not get the
but many graduating from there were already spoken for. We
job done. And there was an additional challenge facing us
followed up leads, but there were not many to begin with.
– Jesus words in Matthew 9:37 “The harvest is plentiful but
the labourers are few”. So where were we going to find these
So we decided on a different strategy – instead of going
labourers? These leaders?
out there to look for people, why not give them a reason
to step forward and come to us instead. How about if we
We decided on a three-pronged
started holding an annual “Church Planting Conference”
approach to the need. First
that would attract participants from as far afield as Ethiopia,
was to take Jesus at His
Congo, Uganda Malawi, etc. This year we will hold our third
Word Matthew 9:38 “Pray
Church Planting conference, VIRAL, and are praying for 600
ye therefore that the Lord
of the harvest would send
out more labourers into the
harvest field”.
participants, out of which we claim, in faith, 10% for our
Church Planting School.
Thirdly we decided to align all our training here at the
Chapel to support the church planting vision. The way it
works now is that an “Intern” trains with us for one year; and
then goes out as a “Pastoral Trainee” to help in a new church
plant for another full year, before coming back as a “Ministry
Assistant” for a final year of pastoral and theological training.
In September we will be sending out a team of Pastoral
Trainees to Germany for one year, and in 2015 several others
to the USA. Thereafter they go and plant a church or join the
Staff of a daughter church for the long haul. This realignment
with our vision has generated a lot of energy for the church
planting work as Interns go out to serve.
This copy of Chapelites seeks to lay out what the Leadership
Development process looks like from the inside, what
convictions drive us, and how it all works out. Virtually all
our present Staff have been developed through this process,
and God has been wonderfully good to us in raising up so
many phenomenal people for ministry. We celebrate each
of our Leaders and believe that we have some of the best
leaders out there. Enjoy your reading.
Oscar Muriu
Senior Pastor
Cover Photos: Harry Olang
Contents
Contributing writers: Barak Almondia,
Anne Mucheke, Damaris Irungu, Ronald Chepkwony,
Pst Ocar Muriu, Pst Cathleen Rotich and Pst BG Bawks.
Editorial Oversight Team: Pst Oscar Muriu, Pst Gowi
Odera, Pst Faith Mugera and Pst Jackie Othoro.
Photography: Harry Olang, Francis Njogu,
Thandiwe Muriu and Defere Guta.
Layout and Design: Christine Ndirangu
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LEADING IS
SKILL &
INTEGRITY
Interview with Pst. Oscar Muriu about his passion for Leadership.
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Chapelites Apr 2014
WHAT IS LEADERSHIP TO YOU?
Leadership is a hard concept to define. No two people
agree on it, but when you see leadership happening, you
immediately recognise it. I define a leader as someone who
‘Takes people from where they are to where they need to be’.
My definition assumes several things about a leader. First
they know where people ‘need to be’. That is a matter of
envisioning a desirable future and understanding why that
future is the correct one.
Second, ‘taking people’ assumes that you can mobilise
them and get them to willingly follow. There are two ways
do this, the first is by coming behind people and forcing
them to move towards that future. Repressive governments
force, threaten and imprison anyone who opposes, this is
not true leadership. The second way is to go out ahead of
them and THEY follow behind, out of their own free will
and volition. That sort of leadership is much harder to give
because you do not hold anyone under duress to follow.
In the Bible, Jesus said in John 10:10, “My sheep know my
voice and follow me”. It is a choice, by consent. African cow
herders lead their flock or herds from behind with a big
stick, occasionally throwing rocks to knock the lead bull in
the right direction. The biblical model of leadership is from
the front, with the sheep following willingly because they
trust the shepherd’s voice.
Third, ‘where they need to be’ and not ‘where they want
to be’. Sometimes, what people want is not what they
need. We all avoid hardship and sacrifice, but many dreams
cannot be achieved without sacrifice. People will always
choose the easy way out, the comfortable way that often
takes them to the very place they don’t want to be.
A good leader has to help people see what they need,
and help them deal with their fears, their hesitations and
their reluctance to bear pain or to sacrifice . . . and then
lead them to the place they are afraid to go to. That’s what
leadership is about.
WHY IS LEADERSHIP IMPORTANT?
Nothing happens without leadership! It is that simple.
The CEO, the President, the Leader is the most important
resource any organisation has. If you have bad leadership,
us bad leadership. We have a broken system that cannot
deliver what we need.
Our system does not test the candidates for vision, ability
to mobilise people or trustworthiness of a proven track
record. It spews out people who have the money to
bribe and pay voters, often with money acquired through
corruption and unjust means; it spews out leaders who
frighten their people with the rhetoric of doom and gloom
if their perceived tribal enemies get access to power; and it
spews out people who have no agenda but to remove the
incumbent and take over, but once they have taken over
they don’t know where they are going.
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL LEADERSHIP
PHILOSOPHY... IN OTHER WORDS HOW
DO YOU LEAD?
One of the greatest leaders in the Bible was King David.
David unified his nation, secured peace on its borders,
brought back God honouring values into society, defended
the cause of the poor and needy, and enabled Israel’s
wealth to grow to its fullest potential. Under him the Israel
of his time became a regional superpower that everyone
respected and admired
In Psalm 78:72 it says of him, “David cared for them with a
faithful and honest heart. With skilled hands he led them.” His
leadership was characterised by two qualities – integrity
and skill.
Integrity is when who I am in the dark is completely
consistent with who I am in the light. I have nothing to
hide, I have no double standards, and my word is my bond.
Skilfull hands means that I know how to envision people,
to negotiate cohesion, to ferment trust, to listen, to make
good decisions and to deliver. Those are the two sides of
leadership.
How do I lead? I strive for these two things. To be a man of
integrity because integrity is what leads to trust, and trust
then enables people to follow me as I lead from the front.
I also strive to be skilled in what I have been called to do,
aiming for the highest standards of excellence and ability.
I read a lot of leadership biographies and books, anything
that will hone my skills.
ARE THERE EXAMPLES
LEADERSHIP TODAY?
OF
GREAT
you’re going nowhere. If you have good leadership then
the sky’s the limit. The crisis of our political, so called
democratic leadership process is that it is geared to give
There are three areas I look to for great examples. First are
historical figures. Second is in the Bible. And thirdly is living
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Pst Cathleen Rotich with some of our former Kinara Program Interns.
From Left; Fransic Njogu, Pst Cathleen Rotich, Nanu Mugai and Ivy Wanja
From Top Right; Carol Nganga and Desmond Kamanda.
examples among us. My living favourites are Nelson Mandela
in his ‘Long Walk To Freedom’, and Lee Kuan Yew ‘From Third
World To First’. My Bible favourites are Moses and David, while
WHAT IS THE BEST LEADERSHIP
LESSON YOU HAVE EVER LEARNED?
my historical reads right now are George C. Marshall and ‘The
Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham’.
Three years ago I went through a difficult spell of leadership –
a ‘dark night of the soul’ sort of experience where I wondered
WHICH LIVING PERSON MOST
EXEMPLIFIES LEADERSHIP TO YOU?
whether I had the stamina to keep leading against the
headwinds. It was triggered by the post-election clashes and
dark side of Kenya that we saw then. For me who has spent
his whole life trying to teach men godly values and how to
Possibly Billy Graham, he’s still alive but very elderly. Billy was
live in peace with each other, the clashes removed any scales
a consistent leader all his life, never had a scandal, and never
I might have had about how evil the human heart can be.
faltered in his vision. He started well, and he finished well.
He was a counsellor of US presidents, and about the most
In my moment of disillusion, someone gave me a little book,
humble man you ever met.
possibly the best book on leadership I’ve read in a long time,
called ‘A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick-
I admire him because he served with focus and honour. He
fix’, by Edwin Friedman. Friedman’s thesis is that when one
was just a young teenager when he started his ministry, but
leads in an anxious society, the society they lead domesticates
he built it up amazingly so that by the end of his life he had
and disempowers them so that they cannot be bold.
stood and preached the gospel to millions upon millions of
people worldwide. This I admire.
If they seek to lead boldly then that society attacks and
punishes them for their boldness – sort of ‘cuts the tall puppy
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Chapelites Apr 2014
down’. Most leaders therefore quickly learn to lead
by listening to what the masses want, and limiting
their ‘vision’ to simply articulate what the polls
WHAT IS THE BEST BOOK YOU HAVE READ
ON THE SUBJECT OF LEADERSHIP?
show; they don’t have the courage to cut a new
path.
Four books because I believe there are four levels of leadership
every leader must master. First is leadership of self. Steve
So they poll the masses and then say ‘this is what
Covey’s book ‘The 7 Habits of a Highly Effective Executive’
I was thinking all along’. It’s a failure of nerve. That
is exactly that – a book on how to lead yourself well. The
book helped me strengthen my resolve to lead
second is James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner classic
with courage, to dream, and to cast vision, even if
bestseller, ‘The Leadership Challenge’, which is the best book I
I was made to pay a price for it.
have ever read on how to work with and motivate people and
teams. The third is Jim Collins ‘Good To Great’ on the art of
WHERE DO WE NEED
LEADERSHIP MOST?
leadership and leadership processes that deliver. The fourth is
The Bible which gives me the values that every leader must
aspire to, values of humility, truthfulness, generosity to the
As a country there are many areas we need
downtrodden, and powerlessness.
leadership it’s almost impossible to single out
a few. We are disillusioned with our political
leadership and the failure of nerve that our former
President displayed.
WHAT ARE YOUR LAST WORDS ON
LEADERSHIP – ONE EXPRESSION THAT
SUMS UP THE ESSENCE?
His inability to deal decisively with corruption,
There are two sides to leadership – integrity and skill. One
the feeble attempts to wipe out impunity, the flip-
without the other will eventually hurt the people being led.
flop back and forth about the ICC, the lack of a
unifying, national cohesion strategy, the un-dealtwith problem of the denial of human rights to
the IDPs, the ‘political-balancing’ appointment of
This article first appeared in THE EDITION (ISSUE No. 6) Magazine printed
weak leaders to positions of national leadership,
in 2012. It is re-printed here with permission from the publishers, Footprints
and most recently the attempted massacre of
Press Limited. To see the original piece visit, www.theedition.co.ke.
our new constitution by parliament. Sometimes I
despair for this nation.
I think what we need most as a nation is a leader who
stands for something of worth. Most of
our presidential aspirants have nothing
different to offer except ‘Kibaki must go’ or
‘Raila must go’. If we elect them we will
find ourselves in a desert of political vision.
What do we need most? Leadership that
has a comprehensive vision that takes
into account a respect for human life,
the creation of wealth, a cohesive society
that has clearly articulated values, and a
passion for stewarding the environment.
Our vision 2030 could be that, but without
a national leader to frequently cast a
compelling reason for vision 2030, the
whole vision might eventually die for lack
of leadership, having been relegated to a
committee by a parliament that lacks the
political will to fulfill it.
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Chapelites Apr 2014
MEET THE
AT THE HEART OF SERVING AND LEADING
The year was 2,000 A.D., the dawn of a new millennium.
including Administration; R.E.A.L Groups; Leadership
It was also the dawn of a new phase in the lives of Liz and
Development and as a member of the Management
Sammy Mang’eli as they exchanged their marriage vows.
Team. Throughout their marriage period, Liz and Sammy
The Lord has constantly shown them His faithfulness as
have served together in Marriage Ministries.
they celebrate 14 years in marriage this year. In addition,
He has blessed them with two lovely children; Sarah
Pastor Liz has worked at Nairobi Baptist for the past
Mwende (8) and Jonathan Mwendwa (6). They are both
15 years. She served in the Outreach Ministries an
at Makini School in classes 3 and 1.
equivalent to our Social Justice Ministries for 13 years,
Not long after they got
married, Sammy got the
prompting to serve the
Lord in full time ministry.
But how could he leave
a well-paying job for a
Joining Nairobi Chapel is a
great opportunity for us to
be used of God, through our gifts
and experience, in being part of the
transformational journey at the
Chapel.
‘faith-funded-venture’?
and then moved to a Pastoral position with Adults
Ministries. Liz has a strong pastoral gifting and has
a passion to see all, especially young ladies mature
in faith. She has a passion for coaching would be
brides as they get ready to say "I do". She will be
serving in the eGroups Department and Marriage
Ministry while Pst Sammy will be serving in the
Oversight Department.
He was climbing the corporate ladder at General Motors!
However, God’s nudge was strong. He took a step of
faith, joined Pan Africa Christian University (PACU) to
pursue a Bachelor in Bible and Theology and later a M.A
in Leadership.
Before joining PACU for studies he had worked at General
Motors, St John Ambulance and served in the Army, but
now he is glad that he is serving in the Lord's Army. His
passions include outdoor activities and developing new
leaders. Pst Sammy has invested many years in young
people. Camping, trail treks and mountain climbs, have
characterized many years of engaging them. Needless
to say he met Liz as she was planning a Youth Camp at
Nairobi Baptist.
Upon his graduation in 2005, he was invited to serve at
Mamlaka Hill Chapel (MHC). As of December 2013, he
had served at MHC for 8 years in various departments
Sarah and Jonathan Mangeli
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NAIROBI CHAPEL
STAFF TEAM LEADERSHIP PIPELINE
POSITION
TERM
FOCUS
TITLE
Trainee
1 Year
Trainee. Learning the ropes
------
Trainee
1 Year
Trainee. On Church planting as-
------
signments for 1 year
Staff
1 Year
Trainee, learning to form a
Pastor
ministry, lead teams and run with
the vision. Oversees a ministry
with about 100 people
Staff
------
Assists to direct a ministry in a
Pastor
department. Oversees a ministry
with about 200 people
Staff
------
Directs one Ministry in the
Pastor
department. Oversees a ministry
with about 400 people.
Staff
------
Full Pastor. Serves under the Head
Pastor
of Department. Oversees a ministry
with about 500 people.
Staff
------
Head of Department (HOD).Oversees
Pastor
4 complex responsibilities * that
minister to over 1000 people. On the
Executive Leadership Team.
Staff
------
Oversees the HOD’s and the day-to-
Pastor
day running of the Church. Runs the
Executive Leadership Team
Staff
------
Oversees the Church. Stewards
Pastor
the vision. Chairs the Executive
Leadership Team.
* HOD, general pastoral care of the whole church, executive line responsibilities, oversees a ministry with over 500 people
** Assistant Pastor also uses the title Associate Pastor
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Chapelites Apr 2014
EXECUTIVE TEAM
The Executive Team consists of the Heads of Department plus two Assistant Pastors. They ensure the
implementation of the churches vision, policies and procedures regarding the business, finances and
facilities of the church.
PST. OSCAR MURIU
SENIOR PASTOR
PST. NICK KORIR
EXECUTIVE PASTOR
MRS. JANE MUNGAI
ADMINISTRATION &
FINANCE DIRECTOR
PST. BEA MURIU
CHILDREN’S PASTOR
PST. CATHLEEN ROTICH
PST. DAVID KABIBI
PST. FAITH MUGERA
PST. GOWI ODERA
PST. LUKE JAOKO
PST. JACKIE OTHORO
LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT PASTOR
MISSION'S PASTOR
ADULT CARE
PASTOR
ASSISTANT PASTOR
ASSIMILATION
SOCIAL JUSTICE
PASTOR
SUNDAY SERVICES
PASTOR
PST. SAMMY MANGELI
ASSISTANT PASTOR
OVERSIGHT
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OVERSIGHT
DEPARTMENT
The Oversight Department is responsible for the total ministries of the
church, executive decisions, HR, vision casting and global partnerships.
PST. OSCAR MURIU
HEAD OF
DEPARTMENT
SAMMY MANGELI
ESTHER KARIUKI
GRACE MAINA
ASSISTANT PASTOR
OVERSIGHT
EVENTS DIRECTOR
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
HUMAN RESOURCES
MISSIONS
The Missions Department is responsible for our evangelism and church
planting ministry.
PST. LUKE JAOKO
HEAD OF
DEPARTMENT
COLLINS OUMA
GODFREY OKONGO
FRANCIS NJOGU
MURIU MAKUMI
CHURCH PLANTING
DIRECTOR
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
MINISTRY ASSISTANT
MINISTRY ASSISTANT
GEORGINA NJENGA
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT
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Chapelites Apr 2014
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Sunday Services Department puts together our Sunday worship service
for the adults.
PST. GOWI ODERA
HEAD OF
DEPARTMENT
MWIKALI NDAMBO
NICODEMUS OCHIENG
ANDY MBURU
NOEL NDERITU
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
WORSHIP DIRECTOR
ON STUDY LEAVE
BAND OVERSIGHT
KIDANE ADALA
JOSEPH MUIRU
JOY MSAGHAH
VIDEO ASSISTANT
MINISTRY ASSISTANT
CHRISTINE NDIRANGU
SOUND OVERSIGHT
COMMUNICATIONS
BARAK ALMONDIA
WRITING ASSISTANT
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ADULT CARE
Adult Care Department oversees the pastoral care to our church families and
adults. They are also responsible for the spiritual growth and discipleship of
our adult members.
PST. DAVID KABIBI
HEAD OF
DEPARTMENT
PST. JACKIE OTHORO
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PST. LIZ MANGELI
ROSELYNN KAMAU
SUE NZIUKO
VOLUNTEER MINISTRY
DIRECTOR
PERSONAL ASSISTANT
ASSISTANT PASTOR
ASSIMILATION
ASSISTANT PASTOR
eGROUPS
ANDREW KARIUKI
ANDREW MAINA
DAVID SIJENYI
WILSON ANDAI
eGROUP DISTRICT
SHEPHERD
eGROUP DISTRICT
SHEPHERD
eGROUP DISTRICT
SHEPHERD
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANT
MAUREEN AMANI
KAZI MGHENDI
SUSAN MWANGI
MINISTRY ASSISTANT
ASSIMILATION
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
ASSIMILATION
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
eGROUP
Chapelites Apr 2014
KAREN MWANGI
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
PLUG-IN
CHILDREN
MINISTRY
The Children’s Ministry seeks to nurture our little ones into a living faith.
They take care of our 2 – 11 year-olds.
PST. BEA MURIU
HEAD OF
DEPARTMENT
PST. SARAH NYAMBURA
BERYL OCHIENG
LAURA MUSUMBA
ASSISTANT PASTOR
CHILDREN’S OUTREACH
SUNDAY SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDANT
SUNDAY SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDANT
BELLA MBURU
NANU MUGAI
ON STUDY LEAVE
MINISTRY ASSISTANT
CHILDREN
YOUTH MINISTRY
The Youth Ministry oversees the spiritual nurture of our 12 – 25 year olds
who consist of the Crossroads teens (12 & 13 years), XP (14 – 18 year olds) and
BLITZ (19 – 25 year old Young Adults). Our staff team is small, but they have
8 interns and 4 Pastoral Trainees who work alongside them.
PST. NICK KORIR
HEAD OF
DEPARTMENT
WANJIRU GICHECHE
YOUTH MINISTRY
DIRECTOR
STEVE SHITEMI
MINISTRY ASSISTANT
YOUNG ADULTS
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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Leadership Development seeks to inspire and influence budding leaders by
teaching them the practical skills and philosophy of ministry, and by giving
them multiple opportunities to try out these principles and grow.
PST. CATHLEEN ROTICH
HEAD OF
DEPARTMENT
BRIDGET BAWKS
JACKSON MAINA
CATHERINE OKWE
JACKLINE MWENDE
KINARA DIRECTOR
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
PASTORAL TRAINEESHIP
MINISTRY ASSISTANT
KINARA
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT
SOCIAL JUSTICE
PST. FAITH MUGERA
HEAD OF
DEPARTMENT
PST. BRAD MATLACK
SOCIAL JUSTICE
DIRECTOR
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Chapelites Apr 2014
The Social Justice Department is a part of our Missions Department, and
works at caring for the poor and needy in our immediate community. Our
primary initiative here is the Jubilee Scholarship Fund, LOGOS Nursery
and Primary School, Prison Break at Jamuhuri Short-term Prison, Upendo
Women’s Fellowship and Kawangware Primary School. Our Secondary
engagement is through our Frontline Ministries led by our church members
that are working in the community. These include One Lamb, Seed Of Hope,
Uzima Daycare Center, and Tumaini Clinic.
JANE TANUI
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
JUBILEE SCHOLARSHIP FUND
WINNIE NANJALA
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT
ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE
The Administration and Finance team is there to oversee the financial and
operational aspects of the church.
MRS. JANE MUNGAI
HEAD OF
DEPARTMENT
ESTHER NGUGI
ACCOUNTS MANAGER
MICHAEL TANUI
FINANCE ASSISTANT
KENNETH LIDAHULI
RUTH WAWERU
PROJECT ASSISTANT
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT
2014 CHURCH PLANTERS
PST. SILAS OULU
PST. ROBERT MBUGUA
PST. SAM NYAWANDA
PST. STEVE NJERU
CHURCH PLANTER
ZAMBIA
CHURCH PLANTER
NAKURU
CHURCH PLANTER
GHANA
CHURCH PLANTER
MALAWI
PST. JOHANES ABONG'O
PST. XAVIER ANAMI
PST. LAWRENCE KARIUKI
CHURCH PLANTER
KISUMU
CHURCH PLANTER
UGANDA
CHURCH PLANTER
BOTSWANA
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NEW DAUGHTER CHURCH PASTORS
PST. ALBERT OUTA
PST. TOBBIAS NGALA
REV. COLLLINS OLAYEE
TRINITY CHAPEL
MERU
TRINITY CHAPEL
LIBERIA
TRINITY CHAPEL
MOMBASA
PST. STEVE THUO
PST. PAUL NZIMBI
PST. WONDWOSSEN SEIF
PST. BONIFACE NAGI
TRINITY CHAPEL
RUIRU
TRINITY CHAPEL
RWANDA
TRINTY CHAPEL
ETHIOPIA
NAIROBI CHAPEL
UTAWALA
MAP OF eGROUPS ZONES
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PST. PETER KAMAU
NAIROBI CHAPEL
RONGAI
Chapelites Apr 2014
Every once in a while, something happens, a change
of sort that forces us to re-engage, refocus or adjust
our stand. In doing so, somehow through the turmoil
or joy, we realize that we are getting closer and closer
to God. The closer we get to that place of intimacy, the
more we understand that our joy comes not from our
circumstances, but from realizing that God is with us.
Getting to this understanding helps us to appreciate the
concept of “Unconditional Praise”.
Unconditional praise is the kind of praise that seeks
to glorify God because He is God and King, and not
because of our life’s circumstances, blessings or lack
thereof. To honor Him simply because He is great
and mighty, beyond all comprehension is what real
praise is about. Like the author of the book of Romans
who declares, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His
judgments and unfathomable His ways!” [Romans 11:33].
It happens when we stop trying to figure out God, or
why He does what He does, and we chose to simply
be lost in childlike faith that allows us to stand on God’s
word, and God’s promise alone. It happens when we let
go of what we hoped He would do for us, and how we
imagine He should have resolved our issues, and allow
God to be God. Only then will we learn how to let go
139:5), He promises to cover you and be your shield
of our anxieties, fears and worries, and trust God to fill
(Ps 91:4), He commands His angels concerning you
us with praise.
(Ps 91:11), and promises to protect you (Ps 91:14). He
also says he will hold you in the palm of his hand and
The word of God in Zachariah 2:10 says “SHOUT and
surround you as the mountains surround Jerusalem (Ps
be glad, O’ Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will
live among you”. Even in the worst of circumstances,
3:3). He even pours out His favor, mercies and grace
125:2), and He says you are his in Christ in God (Col
having a friend come to live with us is tremendously
upon you. Whichever side you look – up, down, right
encouraging and gives cause for rejoicing. And having
or left, forwards or backwards – God is there watching
the King of Kings himself come to live besides us is out
over you. How then can you not rejoice, even when
of this world!
things look bad?
If you are looking for a reason to praise, a reason to be
Rejoice because while others are seeking His presence,
glad, simply be glad because God is with you. And get
He declares He is already here with you, around you,
this - He promises to go before you and after you (Ps
underneath you.
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KINARA
RAISING LEADERS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
By Pst. Cathleen Rotich
Kinara “captain” or point person
Kinara is the Chapel’s Leadership Development Program whose goal is to raise up people to take key leadership roles in different
ministries within the church and beyond. Kinara empowers and instructs those who feel that God might be calling them into ministry
and wish to explore that calling. We seek out young men and women who are passionate and intent on following Jesus and pursuing
lives of meaning through ministry and discipling them through different experiences.
A LITTLE HISTORY
When Nairobi Chapel began to extend its ministry to the
students at the University of Nairobi in the early 90’s,
our congregation grew in leaps and bounds. So did the
ministry needs. The Internship Program was born out of
the recognition that while our opportunities for ministry
were growing, there weren’t enough leaders trained to fill
the emerging roles. The Leadership of the church invited
students who were just completing their studies to be trained
for ministry. What started as a simple leadership training with
just 2 University graduates has grown over the years that, we
now have had at least 30 interns graduating annually from
as the foundation for their leadership. Our hope is that our
interns will learn how to love the Lord with all their hearts,
and surrender every aspect of their lives and ministry to the
leading of the Holy Spirit.
Loving the Lord with all your soul is a matter of
CONVICTION - To Believe
What do you really, really believe on the inside? Convictions
are what drive us from the inside. We instil in our interns
how to love the Lord with all their soul, for that shapes their
inmost convictions about life and faith.
Kinara.
Loving the Lord with all your mind is a matter of
COMPREHENSION - To Understand
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
In Romans 10:1-2, Paul chastised the Israelites for having
The Program draws its ministry philosophy from Mark 12:29b,
where Jesus, when asked what the greatest commandment
was, said, ‘Thou shall Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and
with all your strength’. And the second is like it, ‘Love your
neighbour as yourself.’ We work to develop well rounded
individuals specifically in the following areas:
zeal without knowledge. At Kinara, we know that passion
for ministry must be firmly grounded in the truths of the
Scripture; otherwise it is likely to become misguided. They
need to understand God, His heart, His character and His
mission. Kinara seeks to develop the interns’ comprehension
of Biblical truths and ministry principles through theological
and leadership classes like “Bible Survey” and “Leadership
Principles.”
Loving the Lord with all your heart is a matter of
CHARACTER - To Be
It is often said that your gift will take you before kings, but
only character will keep you there. At Kinara, we recognize
the importance of developing Christ-likeness in our leaders
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Chapelites Apr 2014
Loving the Lord with all your strength is a matter of
COMPETENCE - To Be
Our fourth goal for the internship is to have the Interns’
passion and knowledge translated into action. For this reason,
our Interns are exposed to different ministry opportunities both
within the church and outside to grow their skills. Skills such
as teaching the bible, leading prayer meetings and discipleship
groups are learned practically as they participate in the primary
and high school outreach programs over the course of their
internship.
Loving your neighbour as you love yourself is a
matter of COMPASSION - To Love
It is through others that our love for God and our
ministry skills find expression. The Kinara Program
provides opportunity for the Interns to share
Christ’s love with others outside their immediate
ministry context. They participate in local missions
and international outreach opportunities outside the
Chapel.
The Interns go through 3 terms in a calendar
year. Sometimes an intern will be rotated
into a different department
with the aim of exposing
him/her not just to their
area of gifting, but also to
an area where they need
to grow. This becomes
critical when they go off
to church-plants because
they might be required to
fill particular needs that
lie outside their area of
“specialization.” Such
rotations sometimes
help them discover
dormant gifts as yet
unknown.
Francis Njogu joined the Kinara Internship Program
in January 2012. He served in the Plug-In ministry. In
February 2013, he was sent out as a Pastoral Trainee to
help plant Trinity Chapel, Monrovia. There he was able
to start Plug-In groups and to also serve as a worship
leader, making sure that the Sunday Services were a
success.
Currently, Francis is a Ministry Trainee and is heading
the Prisons Ministry Program (Prison Break) which aims
to help rehabilitate prisoners once they are released as
well as minister to the inmates every Sunday by holding
Sunday morning service at the Prison.
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20
1
Pst. Matt Millar
I was an eager 25 year-old freshman from an internship with the Men’s
Ministry department at Elmbrook Church in Milwaukee, WI (USA) when
I first stepped foot on Kenyan soil at the Jomo Kenyatta International
1.
2.
Airport. I had done it – I had actually done it; left the comforts of my
world to live and serve in Africa, a place I had only ever read about. What
exactly I had gotten myself into was impossible to imagine; only time
3.
would tell.
4.
There are many ideas or concepts in this life that cannot be quantified.
I was not naïve enough to enter my time as a Kinara Intern without
knowing that it would cost me. I was fully aware that it would cost
5.
me time and that I was forfeiting any salary I might have earned from
putting my MBA to good use pursuing a business career. Not only
6.
that, but by joining Kinara, it meant I had to approach friends and
family to support me financially – something very few people enjoy.
7.
Linking up with Nairobi Chapel caused me to change all of my most
8.
treasured relationships and label them with the title “long-distance”. I
was conscious that I’d be missing birthdays, holidays, babies being born,
9.
friends getting married, and other special events. Coming to Kenya
would not be without a tangible cost.
10.
What I was not prepared for, however, were the intangible ways in
11.
which God was planning to repay me for those sacrifices. I have gained
so much from my experience in Kinara and it all started when I stepped
out of my comfort zone and took up the call to serve God in a foreign
12.
country. All this while being trained as a future leader for the Church of
Christ. In that one year, I experienced the presence of God’s Holy Spirit
as deeply and richly as I have never before.
By leaving your country and being a part of Kinara, you will most
1.
assuredly discover the authenticity of the promises of Jesus in situations
you never could have imagined. Why would you take my word for it that
2.
I grew more spiritually in that one year as an intern than all the other
previous years of my life combined, and that you could too? These are
3.
truths that you should learn for yourself, firsthand, not from a second
party.
4.
There is nothing this world has to offer me that compares to what I
received in the one year I
spent in Kinara. I encourage
5.
you to come and unveil
these realities for yourself.
You will benefit far more
than you ever thought or
6.
imagined. Arrive with an
open mind and a desire to
connect with Jesus and
from there let Him do the
7.
work.
Pst Matt completed his
Internship in 2011.
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Chapelites Apr 2014
Ephrem Yikunoamlak:
I am married with three daughters. I graduated with a B.A in
Bible and Theology from Ethiopian Full Gospel Theological
College in partnership with the Global University of U.S.A. I
joined Kinara in March 2013 and served in the Pastoral Care
Department. Currently I am serving at Trinity Chapel, Addis
Ababa. The Kinara Program allowed me to learn so many things
and grow me as a leader and into my calling. I have improved
on my management and leadership skills, grown in my spiritual
disciplines and gained a lot of knowledge on ministry. I thank
God for the Kinara Program and the Leadership Department. God
bless this ministry.
Daniel Yibza:
I heard about Kinara as I was studying Civil Engineering
in Ethiopia. I felt that it was an opportunity for me
to learn, grow and confirm my calling in ministry.
I joined Kinara in March 2013 and served with
the Young Adults at Blitz. My time in the
Program allowed me opportunities to be
strong in my faith and grow as a young
leader. I have seen God work miracles
for me through Nairobi Chapel and I
want to thank everyone one here
for giving me an opportunity to
share in the vision. I can say I have
grown deep, I am currently serving
at Trinity Chapel Addis Ababa, and
each day has been an opportunity
to practice all I learnt while serving
at Nairobi Chapel.
Ephrem Yikunoamlak
www.nairobichapel.org
www.nairobichapel.org
1
KINARA CURRICULUM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
What is our promise to those we recruit and invite to join our KINARA program?
We invite our interns to a journey of development and preparation for the work of ministry. Over the years, we have narrowed
our recruitment focus to those who sense God’s call over their lives for church ministry. We are interested in honing their gifts,
skills, experiences, and calling so as to grow them to become effective servants of the Kingdom of Christ. How do we get them
from here to there?
When Jesus called the rough, untrained fishermen to “Follow
Kenya have never been disciple well, a lot of work is put into
Me and I will make you fishers of men”, he took them trough
this area for the interns. The presumption is that they came
a practical, hand-on curriculum for 3 years of training. It had
to faith, but no-one disciple them, so we need to ensure that
six components to it.
in-depth discipleship takes place in this first year. Each intern
therefore has an appointed spiritual mentor with whom they
1. MENTORING - He allowed the disciples to observe his
meet with from time to time to discuss their growth, and to
life in real life situations so as to mold their character.
talk about personal issues they are facing, or about areas of
2. THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION - Often he would withdraw
their life that they need help in.
from the crowds to reflect on spiritual truths with his 12
disciples, thus helping them establish Godly convictions.
3. SPIRITUAL
DISCIPLINE
At the same time, each intern is in a gender sensitive Staff
&
Discipleship Group (D-Group) where they meet with 4 other
meditation, encouraged praise, fasting and other spiritual
staff members (all staff members are in a D-Group) and a
disciplines, to deepen his disciples' personal devotion.
group leader twice a month, for 3 hours, to reflect on the
-
He
modeled
prayer
4. TEAMWORK - The 12 worked and lived together, discussed
issues together, were also sent out to minister together
and hence sharpened one another.
This teamwork
Christian walk and to study the bible devotionally.
Theological Reflection
allowed for supportive relationships, accountability and
Each first year term the interns study a bible courses such as
transparency.
5. HANDS-ON MINISTRY - The Lord showed them how
“A survey of the Old and New Testament”, and “Hermeneutics
to do it, did it with them and then sent them out to do
– Reading the Bible for All it’s Worth” (The second year of
it. In this way they developed their own skills and gifts,
training focuses a lot more on Biblical studies). The idea is to
preparing for the time he would no longer be there and
give them the theological construct needed to have a robust
they would have to work alone.
biblical framework for ministry. They also participate in 3
6. SUCCESSION PLANNING -
He specifically prepared
annual conferences for their biblical knowledge – the VERITUS
them for his leadership transition, and for that time that
Bible conference, VIRAL Church Planting Conference, and the
he would no-longer be with them.
EDGE Leadership Conference.
This is what our Kinara curriculum is scripted around.
All these studies are the Master’s level courses our trained staff
Each course is designed to engage as many of these six
studied in theological college unpacked to suit the individual
components as possible, and help the Kinarites grow in the
level of the intern.
knowledge and wisdom of God, and get them out there to
practice it practically in missions engagement, team building,
At the same time the interns study Biblical leadership by
mentoring others and personal discipleship.
looking at examples of leaders from the bible, and once a
Mentoring
month participate in ongoing training which focuses on
leadership and practical ministry skills that are immediately
applicable in their work. They sit with older leaders and
Because personal spiritual growth and maturity is so important
debrief from their life lessons, and they read extensively from
for any Christian leader, and because many Christians in
leadership books that will hone their own leadership ability.
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Chapelites Apr 2014
Spiritual Disciplines
evangelistic focus.
Learning the spiritual disciples and practicing them faithfully
interns participate in. The purpose of these is to help settle
is what maturity and longevity in ones Christian walk is all
their convictions about missions, and to expose them to
about. Building a firm foundation in the spiritual disciplines is
the reality of the need for Christ out there – away from the
therefore one of the most important tenants of establishing
protected setting of the church. The three missions are firstly
the interns in their faith. If they can practice the disciplines and
an Urban Plunge into slum life. Very close to the Chapel is the
be held accountable for them until they become a bedrock
Kibera slum, which is reputably the largest slum in Africa. Its
of faith, then the intern will have laid down a foundation for
proximity to us presents a unique opportunity to share the
service that will see them through their whole life. Each intern
love of Jesus with those who live there. So we take the interns
is therefore put into a one-on-one discipleship relationship
to live in Kibera with members of our Kibera slum churches
with a discipler where they meet weekly to study and practice
for a few day. Living up close to poverty is an education in
the 11 Practices of a Disciple.
itself, and our hope is that their heart would be broken with
Every year there are three mission engagements that the
compassion at the plight of the poor. Many interns profess
Teamwork
that this urban plunge was life transforming.
Jesus called twelve, and for 3 years they worked together as
Secondly all the interns go on a 2 week Short Term Mission
a team. His style was cohort teaching. The disciples benefited
outreach with African Enterprise out into one of the remote
from this because they could process their learnings,
towns of Kenya (such as Wajir or Lodwar). African Enterprise
disagreements and differences with each other. Occasionally
is a ministry that seeks to mobilize the church to send out
they needed Jesus to speak into their misunderstanding and
missionaries and evangelists all over Africa to reach people for
disputes, such as when they asked him - who is the greatest?
Christ. They spend every day out in the community sharing
Christ one-on-one; and in the evening hold evangelistic
Teaching the interns as learning cohorts has the same
rallies for the town. Two intense weeks of such evangelism
benefits, that they can be each others best teachers, they
often lead to over 1,000 people plus receiving Christ as Lord
can keep each other accountable, and they can disciple each
and Savior per week.
other.
Finally, our interns go out in a Spy Mission to survey a town
The interns come into the program 3 times a year - in January,
or country for church planting. They go out with a church
May and Sept; with each group being about 30 people. They
planter and spend 10 days mapping the city, sharing the
graduate together as a cohort and go out in missions together.
gospel, speaking to pastors, holding prayer walks around
the city, and meeting government officials, leaders, and
Hands on Ministry
This is where ministry skills are formed, and we have adopted
businessmen.
Succession Planning
an “In-the-trenches” approach. Trainees spend a great deal of
time each week serving in various ministry capacities within
In their second year of internship, the interns go out to help
the church and out in the community. Each has 3 areas of
plant a church somewhere in Kenya, Africa or Europe. In that
practical service – first is in one specific department of the
second year they have to put everything they have learned
church that engages their spiritual gift such as worship
in their first year to use. This throws them off the deep end
leading, working with children or even organizing things in
to turn all that exposure, theory and practicums into reality.
administration.
Before they leave however, they need to have raised up and
trained younger leaders in their ministry to continue what
The second is in discipling high school students. We have
they were doing.
over 200 students they disciple a week. At the beginning
of every school term (there are three - January, May and
Succession has often plagued business enterprises, national
September), the interns are assigned to a group of ten or
leadership and church ministries. Everyone seems to struggle
twelve high school students whom they meet with for an
on how to plan for succession well. So we talk about working
hour or two every week, sharing through a pre-set youth
yourself out of a job, raising up other leaders after you,
discipleship curriculum. They become the shepherd for the
handing over well and exiting well.
group for about eight months.
The third is in the weekly pastoral programs in the local
primary schools where they each teach bible stories to the
children three times a week. A lot of this teaching has an
www.nairobichapel.org
24
From left: John Gitonga (Project Manager for Green House Office), Ken
Wathome (Trustee) and Godwin Wangongu (Church Elder)
THE NINE
INTEGRITIES
Who are the elders at
Chapel and what is their
role? Gerald Macharia, one
of our Elders shares with us
why this group of people,
though not always visible,
play a pivotal process in the
oversight of the church.
“The elders at the Chapel are
overseers, ensuring that we meet nine
very specific integrities as a church.
These are:
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Chapelites Apr 2014
www.nairobichapel.org
26
LEARNING TO HAVE A
VISION
GOD SWEAT
THAT MAKES
An interview with Pastor Jason Webb
What significant lessons did you learn in
your time at the Chapel?
Chapel for many reasons. But most importantly, we loved
the people. Some of our closest friends to this day are
Chapelites. They loved us genuinely. Their family was
My years at the Chapel were the most formative years
our family.
of my life. While there are many lessons I learned, the
most significant was that God is much bigger than we
I’ll never forget when we adopted our son Kyama from
Americans think he is. Our faith tends to hover in the
New Life Home, a home that takes care of abandoned
realm of the possible. We say, “God do the impossible in
children in Nairobi. We were about to bring him home
me and through me” but what we really mean is “If I try
when he became very sick. We were new parents and
really hard, then I should accomplish this (and I’ll then
very scared. But every day, Pastor Bea Muriu and Pastor
give credit to God).”
Janet Mutinda, were right there with us. In fact, they even
told us that they had stayed up several nights praying and
But that’s not how it works in Kenya and certainly not
at the
Chapel.
I remember sitting in Pastor Oscar’s
office talking about the strategic goals of the Chapel.
He turned to me and said, “You are in charge of helping
us see 1 million people come to faith in Christ over the
fasting for him.
As a pastor from a different cultural
context, what did you learn from the
other leaders at the Chapel?
next 20 years.” I said, “Excuse me! What! I cannot do
this.” I thought this is crazy. But after taking his challenge
Well, the most significant was Pastor Oscar teaching me
seriously, God miraculously opened up movie theaters,
how to slaughter a goat! This has proven a bit problematic
prisons, and schools for us to go into and share the
when we visit the zoo, now that I’m back in the States.
We saw more than
While all the people want to pet the goats, I want
2,000 accept salvation that year.
to eat them!!! That does not
gospel.
Unbelievable.
God did the
go down very well here. You
might be able to tell that I
impossible.
really miss nyama choma!
What was your time
at the Nairobi Chapel
like?
learned that vision must be
My
Pastor Oscar would tell me
On a more serious note, I
God-sized,
wife
Heather
and
I
not
man-sized.
served at the Chapel for 3
over and over again, “Jason,
years,
you need to have a vision that
leading
in
several
roles including preaching,
makes God sweat!” When he
young adults, evangelism,
said that, I would start to “sweat”.
social justice, and church
planting. Heather directed
But his point was valid.
God
the internship program and
wants to do nothing less than
worked with global partnerships. We loved the
change the world through us. If
our vision is small then our God must also be small.
1
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Chapelites Apr 2014
Related to this, I learned that if you want to do something
seen the vision for church planting at the Chapel. Not
big for God you are never going to be ready to do it. That’s
only that, but Brooklife is now a church that plants other
ok, but you still need to step out in faith and do it. One
churches.
day in 2004 we were having a meeting at Java House
about this crazy idea of multiplying our one location, then
The other big lesson that has followed me back home
on Mamlaka road, into 5 locations each Sunday! I have to
has been the importance of leadership development.
admit that I was a bit skeptical. So, as any good American
The internship program is at the core of the Chapel’s
would, I came with a list of 50 questions that we needed
leadership development and it has become a core part
answered before we were to do this.
of our church as well. In fact, we have many churches
asking us how we get so many interns and develop so
After listening to my questions, Pastor Muriithi, who
many leaders and I always share the Chapel experience.
would step out to lead one of those locations, leaned over
the table and said, “Jason, you want to know what the
Are there are any gifts we brought to the Chapel? That’s
problem with Western strategy is? You live your life under
for the leadership to judge. I however pray that we left a
the motto: ‘Ready! Aim! Fire!’ But all you do most of the
positive mark on people. I pray that even if they forget
time is “aim, aim, aim” and never “fire.” But we Africans do
all of our gifts and ministry accomplishments, they
it differently. We live under the motto: ‘Ready! Fire! Aim!’
remember we lived with them, laughed with them, and,
I’d much rather do something and have to readjust than
above all else, loved them.
live my whole life aiming and never firing.” That moment
changed me forever.
Share some significant practices that you
took back home with you from your time
here?
The most obvious one is that we planted a church.
Heather and I never would have done this had we not
Pst Jason and his wife Heather Webb served at the Chapel
from 2002 – 2005. He is the lead pastor at Brooklife
Church, Mukwonago, Wiscousin, USA which they started
in 2007 as a church plant of Elmbrook Church. Jason and
Heather have four adorable children, Kyama, Ashtyn,
Micah and Genet (Geni). You can visit their website on
www.brooklife.org
www.nairobichapel.org
www.nairobichapel.org
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1
MISSIONARY TO THE ENDS
OF THE
EARTH
Serving God In New Zealand
An interview with Rev. Steve Maina
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Chapelites Apr 2014
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
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e
d
i
r
e
e
l
i
b
jRuIDING FOR A CAUSE
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A year ago, the dream to ride for 50 days to the southmost tip
of Africa seemed just like what it was – A DREAM. A Team of
off-road motor bikers who had always wanted to ride through
Africa had started the discussion on what it would take to make
it happen. Led by our very own, Pst. Nick Korir, the dream to ride
with a cause took off when a secretariat of amazing individuals
came together to begin to unfold this dream. Here is the journal
log in the words of Pst Nick . . .
On Jamuhuri Day – December 12th 2013 - We had the
exciting opportunity to see a year’s work get commissioned
as we flagged off 7 Bikers and a Technical Team in two Pickups, generously donated by Ford Motors They had achieved
what they desired, riding for 50 days, to celebrate Kenya @ 50
by sending 50 Scholars through 4 years of High School.
By the time they were coming back they had raised Kshs. 12
million. The Kshs. 15 million target would be achieved a few
days after the ride. Watching the Riders come in together, it
was not hard to notice the bond forged from the open road,
from purpose, from shared adventure, and from a Vision
bigger then themselves.
On the night of the departure we could hardly sleep. Everyone
made sure they had either packed everything we needed or
that ‘their house was in order’... bills paid; duties handed over;
leave forms approved. A one and a half month journey lay
ahead and nothing could be left to chance.
Thursday, 12th December 2013:
The rain seemed like it would dampen the day but to the
surprise of many of the Riders, many Chapelites, family and
friends sacrificed and braved the chill and downpour to be at
the flag-off. K-Krew had music already playing and as soon as
there was quorum we broke into a dance. The scholars, the
sponsors, family and friends made the flag-off a very special
occasion for all the riders.
After a prayer from Pastor Albo, Pastor Faith flagged us off
to the Junction Mall where the Kenya Bikers Association
members were waiting. To our utter shock, we had at least 50
bikers ready to escort the Jubilee Riders through Downtown
Nairobi and on to Kajiado.
We rode into the drizzle, down Ngong Road, Valley road
and into the City. We then rode through Mombasa Road,
Athi River, Kitengela and finally Kajiado where we took a
break at the Kajiado Cultural Resort. K-Krew was all set and
immediately got the Bikers, Scholars and other supporters on
their feet to the latest gospel tunes. After entertainment and
refreshments, we set off for Namanga with a smaller escort
party and finally crossed the border into Tanzania at 6pm.
The customs process took longer than we had anticipated
but we were cleared and got to Arusha at 8pm. In Arusha,
courtesy of the Kenyan consulate in Arusha, we were invited
to the Golden Jubilee Dinner organized for all the Kenyans
living in Arusha. We later on retired to sleep at the Arusha
Tourist Inn.
Friday, 13th December
We set off from the Arusha Tourist Inn at 7am, unfortunately
without breakfast because it was too early for the staff. This
now became our “drama” day! One of our Tech-Crew drivers
took a wrong turn in Arusha and instead of getting onto the
road to Dodoma he got on to the road to Moshi and got lost
for the next 3 hours. He was unreachable because he had
apparently forgotten his phone at the Arusha Hotel where
Sunday 15th December
After a prayer for the group by John – one of
the riders, who we just had to mention - we left
Iringa for Mbeya and later to the Songea border
(the Kenya-Malawi border). We rode long and
hard but the greatest frustration this day was
being stopped every 5kms by traffic policemen
at every Kijiji (village) most of which had a speed
limit of 50Kph.... some even 30Kph!
On this day at least 5 members of our team
got speeding tickets and all the stops really
compromised the ride. However we spiced it all
up by stopping for nyamchom by the roadside
that had been done the traditional Maasai way.
We got to the Songwe border at 4pm and enjoyed
Monday 16th December
Woke up LATE! Key word ... LATE! We tried to
sleep until the feeling of exhaustion left and
then had a late breakfast. Most of the team
took time to do their laundry and later tour the
town. In the afternoon we all took a boat ride
on the lake and Pastor Nick shared devotion on
“Abraham’s journeys and lessons from Safari –
50 Greatest Journeys in Scripture”.
Thereafter, we had the great joy of diving off
cliffs, snorkeling, swimming and just the sheer
fun of enjoying Lake Malawi. As Jesus did with
the Disciples, we also shared, debriefed and
talked about our trip highlights so far and what
we have learned from being with each other.
It was a very refreshing day. We later had an
awesome MALAWIAN DINNER!
Ride stats
Kilometers Covered
22,000 KM
Countries Visited: 12
Fuel Consumed: 1,500
Litres
Days on the road: 50
days
Number of Riders: 7
Riders
Support Crew: 7
////
Meanwhile the bikes were well on their way
through Babati and Singida and finally Dodoma.
We drank soup on the way, stopped to look at the
most amazing rock formations and enjoyed the
endlessly windy road as we rode through nothing
but heavy downpour! However, only 90km from
Dodoma, one of the bikes had a breakdown and
we needed to wait for the support vehicle that
had the comprehensive tool kit. After a 3 hour
wait, the bike’s issues were resolved and we
safely made our way to Dodoma at 9pm. After
checking into the Crown Hotel, most of the crew
simply blacked out because it had been a very
long day.
the very smooth flow of our clearing process
and were ready to enter Malawi at 6pm. We
rode to Karongo where we spent the night.
This was our first contact with Lake Malawi.
We swam in the Lake at night and enjoyed the
beach as we rested our very tired and weary
muscles.
//
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we stayed. The second vehicle finally got to track
them down and they began their journey to
Dodoma 3 hours later.
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The Jubilee Riders; From Left Mburu Ngugi, Mbeche Alwanga,
Mwongela Mbuvi, Pst. Nick Korir, John Kimathi and Moses Nderitu.
Please visit
www.jubileeride2013.org
for the Ride journal, pictures
and how you can continue
to partner with the Jubilee
Scholarship Fund.
Building a Leader’s
Spiritual LIFE
By Pst. BG Bawks
by BG Nkatha
One of our ladies D-Groups
If you were to interview any new intern joining the Chapel
This year [2014] the Men are going through the “Man Enough”
and ask what their single-most desire in working on a church
Curriculum by Pastor Simon Mbevi, while the Ladies are
staff was, spiritual growth would very likely be at the top of
studying through “Breaking Free” by Beth Moore. Not only
the list. Everyone wants to grow deep, especially if they are
do our D-Groups serve as discipleship avenues, they are also
working for the church. The presumption is even that anyone
serve as a support system to facilitate care to individual staff
who works in a church is deep
members. Whenever a member
and mature. And yet when you
of staff is facing challenges
read all the stories and scandals
cripture: What Bible passage is assigned in their life, or suffering loss,
found in the media today about
for today’s reading?
their D-Group serve as the first
church pastor’s and their foibles
bservation: What do I notice from the respondents, their department
and misconduct, it is clear that not
passage? What lessons are contained in the
team as the second, and the
everyone on church staff is mature
scripture?
pastoral team and HR as the
pplication: How can I apply the
in Christ.
scripture
Sometime
church
work
and
to
my
personal
third. This has helped build
life
and/or
accountability and care within
the team.
ministry?
ministry can even be the very
rayer:
reason why one is not mature –
made as a result of the reading and pray for
D-Groups
because it is so easy to get caught
transformation.
opportunities
Commit to the Lord any decisions
also
for
provide
older
in the trap of being so busy for God
members of staff, who have
that you have no time left for God
great ministry experience, to
himself. Without intentional spiritual nurture, it is possible for
mentor our younger members of staff, especially the interns.
ministry to become the biggest enemy to your faith.
Once a month, the D-Group leaders come together to discuss
It is for this reason that the staff Discipleship Group were put
progress in their groups, encourage one another and train on
in place. Each staff member has to be in a discipleship group.
the dynamics of leading small groups. In the end, our hope
The groups are designed to intentionally build faith in the
is that all our staff members will have their faith built up so
context of community. The Bible is the primary curriculum.
they are able to serve from a place of strength and spiritual
Each group goes through a pre-planned reading guide which
overflow.
involves reading a chapter of the Bible each day, guided by the
S.O.A.P tool.
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Chapelites Apr 2014
Let them come to me!
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not
to equip them with what information and bible verses they
hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
need to share with other children.
Matthew 19:14
Children think pictorially and literally, not philosophically and
When Jesus said this He indicated He wanted a relationship
theoretically so the message has to be in simple language. It
with children, an unhindered one. He was also declaring
starts with explaining Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and
that the kingdom of heaven belonged to any who
fall short of the glory of God”, and what
displayed the trusting
sin is. It then moves on to why Jesus
faith of a child. There’s
died on the cross for us. And finally
something
beautiful
concludes with what it means to live a
and innocent about
new life in Christ. 1, 2, 3 simple, simple,
childlike faith that trusts
simple. As the child grows older, we
without
build on this form foundation and
or
complaining
questioning,
begin to unpack the meaning of each
and
phrase.
displays a heart eager
to
follow,
trust
and
The purpose of the Quest time
obey.
is to disciple the children at their
a
level of understanding. This is very
market researcher who
intentionally done by sharing the
specializes in studying
Word of God with them, getting
Christians and church
them to do a craft that will reinforce
trends, wrote this about
their lesson, encouraging them to
the age at which most
memorize the relevant scripture,
people
Christ:
and giving them a take-home lesson
“Families and churches
to reinforce what they learned in
George
Barna,
accept
that
Sunday school. They also get a
the primary window of
chance to ask questions and interact with the teacher. Each
opportunity for effectively reaching people with the good
lesson ends with a call to witness to their friends about the
news of Jesus’ death and resurrection is during the pre-
same things they learnt in class., and an opportunity for them
teen years. It is during those years that people develop their
to respond to God and receive forgiveness, grace or salvation.
must
recognize
frames of reference for the remainder of their life – especially
theologically and morally. Consistently explaining and
In the last two months [January & February] these little ones
modeling truth principles for children is the most critical
have ministered to their friends and over 70 children outside
factor in their spiritual development.”
the Chapel have received the Lord Jesus as Savior from the
report of these children. 28 of these have gone through
How can we share the Word of God with these young ones?
baptism class and are ready to be baptized at the end of
By living our faith in such a way that even a child understands
March. The rest will go through baptism later.
and wants to emulate our faith. It has to be simple, observable,
copy-able. When they see and understand at this child-like
The Word of God is rich and deep, even for children. And God
level, then they too are able to reach out and explain faith to
is able to use even children as His instruments. Allowing our
other children.
children to minister to each other is just one of the
many ways that God is using to accomplish His
Every beginning of the year, Quest prepares and teaches
Kingdom purposes. We thank God for this army
the children a class on how to share their faith. The lesson is
of soldiers.
supposed to be easily transferable to children, the aim being
www.nairobichapel.org
The BLITZ Team: From left Sarah Mwangangi, Brenda Magu, Victor Munala,
Ambrose Ochieno, Beth Njeru, Barak Almondia, Simon Kimani and Pst Steve Shitemi.
Blitz Turns
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Chapelites Apr 2014
•
•
•
www.nairobichapel.org
36
CROSSROADS
FROM CHILDHOOD TO TEENAGE
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Chapelites Apr 2014
www.nairobichapel.org
38
Carole Kariuki
ENGAGING BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
By Damaris Irungu- Ochieng’
Carole Kariuki glides into our meeting venue head held
high. She wears a smile and gives me a firm handshake. Star
qualities of a leader and I’m immediately taken in by this lady
who has been at the helm of KEPSA - Kenya Private Sector
Alliance for the last three and a half years.
Carole is glad to have gone through the leadership
Internship Program at Nairobi Chapel. “The program was
transformational for me. It helped me realize the potential
I had and my mission in life became more clear. On a
lighter note, it was also some form of 'boot camp' for me.”
She begins.
A thoughtful Carole reminisces. “I dived into the deep
end in many areas of my life. My faith became
stronger as I was stretched and developed the
wisdom to deal with so many opinions.”
Her experience during the program
has been her guide in her current
job. “It helped me become a more
patient and tolerant person, I learnt
to listen to all opinions and decide
which one to pick and go with.”
Something critical she also learnt
was team work and fundraising
skills.
Like a great leader, Carole has not
kept the knowledge and insights gained
during the program to herself but has
continued to mentor young girls. “Seeing many
of the girls I have walked with from their Sunday School
days grow up, finish school and even get married and still keep
the faith has been very fulfilling. At the office, it is seeing some of
the colleagues I recruited as interns grow and reach high levels in
their careers and become better than I am.” says Carole.
Carole is grateful for the lessons learnt which contributed
greatly to the success of her career at the helm of KEPSA.
“Before coming onto the leadership program I dreaded
fundraising…Well I still do a little bit but I don’t shy away from
it anymore. During the program Pastor Oscar, would ask us to
always have four options to solving a problem. This helped me
get out of my comfort zone and whenever faced with a challenge
I analyze it in at least four different ways.” adds Carole, who
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Chapelites Apr 2014
has now warmed up to me and her very bubbly personality
shines through.
One other thing I learnt was living for something greater than
self. My time at the Chapel emphasized it more, developing
others to maximize their potential. When you build others and
they take up what you are doing, you move only higher not lower.
Most people tend to think that by sharing and building others, it
will take from you. On the contrary.
Carole Kariuki comes off as a very calm and collected lady
which should not be mistaken for weakness. “The leadership
program helped me develop tough, thick skin. I work for an
organization which has many similarities to a church
in the sense that you have to be strong to stand
firm in the midst of criticism. You have to
know what to pick and what to drop for
the growth of the organization,” she
says firmly.
This lady does not take anything
for granted and is grateful for her
time at the Chapel. “I am really
fortunate to have connected to
great mentors along the way. My
family has also had a major impact
on who I am today. In every place
where i worked, from as early as when
I left high school, there has been one or
more people actively mentoring or walking
with me. At the Chapel it was Pastor Oscar and
other pastors who taught us to 'swim in the deep end”.
On the business front, I have had great entrepreneurs and
business leaders like Manu Chandaria, Patrick Obath, William
Lay, Lee Karuri among others directly mentor me on leadership
in the corporate world. Then I have those like Jane Wathome
(Beacon of Hope) who inspire me on building organizations from
infancy to maturity especially through networking. And there are
my spiritual mentors like Beatrice Muriu, Levina Mulandi and
many other women who had and still impact me from my college
days. Indeed a humble lady flying the KEPSA flag high.
Carole Kariuki is the CEO of KEPSA, the Kenya Private Sector Alliance who's
mandate is private sector development through advocacy, projects and
partnerships both local and international. They influence public policy
through policy formulation and implementation
TRANSFORMATION TRACK
•
“… let us run
with perseverance
the race marked
out for us. ”
•
•
•
•
•
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
“Growing D.E.E.P to reach W.I.D.E”
Over the years, we have been awed by the Lord’s great work
Individual growth is for greater purpose than oneself, that
of transformation among us and at an individual level. DEEP
together we may reach our God given vision as disciples and
for us means :-
as a church. WIDE for us means :-
D
E
E
P
Daily Devotions: The primacy of a
great relationship with God.
eGroups: The place of community to encourage and
spur growth through fellowship.
Engagement: God has bestowed on each one
unique gifts in order to enrich the body of Christ.
Pulpit: The place for corporate nurture and spiritual
direction as this community of faith.
W
I
D
E
Witness: We will creatively engage different avenues
to lead 1 million converts to Christ.
Impact: We will affect the six sectors of our society
through Social Justice, seeking complete social
transformation.
Disciple: We will disciple 100,000 believers to be the
Esthers and Daniels of our generation.
Establish: We will plant 300 churches by the year
2020.
www.nairobichapel.org
40
FROM AN IDEA TO A
FULL SUNDAY SERVICE
EXPERIENCE
1
SERMON
SERIES
6
We begin with the service
idea from the month’s
sermon series. This is
usually communicated by
the pastor preaching during
that month.
SUNDAY
SERVICE
It all leads to this day. All
the planning and prayer
culminate to 4 hours of
God’s presence in the
sanctuary!
2
Wondered how a Sunday Service is
planned and put together at Nairobi
Chapel? This visual shows the main steps
that we take to make that Sunday experience
special and unforgettable to all. Members of the
EVENTS
We schedule the events
that will take place during
the service for the church
calendar. It could be anything
from Baptism, Plug-In
graduation to a Sunday
School presentation.
Services Team along with the volunteers meet and
5
discuss the Sermon Series and give it a visual identity.
They also spend time thinking through possible "take
homes" that the congregation can take away from
the service and pray for God the Holy Spirit to bring
impact and change to every person who comes
REHEARSALS
into the Service.
3
Rehearsals with the
worship team, MCs and
any individuals taking part
in the Sunday Event.
4
DETAILS
The Services team meets to
finalize on any last minute
details and go through the
service flow.
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Chapelites Apr 2014
DESIGN
Planning and design of the
Stage and Church Deco
is done. Ideas are drawn
from the sermon series or
the season at the time e.g
Christmas, Easter e.t.c
CHAPEL’S VISION 2020
We would like to thank the
following sponsors for all
your support in making
the Edge Conference a
success.
Sole distributor in Kenya
of leading manufacturer of
CCTV - Samsung Techwin
Find us at The Mall Westlands 2nd Floor
Tel: 020 4445140
0717 566 877
Email: [email protected]
www.nairobichapel.org
42
CHURCH CALENDAR MARCH - JUNE 2014
MARCH
11th - 16th
18th - 23rd
URBAN PLUNGE PART 1
URBAN PLUNGE PART 2
6th
Man Enough
Deployment
17th - 20th
6th
NC Waiyaki Way
Launch
200 Voices
Concert
23rd - 30th
25th - 27th
4th
Plug-In Graduation
Season I
11th
Plug-In Launch
Season II
9th - 12th
Church Planters
Retreat
Quest Kids
Camp
Plug-In Season I
Second Retreat
6th
Quest PPI
Breakfast
15th
Fathers Day
Plug-In Season I
First Retreat
Club XPressions Soccer
Tournament
10th
Ordination
Classes Begin
21st
18th - 20th
1st
MAY
All Star Season
Challenge Begins
JUNE
2th
Volunteers
Fun Day
26th - 29th
AEE Mission
PRAYERS
Tuesday 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Nairobi Chapel
Utawala Launch
Kawangware
Reading Camp
Man Enough Season
I Graduation
eNite
13th
7th - 18th
13th
13th
Crossroads-Guza
Teens Camp
Club XPressions
Soccer Clinic
7th - 11th
4th
APRIL
20th
Easter Sunday
Service
4th
Club XPressions Ropes
Evangelism Day
10th
Man Enough
Graduation
4th - 6th
Viral Church Planting
Conference
11th
Mothers Day
6th
eNite
29th
Quest Teachers
Breakfast
CONTACT US
We invite you to join us every Tuesday at our
Green House Offices for evening prayers and
devotions. Bring a friend.
Sunday 9:00am and 11:00am
Every Sunday we hold prayers during the first
and second services. Join us at the Church Prayer
Tent located at the back of the Hyperdome
Fourth Saturday of Every Month
6:30am-8:00am
We extend an invite to all to join us every 4th
Saturday morning at the Church Hyperdome for
prayers and devotions. Bring a friend.
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Chapelites Apr 2014
Visit Us on Jamuhuri Road off Ngong Road,
Next to the Jamuhuri Show Grounds.