JIMMY'S REPORT OF CHURCH PLANTERS' MEETING IN NAIROBI HELD 14TH MARCH 2011

 

 

TEN ORGANIC CHURCH PLANTERS--LIKE "FOXES ON FIRE!" 

(Note: This term, "foxes on fire" was how one brother captured the vision of church-meetings that were born out of community with each other and fellowship with a risen Lord--New Testament style. I think this is an apt description of this first meeting. Your brother for "Bibles for Kenya," Clark)    

Brethren,

 

Ten of us organic church planters from different places in Kenya, by the extravagant grace of God met at the Jifahamu Kenya Foundation secretariat on Ngong Road, Nairobi, on Monday the 14^th March 2011. These are the names of those who came:

 

1.     Henry Barasa- Nairobi

2.     Michael Wanyoike-Nairobi

3.     Isaac Mwangi-Nairobi.

4.     Zachery Mungai- Nairobi

5.     Jim Nduruchi-Nairobi

6.     Paul Njagi-Nyeri

7.     Dawson Mudenyo-Kitale

8.     Joseph Mwangi Marera-Nyeri

9.     Paul Thuku Njembui-Nyeri

10. Peter Wachira Kanyi-Nyeri

 

I must mention this and pay a personal tribute to Brother Paul Thuku Njembui, a 86 year young grandfather, who is moving in the liberty of the New Testament gospel of Christ. This is a great age in Africa, and I thank God for the steady mind that our brother has. I thank God for the wisdom that come through experience, and which he so generously shared with us. May God keep Him and increase him, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

We had many points that we shared as we fellowshipped together, but the highest resolution that we reached was to go out and plant churches. We concluded that each month as we meet, we would each bring a report about what the Lord has done within the 30 days. Each one of us agreed to help plant at least one home church fellowship in a month. At group level, we agreed to support those who have been called into distant lands with prayers and our resources.

 

We tried to define a movement so that we can understand what entails the “Organic Church Movement” that we all profess to flow with. We discovered, above other things, that a movement is selfless. It has no structures. It has no hierarchies. It is bound by convictions of the heart. Up to about 1700 years back, we had the Early Church Movement that was swallowed by the Roman civilisation. Then in the 16^th century, we had the Reformation Movement that was swallowed by Protestantism. In the early 20^th century we had the Pentecostal Movement that started on the Azusa Street in Los Angeles. It has been swallowed by Charismatism and the prosperity prospel. All these had their driving force. Now we stand here, with the Organic Church Movement; seeking to go back to the teachings and doings of Christ; to the organic body-life and multiplication that we see in the Acts of the Apostles. Like then, we still shall expect those that come with their stomachs to be filled, of whom Paul warned the church to beware of:

 

Acts 20v29-31: For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking pervasive things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears (KJV).

 

So, here we are, on this journey. Africa needs this liberty, perhaps more than any other people. The colonial mentality perpetuated by religious legalism, ignorance of the word of God, witchcraft and poverty and disease, among other maladies that pursue our soul and wrenches the spirit; all these things requires us to get out of our comfort zones, deny ourselves of everything that everybody is seeking after, and put our hands to the plough without looking back, for no man having put his hand on the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God (Mark9v62).

 

Prayer: Father God, our true friend. The God of Africa and the whole world and the universe. I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, that You will come down in Your might and power, and quicken these weak vessels that are seeking to flow in the anointing of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Oh true Father, have mercy upon Africa, Your last born, who is like Benjamin; son of the right hand. Africa the most religious. Africa the most ‘churched’. Please Father, give Africa an opportunity to capture the revelation of Your Son Jesus Christ in its purity, simplicity, unity and multiplicity. Let the fire that You have caused in the political front in the Northern Africa and the Middle East; let that fire consume and engulf Africa in the spiritual front, from Cairo to Cape Town. Energize these ten men and synergise them as they partner with the Holy Spirit. Snatch them of all the religiosity and defiled knowledge that they have received from the minds of men. Let Your pure word permeate their hearts. And let it fall on the corrupt and dry ground, and cause the desert to blossom as a rose. I am looking up to you for everything. I know the world will learn from Africa. For Africa protected the Son from the wicked hands of a wicked king; and Africa carried the cross with the condemned Saviour towards the little hill of shame. Thank You for what You have started. I know you will bring it to fruition. In Jesus’ wonderful name. Amen. 

 

In His Vineyard,

Brother Jim Nduruchi.

(In the response to the above letter from Jimmy, I then asked him how they conducted their business meetings. I was also curious about the brother I saw always reading the scriptures in the meeting. This was Jimmy's response.)

 

 

 

   

 

Brother,

 

You ask about the “Bible brother” in the photos. His name is Isaac Mwangi, the chief sub-editor at the Nation Media group in Nairobi. Do you remember a brother who wrote articles about tithing, and I sent you and Jack, and you felt that the movement has it’s epicentre in Kenya? That is the brother, Isaac Mwangi! I think he has corresponded with Jack several time, and I gave him The Corinthian Elders, which he likes quoting so much. Brother Roger Thoman has been to his house and fellowshipped with the saints there. Isaac reads a lot and in this meeting he was reasoning in the scriptures about polygamy. We were discussing about how we should handle the issue of polygamy in Africa as we go out. Brother Tom did not see any problem with that, noting that monogamy is not as Biblical as it is part of Western Culture. Isaac firmly held a defence against monogamy, quoting Genesis 1, where God gives Adam one wife.

 

You have asked about how we conduct our meetings: I should note that this meeting of 10 was a high profile meeting of church planters. Here is where we bring questions and issues that we have been encountering in our work in the church planting business. There are good books on church planting but not written by Africans, therefore the principles therein sometimes are irrelevant to our African situation. Therefore, we ventilate these issues that are uniquely African in such meetings. We really don’t have a chairman for the meeting and our narrowness in discourse helps us to keep on course. We are so sensitive to any intrusions. For instance in this 14^th March meeting, I got it rough when I intruded the flow and asked to go out and buy drinks for the brethren. I was rebuked by Brother Paul Njagi for being in the “stomach” as people were busy in the spirit. I had to apologise and get back to my seat.

 

In the meeting we had two former pastors, who had moved into the organic church planting after a burn-out. Among the 10, only one brother, known as Dawson has been in a Seminary. The rest are virgin and raw.

 

Your Brother Jim.