June 13, 2012

This week’s update, the third installment of Jack’s reports of his special guest speakers during last month’s Church Planting Methodology (CPM) course at Kenya Baptist Theological College (KBTC), is a special look at Legacy Work as Kenyan Baptists  share their ministries in East Africa. In our May 30^th Update, Jack shared a bit about Samson Kisia and his time with the students during this final week of the 45 hour CPM course, one of the many courses taken by the seminary students during their 3 years of study.  In our June 6^th Update, Jack shared of Euticauls Wambua and his work.  Today’s report is very special to the both of us, but I’ll let him tell you all about Zack Mahalanganga’s report.

How does one start and maintain a healthy church?  Often one starts with evangelism, winning folks for Jesus, and then grouping them together and anointing them “church?”  This model of church planting is often used and does succeed about 50% of the time.  The problem is that the other 50% die and disappear, lacking a GROWING environment and maturation which comes through discipleship.  Discipleship is the key to successful church planting.  In fact it is essential to obedience to the Great Commission of Jesus.  After “going” it is the first part of the plan of Jesus, “make disciples of all nation.”  One lesson that I have learned is that one rarely plants a healthy church alone,  empowerment from another church is needed. 

Church planting is not easy, it takes time and serious risk taking.  Experts differ over the best method of Discipleship – One on one, Bible Study by curriculum, interview and assignment, or the extreme of having the disciple move in with you for the three year “Jesus” model.  Personally I like the 2 Timothy 2:2 model for its practicality and simplicity – “ All the things you have heard me say and the things you have seen me do, entrust them to faithful persons, who will entrust them to more faithful persons”  The issue seems to be one of context that allows time, experience and intentionality to be adequately absorbed and practiced by the disciple.  Both Jesus and Paul practiced accountability without exception.  How then do we pack all of that into a vision of church planting? We need to be serious about relying upon the Holy Spirit – allowing Him to be our advocate and interpreter of our hearts’ desires to the Father, to be our encourager and allowing Him to be our commander.  Too often churches are planted without waiting for the Spirit’s involvement. 

Mombasa Road Baptist Church, branch of Parklands Baptist Church was started two years ago after being envisioned over 15 years earlier.  Already it has almost three hundred members and well over a hundred children.  There is a youth service which reaches almost one hundred college and young adults.  It has fully implemented programs reaching the needs of all members and the community.  In its first year it had to weather the death of the pastor’s wife in addition to all the logistical issues of starting something new.  Most of the members are not older than 35, and many are just starting their families.  Almost twenty couples have been married in these first two years.  There are almost no teenagers because, well, the adults are too young! (Bert’s note:  BUT we have lots and lots of toddlers and babies!)

What is the secret?  Zach Mahalanganga  is the chairman of the church, a trustee for the greater Parklands Baptist Church, a father and a layman.  He is the leader and the one who was given the responsibility of starting the new church.  We have pastors who are gifted and inspiring, but the church is primarily lay led.  Disciples are all over the place at one level or another – men  and women sharing responsibilities.  This group has the vision of creating a Gateway church ministering to the one and a half million people in their area of Nairobi.  It has no limits on its vision and no great expectations except to honor in obedience the vision given them by God.  How did they get united in purpose to the point of almost reckless faith?  They grew together in home fellowships or house groups, uniting members who live close to one another, started over ten years ago by Parklands Baptist Church.

Today Parklands has over 60 House Groups all over the city of Nairobi that minister to one another, challenge and hold accountable one another, fellowship, pray and go whenever they are called.  They have grown up in a church that never questions the how’s, why’s, when’s of life.  They just do things in obedience.  In fact Mombasa Road branch  now has over ten House Groups of its own and they just keep multiplying.  Leadership keeps arising and problems overcome and put behind. Church planting should be this easy for everyone.  Why do it otherwise?

Now… BACK to Bert!  Why is this story so special to us?  BECAUSE Parklands Baptist Church/Mombasa Road is OUR CHURCH – PLUS we became members of the ‘enabling’ or ‘empowering’ church, Parklands Baptist, in 1978 as it was becoming a fully functioning church – calling their first full time pastor, their first deacons, their first treasurer, etc.  Jack was that first treasurer and one of the first deacons and I was one of the first Sunday School teachers and ‘fill-in’ pianist. Jack and I agreed to attend the first few weeks of the new Parklands Baptist Church/Mombasa Road which began on July 4, 2010, but it is such an exciting adventure that we are still there and eager to celebrate the church’s 2^nd anniversary in a few weeks! 

I will not share specific prayer items this week as I think you can find lots of praises to share with our Father in Jack’s report, BERT

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Don’t forget to check out  this week’s additions to Prayer/ What God is Doing in East Africa Nudges at http://easternafrica2012prayernudges.blogspot.com/ or at https://www.facebook.com/Imb.East.Africa –  The photo in today’s Nudge is not  used today, but the little one with the college student was the ‘star’ of the July 18, 2011 Nudge!

For more about our new church and Jack’s involvement, go to: http://www.parklandsbaptist.org/main/view_article.php?cla=7&cat=47&article=89