Local bookshops run out of Bibles

In 2014 Brian Keel and a team from the Leadership Development Partnership introduced Rooted in Jesus to several networks of Pentecostal churches in Kenya. The team returned in November 2015 to see how things were going – and found themselves listening to some amazing stories.

A new demand for Bibles

‘As a result of Rooted in Jesus being used in areas where Bible ownership is low, there have been a request for us to supply local language Bibles, as more Christians now desire their own copy of the scriptures, and local shops have none left,’ Brian reports. These are rural areas, in which ‘biblical understanding is quite low, as for many leaders their knowledge is what they have acquired from others, who have also not received any teaching.’ The team were able to offer 300 leaders a Swahili Bible at a 50% subsidy, and are praying for the funding for more.

Leaders in Murang’a receive RinJ certificates

Groups bring change and growth

Brian continues: ‘In Bungoma and Kombewa we were able to hear some of the testimonies from those we trained 18 months ago – there were some incredible accounts!’

one RinJ group had doubled in number every week for the first 4 weeks as word got around
a pastor said his church had grown from 20 to 50 members
a bishop said he had learned how to teach and train others; his network had increased from 250 to 400 members
many had become believers, and were beginning to teach others
group members had become bold to serve God
RinJ has given a foundation to the church, enabling members to remain firm in their faith
through the memory verses those who cannot read have been learning the scriptures; others have begun to study the Bible for themselves
a leader working amongst Muslims had planted 2 new churches, with 53 people in RinJ groups
people have been able to find healing and offer forgiveness
some leaders had started with one group but were now running several groups as demand had increased
one leader described RinJ as ‘the way of the Spirit’
group members have become leaders in the church
group members have begun to share their faith and lead people to Christ
a pastor said his workload had reduced as people gained confidence and took leadership roles in the church
when people are invited to express and discuss, it leads to them feeling part of the church in a way they had not previously experienced
the course enables the leader to minister specifically into people’s lives
people have been saved and delivered, they now have a personal relationship with Jesus
RinJ is ‘a very essential programme for both new believers and those Christians who only know Christ on the surface level’

The value of a second conference

RinJ has now been introduced into three networks: in Bungoma, Vine International (overseer Dan Macheko); in Ruiru and Kahatia, Pentecostal Evangelical Fellowship of Africa (Bishop Peter Chege and Principal of Nairobi Pentecostal Bible College Kennedy Maturi); and in Kombewa, Glad Tidings Churches (overseer Moses Jagero).

Moses Jagero commented that in 2014 some leaders had been sceptical about Rooted in Jesus, but that the testimonies shared at the conference had shown that it is a powerful tool. As always, it is the ‘early adopters’ who run with something which is very new – and once again the value of a follow-up conference after one year has been clearly demonstrated.

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