Putting down roots in Kenya

Rooted in Jesus has now been introduced to eight Anglican dioceses and two denominational networks in Kenya. In recent months training conferences have been held in the Diocese of Butere, the Diocese of Kitale, and the Diocese of Kericho.

Getting to grips with Rooted in Jesus in Kitale

The Diocese of Kitale

The Diocese of Kitale lies in north-west Kenya. Created in 1997, it now has 71 parishes and 4 missionary areas, served by 93 clergy. The mission of the diocese is to promote God’s kingdom through teaching, discipling and serving for wholistic transformation, and when Emmanuel Chemengich was appointed its second bishop in 2018 one of his first actions was to request a training conference for Rooted in Jesus.

In September 2019 the Diocesan Synod formally endorsed the partnership with Rooted in Jesus, and at the end of January 137 clergy and lay readers came to St Luke’s cathedral for a four day residential training conference. The conference was led by a team from the US, UK and Kenya, and 126 people were commissioned to start groups.

Team Leader Richard Morgan writes:

There were many points during various times of worship, prayer and ministry where the Spirit’s presence was very tangible. Participants commented on how this had been a spiritual experience for them and not simply informational. Bishop Emmanuel was a great example to his people. After introducing us, he said ‘Now I’m going to sit down as a student’, took his seat, and faithfully attended every single session of the conference. He was the first to receive a certificate of completion and has already identified some of the people he will invite to the Rooted in Jesus group that he will lead. We pray that the Spirit would continue to deepen these faithful ministers in their relationship with Christ and empower them for ministry in this Diocese.

The Diocese of Butere

One of the team members in Kitale was Revd Capt Benjamin Kibara, who is the Rooted in Jesus Coordinator for the Diocese of Butere. Butere adopted Rooted in Jesus in 2017, and at the end of 2019 they hosted their first Rooted in Jesus Junior conference. 89 Sunday School teachers responded enthusiastically to the training, with much time spent in prayer. An additional conference was held to encourage the existing leaders of the adult groups and train a new generation of leaders, and this was attended by a further 140 people. Team leader Ben Beecroft believes that Butere now has the potential to become a flagship diocese for Rooted in Jesus.

Sunday School teachers at the conference

All this was borne out by Benjamin Kibara in Kitale, where he shared his experience of Rooted in Jesus in a report which those present described as ‘electrifying.’ Benjamin has sent through an annual report which shows that there are now 712 adult and Junior Rooted in Jesus groups spread across the diocese, with new groups being formed by those who have completed the course. ‘Many group members are gradually understanding how to make disciples,’ he says.

Diocese of Kericho

Earlier this month a team from Trinity church, Cheltenham travelled to Narok to lead a Rooted in Jesus conference for the clergy and lay leaders of the diocese. Team leader Tim Grew reports:

Based at St Luke’s in Narok, the Diocesan senior team were delighted that very nearly their entire clergy team were present, each bringing a key lay leader with them, so we were just under 60 delegates in total. Bishop Ernest and his senior staff were present throughout. The level of engagement was high for the duration. All sessions were positive; feedback was excellent. All in all, I’d say that God answered our specific prayers, including being anointed for the responsibility of facilitating the conference, and seeing a high level of enthusiasm and acceptance of the RinJ vision, approach and material.

We had some lovely testimony from folk – one key MU leader saying she’d had a total breakthrough in her sense of being loved deeply by the Father; some healings, including a man’s back that had given him fairly constant pain since a car accident in 2007. He waited 24 hours before sharing, just to be sure! Another man who had been praying and hoping to learn and grow more in the gifts of the Spirit, just delighted as we taught/shared/practised in this area. Praise Jesus.