The Churches of Christ are a loose association of autonomous Christian congregations located around the world. Typically, their distinguishing beliefs are the necessity of baptism for salvation and the prohibition of musical instruments in worship. Many such congregations identify themselves as being nondenominational.
The Churches of Christ arose in the United States from the Restoration Movement of 19th-century Christians, who declared independence from denominations and traditional creeds.
Members of the church of Christ do not conceive of themselves as a new church started near the beginning of the 19th century. Rather, the whole movement is designed to reproduce in contemporary times the church originally established on Pentecost, A.D. 33.
In keeping with their history, the Churches of Christ claim the New Testament as their sole rule of faith and practice in deciding matters of doctrine and ecclesiastical structure.
Early Missions and Growth
The history of the Church of Christ in Kenya is marked by significant milestones, challenges, and transformations. Here’s a detailed look at its evolution:
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June 1989: A mission team led by Jim Brown and Leslie de Morais arrives in Kenya on visitor's visas and enrolls at the Church Province of Kenya (C.P.K) language school to study Swahili.
1990 Overview: The Nairobi Christian Church (NCC) meets at the New Stanley Hotel for Sunday services and at Ufungamano House for mid-week services on Thursdays.
During this year, Edwin Otieno is given Kshs: 50,000 (US$800) by Jim Brown and Onyechi Oguaha to "persuade" a VIP to get the church registered. He spends the money on other things.
March 1990: Mike Taliaferro, ICC African Sector leader, moves to Nairobi from Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Tentative plans are made for Nairobi to be the movement’s African Pillar church.
May, June & July 1990: The year sees unprecedented growth with disciples being baptized by the hundreds. Nairobi becomes the talk of the Boston movement.
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December: The church choir goes to State House, Nakuru to sing for President Moi, hoping that the NCC will be registered as a result.
April 1992: Jim Brown moves back to New York City. Alcedis de Morais, Tewolde, and Addis move to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to start the Ethiopian ICC affiliate church. Eldoret church planted by Thomas Mundia and Nyagah.
September 1992: Mike Taliaferro and Tom Ziegler leave for Johannesburg, South Africa, which is now made the ICC Pillar Church for Africa after the fall of apartheid.
1994 Overview: The church shifts its base to the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. The NCC experiences poor numeric growth and Richard becomes harsh with the staff.
Mid-year 1994: The NCC "Bring-your-neighbour day" is a big success with Steve Johnson, Lead Evangelist of the New York Church of Christ, flying in for the occasion. Attendance reaches 700, with a membership of 450. Lucas Mboya leads communion and starts to have doubts about tithing.
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July 1994: The church’s special contribution raises Kshs: 340,000/= (US $7,500) and membership is now at 540.
Early in 1995: Richard and Sarah Alawaye leave for South Africa to receive further training from Mike and Ann-Brigitte Taliaferro.
April & May 1995: Joseph teaches classes on the cross and grace in a bid to deal with legalism in the church.
June 1995: John Kilaha replaces Joseph at Richard’s behest.
July 1995: Special contribution raises Kshs: 569,000/= (US$:11,380) and membership is now at 643.
October 1995: John Kilaha is appointed as the first Kenyan evangelist.
January 1996: Richard returns, sets a goal of 1,000 disciples by the end of the year, and builds a "people thermometer". Membership rises to around 780 by mid-year.
January-March 1996: No fall-aways are recorded even though many fell away.
April 1996: Joseph’s wife Ebby goes to the USA for a visit and to attend a wedding. Richard and Sarah voice opposition to her going.
July 1996: Special contribution raises Kshs: 700,000/= (US$15,555). Joseph Kung'u is dropped as a staff member because he wishes to get engaged to a sister not considered by Richard to be "ministry material". Lucas refuses to give 10% and says that he will give what his conscience dictates.
October 1996: Church growth slows dramatically. Ebby Owade returns and is ordered to get re-baptized but refuses to do so. Joseph Owade is told he will leave staff because his wife is "not growing enough spiritually" to join him on staff. Disciples become increasingly disillusioned with the leadership.
December: The NCC leadership organizes a HOPE Kenya dinner to raise funds for an AIDS awareness campaign, raising Kshs: 120,000/= (US $2,000).
Lucas and Sigrid Mboya are expelled. Richard Ahenda becomes the second Kenyan appointed evangelist. Joseph calls Mike Taliaferro in Johannesburg, South Africa, to get the full reason behind Lucas's dismissal. Mike tells Joseph that nobody can be disfellowshipped for not tithing.
January & February 1997: Richard returns to find the church in disarray. His actions with both Lucas and Joseph have not gone down well with the congregation. Richard calls Lucas's friends after one Sunday service and tries to explain why Lucas was disfellowshipped, but is unable to convince them.
Staff members start to say that Lucas was disfellowshipped for division and dissension. Disaffection spreads. A brother shares information about the ICC from the Internet with a few close friends. Through this brother, Lucas Mboya obtains the Internet material about the ICC. Tension builds up as more disciples gain access to the Internet information on the ICC.
Agatha Kimanani comes under pressure to cut ties with the Mboyas, as do a lot of other disciples, namely Joseph Owade, Tim Oruya, and others. Six disciples working for a company run by Lucas are asked by the church to quit their jobs. Four refuse. Two sisters are given an ultimatum by the church to quit. Another sister named Esther runs into problems. Both she and her husband are subjected to severe pressure. Esther continues to work for Lucas. Richard quietly jets out to New York for a meeting, presumably with Steve Johnson.
March & April 1997: Mike Taliaferro comes to Nairobi to assess the situation. In his sermon, he says the church has helped Joseph raise Kshs:100,000 (US $1,600) for further education. The Johannesburg church sends US $950 for Joseph's education, but Richard Alawaye only remits US $750. Mike says that the Johannesburg church raised another Kshs. 40,000 (US $645) for Joseph's education.
Leaders under Richard's instruction begin to spy on disciples. They start to dictate to disciples whom they can and cannot speak to. Richard warns Lucas that he will be marked if he continues to talk to disciples and come to meet them after services. Leaders try in vain to turn Lucas's friends against him.
Thursday, April 10, 1997: Richard preaches a sermon aimed at Lucas in particular and "errant" disciples in general. Joe Mwangi approaches an associate evangelist, John Kilaha, and tells him of his desire to call a special meeting to discuss the mounting problems in the church. A "Kamukunji" meeting is called in the Nairobi Arboretum by disillusioned disciples. Lucas is present, as is Joe. At a second meeting at the Arboretum later that month, more disciples attend. Joseph Owade is aware of the meeting but does not attend. Joe Mwangi goes to Richard's house and gives him a copy of the petition.
June 5, 1997: Mike Taliaferro and Jim Brown fly in from Johannesburg and New York respectively to address the congregation. They read out the names of the 31 signatories in front of the whole congregation, denounce them, and call on them to withdraw their names from the petition. Mike preaches on unity, claiming that a disagreement with leaders is like the Holy Spirit disagreeing with God.
June 6 & 7, 1997: Joe and most of those who have signed the petition are disfellowshipped and told to "take a few months off".
June 8, 1997: Richard Ahenda and several staff members are sent to Joseph Owade's house to inform him that he and Ebby are no longer members.
June 26, 1997: Disfellowshipped members learn of a plan to hold a "shot gun" AGM at Charter Hall. Only three of the "errant" disciples are allowed entry. Police are called in by Richard to prevent any "rebels" from entering. The "rebel" disciples camp outside the venue. The press are also present but are barred access to the proceedings. In the same AGM, Richard stage-manages constitutional changes to give himself and the leaders almost absolute authority to rule over the church affairs unaccountability. One amendment enables the church to withhold financial information from the congregation. Richard refuses to talk to members of the press.
July 1997: Special contribution is a flop, raising only Kshs: 180,000 (US $3,000), far short of the intended goal of Kshs: 800,000 (US $13,000). The leaders lie to the church that they have met the goal.
Since July, Joseph has been employed by the Rainbow Church of Christ, a non-ICC affiliated "mainline" Church of Christ in Nairobi. Some ex-members of the NCC also attend.
This church was founded in 1945 by Rev. Simeon Mulandi Kaasya formerly a Captain with the Salvation Army and the Gospel Furthering Fellowship (GFF). It started in Nairobi as the Akamba Christian Union in the GFF Church led by George Rhoads with Rev. Mulandi as his associate Pastor.
Other Churches of Christ in Kenya
Several other Churches of Christ have emerged in Kenya, each with unique characteristics and approaches:
- Church of Christ in Africa: Started in 1957 as a splinter group from the Anglican Church of Kenya.
- Mulembe Church: A charismatic African church accommodating African religious worship and rituals.
- Akorinu movement: Founded by Joseph Nga’ng’a, protesting against colonizers and incorporating Agikuyu traditional practices.
- Bible Way Restoration Ministries: Started by Bishop Kinoga to restore former members of the Gospel Outreach Ministries.
- Breakthrough Chapel International Mombasa: Founded in 1992 by Wole Joseph, originally from Winner’s Chapel International in Nigeria.
- Chrisco Church: Founded by Apostle Harry Das, focusing on New Testament teachings and the fivefold ministry gifts.
- Deliverance Church: Started by Dr. Joe Kayo, emphasizing deliverance from Satanic powers and individual holiness.
- Full Gospel Churches of Kenya: Founded by Walter Olson, emphasizing the ministry of the Holy Spirit and tolerance of African culture.
These churches reflect the diverse expressions of Christianity within Kenya, each adapting to local contexts and cultural practices.
Theological and Doctrinal Aspects
Churches of Christ seek to practice the principle of the Bible being the only source to find doctrine. The Bible is generally regarded as inspired and inerrant. Churches of Christ generally see the Bible as historically accurate and literal, unless scriptural context obviously indicates otherwise.
Churches of Christ are strongly anti-Lutheran and anti-Calvinist in their understanding of salvation and generally present conversion as "obedience to the proclaimed facts of the gospel rather than as the result of an emotional, Spirit-initiated conversion".
Churches of Christ hold the view that humans of accountable age are lost because they have committed sins. These lost souls can be redeemed because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, offered himself as the atoning sacrifice.
Children too young to understand right from wrong and make a conscious choice between the two are believed to be innocent of sin. There is no set age for this to occur; it is only when the child learns the difference between right and wrong that they are accountable.
Churches of Christ consistently teach that in baptism a believer surrenders his life in faith and obedience to God, and that God "by the merits of Christ's blood, cleanses one from sin and truly changes the state of the person from an alien to a citizen of God's kingdom. Baptism is not a human work; it is the place where God does the work that only God can do."
The term "alien" is used in reference to sinners.
Worship Practices
The Churches of Christ generally combine the lack of any historical evidence that the early church used musical instruments in its worship assemblies with the New Testament's lack of scriptures authorizing the use of instruments in worship assemblies to conclude that instruments should not be used today in corporate worship.
The tradition of a cappella congregational singing in the Churches of Christ is deep rooted and the rich history of the practice stimulated the creation of many hymns in the early 20th century.
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