African Christian Church and Schools

African Christian Church and Schools (ACC&S) moderator, Rt. Rev. Joseph Maina Macharia, and General Secretary, Rev. Jeremiah Ngumo, welcoming Sam Chaise, Canadian Baptist Ministries' Executive Director.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS

This past week, we had the pleasure of visiting with the newly elected executive leadership of the ACC&S at their denominational headquarters in Thika, Kenya, with Sam Chaise, CBM’s executive director, our friend Brenda Halk, past-president of the CBM board, and Wayne Morgan, CBM global field staff serving with the ACC&S. 

The past decade has been a time of steady growth in the ACC&S as the church has increased the number of trained clergy from 12 to nearly 120: “We are so thankful for the help of CBM and the Carey Theological College who have brought us from the certificate level training to bachelors, masters and now several doctoral degrees. This investment in our clergy has helped the church to grow,” shared the moderator. “Partnership with CBM has helped us move further as a church!” Since 1990, the church has grown from about 60 congregations to almost 200, moving from the rural hill country of Kenya’s central province to urban centres like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Nakuru.

One dramatic development is how the ACC&S is currently positioning its emerging Christian workers to spread out into non-Kikuyu areas for church planting. Helping the church move beyond its traditional mono-ethnic emphasis on the Kikuyu tribe will be a great challenge, but a vital step in the developing mission of the ACC&S.

Erica, Brenda and Sam at Blue Post, Thika

Walking the grounds of the ACC&S compound in Thika is a wonderful picture of the development of the church. The cathedral which was the lone construction project of the church in 2004 when Erica and Brenda first visited the ACC&S as part of the CBM/Carey Certificate of Ministry program, is now surrounded by the ACC&S public library, theological school, development office, women’s hostel, and a new five storey Women’s dormitory that is scheduled to be completed by this summer. “This project will provide affordable housing for women attending Mt. Kenya University, which is positioned directly next to the church, as well as housing for women studying at other nearby colleges. It will help these students and provide a monthly income for the church,” shared the moderator. "There is tremendous need for this, as women are already coming to the church and requesting rooms. We already have plans for the next dormitory that will be started once this one completed.”

 The ACC&S moderator giving us a tour of the ground

Visiting the Bible School with Wayne Morgan

The ACC&S Bible School principal, Beth Kimathi, welcomed us into one of her classes to introduce us to some of the students currently in the theology program in Thika. Wayne Morgan is currently working with principal Kimathi and the faculty who are preparing to implement a new curriculum for an accredited bachelor of ministry program that the ACC&S intends to launch this year. Please remember the Bible School and the students in your prayers as they seek to equip local churches for effective ministry.

Rev. Jeremiah, Rev. Luca, Rt. Rev. Macharia, Rt. Rev. Karanja, 

Brenda, Sam, Erica, Aaron and Rev. Kimani

Sam and Wayne

Please also remember our friends and colleagues, Wayne and Maureen Morgan, who are the CBM global field staff embedded with the ACC&S. Among their responsibilities, the Morgan’s are helping the ACC&S strengthen urban ministry. They will be returning to Canada for their first home assignment this March.

Aaron presenting Dr. Julius Karanja a gift of appreciation from Dr. Sam Chaise and the CBM family. Dr. Karanja has completed over twenty years of executive leadership in the ACC&S.