Answers to Prayer

1 Kenya's continued key role as a solid base for Christian ministry to Africa and the world

2 Kenya has 36%, or 13 million, Evangelicals – Africa's second highest percentage and nearly equal to all Evangelicals in Europe

3 The growth of a missions vision in Kenya's churches – an outworking of GCOWE 1997 in South Africa and the 1998 National Consultation in 1998

Challenges for Prayer

1 Praise God for the great freedom to preach the gospel since independence, for the receptivity of the people and for the exciting growth of the Church

2 The rising level of human rights abuses, suppression of dissent, ethnic discrimination, and corruption needs to be challenged

3 The Protestant and indigenous churches have grown fast, and the proportion of Evangelicals is high

4 Rapid growth has brought its problems:

a) Nominalism has become a major issue

b) Tribalism and tribal customs have caused endless divisions and a multiplicity of independent churches, some theologically orthodox, others little removed from the old ethnic religions

c) The lack of trained leaders for the 70,000 or more Protestant/indigenous congregations

5 Missions vision has continued to grow in Kenya's churches

a) The 'Finish the Task 2000' vision launched in 1998 – that churches may be mobilized and workers called, equipped and sent to the unreached

b) The African Centre for Missions started in 1998 by major denominations, AEA and others, to research and publicize the needs

c) Bible schools and seminaries to make the Great Commission the bedrock on which their teaching is built

d) Efforts by the AIC, Anglicans, Baptists and various indigenous missions to undertake missions outreach

Geography

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Area 582,646 sq.km. Most people live in the fertile plateaus of the south and west.

Population (2000) 30,080,372 +2.02%AGR

Capital Nairobi 2,300,000.

Peoples

Bantu 68.2%; Nilotic 26%; Cushitic 3.2%; Khoisan 0.3%; South Asian 0.7%; Other 1.6%.

Literacy 78%. Official languages English, Swahili. All languages 61. Languages with Scriptures 16Bi 6NT 9por 17w.i.p.

Economy

Predominantly agricultural, light industries, and a major tourist industry. HDI 0.519; 136^th/174. Public debt 53% of GNP. Income/person $340 (1.1% of USA).

Politics

Independent from Britain in 1963.

Religion

There is full freedom of religion and much of the population professes to be Christian – including many in leadership.

Churches in Kenya

Missionaries from Kenya

673 in 53 agencies to 17 countries

Missionaries to Kenya

2,274 in 175 agencies from 30 countries

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