The “Mechanic” Church Planting Method

At the Annual General Meeting of the Baptist Convention of Kenya (BCOK) on October 3, 2007, I was privileged to observe the official recognition of a new association of Baptist churches.  Ten churches, previously part of the South Meru Association, with full blessings, withdrew to form the Tharaka Baptist Association. I am certain that very few people in the meeting knew where Tharaka was located!  But, one who did was Samson Kisia, pastor of Ruiru Baptist Church in the Thika Association and a past moderator of the BCOK. 
In the mid 1990’s, Samson began encouraging his church members to ensure that their home location was reached with the gospel and a Baptist church planted.  Samson says that the first time he visited Gaciongo in the Tharaka area, elephants had to be avoided as you visited homes!  But their diligence paid off – an elderly man accepted Christ and led a new group.  Samson assisted with training in TEE (Theological Education by Extension). Due to the distance, contact was brief and limited.
On October 6, Samson returned to Tharaka which is still one of the most remote and isolated areas of Kenya.  Divided by the Tana River, most of the Tharaka People have yet to hear the gospel message.  Hardworking and hospitable, the Tharaka are a people bypassed by government and the world.  It was fantastic to see Kisia return to this area where he had worked years before.  Samson was at home in this area of a different tribe, language and customs. 

As we returned to Nairobi, my car developed problems. My first thought was that one hundred kilometres of rough dirt road separated us from “civilization” and a mechanic.  Even for me, the noise coming from the car was scary.  At the village of Gatunga, I saw a shade tree where we could stop and check the problem.  As we parked, we spotted 20 feet in front of us a mechanic and his “garage” which is best described as a jua kali (sun, hot/strong in Swahili) operation. The mechanic quickly laid down two logs on to which I reversed.  He cranked up his generator and an hour later we were back on the road.