Page 248 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

A History of the Church in Africa

African Pentecostal leaders. For years, Valley Road Pentecostal Church
has been the largest Pentecostal church in Nairobi with powerful
influence nationwide.

Garrard and Maxwell, who have posted some interesting information
on the growth of the Assemblies of God in Kenya on the Pew Forum
website, state:

In 1967, American Pentecostal Dale Brown founded the Kenya
Assemblies of God, which joined the Assemblies of God U.S. in
1972. A survey in the early 1990s finds that the Assemblies of God
is Nairobi’s fastest growing denomination, with an annual growth
rate of 38%.

Anderson and Garrard continue the focus on the growth of Pentecostal
and Charismatic Christians, noting that:

The Forum’s 2006 Pentecostal survey suggests that renewalists—
including charismatics and Pentecostals—account for more than
half of Kenya’s population. The survey also finds that approximately
seven-in-ten Protestants in Kenya are either Pentecostal or
charismatic, and about one third of Kenya Catholics surveyed
can be classified as charismatic. (Accessed April 8, 2008. http://
pewforum.org/survey/Pentecostals/countries)

For someone who has witnessed the flow of this mighty river, this
is exhilarating! I was privileged to be present in Kenya in 1973 for the
first General Council of the Kenya Assemblies of God when a small
group of Kenyans and missionaries met under a tent in Kisumu. For
the next nine years, the Kenya Assemblies of God featured missionary
leadership; however, in 1982, Peter W. Njiri was elected General
Superintendent and other pastors were elected to key roles. These
leaders strongly supported training leaders at resident Bible schools and
extension centers. The growth of the church has been phenomenal, and
it has become a leader in church planting, community development,
and missions. Latest statistics indicate that the church numbers more
than 3,000 local assemblies. The fellowship is planting new churches
daily, and its vision is growing as it sends missionaries out to minister
cross-culturally.

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