THE MESSAGE WE PREACH

1.   Where It All Begins

1.1    “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  …. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.  Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.  Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or husband’s will, but born of God” John 1:1, 11-13.

2.   The Task

2.1    “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbour as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments”.  Matthew 22:37-40.

2.2    “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”.  Micah 6:8.

2.3   “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.  Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth”.  John 17:15-17.

3.   The Enablement

3.1   “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.” John 16:33b.

3.2   “But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”  “When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment; in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;  in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see Me no longer;  and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”  John 14:26; 16:8-11.

4.   The Destination

4.1   “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying:  ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.  They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’ ”.  Revelation 21:1-4.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MEMBERSHIP IN A LOCAL CHURCH

Membership in the Church is a covenantal relationship in which the Church provides a place of worship, fellowship and ministry while the members provide faithful service.

Although ours is a Baptist Church, from the beginning many people have worshipped and served with us who have a very evident personal faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of their lives, who did not come from the Baptist background.

Some have reasons for wishing not to withdraw their membership from their ‘home’ Church in another place.  We respect these reasons, and we do not require that any such connection be severed.  What we are concerned to see is that there is maximum participation in our Church while people are here in Nairobi.

There is a great need to demonstrate in Kenya that the local Church is a fellowship in which you are continually involved, and not a building where you attend Services.  Those who remain among the ‘attenders’ perpetuate a trend that can only impoverish the Churches of this land.

The opportunity is the possibility of fellowship with people from so many different backgrounds.  For this challenge to be met and opportunity to be grasped, we believe there must be maximum involvement in the local Church at the earliest possible time after arrival in Nairobi from other parts of the country, or in Kenya from other parts of the world.