About the CRC of Kenya
A letter from Founder Josiah Katumu:
Hello. My name is Josiah Katumu, I am a student in the Master of Divinity program at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Orlando, Florida.
I am from Kenya (East Africa). I grew up in Nairobi (for the better part of my life), which is the capital city of Kenya. I am a member of the Africa Evangelical Presbyterian Church (AEPC), where my father is a pastor. I was introduced to RTS through the late Dr. Jack Arnold, Carol Arnold and Rev. Jim Fitzgerald, members of the missions team of Equipping Pastors International (EPI). It was while attending and leading worship at the EPI seminars that I met these faithful servants and God led me to attend seminary at RTS.
EPI has been doing a great job of training and equipping pastors in the AEPC. They provide theological training and counseling to many AEPC pastors and their wives in Kenya who cannot afford seminary education. But more needs to be done. In a country where the church is growing faster than ever, the need for a sound and firm foundation is now more crucial. Something that can be done to help meet this desperate need is a Christian resource center that would provide the tools needed for the church in Kenya to build a solid and firm foundation.
The presence of a Christian resource center in Kenya is the burden God has laid upon me. I desire with all my heart to serve the church in Kenya by providing pastors within and outside the AEPC with Christian resources that are biblically sound, reformed, and relevant. One of the reasons why the church in Africa has been described as being “a mile wide and an inch deep” is because they have lacked Christian resources with sound doctrine and theology, especially books! Growing up in Nairobi, I know exactly what kinds of books are found in the handful of Christian bookstores there. The bookshelves are full of motivational and prosperity gospel material.
The dominance of such unbiblical books and resources on the shelves has made it difficult, if not impossible, for reformed pastors to get good books. This tragedy has not only affected the pastors, but also the youth of Kenya. The young people, ages 15-35, make up over 60% of the population.
God has put a burden in my heart to see the body of Christ in Kenya have access to good Christian resources. A Christian resource center in Kenya is an attainable solution to make this a reality. This center will help pastors shepherd their flock faithfully and preach Christ-centered sermons. It will encourage the youth to study the word of God diligently and grow in their spiritual walk. What we read influences the way we think, act and feel immensely. This is why it is urgent we make good and relevant resources readily available to Christians in Kenya.
This is not the first time an effort has been made to provide Christian resources to Kenya. Past efforts have been successful in books and resources on the shelves has made it difficult, if not impossible, for reformed pastors to get good books. This tragedy has not only affected the pastors, but also the youth of Kenya. The young people, ages 15-35, make up over 60% of the population.