Spreading the Word, Kenya

Brian and Sheila Keel have partnered with the Trust for many years and, as part of their teaching mission, have delivered hundreds of SWT books to pastor libraries in Kenya and beyond. Brian takes up the story…

“We have had an ongoing relationship with Sovereign World for the past 12 years, and apart from the Covid period we have been able to supply a significant amount of books to Kenya, in particular, and some to Rwanda. 

It was back in 2010 when we were first given the idea of supplementing our teaching visits with pastors’ learning libraries, where we encouraged the pastors to visit a local location where they could take time out to study and prepare for their teaching ministry in their churches. 

Since this time, we have been able to establish 180 libraries, predominately in rural locations in Kenya (and Rwanda). Much of our work in the past ten years has been in partnership with Nairobi Pentecostal Bible College, which began a distance learning programme for pastors who wanted to study for a diploma or degree in line with government requirements. They have informed us that over the past eight years, 10,000 pastors have graduated from this programme which is continuing to expand. 

One of the biggest changes since Covid amongst believers (both leaders and members) is their increased desire to study the Word and learn more about Biblical truths. In a large church we recently visited, the early Sunday morning Bible study was no longer front-led, but people gathered in the main building in small groups to study the Word for up to 1½ hours. 

In some rural locations, a number of home churches (as part of a local church scene) now exist. Studies can be held several times a week, such is the desire to become acquainted with the Word of God. We are currently working with a network of churches in rural Kenya where one of the church buildings is being used as a campus for learning when not in use for church meetings. They have plans to begin another campus in November and a third in April next year in other church buildings, reaching out into other locations. Each of these churches has a library which is accessible to those wanting to study, and this became a much more accepted practice during the lockdown period. To further assist with this growing hunger for Biblical truth, we are also making short teaching recordings which are sent to them every two weeks.” 

At the time of writing, Brian and Sheila are travelling to Rwanda. We hope to bring you further news of their mission soon. In the meantime, we offer prayers for their safe arrival and the success of their trip. 

The photo shows just one of the small group Bible study meetings held in a large church on the outskirts of Nairobi. This church has a Sovereign World Trust library.