I have had the opportunity to go to three different church services since being in Nairobi. Each one has been long, encouraging, and very different from American churches. Two services have not started until myself and my teammates have arrived. In the beginning, there are few seats filled, but within 20 minutes there is not an empty seat.
Worship is very upbeat with dancing and shouts to the Lord. They ask for someone from the congregation to share a testimony or a word of encouragement and they will say something that God has laid on their hearts. The joy that the Kenyans have when they are worshiping the Lord is very encouraging to me.
Today at church, the worship leader stopped worship because the church was not singing. That demonstrates the bluntness of culture here. Even-though I don't know the words to songs I have been clapping and worshiping the Lord in a new way.
I have seen God work in peoples hearts to lay down their lives to them. I have seen people with a huge passion for Christ singing, dancing, and shouting praises to our Lord.
Service lasts around 3 hours which can be a struggle. It can be a struggle to focus to the message. It can be a struggle to stay awake. It can be a struggle to listen to the message that is being translated as it is preached.
God's presence is here in Mathare. He is moving in peoples hearts to go to church. He is moving in every village to bring the spirit of God there. He is moving people to commit their lives to Christ. He is present. He is working. He is MOVING.
All in all, church is different, but God is present and moving in peoples hearts. He is good!
In Christ,
Brandi :)
Worship is very upbeat with dancing and shouts to the Lord. They ask for someone from the congregation to share a testimony or a word of encouragement and they will say something that God has laid on their hearts. The joy that the Kenyans have when they are worshiping the Lord is very encouraging to me.
Today at church, the worship leader stopped worship because the church was not singing. That demonstrates the bluntness of culture here. Even-though I don't know the words to songs I have been clapping and worshiping the Lord in a new way.
I have seen God work in peoples hearts to lay down their lives to them. I have seen people with a huge passion for Christ singing, dancing, and shouting praises to our Lord.
Service lasts around 3 hours which can be a struggle. It can be a struggle to focus to the message. It can be a struggle to stay awake. It can be a struggle to listen to the message that is being translated as it is preached.
God's presence is here in Mathare. He is moving in peoples hearts to go to church. He is moving in every village to bring the spirit of God there. He is moving people to commit their lives to Christ. He is present. He is working. He is MOVING.
All in all, church is different, but God is present and moving in peoples hearts. He is good!
In Christ,
Brandi :)
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