The church is generally seen in two ways: the visible and invisible. The visible church is comprised of all those who attend services, who claim to be Christians, etc. The invisible church is comprised only of those who are actually born again. But the Christian church does not include false religious systems such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc., since they deny the essentials of the Christian faith. Nevertheless, the church is the body of true believers who have trusted in the redemptive work of Christ, who is God in flesh, who died and physically rose from the dead. Therefore, those who claim to be Christians, those who have trusted in Christ by faith alone, are members of the true church. These people attend different local bodies across a multitude of denominations around the world.
Matt. 18:15-17, “And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer.”
The long-standing history of the church in speaking out against oppressive regimes in Kenya cannot be underestimated. The late Bishop Alexander Muge, retired Rev. Timothy Njoya, the late Bishop Okullu, the late David Gitari among others stood for the truth and paid heavy personal prices. Yet after the oppressive regime was defeated, slightly over a decade ago, the prophetic voice of the church is silenced by loud partisan interests.
The level of political partisanship that has been creeping in the church lately especially among the evangelicals is scary. Men of the cloth have taken political sides mostly based on ethnicity. The calling to preach the undiluted gospel of Christ has been tossed aside as ‘Bishops’ scramble for the political podium than focusing on the pulpit and calling for equity, justice, reforms and other ideals that can catapult our nation ahead.
The church in Kenya can choose a perceived short-term political gain and throw its credibility to the dogs or stand on the foundation of truth and suffer temporary persecution but be victorious in the long run.