Last summer a small team had the privilege to travel to Kenya to witness the inspiring work of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Kenya (ECCK), a partner of Covenant World Relief and Development and Serve Globally. The ECCK is a thriving church and a powerful testimony of what it means to be called and gifted as we follow Jesus together. Through the stories and lives of the leaders we met—both women and men—and worshiping with a vibrant church of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, we saw firsthand how the Covenant Church in Kenya embodies Christ’s call to “Follow me” in ways that challenge and inspire us.
One of the most striking aspects of the ECCK’s ministry is its commitment to empowering women in leadership. From the moment we met with ECCK’s moderator, John Wewari, and other leaders in Nairobi, it became clear that the church’s dedication to raising up women is not just a policy—it’s a calling. We met women who were recognized as gifted to lead and received ample opportunities to do so. In a society where women can often be marginalized, the ECCK stands as a beacon of hope and transformation, living out the truth that we are all members of the body of Christ.
We were particularly impressed by how this empowerment played out in real life. During our visit, we had the opportunity to worship at a church where a woman pastor was leading her congregation with grace and strength. She spoke with quiet authority and conviction that God had called her to shepherd her people at this time. This was not an exception but the norm within the ECCK, where women are regularly entrusted with the responsibility to preach, teach, lead, and make key decisions within the church. It was a beautiful expression of shared discipleship—men and women together, following Christ and leading the church. The call to follow Jesus is not just about individual obedience but about walking alongside others, recognizing the gifts of each person, and elevating them for the good of the whole body.
The story of empowerment in the ECCK extends beyond women in leadership to include welcoming refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. At one church, 80 percent of the congregation are DRC refugees seeking safety in Nairobi. This community not only offers hospitality but fosters mutual relationships, providing support and a sense of belonging where everyone’s gifts are valued. One Congolese refugee shared how he arrived in Kenya with nothing but the clothes on his back. Thanks to the ECCK, he found a home and discovered his calling to lead. Now he shepherds others in the refugee community. His journey reflects the ECCK’s mission: following Jesus means recognizing that everyone, regardless of their background, is called to contribute to the church. Like the early church in Acts 2, the ECCK exemplifies radical hospitality and what it means to follow Jesus as a community.
The church in Kenya is not just offering something to the women and refugees within its community; it is being transformed by them as well. In this space of shared discipleship, each person’s gifts are recognized, and the entire body of Christ is strengthened. The ECCK’s commitment to empowering those who have been historically marginalized—whether women or refugees—stands as a powerful reminder that when we follow Jesus together, we are all changed.
Visiting the church in Kenya was a humbling experience, demonstrating how the ECCK embodies Jesus’s call for a united body that supports and uplifts one another (Galatians 6:2). This shared vision of discipleship prompts us to consider how we can embrace this in our churches in the US and Canada. Are we recognizing the gifts in each person and walking together in faith and mission? Discipleship is a communal journey, not a solitary one. ECCK’s example highlights that following Jesus together—empowering one another, welcoming strangers, and living in mutual relationships—reflects Christ’s love and grace. This transformation is a challenge we can embrace in our communities as we are all called and gifted to follow him.
