Pentecostalism has grown in Africa and has seen the rise in number of affiliate churches, up to approximately 5,000 in East Africa by the year 2002 (Anderson, 2004). Since 1980s, the number has doubled in Kenya (Droz, 2001) after the establishment of the interfaith Ufungamano Initiative. Charismatic Christianity has become a prominent feature of Kenya’s religion which commands a massive urban following and has now penetrated the rural areas and villages.
Redeemed Gospel Church (RGC) Inc. among many expanding Pentecostal churches begun its existence in the early 1970s in the slums of Mathare Valley in Nairobi. A brainchild of Arc-Bishop Dr. Arthur Kitonga, the church initiation was necessitated by the growing need to bridge the gap in Christian evangelism and advancing the love of God. Currently, the church has proliferated into 1000 branches in Kenya and the neighboring countries of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and South Africa. In Nairobi and its environs alone, the church has 10 branches. The Redeemed Gospel Church-Jesus Worship Centre (JWC), based in Eastleigh Section 3 is one of the RGC branches, which was started in 1996.
As member of the Evangelical Associations in Kenya, Africa and globally, and guided by its own focus on interdenominational alliances and partnerships, RGC collaborates with churches, church organization and Christian organizations locally and internationally, in driving forth evangelical agenda. The Eastleigh JWC in particular, upholds this essence and is currently a centre of reference for all Christian Churches within Eastleigh South and the larger Kamukunji Sub-County in Nairobi, under the auspices of East Pastors Fellowship. This is a fellowship that converges pastors from over 20 churches, to facilitate joint prayers and intercessions on various matters of spiritual concern, every Tuesday of the week. These fellowship meetings are held at the JWC hall chaired by Rev. Albert Marangu.
Years of holistic ministry have made redeemed a worthy partner in Christian, social and economic spheres. Guided by the embodiment of the Pentecostal movement, RGC Inc. believes and teaches (its faithful) that the Bible is God’s written revelation to man, and thus the 66 books of the Bible given to us by the Holy Spirit constitute the plenary (inspired equally in all parts) and complete word of God (1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 2 Peter 1:20-21). RGC teaches that the word is an objective, propositional revelation (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:13), verbally inspired in every word (2 Timothy 3:16), absolutely inerrant in the original documents, infallible, and God-breathed. RGC also believes and teaches on the holistic gospel approach to human life.