Prepare
. . .
Saturday
Hold
to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from
me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard
the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the
Holy Spirit living in us. – 2 Timothy 1:13-14
by
Tara Taylor
Charles
Kaloki is a man with a vision. He is head
pastor of Eternity Worship Centre, a vibrant congregation
in Karen, just south of Nairobi. He is a charismatic leader.
Many are drawn to Kaloki’s small church building each
week for extended times of prayer, worship, preaching and
ministry.
Kaloki
is an effective and gifted leader. As such, he knows the
value of shared leadership and recognizes that each congregant
has something to offer to the whole of the Body of Christ.
In particular, Kaloki has a passion to invest in the lives
of young people.
On
any given day, you will find him interacting with youth
– helping them identify the gifts God has
given them, encouraging them to grow into those gifts, and
connecting them with opportunities to “stretch their
wings.” Sure, it takes extra time to invest in others,
but for Kaloki it is time well spent.
Kaloki’s
vision is to see Kenya filled with leaders
who love the Lord, serving in every area of community life
– from church to government to the marketplace.
He sees the hope for Kenya’s future resting heavily
on its young people, and he recognizes that there is a battle
waging for their hearts. It’s no secret that, for
better or for worse, young people look outside the home
for mentors and role models, so Kaloki has determined to
make an impact, acting as a diligent steward of the youthful
resources God has placed in his path.
As
a result, the youth in his small sphere of influence have
been inspired by his life and faith, stirred to give themselves
wholly and passionately for the Lord.
Please
pray for Kaloki and other Christians in Kenya who seek to
be a positive influence for the young people around them.
And pray that God will continue to raise up mentors to help
meet the hunger of Kenya’s youth for cross-generational
connection.
Lord,
you are our Wonderful Counselor, and we look to you to
show us how to be good role models. We thank you for Kaloki
and the inspiration he is to so many. May your Holy Spirit
water the seeds he has planted so that the Gospel truth
will take root and grow in those young Kenyans’
lives. We pray that many more in Kenya and here in Seattle
will take seriously the baptismal vows we’ve made
to raise up children to know and follow Christ. Amen.
An Advent Journey