The church is nowadays spreading the gospel via the use of electronic media and technology to reach people. Examples of these media services include:

1. Radios
2. Televisions
3. Social media such as Facebook, WhatApp,  Twitter, Pinterest,  Instagram etc.
4. use of loud speakers during crusades 
5. Use of Email and Internet etc.

The bible and other written books of the christian scriptures are sometimes provided for free or at subsidized prices to enable the poor to also posses some copies. Other information on the gospel is also freely available in the internet, radios and televisions

Sometimes the clergy move from door to door campaigns to spread the gospel of God. This is as a result of various religious organisations formed at the grassroots levels to oversee the movement of the clergy and organize venues. Such movements include: 

1. Youth groups
2. 'Jumuia'
3. 'baba wa kanisa'
4. 'mama wa kanisa' etc.

Youth camps are organised perennially especially during school holidays by various churches to teach the youths on christian life. 

Sometimes, the church will organize a fund raising through various religious groups and support the needy and spread the gospel.

The church is involved in the formation of school curriculum from primary level through secondary and institutions of higher learning. There are also a huge number of christian sponsored schools whose school culture is doctored and influenced by the sponsoring church.

The church has several medical camps and hospitals that they use to offer free and subsidized medical services to their followers.

The church organizes crusades in various centres to sensitize the people on christian life and help spread the gospel.

The church sends and finance missionaries to help spread the gospel and build new churches

The church organize choirs and even record their songs and distribute them to the society.

• It was unconditional
• It had promises to be fulfilled.
• It had an outside sign /circumcision.
• It was sealed through sacrifice/ritual
• It was voluntary / the parties were willing to enter into covenant /mutual
• It was solemn/binding
• It was initiated by God​

• By abandoning  the idol worship (moon god) to serve Yahweh the true God
• By accepting to leave Haran to unknown land
• By building alters at Bethel/Shechem in honour God
• By accepting circumcision as a sign of the covenant (He got circumcised/his servants were circumcised/so was his son.
• By sacrificising the animals in the covenant making
• By accepting to change their names (Abram to Abraham as the father of the great nation, Sarai / Sarah as the mother of the great nations.
• By agreeing to sacrifice his son Isaac.
• By worshiping god he prayed/sacrificed to god/interceded.
• By believing in the fulfillment of God’s promises
• By making a covenant with God.   

• Abraham would be the father of a great nation/many descendants/many children
• Abraham would receive personal blessings-will die in peace
• Abraham will receive honour /he will have many descendants.
• Abraham will receive personal reputation/his name would be made great
• Abraham would receive personal reputation/his name would be made great
• All those that bless Abraham would be cursed/God would protect Abraham.
• Abraham would be a source of blessings to his descendants/ God will rescue Abraham’s descendants.
• Through him all nations of the earth would be blessed.
• God would give Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan.
• The covenant would be everlasting.
• He promised Abraham a son/a heir through his wife Sarah.

1. He left his home/  family / kindred/ kinsmen ( Gn. 12: 4-5)
2. He circumcised his sons/ male members 17: 23- 24
3. He was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac 22: 1- 12
4. He built altars in honour of God 12: 7- 8
5. He made sacrifices to God 12: 7- 8, 15: 9, 10 22: 13-14
6. He accepted the change  of his name that  of his  wife 17: 5-6, 15 -6
7. He entered a covenant with God Gen 17, 18

​A ram/A she- goat/ A heifer/ A pigeon/ A turtle dove

• He would make Abrahams name great/ famous
• God would bless those who bless Abraham/ curse those who curse him/ protect him
• All the families of the  world would be blessed through Abraham
• God would give land to Abraham’s descendants
• He would give Abraham  many descendants/ he would have a great  nation
• God will bless Abraham
• God would give Abraham long life/ he would die in peace
• He would give Abraham a son/ heir
• Kings will come from Abraham’s descendants

• It was an outward sign of the inner faith  in God
• It was a physical  badge/ identity for  all male children
• It showed that one had  made a covenant with God/ that benefits from God’s promises to Abraham
• It was a sign of obedience to God
• It signified purity/ cleanliness
• Through it, one became a member  of Jewish  community/ Abraham’s family 

• It was initialized by God
• It was solemn permanent /long lasting
• It was unconditional
• There were promises to be fulfilled
• It was sealed through the sacrifice of animals
• The parties entered it willingly/it was voluntary
• It had an outward sign/circumcision
• It was between two unequal parties

• God established a personal relationship with Abraham/Abraham became God’s friend.
• It showed that Abraham had faith/trust in God
• It demonstrated Abraham’s obedience to God.
• Abraham was assured of God’s protection.
• God revealed to Abraham that he would have a son as his heir/ many descendants
• God revealed to Abraham that he would have a son as his heir/many descendants
• It confirmed Abraham as God’s choice through whom all nations shall receive salvation.
• God was in control of Abraham’s life / all other events
• The descendants of Abraham were promised the land of Canaan. 

Related Links:

• CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD’ COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM
• ABRAHAM’S ACTS OF FAITH IN GOD - KCSE C.R.E NOTES
• GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM 
• FAITH AND GOD’S PROMISES: ABRAHAM
• IMPORTANCE OF CIRCUMCISION TO ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS

• They should obey God
• They should have faith in God
• They should be patient and wait upon God/should not give up
• They should be prepared to face difficult situations
• They should be ready to give up everything for God/be totally committed to God
• God blesses those who are ready to serve him
• They should rely on God’s guidance
• They should be wise when dealing with issues affecting their lives
• They should involve family members in worship

• By visiting them / inviting them to their homes.
• By being patient / forgiving them.
• By evangelizing to them/ preach / teaching.
• By guiding and counseling them / referring them to experts according to their needs.
• Praying for them.
• By inviting them back to church.
• By encouraging them to repent /confess.
• By offering material needs /aids.

• A covenant is made between two parties who enter into a mutual agreement. God and Abraham were the two parties that entered into a mutual agreement
• In a covenant promises are made.  God made several promises of what He would for Abraham
• The covenants solemnized through rituals. Abraham offered animals/ birds as scarifies to  God.
• A covenant has an outward sign. Abraham was to circumcise all his make Children/ descendants to show that he made a covenant with God.
• Covenant  has conditions/ obligations to be met.  The covenant between God and Abraham was not be broken it bound even his descendants generations later.
• During covenant making there were witnesses. God as the sole initiator rasped through the Sacrifice as the witness to the covenant.
• A covenant is sealed.  It was abseiled through the blood of animal

• God demand faith / obedience from people.
• God is the provider / sustainer / giver.
• God blesses / curses./ God is the protector.
• God is the controller of the world
• God is a sprit / everywhere
• God is be worshiped./ God guides people.
• God speaks / makes promises / fulfills promises.
• God cares for His people.

• The emergence of splinter groups within the church.
• The emergence of cults which practice ungodly activities.
• The emphasis of materialism by the churches.
• Lack of roles models among the leaders.
• Open conflict among/between the leaders and the church members/authoritarianism.
• Misuse of resources by the leaders.
• Rise of state-church conflict e.g No/Yes situation.
• Confusion among Christians due to different interpretation of the Bible.
• Church leaders not having time for all members/discrimination.
• Negative effects of mass media/modern technology
• Permissiveness/moral decadence/during abuse

• Abraham was in doubt for the promise of a son
• God assured him that his own son would inherit him and not Eliezer of Damascus. 
• God showed Abraham the many stars and confirmed that his decedents would be as the stars.
• God asked Abraham to bring him a heifer, a goat, a ram, each three years old, a turtle dove and a young pigeon
• Abraham cut the animals into two and arranged the halves in two rows. 
• The birds were not cut.
• He drove away the birds of prey that targeted the carcasses.
• At sunset Abraham fell into a deep sleep
• God spoke to him giving the promise that his descendants would be slaves for four hundred years but He would set to liberate them.
• Abraham was promised a long peaceful life
• Abraham saw God pass through the carcasses in form of a smoking fire pot and  a flaming torch/reaffirms to give his descendants land   

• In the Jewish community, it is for boys only while in some traditional African communities it is for both boys and girls. (Gender)
• In the Jewish community, it is done on the eighth day while in traditional African communities it is done during adolescent stage. (age)
• Its purpose in the Jewish community is to identify with God's people while in traditional African communities it is to promote one to adult life. (purpose)
• Among the Jews, the practice was commanded by God while in traditional
• African communities it was done in obedience to the ancestors. (Source, origin)
• The rite is not seasonal among the Jews as is the case in traditional African communities. (timing)
• In traditional African communities it is a gateway to more responsibilities while among the Jews one is too young for any responsibility. (responsibility)

• To receive God's blessing/guidance.
• To get acknowledgement from the people being served.
• It reminds the leader to stick to the church regulations/mission.
• To get the authority of God to lead.
• It gives the leader courage/confidence to do his/her work.
• It shows one's willingness/commitment to serve/acceptance
• To emulate the Biblical way of commissioning servants of God.

• Give him land
• Make his name famous
• Protect him
• Great Nation
• Bless those who bless him/curse those who curse him
• Live for long/die in peace
• Bless the families of earth through him
• Make descendants Kings/Priests
• Descendants to be enslaved for four hundred years.
• Give son 
• Bless him

• God told Abraham to take the only son to Mt. Moriah
• Took his son and three servants
• Arrived after three days of journey
• Abraham commanded servants to remain behind as he and Isaac went up for worship
• Took Isaac, firewood and Knife and went up
• Isaac asked the father where the lamb of offering was.
• Abraham told Isaac that God would provide
• Arrived at the place and commanded Abraham to built the altar, tied Isaac and put him on wood.
• Abraham raised the knife to slay /slaughter the son but the angel stopped him
• Abraham saw a ram which he offered instead of the son
• He called the place “The lord will provided”
• Angel appeared to Abraham and gave promises
• Abraham returned with his men to Beersheba. 

• God commanded Abraham to leave his fathers’ house to the land that he would show him.
• Abram went as the Lord told him at the age of 75 yrs.
• Abram took with him Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son and all their possessions.
• On arrival in Canaan, Abraham passed through the land upto the place called Shechem.
• At Shechem the Lord appeared to Abram and told him that he will give him and his descendants the land of Canaan.
• At Shechem, Abram built an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him.
• From Shechem, Abraham moved south to the hill country; east of Bethel. He set up a camp between Bethel and Ai and called on the name of the Lord.  

• Abraham obeyed when God told him to move to unknown land
• He was ready to sacrifice his only son Isaac
• He believed when he was promised a son
• He built two alters at Bethel and Sechem
• He obeyed God’s instructions to circumcise all males
• He had total faith in God’s greatness and loyalty
• He offered sacrifices to God in Canaan.
• Abraham accepted the change of his name and that of his wife.
• He entered into a covenant relationship with God.
• He abandoned the worship of many gods and went for one true God.

• To separate him from idol worshipping
• To be a founder of God’s great Nation
• God wanted to make a new plan of salvation to all mankind
• God wanted to teach people the meaning of faith
• He was a man of faith/obedience
• It was a new beginning of rescuing mankind from sin
• To make a Holy Nation through him
• To make a covenant with him
• To give his descendants the promised land
• He wanted Abraham to worship him
• God wanted to reveal himself to Abraham
• God wanted to bless him with a son

• Through worshipping of one God
• By speaking the truth
• By helping the needy, sick lame
• By doing his work well
• By obeying the commandments of God
• By being honest and upright

• He lived in Ur near R. Euphrates
• His father was a Semite
• His community was nomadic.
• His community was worshiping moon.
• The father was Terah
• He married Sarah
• She remained barren till her old age.
• Settled at a place called Haran
• Had two brothes,Nahur and Haron.

John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Acts 9:31 
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Acts 20:28 
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
John 14:15 
[ Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit ] “If you love me, keep my commands.
Acts 19:6
​When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

​Matthew 3:11 
“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Acts 2:38 
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

​Luke 4:1 
[ Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness ] Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

​1 Peter 2:5 
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

​Luke 10:21 
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
Luke 11:13 
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

​Acts 9:31 
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Romans 14:17 
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
Romans 15:13 
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:44-48, 11
​44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues[a] and praising God.
Then Peter said,
Peter Explains His Actions
11 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
4 Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6 I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. 7 Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
8 “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
9 “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ 10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.
11 “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’
15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

John 3:16 
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Matthew 9:6 
But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”
Hebrews 10:10 
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 9:26 
Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Jesus set us an example by dying for God's sake so that we humans can also commit our lives to praise and worship God because he is the giver and provider of live.
​Revelation 19:10 
At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”
​​Isaiah 7:14 New International Version (NIV)
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Hebrews 10 
[ Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All ] The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. ...

​John 12:32 New International Version (NIV)
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Romans 5:8 New International Version (NIV)
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 8:17 New International Version (NIV)
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
​Hebrews 10:10 
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

​Revelation 20:6 
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

2 Corinthians 4:10 
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Galatians 2:20 
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

​Bibliography

• GATEWAY, B. (n.d.). Retrieved 2019, from BIBLE GATEWAY: https://www.biblegateway.com/
• Most, R. W. (1990). Jesus Christ Died For Our Salvation. Retrieved 2019, from EWTN: https://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/rdmpa1.htm

Some members have a ‘Holier than thou’ attitude/ self righteousness/individualism.

Introduction of ideologies (e.g devil worship/cults/communist/socialism)

Partiality treatment of church members is based on materialism /education /social status

Rise of self-styled apostles/preachers who bring confusion to believers

Some church leaders/lay Christian involve themselves is sexual immorality) e.g adultery, fornication, prostitution, homosexuality, lesbianism.)

Inadequate training of some church leader/lack of training.

Negative influence from science and technology

Lack of finance for effective evangelization

Mismanagement/misappropriation of church funds/resources by some church leaders.

​There is power struggle within the churches/disunity/wrangles.

To win more Christian converts to the Christian faith

To introduce formal education

Population pressure in Europe

To settle freed slaves

Improve the living standards of Africans

To civilize the Africans

​The respect given by early explorers

​Obeying Jesus Christ’s command of evangelizing the whole world

To stop slave trade and introduce legitimate trade

The rise of revival movements in Europe

To Introduce medical services

Africans wanted to express Christianity in an African way

Wanted greater role in the leadership and administration of the church/desirable leadership/prominence.

​Missionaries condemned the African cultures such as polygamy/female circumcision

The literate African were able to read the Bible and made better interpretation/became enlightened thus felt the need to change.

​Bible translation created a desire to worship god in African way

​Realised that there was little or no difference between the missionaries and colonialists

​Wanted freedom from European domination

​Africans were not happy with the missionaries condemnation of their religious beliefs.

​Church Missionary society (CMS)- Kabete 1904

Holy Ghost Fathers 1890-91 (Mombasa)

SDA-Seventh Day Adventist

​Church of Scotland Mission (CSM), Kibwezi 1893

​Friends African Mission/Qauakers (Kaimosi 1903)

Lutheran Church

Consolate Fathers (Tutho And Nyeri 1902)

​African Inland Mission (Kangundo 1902)

​To dedicate themselves fully to God’s work/ to fellowship together.

To profess/proclaim their faith

To share their material belonging/assist the needy/solve problems together

​To become a new people of God/ spirit of brotherhood/separate themselves from non believers

To encourage and strengthen one another in the Lord/praying/worship together

​To emulate Christ who lived with his disciples