The Need to Understand Local Cultures for Effective Discipleship: The Case Study of the Church of Christ in Nations in Njoro, Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

The cultural perspectives upheld by a community give a clear reflection or distortion of God’s image. The modern church operates in an increasingly diverse world, reaching out to people from diverse religious perspectives, socio-economic backgrounds, and languages. The Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Njoro, Kenya, shares the gospel with people from diverse cultures, given its cosmopolitan location. To reach people and make them followers of Christ, the church must adopt strategies that will help it bridge the overwhelming cultural and faith gaps. Anchored in the argument that effective discipleship thrives on strong cultural awareness, this qualitative study employs a case study design to highlight the importance of churches appreciating and understanding local cultures in their discipleship activities. The study involved interviews to gather data that would provide conceptual and descriptive insights. Effective discipleship is possible through recognizing and appreciating the locals’ value systems, customs, and beliefs, while interacting with them without judgment or prejudice. This requires churches to establish strong relationships with the diverse cultural groups they serve. An effective discipleship ministry must appreciate how contextualizing the gospel to the local culture, values, and beliefs yields an equitable society. The article establishes that, despite COCIN Njoro’s significant strides in its disciple-making activities, its inability to understand local cultures has acted as a significant hindrance to its outreach.