Challenging the ‘Clergy-Laity’ Dichotomy for Sustainable Church Growth in Kenya: Rethinking Full Time Ministry

Recent church planting efforts in Kenya have not been commensurate to the country’s growing population. The country’s population has grown five times since independence to stand at 47.6 million people in 2017. While the majority of its population is widely perceived to be Christian, only 3.3 million people attended Protestant churches on Sunday in 2004. Since the first church plant in 1873, an annual average of 92 Protestant churches were planted, leading to a national deficit of 43,500 churches in 2004, and it is
expected to increase thereafter. The majority of church plants are of poor quality, while the rest die early for lack of support. This study examined clergy and lay attitudes towards work and ministry, the impact of the sacred-secular dichotomy, and the impact of the “full-time ministry” model on church growth in Nakuru. The study used a qualitative interview approach with a representative sample of clergy and laity. Analysis used the constant comparative method and statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The research established that the sacred-secular dichotomy exists is prevalent, and negatively affects church planting, growth, and sustainability. The dichotomy stems from historical practices, clergy perception of clericalism as a higher calling, and little knowledge on Theology of Work. The majority of respondents viewed bi-vocationalism as the best church planting model. The study findings are useful to pastors, theological school professors, students, and the general community in developing a biblical work perspective for faster,
healthier, and sustainable church planting in Kenya.