Sovereign Grace Church Nairobi, Kenya, Turns One!

An update from Jonathan Leslie (Co-Planter at Sovereign Grace Church Nairobi, Kenya)…

On January 4, 2026, we celebrated a joyful and humbling milestone: one year since Sovereign Grace Church Nairobi began gathering as a local church. The day was marked in a way that vividly reminded us that He is the one building His church. Every seat was filled, with some standing at the back, and the 100 communion elements we had prepared—normally enough for two services—were all used. It was a simple but powerful picture of growth, hunger for Christ, and the grace of God among us.

The celebration was made richer by the love and partnership of the wider Sovereign Grace family and like-minded churches here in Nairobi. We were deeply encouraged by five video greetings from Sovereign Grace churches around the world, and by the presence of Pastor Ken Mbugua and his family from Emmanuel Baptist Church, along with representatives from other gospel-centered congregations in the city. Their prayers and words of encouragement reminded us that we are not laboring alone, but are part of a broader work God is doing through faithful churches committed to His Word.

Brian preached from John 17, calling us to marvel at the unity Christ has secured for His people. He reminded us that our oneness with one another does not originate in shared culture, background, or effort, but flows from our shared union with the Father and the Son. It was a fitting word for a young, diverse church being knit together by grace in a city where the gospel is often distorted, yet where God is clearly at work gathering His people.

One of the great joys of the day was welcoming thirty-one men and women into membership, our first formal members as a church. To see so many publicly commit themselves to Christ and to one another in covenant love was a powerful testimony to God’s faithfulness over this first year. After the service, we returned to the Leslie home, where the church first began meeting, and there we had the privilege of baptizing three believers, declaring again through water and Word the saving work of Christ.

The day concluded the way many good gospel celebrations do— in laughter and fellowship, sharing a meal, giving thanks for all the Lord has done. From a small gathering in a living room to a growing congregation that has added a full time Pastoral Resident for Worship and sent three men to Pastors College in Ethiopia, the past twelve months have been a living reminder that “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

We are profoundly grateful for the prayers, encouragement, and partnership of the pastors and churches of Sovereign Grace. Your support, counsel, and shared vision for planting healthy, gospel-centered churches have been a means of grace to us. As we look ahead, we do so with humble dependence on the Lord and hopeful expectation that He will continue to establish His church in Nairobi, raise up leaders, and make His saving glory known among the nations.