Urban church planting strategies :a study of Nairobi Chapel's expansion to upper class communities in Nairobi

Abstract

The objective of this study was to find out the strategies of expansion used by Nairobi Chapel to plant churches in some upper class communities in Nairobi. In order to achieve this, the researcher undertook an extensive review of literature related to church planting strategies. It was a descriptive case study that sought to discover the situation as it is, and thus the researcher used open-ended questions more than closed-ended question in much of the data collection process. Two methods of data collection were used, i.e interviews and participant observation. A population of nine (9) respondents from three Nairobi Chapel related churches was interviewed, and the researcher personally attended and participated in worship services in the churches for a period of three months. The findings indicate that Nairobi Chapel is expanding in upper class communities in Nairobi because of well-chosen and appropriate strategies relevant to the targeted communities. Some of the strategies used for expansion such as small homogenous group activities and mother church influence are unique to this group as they are not characteristic of conventional strategies. It was clear that each strategy contributed to the way the church was expanding in the targeted communities in Nairobi. The findings reveal that young professionals and upper class people respond to the Gospel through peer group evangelism and through the ministries of vibrant old churches with good reputation than through strangers and new churches.