Good News of Great Joy

December 17, 2025February 28, 2026 by Jonathan In Nairobi Church Plant 6 Comments

As we enter the Christmas season, we are reminded that God stepped into our world in humility, sending his Son not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. In a city as busy and complex as Nairobi, the message of Christ’s coming—“good news of great joy for all the people”—remains as necessary and as powerful as ever.

This season gives us a special opportunity to slow down, reflect on God’s grace, and rejoice together in the miracle of the incarnation: that Jesus took on flesh to save sinners and to gather a people for himself.

We are deeply grateful for your prayers, encouragement, and generous support of the work God is doing through Sovereign Grace Church Nairobi. It’s a joy to share how the Lord continues to build his church in this city and to give you a glimpse of how your partnership is bearing fruit.

Growing in the Gospel

Over the past months, our church has continued to gather weekly around God’s Word, committed to preaching Christ and him crucified. We are seeing steady spiritual growth as men, women, and children are being shaped by the gospel—not only in what they believe, but in how they live, love, and serve one another.

Here’s just one example of this.

An Unfinished Story of Grace

Earlier this year, a young woman came to one of our Sunday gatherings at the invitation of another woman from the church. She arrived carrying deep grief, bitterness toward God, and sin she was determined to keep hidden. She later shared that she had already decided how the story would end: she would come once, sit quietly, avoid engagement, and never return.

But God had other plans.

A few weeks later, she found herself coming back. And then again. She couldn’t fully explain why, except to say that something about the community of Christ kept drawing her in. Even when she tried to keep her distance, the warmth, sincerity, and grace she encountered among God’s people made it hard to stay away.

One day, in a moment of great distress, she reached out to Lilli. When they met, this young woman finally brought into the light sin she had determined to hide from the church. She came expecting condemnation and rejection.

Instead, she was met with grace.

Not the kind of grace that ignores sin or calls darkness light, but gospel grace—truth spoken with love, forgiveness grounded in Christ, and people willing to walk alongside her toward repentance and hope. For her, this moment marked a turning point. She experienced firsthand that the church is not a place for the sinless, but a place where sinners are met by a merciful Savior.

Her journey is not without difficulty. She still has hard days. There are moments when she pulls back and struggles. Yet it is clear that God is at work, patiently and faithfully transforming her by his grace.

Stories like hers remind us why the local church matters. God uses ordinary people, loving community, and the steady preaching of the gospel to bring light into places long held by shame and fear.

Discipleship and Community

Such evidences of God’s grace are increasingly common as our church family grows closer together. Wednesday night fellowship has become a place where Scripture is opened, prayers are shared, and lives are shaped by the truth of the gospel.

We are especially thankful for members who are stepping into greater responsibility—serving faithfully, welcoming visitors, teaching children, and helping strengthen the life of the church.

Looking Ahead

As we look to the coming months, we are praying for:

• A wonderful service of celebration on January 4, 2026 for our first year anniversary as a church which will be followed by a baptism service and BBQ at our house!
• Continued faithfulness in preaching and teaching God’s Word
• Wisdom and strength for leaders as the church grows
• Connections to a permanent location that will accommodate growth
• Deeper discipleship and the raising up of future leaders
• Opportunities to reach Nairobi with the gospel of Jesus Christ

Nairobi is a city full of contrast—great need alongside great opportunity—and we remain convinced that the gospel is God’s power for salvation here.

Thank You for Standing with Us

Your prayers truly matter. Your financial support makes ministry possible. And your encouragement reminds us that we are not laboring alone.

Thank you for standing with us and with Sovereign Grace Church Nairobi as we seek to become a community that increasingly delights in Jesus Christ, declares his gospel, and displays it through transformed lives for God’s glory!