Empowering Church Leaders to Transform the City of Nairobi

This study is about how church leaders can empower strategic Christians in the market place to transform the city of Nairobi. This dissertation explores the leadership perceptions prevalent in Nairobi. The paper addresses church leadership and contrasts it
with political leadership both now and in history within the Kenyan context. A biblical foundation of leadership and work is given. To achieve the purpose of the study, a one day consultation was organized which brought together more than one hundred church
leaders and strategic Christians in the market place. Questionnaires were administered to all participants and special facilitators took them through plenary sessions and workshops. The participants also visited a Catholic church, government offices, and a media house to help them understand how systems operate in the city.

Extensive literature review was done in the area of leadership, cities and work. The definitive goal of this project is to discover how church leaders can steward power in a relational way so as to promote God's kingdom and transform the city of Nairobi. The findings reveal that domination is the most prevalent perspective of leadership, both within the Church and in the political arena. Leadership is generally seen
as an opportunity to dominate others.

Based on the conclusion, recommendations were made. Transformation must begin by empowering church leaders to change how they perceive themselves, work, church members, their role as leaders, and the city. At the heart of this project is a choice to either steward resources for empowerment or manipulate and exploit people in order to dominate them. A right stewardship of power can only be done when there is a passion to know God and a desire to honour all people.