Patrice Penney, with her mother Mrs. Wilma Franz, donated her father’s extensive library to NEGST in February. Patrice is a lecturer in psychology at AIU, a professional counselor and the wife of Don Penney who is the executive assistant to the vice chancellor at NEGST.

Patrice’s father, Dr Harold Judson Franz, died in January 2009. He had developed a large theological library, and though he loved to give his books away, much of it was still intact at his death. He had visited NEGST in 2005 and was enthusiastic about this school that has Africa “on its heart”. His family decided to pack up his library and send it to NEGST, to further the cause of theological education on this continent. Harold would have been delighted Read the full story »

After the post-election violence in Kenya, Nelly Mulama went to Naivasha to work with “Future Home Ministry”. Her main objective was to save  children who had become commercial sex workers.

Nelly, tell us more about these children.
The children that were being abused were young girls who came from families that had been displaced by the post-election violence in 2008. The young girls were being abused by transit drivers who plied the Kenya- Tanzania route.

The trucks have cabins behind the driver’s seat, where girls were hidden and taken to Tanzania, or exploited in those trucks for as little as fifty shillings. They were exposed to sexually transmitted diseases.

How did your organisation help those girls out?
We rehabilitated the girls by Read the full story »

Africa International University/NEGST launched the new Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Counseling in Nairobi this term. It has been one of our most inquired-about programmes. As we move closer toward expanding into a full-fledged university, we expect this field to grow, including at the undergrad level.

The first cohort class meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings, with four multi-talented teachers, in a convenient location in downtown Nairobi. The director of the programme, Dr Gladys Mwiti (pictured), earned her PhD from Fuller.

In a recent visit to Eldoret, 45% of the inquirers about the AIU/NEGST showed interest in this programme, which leads us to believe it is well-needed beyond Nairobi. In addition, a full-time programme on the NEGST campus is open for applications for a September 2010 intake.

The BA programme attracted students who are interested in becoming certified and trained professionals with the skills and Christian commitment to bring hope and healing to married couples, extended families and young people. The new students are interested in working in churches and counseling centers, or Read the full story »

Rev. Isaac Kibuthu graduated in 2001 with an MA in Missions. Isaac, can you tell us what you are doing now?
I have been the Senior Pastor of NPC Karen since 2006. After completing my studies in NEGST, I was fully employed by the NPC’s Christ is the Answer Ministries.

I first came to NEGST in 1999 and took an MA in Missions. I had started pastoring at NPC Parklands even before coming to  NEGST. As I shared the word of God, I felt the urge to go to school and learn more about being an effective servant of God in spreading his word. I was one of the founders of NPC Parklands, working there on a volunteer base. I became the senior pastor there in 2001.

What are the Challenges that you have encountered in your work?
NPC Parklands has a unique mission to reach out specifically to the Asian (Gujarati and Hindu) community, without excluding Read the full story »

Dr. Titus Kivunzi, currently head of the pastoral studies department at NEGST, has been a lecturer here since 2003. Prior to that, he was a member of the board of governors of NEGST. Dr. Kivunzi was recently honored by Columbia University as alumni of the year.

Dr. Kivunzi, what is your teaching philosophy?
Teaching involves providing relevant information to students, making sure that they understand it to the extent that they can use it. Teaching must be geared toward measurable results, which is demonstrated when the students deliver their learning to the community they serve.

The reason I chose the above statement as my teaching philosophy is that it is God’s responsibility is to provide information; it is man’s
responsibility is to provide volition.

What do you do when you are not teaching?
I am involved in premarital and marital Read the full story »

In February, during a chapel service led by the members of the governing council, the vice chancellor and council chair Mr Gideon Muriuki introduced two new members of the council. They are Mr Peter Wayaki, a lawyer, and Mr Aaih Fodey, general secretary for the Association of Evangelicals of East Africa.

At the service, the two new members pronounced their vows, led by Mr Gideon Muriuki. Faith Mlay dedicated them to the Lord’s service. Later on during the service, the members of the governing council signed the no conflict of interest policy to show their commitment to good governance. Read the full story »

NEGST Master of Divinity in Christian Education student Bernard Kariuki Kimani recently published a book,  Success Boosters:Reflections on the life of Samson. The thesis of the book is that success in life is just not an accumulation of wealth, achievement of personal ambitions, or the attainment of personal success. Real success is having a relationship with God that changes one’s outlook in life.

Bernard’s inspiration to write this book was pegged on two grounds; first, it was sparked by the challenge to speak on the life and times of Samson in his church’s annual regional camp in 2007. As Kariuki reflected on the portion of scripture in the book of Judges that deals with Samson, he was thrilled to discover that real success goes beyond personal aggrandizement and having all that a person would desire. Second, the books Read the full story »

Lois Shaw, you’ve been at the school for years and have played a big role in weaving the dream that we want to hear about now. Tell us why “trailblazers” Victoria Hanne, Brenda Buchanan and Donna Chapman decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in January, in the name of Africa International University/NEGST?
By committing to this climb, these North American women, their friends and others on the team have already raised over $55,000, with much more pledged, to build the new Leah Ngini community center in the heart of our campus. The university sent them off to Mount Kilimanjaro in grand style with songs and blessings in chapel—the first of many climbers lined up to help build the center.

That’s great, Lois! Tell us more about the Leah Ngini Community Center.
The community center is to become the gateway building on campus, connecting us to community and to one another. We are known as “A school in the heart of Africa with Africa on its heart” and it is time for us to have a physical heart of our own—a hub or central gathering place for students, faculty, the community, guests and friends.

The school has needed this center for a long time. And now, as we have expanded to undergrad programs and new PhD and MA programs, more commuting students bring a greater need for the services a community center could provide. It has now become urgent that we get this gateway building built.

What would the community center do for the school?
Some needed amenities include:
• Seminar and conference rooms, as scholars and experts Read the full story »

Mr Benson Mwinzi Waema first came to NEGST in 2006 for the extension program at the A.C.K. Language School, where he did a diploma in Christian education. He came back in September 2009 to pursue a bachelor of theology, also through the NEGST extension program at the A.C.K Language School.

Currently Mr Benson is a pastor at Africa Inland Church (A.I.C) Angaza in Kariobangi. In addition to being a pastor, he also works with a ministry called Source of Light East Africa. The vision of this ministry is to reach the people of the world through Christ-centered and time-tested materials which will result in evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. Source of Light East Africa is mainly involved in outreach in schools, prisons, churches and in training disciples in the various places that they visit.

A few months ago the Source of Light came up with a campaign which was to challenge their readers to become “paper partners” with Read the full story »

This January, a team created from the members of two partner churches in Indianapolis, Grace Community Church and Faith Missionary Church, provided a week of intensive training in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, blogging and PC maintenance. The training was open to all members of the NEGST community and took place in the computer labs. The group also donated 20 laptops to NEGST.

In addition, Grace Community Church donated Ksh.100,000 in January for the acquisition of a new IT server and is in the process of providing 10 new thin clients (approximately Ksh. 160,000 more). These donations will allow NEGST to extend the computer laboratory and help us make the student “ASPEN” system more reliable and flexible.

Grace Community Church began as a new congregation launched from Read the full story »