1. Church history


 

BRIEF EARLY CHURCH HISTORY 

Recorded brief history of Church of God 7th day which dates back to 1642 indicates that pilgrims from London, England formed the church in U.S.A. The church leadership had distinguished itself with Messianic standard of observing Saturday  as THE HOLY Sabbath and in general  keeping the ten commandments. The oldest sabbatarian Christian Church in America was connected with oldest one in London, the MILLYARD CHURCH. Around  1860 during general conference convened at Battle Creek, Michigan a vote to change the church name to Seventh Day Adventist and have Mrs. E.G white as leader and prophetess  was taken. Although some of those present adopted the change others  refused and decided to maintain the Church of God as mentioned in  the New Testament.

EARLY CHURCH ADMINISTRATION

In 1933 ministers and local leaders of congregations from many parts of the  world held a meeting where re-organization  of the remnant church took place. This included  the choosing of  twelve (12) men  as spiritual leaders, known as apostles  and seventy (70) as elders and then seven (7) as business stewards. It was also unanimously voted moving headquarters from America to Jerusalem Israel with the same doctrine as in the early church. The twelve had an oversight over the body of believers as whole.

The seventy gave themselves to the evangelistic ministry. The seven had the task of management of church business .Elders gave themselves to the word and prayers.

An Overseer under supervision of twelve took general care of the church and had assistance overseers in various countries as need arose.

CALL TO JERUSALEM

Although church’s general conference discussed the idea of moving  the headquarters to Jerusalem  in 1931. Actual implementation of this decision took place much later through Elder A.N. Dugger  after his  wife who was hospitalized in Portland Oregon U.S.A was discharged .  She was very  sick and during Elder Dugger’s  prayer interceding for her  healing , gave a vow that they will sell everything they had  and then relocate to Jerusalem Israel (See attached copy). Elder Dugger went to Nigeria in 1952 on a preaching assignment. At round  1953 he finally he relocated with his family to Jerusalem.

ESTABLISHING CHURCH IN KENYA

One of the founders of the church in Kenya  Mr Edward Macharia was working in St Paul United Theological  College in 1959 when  he got a tract  authored by elder A.N  Dugger from Jerusalme Israel. The good news from Jerusalem  was received here with enthusiasm by many people. This  resulted with A.N Dugger sending  Elder A.M shoemaker to Kenya , East Africa on 31/7/1970 to establish Church Of God  7th Day. While in Kenya he visited , Githiga (Muranga ),  Molo (Nakuru ) and  Nyahururu (Nyandarua).  In total  he baptized 284 men and women that accepted the gospel  teachings from  Jerusalem,  Israel . He also ordained 16 ministers as shown in Jerusalem Messenger Volume 10 dated December 1970 .The names of those 16  ordained by Elder Shoemarker  are

 

  1. Edward Macharia
  2. Petero Kimani
  3. Johana Kiragu
  4. Isiaya Njuguna Gathuru
  5. Ibrahim Gitonga Gathii
  6. Francis Gathungu
  7. Pius Ngugi
  8. Josphat Mwangi Gachuru
  9. Samuel Muchiri Wabandi
  10. Charles Njuguna
  11. Harun Muigai Nganga
  12. Samuel Muthotho Kamau
  13. Kimani Gitau
  14. Obadiah Karabu

The above 14 were ordained together on 16/8/1970

  1. Kimani Kiano
  2. Joel  Kaburia

After establishing the church, Elder Shoemaker departed Kenya on 13/10/1970 for Jerusalem, Israel. He died in  USA on 21/10/1980.

The church was registered in Kenya 1971 as Jerusalem Seventhday Church  of God with some of above ministers being officials.

The church depended mainly to writing to A.N. Dugger and receiving tracts, bible lessons, judah magazines, bible calender, history of true religion, Daniel and revelation etc. Elder A.N Dugger died in 1975, which resulted with leadership of church being left to Elder  Heuer, USA , Elder Baker, USA and Elder Gordon Fauth (Israel)

The church in Kenya experienced divisions mainly associated with leaders of various groups. However, Elder G. Fauth, who replaced A.N Dugger in Israel,  requested Elder Heuer to visit Kenya, which he did in 1981.

A meeting was held between 17th and 18th December 1981. Around 90 elders and deacons from E.Macharia, Muigai Nganga and J. Taalam met at Kirenga (Kiambu) to resolve their doctorial and leadership issues in the presence of elder W. Heuer.  Group from Kimani Kiano from Muranga did not attend. Muthotho Kamau was chosen to be chairman of this meeting. Elder W.Heuer recommended that church in Kenya incorporates a board of seven with two members coming from each group and an extra one as chairman. After electing the seven, Elder Heuer also asked to be given 3 other people to ordained them. These three were to be ordaining those elected in future as elders and deacons. Leaders from the three groups namely E. Macharia, M.Nganga and J.Taalam, were chosen for this noble function while the 3 were called that W. Heuer prays for them while laying his hands on them Mr E. Macharia refused. In his place Petero Kimani was ordained.

On 20.2.82 during  the first meeting of board of seven, it was recommended that the coming Lord ’s Supper should witness unity in the church, by reshuffling pastors to different centers within the former groupings. Muigai Nganga accepted while Edward Macharia refused to this suggestion. This resulted with twenty six elders from Nyahururu and some from Njoro declaring that they do not need board of seven. Afterwards even those from Muigai Nganga decided to be keeping feast days and as a result another grouping.  Muigai Nganga associated himself with Hezekiah Kuria Karanja whom the  church body refused to acknowledge as one of 16  ministers ordained in 1971 by Elder A.M  Shoemaker. An original letter signed by A.M. Shoemaker had been presented to church elders proving this fact.  It was also revealed that credential which Hezekiah Karanja had from Jerusalem was given to him with assistance of Muigai Nganga who directed Patrick Kiboi to draft a letter to Jerusalem stating that he needed Hezekiah Karanja to replace Joel Kaburia who had passed on.

In another effort to reconcile the church a meeting was held  in Njoro (Nakuru). This did not bear much fruit because Edward Macharia refused with original registration certificate. As a result, in 1983, elders dicided to change the name from Jerusalem Seventhday church of God to Mount Zion Seventhday Church of God. This change together with amended constitution was accepted by registar of society Nairobi Kenya.

Since then the church has grown tremendously without wrangles after Muigai Nganga,  E. Macharia and Hezekiah Karanja and others formed their individual spinliter groups.

The church worldwide has overseers but here in Kenya elders dicided enlarge original board of seven to an elders council of 13 members to oversee church activities in Kenya. This was to remove our church being identified with an individual

Church has grown spiritually within Kenya and membership continues to be added.

 

 

God bless on church