Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The Influence Of Various Churches Homa-Bay

By Elaine Guthrie


The church plays a crucial part in the lives of people of Homa Bay County in Kenya. There are three main churches Homa-Bay County that assert their dominance and influence in this area. Seventh Day Adventists are considered the majority with Catholics following closely and Anglican Church coming a distant third. The other two denominations with a significant following are Legio Maria and Muslims.

A day cannot go by without residents of this county encountering the church. It is these faith based organizations that are responsible for constructing and sponsoring education institutions. Many residents identify education with certain religious communities, a trend that continues to cement the central role of religious bodies in their lives.

The influence of church organizations can be felt in health care provision. Homa-Bay County is one of the areas that suffered heavily from the Aids scourge. A large population of inhabitants is either affected or infected. The number of orphans is significantly high for a region where poverty is their main stay. The intervention of religious organizations in providing health care cements their influence on local populations.

It is difficult to ignore an evangelical ministry wave that is making foray in the county. Though the rise is global, people in this county are warm and receptive to the gospel of hope. This has eaten away into the dominance of traditional mainstream denominations. It is the active form of worship that attracts locals into the evangelical movements.

The church has a significant influence in political lives of locals. The church with the largest following is Seventh Day Adventist. The county is in the Southern Nyanza region that is dominated by Seventh Day Adventist. However, they are closely followed by Catholics with the Anglican Church of Kenya coming a distant third. The influence of Anglican Church of Kenya is not as significant as the other denominations.

A native church called Legio Maria has managed to capture the religious imagination of locals in this vast county. Their form of worship combines Dholuo traditions with Christianity. Their influence is growing by the day. With Luo being a highly religious society, they are receptive to any ministry that will provide hope. It is worth noting that every household subscribes to one religious denomination or the other.

Christ Faith Evangelical Church Homa-Bay, Kenya is among the fastest growing evangelical movements. This is largely because of its form of worship that is expressive and involving. Their dances are vigorous with animated homilies. This touches the core of Dholuo form of worship that sends the faithful into a trance. The use of loud music and vigorous dances is very attractive and has brought the church a large crowd.

Physical addresses of churches in the region are difficult to get considering the rural setting of the county. The address system is practically non-existent. The best way to find a church is through social media or using its website. The people of this region are still eager to receive the gospel of Christ.




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