Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. We appreciate your interest in The Nairobi Evangelical
Graduate School of Theology. NEGST exists primarily as a graduate
school to promote excellence in African Christianity. To enable
us faithfully carry out this mission, we seek to be a
Christ-centred multi-cultural learning community of grace, trust,
integrity, and excellence, transformationally serving the Church
and society.
In order to accomplish our mission and vision, we continue to
strengthen our faculty personnel, and to diversify and adapt our
curriculum to the realities that face the African Church. Over
the years, our Lord has blessed us in many ways; from the
provision of an excellent faculty, to modern classrooms, an
excellent library, student housing, quality curriculum, and an
exceptional student body. God has provided all these things for
us entirely for His glory and for your preparation for ministry
as servants of His church.
We do not only offer integrative programmes in preparing men
and women for Christian service, or provide a theological
research institution preparing men and women for scholarship, we
work diligently to provide an empowering community of Christians
committed to preparing you to work as well as live for the Lord
in the vocation to which he has called you. NEGST, through the
grace of God, will offer you an opportunity to be fervent in your
Christian work and walk, strong in scholarship, and very
sensitive to the numerous African realities that will continue to
challenge your ministry.
We take the greatest pride in our students, who have come to
us from over twenty-three countries in Africa and beyond. If you
choose to join us at NEGST, you will become part of an
international network of hundreds of men and women, many of whom
are matured leaders in diverse Christian ministries that
represent the church worldwide.
As a school in the heart of Africa with Africa on its heart,
our roots grow deep into the African soil. As part of God’s
worldwide community, our branches spread out across the world.
We sincerely hope that you will give us the privilege of
welcoming you as a member of our community.
Dr. T. Adeyemo (Nigeria), Chancellor
GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBERS
Douglas Carew (Sierra Leone) - Vice-chancellor
Mr. Sam Muumbi (Kenya) - Chair
Proprietor - Daima Bank
Pastor Oscar Muriu (Kenya)
Senior Pastor - Nairobi Chapel
Pastor Charles Ng'ang'a (Kenya)
Pastor - Nairobi Chapel
Mrs. Rahab Nyaga (Kenya)
Lecturer - Daystar University
Dr. Margaret Muthwii (Kenya)
United Bible Society
Rev. Daniel Bitrus (Nigeria)
Secretary General - Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA)
Mr. Ken Wathome (Kenya)
Property Consultant
Mrs. Valentine Gitoho (Kenya)
Finance and Management Consultant
Mrs. Leah Ngini (Kenya)
Proprietress - St. Christopher's Schools
Mr. Gideon Muriuki (Kenya)
Managing Director - Co-operative Bank
Mr. Kamotho Waiganjo (Kenya)
Legal Practitioner
Mr. Harun Nyamboki (Kenya)
Businessman
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Douglas M. Carew (Sierra Leone) - Ph.D.
Vice-Chancellor
George Huttar (USA) - Ph.D.
Ag. Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Catherine M. Kamau (Kenya) - M.B.A.
Human Resource and Administration Manager
Florence Msagha (Kenya) - CPA II
Accountant
Joe Muchekehu (Kenya) - FCC.A; FCP.A; CA (N); ICPS (K)
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Finance and Administration)
Margaret Muhia (Kenya) - M.A. (Christian Education)
Registrar
Henry Mutua (Kenya) - Ph.D.
Dean of Students
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEGST
The Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST) came
into being through the vision of the late Dr. Byang Kato of
Nigeria, who was at the time the first African General Secretary
of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa and Madagascar
(AEAM, now AEA).
He was deeply concerned because at that time the evangelical
churches in Africa had seen little need to provide training for
their pastors beyond certificate or diploma level. He spoke often
of what he saw as a coming crisis of 'Christopaganism' in African
Christianity and was convinced of the need for African Biblical
theologians with advanced training who would provide leadership
in combating this trend. Dr. Kato's concern was not only
academic, but deeply practical. The ultimate objective was not
simply the enrichment of the scholar, but of the ordinary
believer in the churches--the African Christian who was often
poorly taught and vulnerable to a confused understanding of
Christian truth. Dr. Kato was actively involved in seeking to
strengthen Christian teaching provided by the local churches, and
saw the establishment of an evangelical graduate school of
theology as an instrument to that end.
Dr. Kato died tragically in a swimming accident in Mombasa,
Kenya, but before his death in December 1975, he recruited
personnel and made arrangements for launching a francophone
graduate school. This was established in Bangui, Central African
Republic in 1977, and was early granted a government charter to
operate as a graduate school of theology granting its own
degrees.
After Dr. Kato’s death, the AEAM assumed the responsibility
for establishing a companion anglophone graduate school. The
stated purpose then was to create a graduate school higher than
the existing evangelical theological schools on the continent of
Africa. The existing schools would then serve as feeder schools
to NEGST. The school would offer Master’s degrees in
Biblical and Theological Studies, and eventually Doctorates in
Theology. It would accept students whose previous degrees were in
theology or in the arts and sciences. Thus the Master’s
programmes (except the M.Th/M.Phil.) in keeping with historical
traditions, were designed for those who possess already
undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences coming in to do
their first theological degrees. Since its inception, NEGST has
attracted students from public and private undergraduate
institutions from all over Africa and beyond.
Rev. Gottfried Osei-Mensah was first Chairman of the planning
committee and later the first Chairman of the Board of Governors.
Mr. Anthony T. deB. Wilmot was appointed project Director. Land
was purchased and building renovations undertaken.
Limited by lack of accommodation, the first class of four
students began their studies in October of 1983, and in July
1986, NEGST granted its first four graduates the Master of
Divinity (M.Div.) degree. The dream had become a reality.
The Foundation
The Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology is founded on
the Bible and its revelation of Jesus Christ. Its constitution
enshrines the statement of faith of the Association of
Evangelicals in Africa, which all students and teaching staff
must subscribe to, and which reads as follows:
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES of the Old and the New Testament (a total of
66 Books) are the Word of God. It is divinely inspired,
infallible, inerrant, entirely trustworthy and serves as a
supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct (2 Tim.
3:16-17).
GOD is ONE. The one God is eternally self-existent in three
Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4-5; Mt.
28:19)
JESUS CHRIST is Saviour and Lord. As God, He was manifest in the
flesh. We believe in His virgin birth; His sinless life; His
divine miracles; His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily
resurrection; His ascension; His mediatorial work; and His future
personal return in Power and Glory (Lk. 1:32-33; Jn. 1:1-4; 1
Tim. 2:5-6; 6:13-16).
HOLY SPIRIT is God. As the third Person in the Godhead, He
indwells every believer upon conversion and enables the believer
to live a holy life; to witness in power; and to work for the
Lord Jesus Christ (Act. 5:3-4; Mt. 28:19; Acts. 1:8).
MAN was made in the image of God and sinless. By choice Man fell
out of favour into sin. In God’s mercy, SALVATION comes to
every lost and sinful person freely and simply by faith in Jesus
Christ who shed His blood for sin, and through regeneration by
the Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:26-28; 3:1-21; Jn.1:11-13, 1Cor.
12:13).
All believers in Jesus Christ are ONE BODY, the Church, of which
He is the Head (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:14-22).
SATAN is a fallen angel whose intent is to supplant God and
frustrate His purpose, and whose ultimate end is consignment to
eternal punishment (Lk. 10:17-18; Rev. 20:10).
BODILY RESURRECTION of all the dead will take place some day.
Believers in Christ will rise unto everlasting blessedness while
unbelievers will rise unto judgement and everlasting punishment
(Rev. 20:11-15; 2 Cor. 5: 9-10).
Mission, Purpose and Goals
NEGST exists primarily as an evangelical post-graduate
theological institution to promote excellence in African
Christianity. This over-arching mission is promoted through:
training men and women in necessary ministry skills;
developing in students a deeper understanding of biblical and
theological foundations;
studying the major issues and challenges facing Christianity
in Africa; and
engaging in research and publication to address the concerns
and needs of African Christianity.
The above four-fold mission is in turn promoted through:
striving to be a godly international community of
scholars;
encouraging personal spiritual formation to produce servant
Christian leaders for the churches and ministries, and
offering integrated programmes.
Accreditation and Affiliation
NEGST is sponsored by the Association of Evangelicals in
Africa (AEA), operating under the AEA Executive Board.
Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA): NEGST’S
MA’s (Bible, Christian Education, Church History, Missions
and Translation); M.Div.; M.Th. (Bible and Mission) and M.Phil.
(CE) are fully accredited by the Accrediting Council for
Theological Education in Africa.
International Council for Higher Education(ICHE): NEGST is a founding member of the
International Council for Higher Education (ICHE) Zurich,
Switzerland, an international body that validates degree
programmes around the world. NEGST’s M.Th./M.Phil., M.Div.,
and M.A. degrees are fully validated by the ICHE.
Commission for Higher Education (CHE): NEGST is a
registered private university authorised to offer degrees by the
Kenya Commission for Higher Education, under University Act 1985
and Universities Rules of 1989, while pursuing a charter.
Evangelical Training Association (ETA): NEGST is a
member of the Evangelical Training Association (ETA), granting
Christian Education majors the ETA Advanced Teachers Diploma.