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2015
December - Peace on Earth . . .
October - Not the Time to Leave
April - Hope Out of Horror
March - Daily Life in Nairobi
2014
November - The Best & Worst of Times
September 30th - A Kenyan Wedding
September 7th - Officially Accredited!
Older Letters
Winter 2013
Fall 2013
July 2013
March 2013
November 2012
September 2012
June 2012
March 2012
December 11, 2011
November 20, 2011
June 2011
April 15, 2011
December 2010
October 2010
June 28, 2010
December 28, 2009
November 28, 2009
August 24, 2009
For older letters, contact Mission Connections
The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 145
Rev. Marta Bennett
Mission co-worker in Kenya since 1994
Serving at the International Leadership University
(formerly Nairobi International School of Theology)
at the invitaton of the Natonal Council of Churches of
Kenya
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Contact Marta Bennett (marta.bennett@pcusa.org)
About Marta Bennett's ministry
Marta has served in Kenya since 1994, first at Daystar University as Director of Student Development, Senior Lecturer in Biblical and Theological Studies and Christian Ministries, and then as Dean of Postgraduate Studies. In 2006 she left Daystar to join International Leadership University (ILU, formerly the Nairobi International School of Theology (NIST)), as head of the Department of Leadership Studies and Associate Professor. Leadership Studies programs include the Diploma in Leadership, Bachelor of Science in Leadership and Management, Master's in Organizational Leadership, and Master of Science in Governance. Most recently a Ph.D. program in Transformational Leadership has been launched with 28 students from six African countries. Marta teaches courses such as Personal Leadership Development; Theological Foundations of Leadership; Organizational Culture and Development; Leadership History, Theories and Praxis; and Conflict Transformation and Reconciliation Processes. She also leads an ongoing discipleship group of master's students, engaging with them in Bible study, evangelism and discipleship ministries, as well as advising master's theses and Ph.D. research and writing.
Most recently Marta has been appointed as the new Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (the equivalent of Vice President in an American system), working with faculty, staff and students to develop programs and to increase capacity of teaching personnel, promoting teaching not only of content but also of critical reflective thinking and integration of faith and cultural realities with learning and application of learning,
ILU-Kenya, located near the city center of Nairobi, was founded in 1981 by Campus Crusade for Christ International (known as “Life Ministries” in Africa) to equip pastors, church workers and Christian leaders in society with ministry skills and theological training. The school’s mission is “To educate and train Christ-like visionary leaders to spearhead holistic transformation in Africa and the world.” Students come from all over Africa to be equipped in biblical and theological studies, leadership, governance, counseling, education, and mission/intercultural studies. In addition short courses on ministry training are offered at a certificate level.
“Despite all the crises and challenges that Africa faces, there truly is hope,” Marta writes. “While evangelism continues to be essential, strategic discipleship and professional skill development is crucial so that the gospel can take root and go deep, transforming lives and society as a whole. True peace, justice, poverty alleviation and reconciliation can only take place if hearts are transformed, if people are willing to seek God, trusting and following him and together seeking and pursuing God’s priorities.” The focus of her assignment at ILU seeks to embody this commitment.
Country context
Kenya, a country with a population of over 40 million, spans an area about 85 percent of the size of Texas. It is a country of great ethnic diversity, which is often a source of the country’s political tensions. Most Kenyans speak both English and Swahili and many also speak one or more of the 42 different ethnic tribal languages. About 22 percent of the population live in cities, and 75 percent of the population are under the age of 30. Nairobi, the capital city and the country’s largest urban center, is home to about 3.8 million people. The people are mostly Christian with 45 percent identifying themselves as Protestant and 33 percent as Catholic. About 10 percent are Muslim, another 10 percent adhere to traditional religions, and 2 percent practice other religions. The Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s church partner in Kenya, traces its origins to missionaries from the Church of Scotland who arrived in 1891. The work of those early mission workers has borne much fruit. The PCEA now has more than 4 million members and it continues to grow rapidly. The PC(USA) began work in Kenya in the middle of the 20th century [m1] and continues to send mission personnel at the request of the PCEA.
About Marta Bennett
Prior to her appointment with ILU, Marta served at Daystar University, a multidenominational Kenyan Christian university with accreditation through the Kenyan government. Before Kenya, from 1982 to 1994, she served as director of campus ministries and as an adjunct professor at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington.
Marta is a clergy member of the Presbytery of Seattle, where she served as an intern and then later as a parish associate at University Presbyterian Church during the 12+ years she served at Seattle Pacific University. Marta holds a bachelor’s degree in art, religious studies and secondary education from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Her master’s degree in divinity is from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, with a concentration in Christian Formation and Discipleship. She earned a doctorate (Ed.D.) in educational leadership from Seattle University in Seattle, Washington, and has completed a Postgraduate Diploma in African Studies at Tangaza College in Kenya, accredited through St. Mary’s University, Minnesota.
Marta has two adopted Kenyan children, a boy, Justin, and a girl, Imani, along with a foster son, Steven.
Birthdays:
Marta - May 24
Justin - November 30
Imani - July 3
