The growth of Thika Road Baptist Church from 1965 until today can only be explained through the words that the Lord gave the founding missionary, Ed Weaver. He and his family arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1962 as the first Baptist missionaries and rented a house in Garden Estate, near Braeburn School. They started a Bible study in their house that before long moved outside to the verandah. While looking for a larger place to rent, a real estate agent took him to a property on Kamiti Road with a couple of temporary structures. Although Bro. Weaver liked it, the Nairobi City Council bought it for the beggars in the city. In his disappointment the Lord spoke to him through Isaiah 55:8-9: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Shortly after, the Lord indeed proved the superiority of His ways when Bro. Weaver was shown a plot of 18 acres along Thika Road on the outskirts of Nairobi. There was a poorly maintained large home with dog kennels and one servant quarter. Through prayer partners, God provided the finances within two months. There was even enough to convert the dog kennels into facilities for church services, Sunday school, Christian literature and a Bible correspondence ministry.
In response to the Gospel, God added new members to the church as people got saved and baptized. Initially baptism was done in a stream that cut through Zimmerman Estate near the former Home Depot. Later, it was done in a hole on the mission property. As the congregation continued to grow, the people began to pray for a more permanent and spacious church building. When the plans were laid before the Lord for His leading, the missionary challenged the brethren locally and abroad to help by buying stones. The construction started and the first Thika Road Baptist Church building that even had a baptismal pool inside was dedicated in 1965.
In 1980 Pastor Julius Kiagiri was called to lead the congregation. Eventually the attendance outgrew the first sanctuary and it became necessary to plan a bigger, modern sanctuary that matched the growing needs. Professor Otoki, one of the church members, was the architect. By the time the construction was completed, it cost shs. 24 million. The English, Kiswahili and Junior Church services were maintained. Holding forth the Word of Life (Philippians 2:16) continues to characterize the church’s pulpit ministry.
As the church expanded, the idea of starting a nursery school was proposed by Bro. Weaver. When it began in 1978, children were collected from far because the location was on the outskirts of Nairobi. Even those who were not members of the church took advantage, wanting to give their children a foundation of Christian education. From one classroom built as an extension to the church, Thika Road Christian School has grown to 49 classrooms. The alumni of this school have an uncommon attachment to it, turning up in large numbers on closing days and during other occasions. Those with school-going children have enrolled them here, making the school a “grandparent.” On 15th November, 2014, the groundbreaking of the High School was held, and by 2022, demand for places exceeded the spaces available, all to the glory of God.
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