The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

Kenya 01

For the last week I have been in Kenya. I arrived in Nairobi at 6.30 am on Friday morning after an overnight flight direct from London on Kenya Airways. I sorted my visa, collected my bag and Pastor Keith Underhill met me at the gate and brought me in his car through the busy streets to his home next to Trinity Baptist Church in Donholm, Eastlands. There I was received by him and Priscilla and their adopted teenage child Carol. We talked and then I rested in the room in the house that they have kindly provided for me.

Later I had tea with Keith's fellow Pastor Murungi Igweta and his wife, Charity, over in a flat about 20 minutes walk away. Poor Murungi was bringing books over for the pastors conference but they were stolen and have now been sold to unsuspecting people in the city.

It is all interesting in a new country so it was fun to see the children, a few goats, some ducks, lots of dust and rubbish, the water carrier with his cart labelled "glamorous", the "Lifestyle butchers", etc. It was good to enjoy a meal of chapattis and meat stew with them and to meet their four children (two of their own and two fostered). We soon had to head back to the church, where a Dine and Listen was arranged. I was the speaker (on Matthew 11:28-30). There were about 80 present, mostly church members but including several others. I managed to get in the word uhuru (freedom) which went down well. What an opportunity! I talked to one young woman who had never been before who showed real interest.

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