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NCCK issues sermon guidelines, urges churches to preach against Finance Bill

Religious leaders drawn from the National Council of Churches of Kenya and the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops during a past press briefing. (Photo: NCCK)

By Farhiya Hussein | Sunday, June 23, 2024

The NCCK believes it is now essential to promote messages of peace and justice directly from church platforms.

The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has issued new sermon guidelines to its member churches, urging them to advocate against the Finance Bill, 2024 from their pulpits.

Despite previous efforts to address concerns through formal channels, including submitting memoranda to Members of Parliament, the NCCK believes it is now essential to promote messages of peace and justice directly from church platforms.

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General Secretary of NCCK, Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui, emphasized the church's role in fostering justice, peace, and sustainability in Kenya. "In this way, the NCCK and member churches will contribute to justice, peace, resilience, and the sustainability of our nation," he stated.

The guidelines provided by NCCK encourage clergy to preach on themes of hope and resilience, using biblical references to emphasize their messages.

For instance, the first message urges the government to enhance productivity, quoting Isaiah 35:3-4a and Proverbs 24:27, highlighting the need for social structures that provide hope and opportunities for all Kenyans.

The guidelines criticize the current Finance Bill for increasing transport costs and taxing creative arts, calling on Parliament to reject it and task the Treasury with drafting a more welfare-oriented bill.

Fair taxation

Another key message focuses on fair taxation, referencing 1 Timothy 6:10 and Nehemiah 6:3-4, warning against the love of money and its corrupting influence. The guidelines argue that government policies, influenced by the love of money, can lead to unjust taxation practices, and urge Parliament to consider the welfare of the people.

Additional messages include urging the government to make life easier, not harder, citing Ezekiel 34:18 and Matthew 23:4. The guidelines criticize the bill's proposal to increase taxes on financial services and money transfers, arguing it places an undue burden on the populace and could lead to increased crime.

The final message calls on leaders to listen to their people, quoting 1 Kings 12:1-16. It warns that failure to address the burdensome aspects of the bill could lead to widespread dissatisfaction and unrest.

The NCCK encourages its member churches to use these sermon guides not only for preaching but also for academic, media, and advocacy purposes, emphasizing the importance of making their voices heard against the Finance Bill, 2024. The guidelines can be freely used for these purposes, although commercial use requires written authorization from the NCCK.