The Spiritual and Mental Transformation (Revised Edition)

By Stanley Njoroge

The purpose of writing this book is to create an awareness that life is a journey that has a starting point in life and an end. Man, in his finite mind, need an infinite mind, which helps in both spiritual and mental development. This book is primarily intended to educate young Christians in faith to which steps to make toward spiritual and mental maturity. In other words, simplicity of theology.

I trust that the chapters and pages in this book will revolutionize the reader to seek God’s purpose in this earthily and heavenly life. And you and I are of those people God want to impart his divine power so that we can live lives of abundance of knowledge and prosperity. Knowing God intellectually is not enough until the soul and spirit become captives of divinity. Spirit-filled Christians in all circumstances and situations seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance, putting carnal mind into the subjective will of God.

Therefore, spiritual and mental transformation is vital: not reformation. For spiritual and mental transformation leads to another image, in the likeness of God. Another feature of this book is of shaping the soul, mind, and spirit in order to live above the earthly distractions, which enslaves us and subjects us to feel defeated in our endeavors.

Victory and success lie upon the obedience of the sound scriptures: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thy mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Josh. 1:8). Obedience pleases God at all times and provokes his blessings to fall upon his faithful servants. Therefore, obedience is cardinal virtue from the regeneration to generation until the translation into heaven.

I would recommend this book to all those who seek Christian lifestyle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9781984582096

Stanley Njoroge

My name is Stanley N. Njoroge. I was born in Murang’a, Central Province, Kenya. Marital Status I am married to my beautiful wife, Agnes W. Njuguna. We are blessed with five grown-up children—two sons and three daughters—and several grandchildren. Early Education I started primary (elementary) school when I was beyond the admission age of seven years. Due to the scarcity of finances, I did not finish high school, but that did not stop me from pursuing education. Finally, I was able to finish high school through private studies and then joined Bible College of East Africa. My Conversion It was February 5, 1965, in the evening time while reading my Bible in Matthew 6:33. That spoke to me as a person: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto thee.” That night, I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart as the Savior and my Lord. I count that day as a spiritual birthday. A Call into the Ministry After accepting Jesus, there and then, a voice in my heart said, “I have saved you. Now arise and go and be my witness.” I started witnessing to my fellow students, who saw me as a crazy guy; nobody paid any attention to me. But in the long run, I was a winner; many colleagues accepted Jesus. Within a period of four year in extensive studies, I was able to connect with an American missionary who invited me to join him in mission work (evangelism). Even after my graduation, we went all over Kenya preaching, myself being an interpreter. We established over forty local congregations under the name Independent Baptist Churches of East Africa. I served in many positions—secretary, treasurer, teacher, and chairman (moderator). Trip to United States of America My first trip to the US. This was in 1973 at Collingswood, New Jersey, attending ICCC (International Christian Council of Churches) conference and seminar. I went back to Kenya. I served as a pastor/lecturer at Baptist Bible College, Nairobi, Kenya. This I did until I resigned from teaching in 1978 to be a full-time pastor. My second trip to the USA. This was in 1989 when I came for graduation at Anderson City, South Carolina. After graduation, I went back and continued with the job of pastoring and teaching. Living in the United States. In 1999, my wife and I came as missionaries, and since then, we have been here ministering, and we have been able to establish local churches under the name Living Hope International Christian Church Inc. This is affiliated with Redwood Empire Baptist Association and Baptist Convention. Secular work. In 1983, I established in Kenya a business under the name Kiamuri Poultry and Eggs Suppliers, and my wife was the manager. In the United States. I worked as lead custodian at San Rafael District City schools for thirteen and a half years and retired in 2014. It was while working that I was able to travel and call other Kenyans to join me, and out of several meetings, we were able to establish Kenyan churches in Seattle, Washington, and Bay Area, North California. The role of teaching. I joined Golden Gate Theological Seminary as a CLD (contextualized development leadership) instructor from 2010 to present. While teaching, I enrolled for MDiv. I graduated, and I’m doing PhD, major in Christian education.

Book preview

My Autobiography

My name is Stanley N. Njoroge.

I was born in Murang’a, Central Province, Kenya.

Marital Status

I am married to my beautiful wife, Agnes W. Njuguna. We are blessed with five grown-up children—two sons and three daughters—and several grandchildren.

Early Education

I started primary (elementary) school when I was beyond the admission age of seven years.

Due to the scarcity of finances, I did not finish high school, but that did not stop me from pursuing education. Finally, I was able to finish high school through private studies and then joined Bible College of East Africa.

My Conversion

It was February 5, 1965, in the evening time while reading my Bible in Matthew 6:33. That spoke to me as a person: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto thee.

That night, I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart as the Savior and my Lord. I count that day as a spiritual birthday.

A Call into the Ministry

After accepting Jesus, there and then, a voice in my heart said, I have saved you. Now arise and go and be my witness. I started witnessing to my fellow students, who saw me as a crazy guy; nobody paid any attention to me. But in the long run, I was a winner; many colleagues accepted Jesus.

Within a period of four year in extensive studies, I was able to connect with an American missionary who invited me to join him in mission work (evangelism). Even after my graduation, we went all over Kenya preaching, myself being an interpreter. We established over forty local congregations under the name Independent Baptist Churches of East Africa. I served in many positions—secretary, treasurer, teacher, and chairman (moderator).

Trip to United States of America

My first trip to the US. This was in 1973 at Collingswood, New Jersey, attending ICCC (International Christian Council of Churches) conference and seminar. I went back to Kenya. I served as a pastor/lecturer at Baptist Bible College, Nairobi, Kenya. This I did until I resigned from teaching in 1978 to be a full-time pastor.

My second trip to the USA. This was in 1989 when I came for graduation at Anderson City, South Carolina. After graduation, I went back and continued with the job of pastoring and teaching.

Living in the United States. In 1999, my wife and I came as missionaries, and since then, we have been here ministering, and we have been able to establish local churches under the name Living Hope International Christian Church Inc. This is affiliated with Redwood Empire Baptist Association and Baptist Convention.

Secular work. In 1983, I established in Kenya a business under the name Kiamuri Poultry and Eggs Suppliers, and my wife was the manager.

In the United States. I worked as lead custodian at San Rafael District City schools for thirteen and a half years and retired in 2014. It was while working that I was able to travel and call other Kenyans to join me, and out of several meetings, we were able to establish Kenyan churches in Seattle, Washington, and Bay Area, North California.

The role of teaching. I joined Golden Gate Theological Seminary as a CLD (contextualized development leadership) instructor from 2010 to present. While teaching, I enrolled for MDiv. I graduated, and I’m doing PhD, major in Christian education.

Description of the Book

The purpose of writing this book is to create an awareness that life is a journey that has a starting point in life and an end. Man, in his finite mind, need an infinite mind, which helps in both spiritual and mental development. This book is primarily intended to educate young Christians in faith to which steps to make toward spiritual and mental maturity. In other words, simplicity of theology.

I trust that the chapters and pages in this book will revolutionize the reader to seek God’s purpose in this earthily and heavenly life. And you and I are of those people God want to impart his divine power so that we can live lives of abundance of knowledge and prosperity. Knowing God intellectually is not enough until the soul and spirit become captives of divinity. Spirit-filled Christians in all circumstances and situations seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance, putting carnal mind into the subjective will of God.

Therefore, spiritual and mental transformation is vital: not reformation. For spiritual and mental transformation leads to another image, in the likeness of God. Another feature of this book is of shaping the soul, mind, and spirit in order to live above the earthly distractions, which enslaves us and subjects us to feel defeated in our endeavors.

Victory and success lie upon the obedience of the sound scriptures: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15).

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thy mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (Josh. 1:8). Obedience pleases God at all times and provokes his blessings to fall upon his faithful servants. Therefore, obedience is cardinal virtue from the generation to generation until the translation into heaven.

I would recommend this book to all those who seek Christian lifestyle.

Chapter One

NECESSITY OF SPIRITUAL AND

MENTAL TRANSFORMATION

And be ye not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

—Rom. 12:2

It is an ongoing process in an individual, after the regeneration takes place. Spiritual growth of a Christian takes place when three elements occur in nurturing. The following steps are necessary to be considered—that is, God’s grace and knowledge of the scriptures and the church’s educational ministry, as part of Christian maturity. To avoid backsliding, a Christian needs to be built, grounded, and rooted in the word of God. As newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby (1 Pet. 2:2).

THE NEED FOR A UNIFIED MINISTRY OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION

The whole church ministry ought to embrace nurturing in disciplining, equipping, evaluating programs, and replicating Christ’s compassionate ministry, perceiving the human beings as fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep, having no shepherd (Matt. 9:36b). Therefore, the whole person must be the ultimate objective of the church. That is, the church should not concern only about salvation; the mind also needs to be educated as much as the body needs nourishment. There should be a variety of church programs (Christ centered) in Christian education that can produce awareness toward effective transformation.

Beyond Knowledge to Transformation

Once we follow Christ’s method of reaching human needs already established as the foundation for Christian education, then we would automate transformation in the world. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching, in their synagogue, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing all manner of diseases and all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people (Matt. 4:23).

Preaching is intended to meet the needs of the soul, the center of emotions. It creates spiritual audience with God.

Teaching, in all its variations, is supposed to meet the needs of the mind—intellectual knowledge—to dispel ignorance. The role of teaching is a path for maturity to perfection of which it becomes total transformation, giving a new image in words and actions. Teachers are nurturers; they nurture, encourage, comfort, and urge.

1. To nurture (1 Thess. 2:11–12)

2. To encourage (John 15:26)

3. To comfort (1 Thess. 2:12)

4. To urge (1 Thess. 3:12–13) to live lives worth of the glory of God.

Healing concerns itself with physical wellness, to have a sick-free zone.

The agents to carry this incredible program are Christian educators in homes, in the churches, and in any another place where opportunity avails itself.

Here’s an accent on God’s grace: the summary of spiritual transformation can only be attributed to God, who works in and out of human beings.

No one can take the glory—not the teacher or learner or follower—because it is by God’s grace that spiritual maturity is realized, And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints (1 Thess. 3:12–13).

Chapter Two

SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION

IN THE EARLY CHURCH

The converts in the early church majority were of Jewish background. Acknowledging that Jesus was Jewish is like crossing from ranges of Judaism to Christianity’s region.

Faith in Jesus was prerequisite for initiation to Christianity. To qualify to be a church member, certain things were to be taught and keenly observed by new converts.