ILI: History Makers Leadership Podcast
Explore the transformative journey that is leadership. In each episode, we will dive deep into strategies, stories, insights, and the core values that shape and inspire effective Christian leaders who make an impact - all around the globe. Get ready to unlock your leadership potential.
When leaders are equipped, kingdom impact multiplies. Equipping leaders and spreading the Gospel. Let’s change history together!
This podcast is brought to you by the International Leadership Institute.
ILI: History Makers Leadership Podcast
Ep. 82 | Millennial Faith And Future In Kenya
What does it take to raise and disciple the next generation in a world shaped by rapid change, cultural tension, and emerging technology? In this powerful conversation, Norival Trindade sits down with Timothy Thagana of Nairobi, Kenya to explore what Christian leadership looks like among millennials and Gen Z today.
Timothy shares his personal journey—from growing up in a Christian home to experiencing a church-led rite of passage that shaped his identity, faith, and calling. He unpacks how Kenyan culture, education, and economic pressure impact young people, and why many millennials struggle to find purpose in a season marked by unemployment and uncertainty.
You’ll also discover how the church in Kenya is creatively reaching young people through mentorship, sports, discipleship communities, and digital outreach. Timothy explains how technology, when used wisely, becomes a powerful tool for the Great Commission—opening doors for evangelism, connection, and leadership development in a globalized world.
This episode is filled with encouragement and practical insight for anyone passionate about discipling young leaders or understanding the future of ministry.
Tune in to gain fresh perspective on empowering the next generation to live boldly for Christ.
Join a community of leaders who are ready to change history and make an impact in this world. When you take part in ILI training, you will discover how ILI's Eight Core Values will help you transform your leadership. Discover more at ILITeam.org/connect.
Hello and welcome again to the ILI History Makers Leadership Podcast. I'm Anori Valtrindaji. I am Vice President for Training here at ILI. And today I have the privilege of talking to Timothy Thagana. Timothy is from Kenya. He is a leader, a history maker. And today we're going to talk a little bit about next generation leadership, which is something that excites me. Hey Timothy, how are you doing? Good. Very good to be here. Thank you for having me. Well, it's a joy to have you. We've been uh celebrating what you and your family have accomplished for the kingdom. And uh first of all, let's let's let's get to know Timothy a little bit. Tell me a little bit about yourself. Uh what was like for you growing up? Did you grow up in a Christian family or a Muslim or African tradition? How was it?
SPEAKER_00:Um I am Timothy Zagana uh from Nairobi, Kenya. Uh that is in the East African part of Africa at large. Um I was born uh in 1993 in the slopes of uh of Abadea Mountains. And uh I am privileged to be born in a Christian family. Uh both my parents uh are ministers of the word. Um and uh I was born right into the ministry. But um as as we normally say, uh God is nobody's grandfather. So simply because you're born in a Christian family doesn't mean that you have a relationship with Christ. That's true. And so growing up, uh, when I was uh 14, uh we have uh we have a program where boys are initiated into manhood right at teenagehood. Okay, and so and so the pros it is just a lot of um uh learning and training to be taught how to be a man now that you've undergoing this transition from teenagehood or from a boy entering into teenagehood. And so that shapes and being taught how what a man should do. And those um so for a child for me, I underwent a church program that has a lot of Christian uh it is more like a teens camp, and uh that's where we were uh we were preached to. We received the word, and then the last day in December, the December of uh 2006, they made an altar call and I gave my life to Christ. And uh we were baptized in um in very cold waters. Very cold waters at the slopes of Abadia by Bishop Phyllis. Uh, she is the one who baptized me, and so she's actually she led me to Christ and baptized me. And so from then on I was able to develop and grow my relationship with Christ. And so being born in a Christian family had laid a foundation for for me as a Christian. But now getting to this moment where you actually now uh give your life to Christ, then much of the work becomes on you to be intentional enough to grow that relationship. And so I went on with um uh nurturing my my relationship with Christ through high school. Um and and when I finished high school, uh that was when I in 2011, uh that's when I received the training for history makers. And so I continued with uh when I received the training and and so training other leaders, and maybe we we are going to talk about that much later. But then fast forward, I I got married. I married and I have a wife, two uh beautiful daughters, nine and seven, and uh God blessed us with a son uh who's just turned one and a half, and so that's me. Um awesome. Yes.
SPEAKER_02:That's uh that's a nice story. But let me uh let me do something that is not so much on what we've discussed, but let me go back to that um that experience that we could call conversion. I went through a similar uh experience. It's interesting how many um children brought up in Christian homes have their experience, personal experience with Jesus around that age, 13, 14, 15. Mine was exactly that, 13 years old when I gave my life to Jesus. But you you told me about this ritual uh into manhood. That's something that I certainly didn't go through. And and in the Western world, we don't have that so much. Uh tell me just a little bit, expand on that story a little bit. Um is it something that is part of your particular tribal group in Africa? Uh, or is it something that is part of the church, or is it both?
SPEAKER_00:Um traditionally, traditionally, uh uh in my culture, I come from the Kikuyu culture. Okay. Which is uh which is the largest tribe in Kenya. And so traditionally, what used to happen is uh when a boy is born, they and and traditionally in in my our forefathers used to do it even for the women. Um so so the the it is uh it is kind of what we call an initiation, which is actually circumcision.
SPEAKER_02:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:So so for the boys, uh it happens when you write around age 12, 13, depending on um on on because it happens on the on the last year of primary school, that is eighth grade. Okay. So so someone might be maybe either younger or older, but it used to happen, technically, it happens around that December, because we used to do what we have our national exam. Uh, we had one common exam that you do on eighth grade, and then you do another national exam on uh on your fourth year of high school. So or upon finishing the the eighth grade, because there was a lot of time before the the results are are marked and so uh and graded, and that your performance there determines how where you go to high school. So that time you have about two months. So the actually what happens is um a whole different cultures have different ways of of doing it because there is a lot of um uh uh cultural practices and backgrounds that have been brought forth even to to this generation now. But the idea the idea, the background, the the the most common thing that will happen is now circumcision of the boys.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:For me, I was privileged enough to have to undergo it in a Christian setting. And so, and the church, that's where the church is very key uh when it comes to bridging between the practices, traditional practices, and Christian practices. Exactly.
SPEAKER_02:Because that's exactly what drew my attention is the fact that you have your the church has taken a practice that was uh that had its significance in culture and brought it, gave it a Christian context, right?
SPEAKER_00:Yes, yes. Because now there are there's a lot of rituals that go into it. Uh there are some people who will wake up in the morning, very early in the morning, go to the river and uh and do all this weird stuff uh that are just uh rituals that they have inherited.
SPEAKER_02:Or or or rituals that have to do with ancestral worship and spirits and all of that.
SPEAKER_00:Yes. And some of these things, it's it's a pity because some of the things that people do, they actually do because they were done at some point. They have no idea why they are doing them, but because your your grandfather or your uncle or your father has done them, you just get assimilated into that culture. But now the church has become very vocal into that, and we have more of these programs actually now are being led by the church. Uh, our church, right now, we are preparing for one in November. Okay. Uh we are we are going to be having one in November. So it is so what we do for us as a ministry, what we do is we bring together the boys and the girls. The boys will go through the circumcision, the the girls will come in the last four days. And so it is just a moment of being taught and being uh preached to and life skills that are going to shape you to as you transition into teenagehood, and so they and then they graduate at the end. So now nowadays it is much better because of the medication has also improved. Uh, because traditionally, there are people who used to do it with uh with a stone, a very sharp stone.
SPEAKER_02:It was a rougher, yeah. It was rougher, but now because of the advancement in medicine and and so it has become great and and then included in this ritual rite of passage, then it is it is the presentation of the gospel and the opportunity for you to bring bring your your uh your submission to Jesus into that part.
SPEAKER_00:And it is uh it is at a it's a very good point for young for people to get and to know Christ at that moment because they're just starting to become cautious of who they are and what they want to be, and that transition into teenagehood and that's one of the reasons why it happens at that age.
SPEAKER_02:Yes. That's that is very interesting, and that's uh that's a rich um a rich heritage that you have as a as a as an African. Now, another thing about you is that uh we were talking about generations a minute ago, and you are a millennial. Yes. That's what you know we call your generation, but you're a different millennial because you're an African millennial or Kenyan millennial. What is it like being a millennial from Kenya? In which ways it's it is different from you know the millennial uh in the West or in other parts of the world, and which in which ways it's the same as well?
SPEAKER_00:Um uh that's an interesting question because um we Kenya is considered as a developing country, a developing economy. And so by that term, or a third world country, and and by that term alone means there are a lot of limitations and a lot of things that we don't get access to. Um, uh millennials are are um and and you see, from our culture, from our our education system, we have been we have been taught, and our Kenyan education system is what we call 844 system, which means you do eight years in primary school, four years in high school, and four years in college. Okay. And and so that and that's what I was explaining earlier. So the eighth grade, the eighth year of primary school, the whole country does one national exam. And and that exam is graded nationally. So how you perform there will determine how you go to high school. And then at the last year, the fourth year of high school, then you do another national exam that takes you to college. So that system produced people who had nothing else apart from the book. You you and that is where most of the millennials, that is where the millennials have, that is the system they have gone through. Because you're taught that you have to concentrate on the eighth grade and you perform very well, you go to a good national school in high school, and then you wait for fourth year, you perform very well, and then you go to a good university, and you're taught simply we were being trained to do white-collar jobs. Uh so you have to be a lawyer, you do a doctor, you be an engineer. And so we have produced most millennials right now. We have so many people who have the certificate, they have done the training and they have the papers, but then there is no job market for them. Because the economy has not progressed to create enough room for lawyers or enough room for engineers, and manufacturing industries are not doing very well in our country. So we have right now the biggest crisis is a very high percentage of unemployment rate that is affecting mostly the millennials. So you have people who uh it should be close to actually 40-something percent of our unemployment rate, which is a very high percentage for the millennials, uh very high percentage of the people who are unemployed are accounted by uh the millennials. And so you have people who are learned, you have people who are young, you have people who are energetic, and people who are unemployed. So that brings in the frustrations that that will come up with the pressures of life because now you're getting to 30 years old. Uh you there are there are there are certain uh milestones that you ought to have accomplished as you grow, uh, especially for men. You you want either to start having a family or you want to do something by yourself, but then you are limited by all these uh limitations. And so, but then that being said, we are also alike with uh with many other millennials all over the world because we, as I said, the strength number one is the time. Uh most millennials we they they have the time, they have the energy, they have the skills, they have, and so if all these are directed towards the right uh output, then we are going to make a huge difference. The potential is there. Yes, the potential is there.
SPEAKER_02:The problem, the difference is whereas in in some other parts of the world, millennials are making a lot of money and they don't know what to do with their money. Yes, millennials in Kenya don't know what to do with their time because they haven't been able to get a job.
SPEAKER_00:So what so what you'll see is maybe someone will, because of the the pressure to go on with life, you will end up just doing anything that will keep you busy because you have nothing that is occupying you and you can't stay idle. So you so we have all this, um, especially when it comes to government issues, like now we are going to our elections in 2027, and politicians are looking for these people who are idle, they have nothing to do, and they're the ones who will be used to kind of bring violence and riots and stuff like that. Because now you'll say a politician will come and say, Okay, here is 1,000, here is 2,000. You go and and disrupt uh a certain meeting somewhere, and uh someone will say, Okay, I have nothing to do, I didn't have the money.
SPEAKER_02:So that's an opportunity for for uh for unscrupulous politicians to use that.
SPEAKER_00:Yes.
SPEAKER_02:That is interesting. Now, spiritually speaking, there might be somewhere uh somewhat of a difference. We we we kind of paint the millennials, I mean it's a lot of generalization, you know, but as the generation that has walked away from the faith um around the world. Um the the the the idea that a lot of a lot of millennials grew up in families that had parents that have them had themselves um abandoned the faith. What is it like spiritually? Do you think you think millennials are are walking away from God or I um I I agree.
SPEAKER_00:I you are going most likely to see the again because of all this influence and all these um challenges that young people are facing, you'll find someone asking, why is God allowing me to go through all this? And so that will lead them to kind of seek for fulfillment uh outside the church. And again, as I as I because you know the problem is um is is is if if as an individual you're not able to to discern or to to to to have a vision for your life, and that's why now training and and mentoring comes in to play a huge part, because if you're able to understand that you can lead your own life to have a vision and to set goals for your own life, then you are able to distance yourself from being manipulated or from being used for reasons that do not bring uh glory to God. On the other hand, we also have a good percentage of young millennials in Kenya who are very much willing to learn about God, who are very much active in the church. Um our church, for example, has I think uh close to 75% of our church is is the millennials. And and one of the reasons we have been able to do that is because we have been very active in reaching them through things that engage them, such as sports. So we do, we go out and do have sports and and then those creative ways, because one of the other things is uh if they can't come to church, then we can take church to them.
SPEAKER_02:Yes.
SPEAKER_00:So and being creative, not changing the gospel. The gospel remains uh unchanged, it remains the truth, it remains the same. But the ways and the models and the methods of reaching, especially this young, this millennial, uh, and the generations to come, they are the ones who are saying we don't want uh uh technically a service in Kenya would go from maybe 8 a.m. to around 1 p.m. in the in the in the afternoon. So they are saying no, that's too long. We we we don't want to sit in church for those many hours. So how can we make a service shorter? The same impact, but how can we have two services? The one that can come in the morning and then um so yeah, so those creative ways that are going to involve this generation to be more active in the church. Yes.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, in fact, yeah, and in fact, the the the crisis itself is an opportunity because the gospel provides the answer to that. Yes, and as a as a church, uh I I see a beautiful opportunity as a church that has engaged millennials and that has a large, significant percentage of millennials, you guys have a have a tremendous opportunity.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, yes, and I think it is um it is it is an exciting, it is a it is a challenge to to uh the Christian, uh, the church uh at large to be more creative in reaching the millennials. Because at some point, I personally have a a problem with with uh with people who will sit and condemn the young people and say, oh, these young people are they are bad, they don't want to come to church, they are this and this, they are thieves, they are doing this and this. But what are they doing to reach them? You know what is their role in in reaching them? How creative can they be in reaching them so that we say we tried this and it didn't work? Uh we invited them, they never came. So I think it is a challenge to the church that they need to be more creative in the world. Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02:Now, we've kind of moving into that because I I I see the tone of your voice. You're getting more passionate. What is your passion? What excites you, what gives you hope?
SPEAKER_00:Um the fact that um for for me one one I am a strong believer of uh in a product of uh of mentorship that is brought by by a lot of uh integrity and um and um and submission to authority. And I am passionate about young people who are who have sub the they can submit to an authority of a mentor, spiritually, mentally, uh, physically, generally, the whole aspect of a life of a young person. And I am passionate about a generation of young people who who are independent, who are godly, and they are leading their own lives. I cry when I see young people with a lot of potential that is not uh utilized or that is utilized in a wrong way. And so I I I work very hard to bring the transformation. Transformation that that is brought, of course, the beginning step of transformation is an intimate relationship with Christ. So when when you begin that transformation, then you're able to grow from that point to grow into a leader who will now be able to take on the other aspects of leadership. But when that beginning is um, you know, you know, in Genesis, the the very first beginning, the very first words in Genesis chapter 1 is in the beginning, God. Yes, in the beginning, God. That means the the the only beginning, the perfect beginning is God. And when you read down to verse 25, you're going to see that God looked at whatever he had created and saw that it was good. So every beginning that has God has a good ending. So so that is that is the that is the beginning point. So before you struggle a lot with looking for fulfillment outside the world, and and then when you're heartbroken, when things are bad, that's because that's when most millennials will do. They are going to look run to the world and and try to see seek fulfillment and happiness from friends, from um different uh pleasures. But if we set the right beginning, then we are definitely guaranteed of a good ending.
SPEAKER_02:Excellent. Wonderful. Um so how do you see the next generation now? Because we all you are you are two generations down from me, but in a in a way you were next generation to me. Then but then behind you is is is gen is uh gen um Z, you know what they call Z, the zoomers.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. So how do you see them in in your context and in in um you see I I think we are we are in in a very exciting period, uh in a very exciting phase because um because uh we we thought we were very brilliant uh as millennials, we thought we knew a lot, but then these zoomers are coming up with uh stuff that are just mind-blowing. And so and so I think we and the gener and the the ones the the prospect of what could be later is even more is even more mind-blowing.
SPEAKER_02:It's hard to imagine a generation shaped by international by AI.
SPEAKER_00:That is uh you see so that's because at some point uh you would you would think that uh and and and that's and that's when I uh you look at the word of God and and see that the fear of of God is the beginning of of all wisdom, you know, because by the end of the day, there is a lot you you might think you know, but then when you fear the Lord, then that is the beginning of all true knowledge and wisdom. And so and so uh what I mean to say is that um this Zumas, um the the the technology, if we are to look at the technology part of it, I think it is an exciting period where we uh we we need to ask ourselves how best can we use the technology to glorify God? How best can we adopt? Um in my context, in my in our culture, we have people who are very traditional. They still want to do things the way they were done long time ago. They still want to come and attend uh service uh right from 8 a.m. in the morning all the way to the evening at 4 p.m. and and they the the way things have been done, uh they are they are very rigid into changing. And especially when it comes to stuff with technology and internet, there are people who are very reserved. They are still reserved because they they will think it is a devil thing or it is not really Christian. But we are in an exciting phase because the Zoomers and the generations to come, and even us, partly mostly of us uh millennials right now, even schooling, you don't need to really attend physical classes uh to gain knowledge or to learn. You'll do your learning wherever you are from your computer. Um and so that opens that opens a huge opportunity for for people who truly believe in the Great Commission, that uh when Jesus sends his disciples to go, that you can we can also go through the internet. We can also go through uh because now the world is becoming a global village. It is so so even if you don't physically, how do we use how do we use the opportunities that we have, the social media, the the the uh the internet? How do we how can we go using the the the the the platforms that already are existing? Because I think that's where the zoomers are are heading towards as we continue to the generation alpha and the rest coming. Uh these are driven by internet. And yeah.
SPEAKER_02:And and and as that transition generation, I believe um millennials have that amazing privilege of and and I heard I heard you uh your father, Bishop David, this morning talk about stewarding our influence. You know, um, just like our generation has to steward our influence towards yours, yes. You have that amazing opportunity of stewarding that information to uh the next generation. Yes. Wow, thank you, thank you for uh for an exciting conversation. It's always great for us to be able to look at the world and see where God is moving, but also how God is moving differently in different places. Yes. And so, Timothy, thank you very much for sharing your time with us today. Um if you would like to connect with Timothy, uh, we're gonna put uh all of his social media and and uh connections on our show notes or on the video description below. Make sure to check him out, make sure to check him, check out his ministry and everything that he does because it'll it'll be interesting to see what God is doing and will continue to do in your life.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you so much for having me. It's been wonderful. It's always wonderful to hear from you and to have these conversations with you. Thank you.
SPEAKER_02:Hey, if you like this, if you think this was a blessing to you, make sure to uh like, subscribe, please leave us a comment. That also helps the algorithm push our content to more and more people. We want to help leaders and men and women all around the world live by the eight core values of the leaders that are changing history. And you can help us do that. Thanks for watching. Thanks for being with us. God bless you.