Is Christianity in Kenya becoming more about branding than faith

Christianity has always been a central part of Kenya’s cultural identity. For generations, it has offered comfort, community, and moral grounding. But if we are honest, something is shifting. In recent years, Christianity in Kenya feels less like a spiritual journey and more like a brand;packaged, marketed, and sold. Faith is becoming a performance, churches are turning into lifestyle labels, and many worship spaces resemble entertainment venues more than sanctuaries.

The first sign of this shift is the rise of celebrity pastors. Some modern preachers have more in common with influencers than spiritual leaders. They trend regularly, dress extravagantly, travel with entourages, and curate their social media pages like public figures chasing followers. Their sermons are polished presentations, complete with lighting, camera angles, and brand partnerships. The focus is no longer on scripture, humility, or service but on image, visibility, and spectacle. When the messenger becomes more important than the message, branding has overtaken faith.

Another worrying trend is the commercialisation of spirituality. Churches now sell anointed oils, branded wristbands, “holy” water, prayer towels, and other merchandise, often at inflated prices. Healing sessions are ticketed, conferences are monetised, and prosperity teachings promise miracles in exchange for generous giving. Faith has become transactional. The altar has turned into a marketplace where blessings feel like commodities, and spiritual authority is used as a marketing tool.

Worship has also changed. In many churches, music feels like a concert, not a moment of praise. Lights flash, screens glow, and performance takes centre stage. Choirs are styled like music groups, complete with choreographed moves and branded outfits. While excellence in worship is not a crime, the line between glorifying God and glorifying the stage is becoming increasingly blurry. The pressure to look “cool,” “modern,” and “trending” often overshadows the essence of worship itself.

Social media is another powerful force reshaping Kenyan Christianity. Churches compete for likes, followers, and viral clips. Sermon snippets are edited like adverts, and testimonies are recorded like reality TV episodes. Online presence has become the new measure of spiritual influence. A church without a strong digital brand risks being perceived as irrelevant, regardless of the depth of its teaching. Faith is now packaged into reels and sound bites meant to impress rather than transform.

But perhaps the most worrying part is how Christians themselves are changing. Many young believers now prioritise churches based on aesthetics;beautiful stages, designer pastors, English accents, curated worship sets over doctrine, values, or spiritual growth. Church has become a lifestyle accessory, something to post on Instagram, something to “experience” rather than embody. Christianity is turning into a brand identity rather than a personal, lived conviction.

Yet it would be unfair to paint all churches with the same brush. Many still uphold authenticity, humility, and service. Many pastors still work quietly, serving communities, counselling families, teaching truth, and living simply. Real faith still exists in Kenya. But it is increasingly overshadowed by louder, shinier, more packaged versions of Christianity that prioritise image over substance.

So, is Christianity in Kenya becoming more about branding than faith? In many ways, yes. But the responsibility is not only on churches,it’s also on believers. If we continue to reward spectacle, chase hype, and treat faith like fashion, then branding will continue to replace spirituality.

Christianity was never meant to be a show. It was meant to be a life,one rooted in humility, compassion, truth, and personal transformation. The sooner we return to that essence, the sooner we reclaim the soul of Kenyan Christianity.