General Overseer
Bishop Dr. Patrick G. Marai Mungai was born into a polygamous family in 1948 in Kedawa Village, Kericho District, Rift Valley. His parents were Mungai wa Marai and Zipporah Wanjiru. He was raised through seasons of hardship, displacement, and deep spiritual searching.
From a traditional religious background, he encountered the saving grace of Jesus Christ in 1966 after a powerful spiritual awakening through the preaching of the Gospel.
Marked by discipline, resilience, and an unshakable hunger for education, he rose from manual labor in childhood to pursue theological training abroad, driven by a conviction that God had called him to build a sanctuary and raise a spiritually disciplined generation.
From this calling, Gospel Evangelistic Churches of Kenya (GECK) would eventually emerge — not merely as a local church, but as a structured spiritual movement committed to revival, evangelism, discipleship, and sound governance.
Patrick G. Marai Mungai is born in Kedawa Village, Kericho District, Kenya.
Dr. Patrick and his family relocated from Kericho to Nyanduma, which is in Kiambu, Central Kenya. His father later went to Gikohi for work and left them in Nyanduma. There was a lot of instability with their settlement due to colonial and socio-economic disruptions.
In 1956, Dr. Patrick G. Marai Mungai enrolls in Gikohi Primary School up to standard 1. He later moved to Nyanduma where he schooled up to standard 2. Due to the colonial and socio-economic disruptions, he stayed for two years without schooling, but later went to Pepsi school in 1961, where he joined class 4. He did not attend standard 3. Here begins formal religious instruction within a Roman Catholic environment. In 1962-1964, he joined Mutamaiyu school which is an Anglican school and he enrolled for class 5 to class 7.
After attending an Apostolic Faith Church revival meeting under the leadership of the late Willy Ng’ang’a Kago, Dr. Patrick Marai publicly gives his life to Jesus Christ. December 26th, 1966 becomes spiritually significant as the day he marks his new birth into the household of faith. This marks the beginning of his active pursuit of ministry.
Dr. Patrick Mungai was engaged to his wife, Hannah Waigumo Mwindiga, and later held their wedding on 3rd October 1970 at North Kingangop, amidst challenges due to a lack of finances. They are blessed with 5 children, namely: Sarah Nduta, Zipporah Wanjiru, Grace Wambui, Samuel Mungai, and Ezekiel Kamau. They have 7 grandchildren.
Formal leadership structures are strengthened in Kenya under the Assemblies of God missionaries from Springfield, USA. In the first general council, which took place in Kisumu in 1973, mission directors from the Assemblies of God Springfield, under the leadership of Rev. Williams, who was the Director of all Assemblies of God in Africa, formed a new Organisation which was named the Kenya Assemblies of God. The first general superintendent of the Assemblies of God was Rev. Delmar Kingsriter, Jimmy Beggs, the assistant, and Rev. Patrick G. Marai Mungai became the first General Secretary/Treasurer.
Through interaction with trained ministers and theological scholarship, Dr. Patrick G. Marai Mungai develops a conviction that revival must be grounded in biblical depth, structured leadership, and disciplined governance. With the new management of the KAG, we were able to have visitors, scholars, and administrators who exposed them to a high level of theological and management thinking.
Driven by his prayer for “doors to higher education,” Patrick secures admission to study in the United States despite significant financial and visa challenges. The first school attended for theological training was Texas Assemblies of God College, Waxahachie, in 1980. He came back to Kenya due to financial challenges. His season refines his apostolic vision for a spiritually disciplined, academically grounded church movement.
13th October 1985 – Gospel Evangelistic Church of Kenya (GECK) was planted in Nyahururu.
Major G.E.C.K.'s initial centers distributed in provinces were: Central Kenya Nyahururu – Dr. Patrick was in charge Kiambu – which was being led by Rev. Joseph Waititu Rift Valley Eldoret – led by Bishop Julius Maina Mathenge Nairobi – led by Bishop Karanja
Dr. Patrick Marai later went back to the USA to join Lee University in 1988, where he pursued his Bachelor’s degree in Theological studies.
Upon returning to Kenya, he set out to fulfill his dream. On February 28, 1990, a tent was pitched near Jericho market for a “Nairobi for Jesus crusade”, where he preached for forty-four days. Through this preaching, Nairobi Calvary Temple came into being. The church relocated to its current site in December 1990 after acquiring land in Buruburu Phase 1. The land was at the time a dumping site. Through prayer, faith, and determination, the land was transformed into a place of worship, marking the birth of Nairobi Calvary Temple.
In 1991, Bishop Dr. Patrick Mungai expanded the vision into Nairobi’s Central Business District, launching daily lunch hour and evening services at Charter Hall. These meetings became a powerful hub of revival, raising and releasing many preachers who carried the gospel across the country. By 1992, this momentum had already birthed ministers and mission work in different parts of Kenya.
Dr. Patrick joined Kenyatta University, where he attained his Doctor of Philosophy Degree in 2009
Out of this mature vision, GECK is established as a revival-driven network of churches committed to: • Evangelism and missions. • Discipleship and spiritual discipline. • Structured leadership and governance. • Church planting and district oversight. • Growth Phase – Expansion across Districts.
Today, GECK operates as an organized spiritual body with: • National leadership oversight • District and local church structures • Evangelistic and revival initiatives • Leadership training and discipleship programs Headquarters coordination of the ministry and governance.
1. Intercessory department 2. Christian education department 3. Men’s department 4. Ladies fellowship (LAFE) 5. Youth department 6. Music Department 7. Children’s Ministry 8. Entrepreneurship department 9. GECK SACCO 10. Community transformation 11. Missions’ department 12. Couples’ department
What began as a young man’s vow to build a house for the Lord has grown into a structured spiritual movement impacting communities across Kenya and beyond.