In one of the student neighbourhoods in Kenya's bustling capital, Nairobi, is a growing community of young believers exploring ways of expressing their Christian faith through painting and worship.
Now in its third year, Worship and Paint has lived true to its intention: creating an environment where creative expression fuses with spiritual meditation. The 9th edition, which was held on March 29, 2025, was held at YHub, a Christian youth centre in Roysambu neighbourhood, known for its bustling student activities and home to a few universities and numerous student hostels.
"In 2024, we made a deliberate decision to explore collaborations beyond the church," said Worship and Paint founder, Mike Luvai, in an interview with Christian Daily International. A partnership between Worship & Paint and Nawiri, a community-driven organisation focused on community outreach, birthed The Heartwork Initiative which has used the events to raise funds for therapy and mental health awareness campaigns.
Luvai said that all the six Worship & Paint events from 2024 to date collaborated with human rights organisations and various community groups that "share similar values, centered around faith and creativity."
The novel worship experience attracts young people in universities and colleges where participants are guided through a process designed to help them relax and become receptive to the worship environment led by a carefully curated line-up of worship leaders.
The session often begins with live acoustic worship music which runs throughout the day. Moderators then guide participants using art therapy prompts, encouraging introspection on recent experiences. A distinctive element of the process involves participants writing down on the canvas with paint and a brush aspects of their lives they wish to move past. Following this, they paint over these words, symbolizing a new beginning and a release of those burdens.
"Importantly, participants are given the freedom to paint what they feel led to, although guided sessions with artists are also an option. Attendees take their paintings with them as a tangible reminder of their experience," explained Luvai.
Testimonials from participants have highlighted the initiative's value in providing a space for processing emotions within a Christian framework. Many have expressed gratitude for a setting where they can express themselves creatively and spiritually, "especially when words fail".
Luvai has come to see painting in this context as a form of worship, where feelings, emotions, and life experiences are submitted to God through artistic expression. Worship & Paint was birthed by his personal journey of fusing his artistic gift with his faith in Jesus. "When I was studying fine art and design at Kenyatta University, I kept asking myself, 'where does my creativity fit in the church?" asked Luvai who discovered his artistic and creative talent when he was 12.
This contemplation sparked a quest to find how his artistic talents could be integrated into his spiritual life and potentially the wider church community. Combining his passion for music, Luvai often found himself painting while worshipping in his studio or room. This personal practice led to a profound realization: inspiration could grow from worship, creating a desire to express that connection on a canvas.
This organic link between worship and artistic creation remained a personal experience for about seven months. However, a pivotal moment occurred during a casual talk with friends when Luvai posed a thought-provoking question: "What if we worshipped as we were painting?"
This simple yet profound idea laid the foundation for what would eventually become the "Worship & Paint" envisioning an environment where creative expression and spiritual devotion could coalesce.
The transition from a personal practice to a community event began in November 2022 when Luvai decided to bring this vision to life. The first event took place in December 2022. As a community-oriented individual, Luvai's initial approach wasn't based on a pre-existing model but rather on the hope that others might experience a similar or even more profound connection through worshipping while painting.
Despite the short planning period of a month, the first Worship & Paint event saw an unexpected turnout of 110 people, far exceeding the anticipated 20 to 30 attendees. Participants paid a small fee of Ksh500 ($3.50) to cover the cost of the canvas and easels. During that event, as singers led worship, canvases were distributed, and attendees began to paint.
Luvai, who was also learning about art therapy, subtly infused elements of it, allowing the art and music to facilitate a therapeutic experience. His growing knowledge in art therapy and psychology further illuminated the potential for art to connect with emotions and even deeper spiritual intimacy.
Following the successful first event, Luvai didn't immediately plan for more events, he was happy that it had happened. However, demand from online inquiries led to a second event in August 2023. This event marked the first collaboration, which provided valuable lessons, particularly in the business aspects of running such an initiative, including budgeting and finance, areas Luvai was learning on the go with the help of his community.
While demand for more Worship & Paints events has kept growing, the team working has been deliberate on keeping the events small capping them as 100 to preserve the intimacy.
"The focus is not on large numbers but on obedience to the calling and the impact of the experience," concluded Luvai.
