Rev. Julian Kyula is a Kenyan pastor, entrepreneur, fintech pioneer and leadership thinker known for combining Christian ministry with business and social-impact initiatives. He is the founder and overseer of Ruach Assemblies, formerly known as The Purpose Centre Church, and is also the founder of MODE, a fintech company that expanded from Kenya into multiple international markets.
Kyula has built a public profile that extends beyond the pulpit. His career has included work in real estate, credit and financial services before he entered entrepreneurship, while his ministry has developed around leadership, faith, purpose and community transformation. He is also associated with Rhema Feast, a large Christian gathering held annually in Nairobi.
In business, Kyula is best known for founding Mobile Decisioning, or MODE, in 2010. The company developed mobile-based financial services and grew across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. His achievements include being named the IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012 and East Africa Entrepreneur of the Year in 2015.
Rev. Julian Kyula Profile Summary
| Fact | Details |
| Full Name | Rev. Julian Kyula |
| Known As | Julian Kyula |
| Birth Year | 1975, according to biographical reports |
| Age | About 51 years in 2026 |
| Birthplace | Kenya |
| Nationality | Kenyan |
| Profession | Pastor, Entrepreneur, Fintech Executive, Leadership Mentor |
| Ministry | Ruach Assemblies / The Purpose Centre Church |
| Business | MODE, Beulah City and other ventures |
| Wife | Amanda Kyula |
| Children | Three sons: Nehemiah, Noah and Nolan |
| Education | Alliance High School; Honorary Doctor of Divinity, Beulah Heights University |
| Famous For | Pastoral ministry, MODE, Rhema Feast and entrepreneurship |
| Major Award | IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year, 2012 |
| Other Recognition | CNBC East Africa Entrepreneur of the Year, 2015 |
| Residence | Nairobi, Kenya |
| Net Worth | Not publicly verified |
Rev. Julian Kyula Early Life
Julian Kyula was born in Kenya and grew up in a family whose circumstances required considerable movement around the country. His father worked for Barclays Bank, now known as Absa, and job transfers meant that Julian attended nine different primary schools while growing up. This experience exposed him to different communities and environments from an early age.
Kyula was also entrepreneurial from a young age. Reports about his childhood note that he sold snacks to fellow students while at school. His early interest in business later developed into a much more ambitious career involving financial services, technology, entrepreneurship and eventually large-scale fintech operations.
His early life was not entirely straightforward. In an account of his journey, Kyula said he initially wanted to become a pilot and later pursued aviation training after leaving school. However, he struggled physically during small-aircraft training and eventually abandoned that path. He subsequently turned toward business and began building his career through a series of jobs and entrepreneurial attempts.
Rev. Julian Kyula Education
Kyula attended several primary schools because of his father’s work before completing his secondary education at Alliance High School in Thogoto, Kiambu County. Alliance High School is one of Kenya’s most prominent secondary schools, and his time there preceded his eventual move into the corporate and entrepreneurial world.
After secondary school, Kyula’s professional development became closely connected to practical business experience. He later spent time in the United States, where he undertook business-related studies while working different jobs. His experiences included working as a waiter and valet driver while pursuing his career ambitions.
In 2024, Beulah Heights University awarded Kyula an Honorary Doctor of Divinity. The qualification reflects his later work in Christian ministry and leadership rather than being evidence of a conventional undergraduate or postgraduate theology degree.
Rev. Julian Kyula Career
Early Professional Career
Kyula’s professional life began shortly after high school when he worked for a UK-based real estate company involved in asset evaluation. He subsequently gained international work experience, including time with Allegis Group in Houston, Texas, and Nationwide Credit, where he worked as an operations analyst.
His career also included work in the credit industry, including involvement with Credit Reference Bureau Africa. These experiences gave him exposure to credit assessment, financial services and the challenges surrounding access to financial products, areas that would later become important to his entrepreneurial career.
Kyula has openly discussed failure as part of his entrepreneurial journey. Before achieving international recognition, he attempted businesses in the United States and Kenya that did not succeed. He has described these failures as important learning experiences that influenced how he approached leadership, people and business growth.
MODE and Fintech Entrepreneurship
The defining chapter of Kyula’s business career began in 2010 when he co-founded Mobile Decisioning, commonly known as MODE. The Nairobi-based fintech company focused on mobile financial services, including microcredit and other products designed to use mobile technology to reach consumers who had limited access to traditional financial services.
MODE expanded rapidly beyond Kenya. By the mid-2010s, the company was operating across 26 countries, with international offices and partnerships involving major telecommunications companies. Its services included mobile-based credit and airtime solutions, demonstrating the growing potential of mobile technology for financial inclusion in emerging markets.
The company’s growth brought Kyula considerable international recognition. In 2012, MODE was named IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year, a major milestone that helped establish Kyula as one of Kenya’s notable technology entrepreneurs.
Business Leadership and Awards
Kyula’s business achievements continued to attract recognition. In 2015, he was named East Africa Entrepreneur of the Year at the All Africa Business Leaders Awards, reflecting his work in mobile technology and fintech.
He has also been recognized twice among Kenya’s Top 40 Under 40 entrepreneurs. His career has taken him to international business and technology platforms, including Oxford University, Silicon Valley events, SIBOS and the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi.
Kyula eventually stepped away from active day-to-day leadership of MODE, allowing him to focus on other business, leadership and ministry interests. Later accounts of his career have continued to identify him as an entrepreneur and business leader rather than simply as a former technology executive.
Beulah City and Real Estate
Another important part of Kyula’s business career has been real estate and housing. He founded and chairs Beulah City, a development venture focused on housing solutions in Kenya. The company’s stated focus has included making housing more accessible to middle- and lower-income groups.
Kyula was also involved in negotiations connected to an agreement between the Kenyan government and UNOPS concerning the delivery of 100,000 affordable homes under Kenya’s Big Four development agenda. This became one of the more prominent examples of his attempt to combine entrepreneurship with large-scale social and economic projects.
Pastoral Ministry
Kyula’s ministry career developed alongside his business life. In 2007, he founded The Purpose Centre Church in Nairobi. The ministry later developed into Ruach Assemblies, where he serves as founder and senior pastor or overseer.
His approach to ministry has consistently emphasized purpose, leadership and practical Christian living. Rather than presenting church and business as completely separate aspects of his life, Kyula has spoken about both through the lens of developing people and helping individuals discover their potential.
His church has since grown into a wider network of ministry activities. The current Ruach Assemblies description presents Kyula as a spiritual leader focused on raising what it calls “Kingdom Champions” who can influence both ministry and the marketplace.
Rhema Feast
One of Kyula’s most recognizable ministry initiatives is Rhema Feast, a large Christian gathering associated with Ruach Assemblies. The event began in 2015 as a non-denominational apostolic gathering before growing considerably in size.
The event eventually moved beyond its early Nairobi meetings to become a major outdoor Christian gathering at Uhuru Park. The 2025 edition marked the 10th Rhema Feast, attracting large numbers of worshippers and prominent Christian speakers and musicians.
Rhema Feast has strengthened Kyula’s public identity as a pastor and Christian event leader. It has also helped connect his ministry to a broader audience beyond the regular congregation of Ruach Assemblies.
Rev. Julian Kyula Trending: Why Is Julian Kyula Famous?
Rev. Julian Kyula is currently attracting renewed attention because of Rhema Feast 2026 and the continued growth of the Christian gathering in Nairobi. Recent September 2026 coverage has highlighted his role as the man behind the event and revisited his unusual combination of pastoral ministry and international business success.
His story is particularly notable because he did not become prominent solely through preaching. Before becoming widely recognized as a pastor, Kyula had already built a substantial career in financial services and technology. His creation of MODE and its expansion across more than 20 countries gave him a reputation as a Kenyan fintech entrepreneur.
The renewed interest also comes from the contrast between his two worlds. Kyula operates in Christian ministry while remaining involved in entrepreneurship, real estate and leadership initiatives. His public philosophy emphasizes that faith and work should not necessarily be treated as opposing worlds, an idea he has repeatedly discussed in interviews.
Rev. Julian Kyula Personal Life
Julian Kyula is married to Amanda Kyula. The couple have been married for more than 15 years and have three sons: Nehemiah, Noah and Nolan. His family has also been associated with his ministry work and his broader emphasis on faith, family and leadership.
Kyula comes from a family of seven. He is reported to be the second-born child and the only son, with four sisters. His father, who worked for Barclays Bank, died in January 2020.
Family has remained an important theme in Kyula’s public discussions. His approach to business and ministry frequently centers on developing people and creating environments in which individuals can grow. He has also spoken about building businesses with future generations in mind, including the challenge of making housing affordable for his own children and other young people.
Rev. Julian Kyula Age, Religion, Nationality, Height and Physical Appearance
Julian Kyula is Kenyan by nationality and is closely associated with Nairobi, where both his ministry and much of his business career have been based. His public career spans Christian ministry, technology, finance, real estate and leadership.
Several biographical profiles give his year of birth as 1975, which would make him approximately 51 years old in 2026. However, a precise date of birth is not clearly established in the stronger publicly available sources, so his exact birthday should not be treated as confirmed.
Kyula is a Christian pastor and openly identifies his faith as central to his life and leadership. He has spoken extensively about Jesus as an influence on his leadership philosophy. His exact height and detailed physical measurements are not reliably documented in authoritative sources and therefore cannot be stated with confidence.
Rev. Julian Kyula Social Media Presence
Julian Kyula maintains a public presence around his ministry, leadership and entrepreneurial activities. His public-facing platforms are used to share Christian teachings, ministry announcements, leadership ideas and information about events such as Rhema Feast.
His digital presence also extends through Julian Kyula Global, a faith-driven initiative focused on integrating ministry, leadership, enterprise and community transformation. The organization describes its mission as empowering individuals and influencing communities and systems through faith, leadership and sustainable development.
Because social-media usernames and platform activity can change, his official organizational and ministry channels are generally more reliable references than third-party biography pages when confirming his current online presence.
Rev. Julian Kyula Net Worth
Julian Kyula’s exact net worth has not been publicly verified. Although he has built successful businesses and has been described in media reports as a wealthy entrepreneur, there is no sufficiently reliable public financial disclosure that supports a precise net-worth figure.
His wealth is associated with several decades of activity across fintech, technology, real estate and other business ventures. MODE became an internationally operating fintech company, while his later interests have included Beulah City, EDOMx and other entrepreneurial projects.
For that reason, online claims assigning a specific dollar or Kenyan-shilling figure to Kyula’s net worth should be treated as estimates rather than established facts. His business achievements are much better documented than his personal finances, making his entrepreneurial record a more reliable measure of his commercial success.
Rev. Julian Kyula Legacy
Julian Kyula’s legacy is closely tied to the unusual combination of technology entrepreneurship and Christian leadership. Through MODE, he became one of the Kenyan entrepreneurs associated with the rapid expansion of mobile financial services across emerging markets. The company earned international recognition through the IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year award.
His second major legacy is his ministry. Through The Purpose Centre Church, later Ruach Assemblies, and Rhema Feast, Kyula has developed a platform centered on Christian teaching, leadership and purpose. His ministry has grown beyond a conventional local church model into a wider network and large public gatherings.
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Kyula’s career is the way he has attempted to connect faith with entrepreneurship. His work in fintech, housing and ministry reflects a consistent emphasis on developing people, creating opportunities and influencing society beyond the traditional boundaries of either business or church.
Conclusion
Rev. Julian Kyula has built a career at the intersection of Christianity, entrepreneurship, technology and leadership. From an unsettled childhood involving nine primary schools to international business experience and the creation of a major fintech company, his journey has involved both significant achievements and failures.
His success with MODE established him as an internationally recognized Kenyan entrepreneur, while his work with Ruach Assemblies and Rhema Feast has made him a prominent figure in Christian ministry. His recognition as IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012 and East Africa Entrepreneur of the Year in 2015 further cemented his reputation in business.
Today, Kyula remains known for combining faith, business and leadership. His story continues to attract attention because of the unusual scale of his work in both the corporate and religious worlds, with Rhema Feast providing one of his most visible platforms in Kenya.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rev. Julian Kyula
Who is Rev. Julian Kyula?
Rev. Julian Kyula is a Kenyan pastor, entrepreneur, fintech pioneer and leadership mentor. He is the founder and overseer of Ruach Assemblies and the founder of MODE, the fintech company that expanded across multiple international markets.
How old is Julian Kyula?
Julian Kyula is reported to have been born in 1975. If that year is accurate, he is approximately 51 years old in 2026. His exact date of birth has not been reliably established in major sources.
Who is Julian Kyula’s wife?
Julian Kyula is married to Amanda Kyula. They have been married for more than 15 years and have three sons.
How many children does Julian Kyula have?
Julian Kyula and Amanda Kyula have three sons: Nehemiah, Noah and Nolan.
What church does Julian Kyula lead?
Julian Kyula is the founder and overseer of Ruach Assemblies, which was originally established in 2007 as The Purpose Centre Church in Nairobi.
What is Julian Kyula famous for?
He is famous for his pastoral ministry, his leadership of Rhema Feast and his success as a fintech entrepreneur. He founded MODE in 2010, and the company eventually expanded into more than 20 countries.
What is MODE?
MODE, short for Mobile Decisioning, was a fintech company co-founded by Julian Kyula in Kenya in 2010. It developed mobile financial and credit services and expanded into numerous international markets.
Did Julian Kyula win an award from IBM?
Yes. MODE was named IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012, giving Kyula and his co-founders international recognition for their fintech innovation.
What is Rhema Feast?
Rhema Feast is a large Christian gathering associated with Julian Kyula and Ruach Assemblies. It began in 2015 and has grown into a major annual Christian event in Nairobi, including large outdoor gatherings at Uhuru Park.
What is Julian Kyula’s net worth?
His exact net worth is not publicly verified. Although he has built successful businesses and is regarded as a wealthy entrepreneur, available sources do not provide enough reliable financial information to establish a precise figure.