By Kathryn Wright

INTRODUCTION

This past June, I had the privilege of traveling to Uganda with the Ritchie family on a mission trip. For many, overseas missions can seem distant or even intimidating, so I want to give you a glimpse of what it’s like on the ground in Africa as well as what GES is doing overseas.

There are countless opportunities to share the message of eternal life with people in Africa, and these bring immeasurable joy! However, there are also many obstacles that any missionary must be prepared to face. In Uganda, we encountered everything from tribal traditions to Islamic influence and, most significantly, a corrupt and doctrinally dark church culture. Yet even amid that darkness, we saw the light of the message of grace going out to these churches.

OUR TRIP AND LOGISTICS

Ken being gifted a few GES books for further study I left for Uganda on June 17th and returned July 1st. The Ritchie’s and I landed in Kampala, then made our way to Kakiri, where we held the first conference. In our second week, we moved to Jinja and held a pastors’ conference, then concluded with a third conference in Kampala. At each stop, we partnered with local churches for conferences, Q&A sessions, and Sunday services. Our teaching focused on the gift of eternal life and the believer’s eternal security. Brian and I taught through passages in John, including John 3 and Nicodemus, the woman at the well in John 4, the “never” statements in John, and the purpose of the book itself. We emphasized eternal life as a free gift that can never be lost. Attendance was strong; our first day at Kakiri drew 100, but by the next day the crowd had doubled, including lots of children.

We also brought many resources: over 1,000 Living Water booklets, Bibles provided by the Ritchies’ church, and Free Grace materials for pastors. Jennifer, Carissa, and Kaela ran VBS programs with local children, including several Muslim students. Along the way, we also shared the message of life in unexpected places, from a bakery staff who heard about the Bread of Life (John 6), to a regional bishop whose influence may open more doors for training in the future.

Two of our most important partners on this trip were Umar Mugabe and Ken Mingo, both native Ugandans we first met at a special-needs orphanage during our 2024 mission trip. After hearing the Free Grace message last year, they asked us to return and teach in their churches. Umar worked with his local church and pastor to host the first conference in Kakiri. At the same time, Ken organized the pastors’ conference in Jinja and later arranged our conference in Kampala, as well as a session with university students. Their efforts went far beyond logistics. They ensured that we were meeting with pastors who were genuinely hungry for truth, rather than those seeking handouts or exploiting foreign missionaries. From the very first day, Umar and Ken warned us about the corruption we would face among church leaders. The Lord truly used these men to open the right doors.

CULTURAL AND DOCTRINAL CHALLENGES

Uganda is a spiritually diverse country. There is a strong Islamic influence. During our stay in Kakiri, we were close to a mosque with a loudspeaker that filled the air with chants throughout the day and late into the night.

There are also ancestral beliefs. I got the opportunity to ask Umar and others about the Ugandans’ tribal beliefs, which include many superstitions and rituals. At one point, we passed a funeral, and I asked about burial traditions. I found out that those who commit suicide are treated as cursed. Those who die without children are also treated with disdain. For example, they are denied a front-door exit at the time of burial. These traditions have a strong hold within the churches and often play a role in Ugandans’ understanding of doctrines, especially eternal security.

But the heaviest burden we encountered was within the churches themselves. Uganda is an honor culture, which is demonstrated by the way they view their leaders. Many pastors hold unchecked authority, declaring themselves prophets, apostles, or healers and demanding money from their people. They misuse Scripture to present themselves as untouchable and threaten hell for those who do not comply. Ironically, it was pastors who were our most significant obstacles.

One heartbreaking example shared by Umar illustrates the corruption. The mother of a child with cerebral palsy sought healing from a pastor who claimed to have miraculous power. He charged her an outrageous fee, then rescheduled. When she returned, he demanded a second payment. After collecting her money, he never rescheduled again, and the child later died from complications. When I asked Umar if the mother ever got her money back, he laughed because in Uganda there is no recourse for such abuse. This is the kind of exploitation that devastates families and destroys trust.

Doctrinally, the churches in Uganda are largely Arminian. Charismatic practices are common, and a widespread lack of assurance is the norm. One interesting thing I found out while there is that the phrase “born again” is simply a denominational label. While in the West it is common to understand that phrase as a reference to the new birth introduced in John 3, Ugandans simply use it to distinguish themselves from the Anglican or Catholic churches. This makes the term a large umbrella that covers many theological views but rarely includes those who hold to a form of eternal security. Most did not know the phrase’s connection to John 3, nor its Biblical significance. There was therefore a need for clarification, since we were using the same phrase, but with an entirely different meaning.

Worst of all, it became clear during our sessions with the pastors that American missionaries have compounded the problem by exporting confusion. Calvinism, with its version of the doctrine of election, has begun to infiltrate Ugandan churches. In every Q&A, issues of eternal security, faith, and works arose. Though there are many missionaries in the region, it was clear that there is a profound need for Free Grace teaching. These churches not only wrestle with cultural issues but also suffer from imported false teaching.

TESTIMONIES AND FRUIT OF THE TRIP

Despite these obstacles, the fruit was undeniable. People often stayed long after sessions for extended Q&A, eager to learn more about eternal security. Over the course of the conferences, we worked through parables such as The Four Soils, The Minas in Luke 19, and passages such as Mark 8 and 2 Tim 2:11–14, always circling back to the promises of John 3:16, 5:24, 6:47, etc. On the last day of our first conference, about thirty pastors and leaders gathered at the invitation of the host pastor. Because of cultural norms, Umar himself could not invite them. When they realized what they had missed earlier in the week, many were in tears. One pastor admitted, “We usually only teach judgment, but this is different.” Another said he wished we could stay for a month to teach them more.

One of the most impactful moments for me came during a Q&A. A man spoke up and said he finally understood that salvation doesn’t come by obeying or making Jesus Lord and Savior, but by believing in Him for eternal life. But then he asked if I could “lead him” into this belief. He was expecting an altar call, which is a common ritual in Ugandan churches. I explained that he didn’t need me or any pastor or ceremony, but that if he had believed, he already possessed eternal life. We discussed the example in Acts 10 of Cornelius and his household, who, while sitting and listening to Peter’s message, received the Spirit. The man wept as the truth sank in.

A Catholic woman then stood up and shared how different our approach was. She discussed how “born-again” pastors usually use altar calls to puff themselves up, and she had kept waiting for us to make them walk forward. The fact that we never did that surprised her, and she noted that our focus was solely on Christ and the gift of eternal life. While it was not done intentionally, Brian and I stood out because we didn’t have an altar call. That difference did not go unnoticed, and it convinced many people of the truth because we weren’t seeking anything from them.

Something unexpected happened at another point, during the closing of the conference. Our driver, John Fischer, who hadn’t spoken up much until then, stood up and explained The Four Soils to the pastors who had missed that teaching earlier in the week. He then gave the saving message with stunning clarity. While helping with the VBS, he heard the saving message from the Ritchie girls and believed! Now he is taking classes through the GES Seminary along with Umar.

During the conferences, there were many questions. We discussed passages such as James 2, Romans 10, Ephesians 5, and the concept of “inheriting the kingdom.” When I explained the difference between entering and inheriting, the pastors audibly gasped, then broke into applause. Although some pastors and attendees did not return for the second day, the overall response was overwhelmingly positive.

CONCLUSION AND THANKS

Though Uganda faces deep spiritual challenges, the opportunities for clarity are abundant. The confusion we witnessed underscored the fact that Free Grace teaching is urgently needed worldwide. We are deeply grateful for those who partner with Grace Evangelical Society. I want to personally thank the Ritchie family for their love for Uganda and their willingness to be fellow laborers. And to our readers and supporters, your prayers and gifts made it possible for us to bring the message of life to pastors, churches, and communities in Uganda. Thank you.

While overseas missions may seem intimidating, the reality is that their struggles are also our own. Free Grace is not the norm in the United States, either, and church leadership and corruption are just as real in the United States. We may not share all of Uganda’s cultural challenges, but the battle is the same everywhere: The truth of eternal life by faith alone in Jesus is under constant attack. Sadly, some of our greatest obstacles are also the leaders and teachers in our churches. Whether for a quiet driver in Uganda or a church-goer in America, the need for clarity is urgent and universal. The opportunity to bring light into confusion belongs to all of us, no matter where we live.

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Kathryn Wright and her husband, Dewey, live in Columbia, SC. She is the GES missions coordinator, women’s conference speaker, writer, and Zoom teacher.