In June, GES had the opportunity to do a short-term mission trip in Uganda at an orphanage for children with special needs. My main purpose in going was to teach the staff of the orphanage Free Grace issues. I know many of our readers are heavily invested in what GES does overseas, so I wanted to give an update on the trip.
I left for Uganda on June 7th and returned on the 20th. Despite my luggage taking a few extra days, it was a smooth trip, and I am thankful to all who prayed for safe travel. I stayed on the orphanage campus, which is about two hours outside Entebbe. The team that I went with worked with the kids and helped in various projects on the campus. The sessions I taught heavily emphasized eternal security and the gift of eternal life by faith, not works. In addition, I was able to give the staff copies of Elisabeth: Christ’s Medal of Honor Recipient, which deals with suffering and special needs.
This resulted in many questions due to the strong Arminian perspective in Ugandan churches. I was asked about the disqualification in 1 Cor 9:27, the outer darkness, the Parable of the Talents, and more. It was clear that the concept of eternal security was new to the staff, even though they worked for a Christian organization and the majority of them were church-going people. Some were even involved in Christian ministry.
While there are countless moments worth highlighting on this trip, a few especially stand out in my mind. First, it became very clear during the sessions, as well as from attending a local church service, that tithing and money-related concerns are common. The title of the sermon on Sunday was “Counting the Cost,” and the primary point was that in order to be saved, a person must be willing to follow Christ no matter the cost, which included money. For example, Acts 4:32-35 was used to argue that Christians should sell all that they own and give it to the church leaders. Later, during discussions with the staff, it became clear that most of the Ugandans were under the impression that tithing, or even giving all that they owned, was required for salvation. A story was related about how an entire fishing business went bankrupt because they were told they had to spend all their gas and time shuttling church members across a river. Because they used all their resources on the church and therefore couldn’t fish, they ultimately had no more resources and went under.
In another example, a worship team member was excommunicated because he was playing piano outside the church in order to earn a living and pay rent. The church told the man that all his talents and time should go towards the church, despite the fact they weren’t paying him, leaving him in danger of becoming homeless because he had no income. The idea that believers can be like Paul and do “tentmaking” work outside the church was surprising to those I taught. These and many more stories were related as the staff had to unpack these issues in light of the clear teachings of eternal life by faith alone.
While over 80% of Uganda’s population identifies as Christian, my interactions with the staff and church revealed a deep need for sound teaching. It was clear that the vast majority of the churches are unaware of the saving message of eternal life by grace through faith. However, while my time in Uganda showed a deep spiritual darkness, it also showed a great openness to sound teaching. While the staff had questions, the overwhelming response to hearing about eternal security was positive. Many of the staff members expressed excitement over knowing that eternal life is a gift that can never be lost. Several of those involved in ministry at their churches said they wished the people in those churches understood these Biblical truths. In one particular interaction, a staff member told a story about his father, who is also a pastor. He said he called his dad to tell him about grace and that eternal life couldn’t be lost. His father didn’t believe his son and was struggling with this new teaching. In response, the son told his father that he knew it was true and that he had found the “peaceful” Christ.
In a culture where the church enslaves its members and manipulates them into giving all their money by causing them to fear for their salvation, it was a great to see someone released from this darkness by finding the peace of assurance. Thank you to everyone who prayed, sent messages, and supported GES in this work. Your help allows us to reach people like the Ugandans in order to share the truth of our Prince of Peace. Thank you!
