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Why was Kampala Baptist Church started?

Kampala Baptist Church was started rather

accidentally. The missionaries or the people who started Kampala

Baptist Church didn’t come intentionally to start Kampala Baptist

Church. They were running away from the troubles in Congo at

the time Patrice Lumumba was killed; like the people in Burundi

are running now. When they reached Uganda in either 1962 or

1963, they realized that there was no fellowship for them here

since they were Baptists.

At the time there were only three churches in Uganda; the Anglican Church, the Catholic Church and the Pentecostal Church which was Full Gospel Church. So they started a church in Kasese because they were from the west and one in Kampala—Kampala Baptist Church. So in that way Kampala Baptist Church was started like the bible points out in Acts 8:4 that when persecutions came, all those who were scattered preached the word as they went on.

At this time, the Anglican Church and Pentecostal church were not deeply rooted in the word yet Kampala Baptist Church majored in teaching the word, and so people who wanted to learn and know the word were attracted to Kampala Baptist Church. They were attracted by the ministry of the word.

Granted, the Baptists emphasized the baptism by immersion which was different from

what the Anglican and the Catholic Church emphasized. Adoption of this point of view was

not so hard as the people prior to the coming of the Baptists were already frustrated by the

existing churches for their lack of study of God’s word. Therefore if the Baptists, who

were known for their in depth study of the word said that baptism ought be by

immersion, the people

easily believed.

THE FIRST DECADE 1962-1971

LOOKING BACK Kampala Baptist Church started in 1962 by Baptist Missionaries who were fleeing from the wars in Congo in the early 60’s. It later became the merging point between missionaries from the Southern Baptist Mission now called the International Mission Board and the Conservative Baptist Mission now called World Venture.

The church was initially led by Ameri-can missionaries that is, Rev Holmes, Rev. Porgue, Rev Dick Otto, until Pastor John Ekudu took over as the first Ugandan Pastor.

Over the years we have witnessed great changes in people who have gone through discipleship programs of the church. We are contributing to leadership development in the East African region and beyond through this ministry. Men and women who have gone through the ministry are found all over the world playing significant roles.

Pastor John Ekudu

Issue #41 - September 2015

The first service the first Sunday after Amin had chased the missionaries was an interesting one. The pastor of the church at the time had gone to Kenya

from where he sent the order of service for that Sunday by Airmail. We were 7 people so 1 was the pastor of the day, 3 led worship, another collected

offerings and the rest was the congregation.

Kampala Baptist Church Van

Kampala City Hall where Kampala Baptist Church used to

meet.

Ekudu (2nd right) attending Bible study

Extreme right photo: Baptist in an improvised baptism pool made out of tarps and poles

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THE THIRD DECADE 1982-1991

In 1978, President Idi Amin banned nearly all Christian church activities. How did you, as a church family ,manage to stay together?

In 1978, Gen. Idd Amin, banned all Christian denominations that were not Roman Catholic, Orthodox or Anglican. I first heard this on the radio and I was very frightened since I was a young believ-er. I ran to Pr. John Ekudu who was staying in North court Hall, now Nsibirwa Hall, in Makerere University as a tutor. He hadn’t heard the news himself, but we prayed together and listened to the radio for confirmation and as fate may have it, it was true.

This was a hard time for the church because the white reverends who had been pastoring the church had all been sent away by the president and many of the members left to join other Christian gatherings’ leading. The few who remained agreed to be meeting in homes to encourage each other on.

Pr. John being one of the Ugandan- leaders in Kampala Baptist Church at the time hosted the home based fellowship at his place. Unfortunately the numbers of people attending the fellowship were very few; the numbers kept dwindling from 7 to finally 3. It was therefore resolved that since the Anglican Church was not so far in belief from the Baptist church apart from the mode of baptism , the few mem-bers would fellowship there as the hope of ever standing as a Baptist Church again was steadily fading.

A few years later, Gen. Idd Amin was overthrown and the ban on the churches lifted. This gave opportunity to the remaining Kampala Baptist Church members to reassemble and form Kampala Baptist Church again. Since there were no telephones at the time, word of mouth was the means used by active members to call the former members back ‘home’. Actually no announcements were made on radio; we just went to people’s offices whom we told to tell other people.

People like Moses Musoke, Jacques Masiko among many others were very active at the time. The sense of belonging, commitment and the knowledge of devotion to studying God’s word brought the Kampala Baptist Church members back; who also came with other new members.

THE SECOND DECADE 1972-1981

Dr. Joseph Kigula

What drew you to Kampala Baptist Church?

It was actually a number of things. First of all, Kampala Baptist Church was not built yet and they were meeting at St. John Ambulance and I was staying nearby on Lumumba Avenue where I was sharing a house with a friend called Rose Kabahuma, a doctor who was entitled to that house.

One Sunday, out of boredom, I decided to go to church because I had not been going for a long time. My sister Dorothy, who was at University then, had actually been inviting me to church and asking “why don’t you come?”, and she kept on inviting me. So eventually I decided to go just to see what happens there and I found them having bible study because it was bible study hour.

I asked, “Where do I go?” and they said “oh you can join bible study” and at that time they used to meet outside in small groups. After being asked about my marital status I was assigned to Linda Rice’s bible study group. So I got to the group and Linda Rice said “I think this chair was left for you.” That statement alone just made my day. I sat down and the bible study progressed.

I had no idea what they were about but I knew how to read the bible having come from a home that would read the bible once in a long while. I listened to the questions, answered some of them and eventually I

caught up with the study. When we went in for the service it was so different because I was used to Church of Uganda. There was a time I spent a year going to

Namirembe because I liked singing and I liked hymns very much but when I came to Baptist, I started hearing and learning all the choruses and

the music being played with instruments. I said to myself, “Wow! This is different.” Two weeks later, my grandfather died. We buried him on a

Saturday and on Sunday I just gave my life to Christ. Since then, I stayed and Kampala Baptist Church became family.

Harriet Sekabira

Agape Baptist Church Lugogo Baptist Church

Kalenge Baptist Church Kikandwa Baptist Church

New Life Baptist Church Streams of Life Church

Kyebando Baptist Church Buwambo Community Church

Kampala Baptist Church Pastors

Andrew Mwenge (Current Senior Pastor)

Johnson Magaya (Current Associate Pastor) Pastor Dick Otto

Pastor Porgue Pastor John Ekudu

Pastor Mayinja Francis Kironde

Pastor Kibirige Samuel Elijah

Pastor Sempiira Daudi Pastor Julius Twongyeirwe

Churches planted by Kampala Baptist Church

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What role did you play during the construction of the current church building?

My name is Ed Luo Frobisher, Kampala Baptist Church is more or less my home because I grew up here from the age of 8 years. Am now 51years yet all my life Kampala Baptist Church has been my church and home.

I was given a title of Site

Assistant during the construction

of the Kampala Baptist Church

building and my major role was to

work on the cement mixer. This made me feel more like a child but I

liked doing the work because most of the material and equipment we

were using were all new in Uganda and I had just finished school so I

was eager to explore. At some point I ran away but because my

services were really appreciated, they looked for me and got me back

to work. I earned a lot of experience and built relationships most of

which, to date, are still my very good friends.

Edward (3rd from the left) with friends

Edward Luo Frobisher

What drew you to Kampala Baptist Church?

I remember coming to Kampala Baptist Church

during my primary seven. My friends were members of this church and they used to sing in choir so they

would come with me most of the time they were coming to church. I was already born again so I always

loved coming to Kampala Baptist Church mostly because of the very strong youth ministry which existed

then; we would play different sorts of games and the fun would

always persuade me to be at Kampala Baptist Church almost every single

day.

THE FOURTH DECADE 1992-2001

I joined Kampala Baptist Church way back in 1999. I went there as a

compassion sponsored child and through the

different activities, I got to accept Jesus as my

personal lord and saviour. Compassion and Awana

gave us lots of time to play and grow together as

children of God.

Nassali Christine

Anna Tusiime

Dick, Ivy Otto and their children

Kampala Baptist Church at St. John’s Ambulance

Kampala Baptist Church Children. (Ivy dedicated most of her time in Uganda to the children’s

ministry)

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Drop us an email at kbcmediateam@gmail.com Visit the church website at

www.kbcuganda.org

I expect to see a big church with so many people in it though

am not really sure if it will be so. I would also expect a church

which is open to sports and willing to nurture the youths’

various sports talents to encourage the youth to keep on

coming together for fun and

to know the Lord and grow

together. -Dennis Kironde

What kind of church do you want to see 50 years from now?

I would like to see Kampala

Baptist Church sharing and

helping the needy.

-Rebecca Nyamigisa

Dick Otto with some of the KBC young men

Darrie and Debbie Turner

A poster from the old days

The church construction team

Pastor Larry Pumpelly carrying out baptism

Mike and Monica Chibita

Deo and Beatrice Mawano

KBC men at a recent camp Ekudu and Jacques Masiko (middle)

Young Adults attending a baking class

A busy Students’ Centre in Wandegeya

Young Adults (back in the days)

Love Feast sack race

Youth having fun at a retreat

2002 AND BEYOND