Faith events, personalities that left 2017 remarkable

The P5 crusade at Christian Life Church (CLC) – Makerere, Kavule
When you tune on to Top TV, a known born again based television, you will watch the CEO of the television Jackson Ssenyonga preaching to the crowd and casting demons in what he called P5 (Praise, Prayer, Power, Prosperity and Permanent Miracles). Unlike the 77 days of glory which rocked the nation and across other continents, you will never hear people talking the about P5 and may be the good that happen that side. It is unless when you tune on to either top television or radio. P5 revivalist prayers started early this shortly after the commence of 77DOGS. People have continued to flock the place looking for deliverance. Testimonies are given daily of how God has intervened in different people’s lives.

Joel Osteen flood response
Following the flood in Houston Texas, US, in September, The Washington Post reported about one of the city’s most reputable evangelists, Joel Osteen, fighting allegations that he closed off his 606,000-square-foot megachurch, Lakewood Church amid a flooding crisis that displaced thousands of residents. Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in Texas, leaving 31 people dead and thousands homeless. Osteen was criticised on social media, as people accused him of keeping his church closed during a time of need. “Joel Osteen, as a Pastor you have a huge obligation to show the love of Christ at this very moment. OPEN THE DOORS,” a fellow megachurch pastor, Greg Locke in Tennessee, tweeted. According to Lakewood Church spokesman Don Iloff, the building had been flooded during the weekend, with water getting close to the facility’s floodgate. People are saying we’ve locked the church,” he told The Washington Post. “...The church has been open from the beginning, but it’s not designated as a shelter.” Days later, the church was receiving victims.

Personalities who stood out

Pastor Aloysius Bujingo
Early this this, a city pastor, Aloysius Bujingo of the House of Prayer Ministries International was dragged to Nabweru Court after he set ablaze bibles saying they were misleading flocks. The Salt FM and TV proprietor had over time condemned the use of edited versions of the Bibles such as King Jame’s version, the New Testament, The Good News Bible have been tampered with and some verses omitted.
Bugingo alleged that the lines talking about the fasting and lent were erased and that the word “Holy Ghost” appears a whopping 99 times yet the word “Holy Spirit” appears only seven times. He, therefore, requested members of his congregation to collect all the said Bible versions and set them ablaze.

Mbonye and kissing of his shoes
It was such a strange scene in September as followers of Zoe Fellowship members kissed Elvis Mbonye’s shoes at the Kololo Independence Grounds. It was a gathering of more than 500 people gathered that evening to listen to the word of God that was prepared by the “prophet”. It was his birthday. At the event, members of the congregation were seen kissing Mbonye’s shoes. Among them, was famous former sports journalist, Joseph Kabuleta. Rumour had it that those who wished to attend that particular service had to pay at least Shs300,000. The public did not wait, they nicknamed him “a slay prophet”.

The city prophet started off his ministry at Theatre La Bonita before his congregation grew leading him to Imperial Hotel, then to Kololo and now at Kyadondo Rugby grounds. This very “man of God” also confirmed of how he had ever been to Heaven and from there that he met God and our Jesus.
In his own words he said, “Jesus is a very young man, I was surprised by his youthful look and the most pronounced thing is his eyes. He looks at you with no condemnation whatsoever. I have walked to Heaven and what most people do not realise is they too can. When the veil went, Heaven was opened. There is a higher life than what people have known before. Everyone should be introduced to the spiritual life.”

Fr Jacinto Kibuuka becomes bishop
Last month, Jacinto Kibuuka, the former Roman Catholic Church priest was consecrated as Bishop of the Evangelical Orthodox Church at Mamre Prayer Centre in Namugongo. He is now the bishop for Central and Eastern Uganda. This happened after he was last year suspended from the Catholic Church by Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, Archbishop of Kampala over what he called disobedience. It is the suspension that prompted Kibuuka to denounce the Catholic church and opted to start Mamre Prayer Centre in Janda-Namugongo. Although many Catholic priests have continued to stop Christians from going to the said prayer centre, many have done contrary to that.
In his words, Kibuuka said, “I will continue celebrating the mass of St Chrysostom in the Antiochian rite and I will continue offering all the sacraments of the Catholic Church in that rite.” This has somehow come to pass. His title changed from Rev Fr to Bishop Kibuuka.

77 DOGS at Miracle Centre Cathedral
Early this year, the renowned city Pastor, Robert Kayanja, introduced ‘77 DOGS’ an acronym for 77 Days of Glory. The new revival crusade drew crowds and crowds from all corners of the world. Men and women turned up at the cathedral to witness the real healing powers of God. Unlike any other, this one even attracted the first family and renown Ugandan artistes such as Cute Kaye of Gunkeese. He turned to God during this time. More than 1,000 couples including our own comedian Kapere and his lover were wedded two mass wedding ceremonies that were held during the crusade.

Still, as many people sowed their seed, many turned up with socking and ‘great’ testimonies that contributed much on attracting more people to the crusade. It is alleged that the prophetic (77DOGS) was given to Pastor Robert Kayanja by God during the Kyankwanzi crusade. Kayanja then left the crusade and came to tell the congregation in Kampala what the Lord had spoken to him before travelling back to continue with the miracle crusade. The 77 DOGS had a set time frame one season but it extended given the need at which sinners wanted to revert to their Lord. Indeed, many people have surrendered their lives to Jesus and others got delivered from all wicked powers of witchcraft during these crusades. For the long time, the 77DOGS has been aired to Chanel 44, meaning you could even get salvation from home.

Happenings

Razing Christ the King Church
In November 2017, Christ the King Church, a Kampala centred Catholic Church was broken down in a bid to construct a bigger church to more than double its seating capacity from 600 to about 1,500. The Shs8.8bn project was handed over to Seyani Brothers and company Uganda limited will be completed in 78 weeks according to Msgr Gerald Kalumba, the parish priest, Christ the King Church parish. Meanwhile, the 86-year-old church mass is now held at Cardinal Wamala Conference Hall adjacent the church. Everything will still be run from the rented house until the renovation work that is to be done in two phases is finished.

Kakande’s holy rice
Before, Ugandans were used to the common rice types such as Super, Kaiso, Pakistan and may be upland that was introduced by Prof Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya. But early this ending year, the re-known Kampala prophet Samuel Kakande of the Synagogue of Nations church at Mulago round about took the country by storm when he introduced what he termed ‘Holy Rice’ to his congregation at a cost of $14 (Shs50,000)per kilogramme.