Saturday, March 15, 2008

BUILDING THE LORD'S HOUSE

When the Lord sent us into this community in 1997, we did not know where exactly we would begin from. We were simply moving in obedience to the Lord. All we knew was that the Lord had sent us into a wicked community to transform it into true disciples of Jesus. One day as Pastor Johnson was walking through the community, he had a voice say,"Look to your right." "At first i did not understand because all i could see was a bush, but later on when i went home, the Lord spoke to me that that was the place where we shall begin from." narrates Pastor Johnson. The following day having inquired and knew that the land belonged to a certain brother in Christ, he went to ask this brother if the church could use his land temporarily and he had no objection. In one week a temporary shelter that would accommodate around 100 people was constructed and the church started in this humble way with only 5 people. Then the church launched out in prayer and intercession with a lot fasting and supplication for a land that was bound by a lot of prostitution and drunkards, witch craft and idolatry. With time we broke the strongholds of the devil and people begun to repent of their evil ways and run to church for salvation and hope in Christ. Bars too,started to close down one by one,with drunkards repenting and coming to church. Within five years the church shelter was too small for the growing numbers. We started to pray that that God would provide land that would house the church. In 2002 God provided a piece of land that we miraculously bought at Ush5,000,000. We put up a shed covered with tarpaulins for shelter against rain and sunshine. But with time we realized that this shelter would only protect us against the hot sun but not the rains especially during the rainy seasons. It was rather a nasty experience especially whenever it would rain during the Sunday service. Almost every Sunday we would go back with wet Bibles plus wet and muddy shoes and clothes. Several days it would rain and saints would scamper for shelter and the service would end unceremoniously. This became too much and we stated to cry to God to intervene, several members had started to miss even Sunday services especially the weak and mothers with babies. But God is so good and he has a special plan. He always puts away where there was no way. In November, 2005 Pastor Doug Paradise, an American missionary to Vietnam came to Kabale the second time for a leaders conference,having come the previous year with a tam from California in conjunction with Africa Renewal Ministries. As usual it rained during the conference days,several times the Pastors would run away for shelter for whenever it started to rain, it would not stop. Rain would interrupt the whole service, splashing water in the equipment and people. The Pastors had to put their Bibles out to dry after every rain. On this particular day, it rained when Pastor Doug was on the pulpit, but rain increased and it became windy and water logged tarps would pour water on people. This never spared the visiting preacher with a bold head, water just splashed on his head and he was all wet from head to his shoes. But this turned out to be a blessing in disguise! Pastor Doug vowed this would never happen again. When he went back, he prayed about it he mobilized some funds and helped us to construct a much stronger and roofed church structure. The next Sunday, the house was full of praise and jubilation! The miracle was so notable so that it became a testimony in the community of the greatness of the God we serve! This time every member of the church turned up, even the weak. Members gave testimonies of praise, one after another, of the goodness of God. The service that would normally end at 1:00 p.m., this time ended at 3:00. Praise God! Whitney Smith another friend from Oklahoma, supported us to put a concrete floor in the church, saving us from dust. Now, more people have been added to us. Today we have a membership of around 200 believers, and the numbers are still growing. People are happy, they now have a place they call home, though it is still temporary. Revival Tabernacle is home for several ministries, that target helping needy children and orphans to raise them into godly leaders.Departments such women team, crafts and fellowships, discipleship and Missions and the youth all meet in this place for training and teaching. With several ministries like House of Hope, Child sponsorship program, Food distribution-Mercy ministry, Awana children discipleship and Sunday school, Rock University scholarship Kabale chapter, and Evangelism and village medical care are all being housed in small shelter. All these ministry programs and much more need a stronger and bigger building for offices and meetings and an auditorium for worship services and conferences, in order to grow into God honoring leaders. We are praying that God will put away for us to be able to build a dissent church building.
Last year, the Engineering Ministries
International team came to Kabale and helped us to draw plans for a bigger and stronger church building that will cost us around US $177,200. We pray that God would provide this money so that work starts by next year. This building will accommodate the office for the Revival Tabernacle Ministries, Stores for the equipment and the Mercy food ministry, the children classes and the church auditorium which will double as a house of worship and a conference hall for our annual leaders and believers' conference. If you feel you want to be part of this,in prayer or donations, please write to Pastor Johnson at: jbakashaba@gmail.com or margaret_noblin@msn.com