L-R: The speakers included Bishop Emmanuel Wako of Divine Harvesters Christian Church, Mr Sam Mutono, Mr Brian Jjemba of Goldstone Consulting and Enterprise, Mr Julius Murunga, the founder World Encounter Goshen Network, and Pastor Patrick Mugambagye. Photo | Sylvia Katushabe
With the growing number of churches in Uganda, some Christians spend much of their time in church, neglecting productive work as they await miracles.
However, pastors and business advisers have advised that work should not be separated from Christianity and that Christians have to balance between work and church.
At Kesef Business Forum hosted by Pastor Julius Murunga, the founder of Word Encounter Goshen Network at Eureka Hotel in Kampala on August 30, Christians shared nuggets on how to balance between a devout Christian as well as engaging in productive business beyond the church walls.
Integral approach
Bishop Emmanuel Wako, a business adviser and pastor at Divine Harvesters Christian Church, said Christianity and work are one thing and believers should work with integrity, righteousness, honesty and fairness as they go about their businesses or careers.
“For us to be impactful, we need to look beyond the accumulation of materialwealth. Have purpose which brings impact or kingdom of God impact in our day-to-day operations in the marketplace because we live in the marketplace.”
Glorify God
As Christians, when we go to the marketplace, our aspirations are focused more on the profit aspect or the money gain without other kingdom of God aspects, making their faith seem far-fetched.
Bishop Wako said that as Christians do business, they should look beyond wealth and make a positive spiritual and moral impact to glorify God in the market or their workplace.
Quoting 1 Corinthians 10:31, where the Bible says whatever you do is all for the glory of God, the pastor shared that nobody can use all the 24 hours for spiritual ministry. He urged Christians to use the rest of the time to do profitable businesses to support their livelihood.
“We are unfaithful to ourselves because of the time that God has given us and we have caused this spirit of poverty to take on our lives because we are not utilising the extra time that we have to do something profitable,” Bishop Wako explained.
He added that we need to learn how to utilise all these hours that God has given us.
“So being stewards of time is very important in our walk, in our daily pastorals and hustles of life,” he added.
James Mutono, the head of laity at St James CoU Lufuka, Ndejje emphasised the need for believers in careers to serve with integrity.
“I have had a career spanning more than 30 years. At your workplace ensure to do the right things at the right time in the right place,” said Mutono one of the speakers at the forum.
He emphasised that humility is a must-have wherever one is called to serve.
“That driver, turn boy sometimes knows more opportunities in the world as opposed to you who spend much of your time at office,” he said adding that when he was still in active service, he treated his juniors well.
“A simple greeting, and helping out others, all contribute to good neighbourliness that will make work flow seamlessly,” said the retiree.
Value addition is vital
Patrick Mugambagye, a pastor at Jerusalem Healing Ministries in Kisaasi, said for Christians to succeed, they must have a vision and add value to their lives.
“You must ensure that you have a vision, values and goals. Go study and make sure that you upgrade your standards of living,” Pastor Mugambagye said.
He explained that some of the challenges keeping Christians impoverished include fear to start, pessimism, indecisiveness, and laziness.
However, he noted that for one to succeed they must be informed, exposed and utilised their time well.
“Exposure is very important, if you want to be rich you must make sure you are informed,” Pastor Mugambagye said.
Be problem solvers
Brian Jjemba, director of finance and investment Goldstone Consulting and Enterprise Limited, said for one to succeed, they ought to be solution-oriented.
He explained that as Christians conduct their day-to-day work, they must ensure excellence in whatever they do, but also should be prepared. He emphasised that opportunity finds those who have prepared for it.
“You must identify your strength. For instance, you may be a good businessman, but not a farmer. And when you go farming you find that you cannot do anything right because your strength is in a different field,” Jjemba explained.
Grab opportunities
Judith Aharikundira, a businesswoman, said on Sundays, she rarely goes to church because she makes more money.
“ I have learnt how to balance my work and church activities,” Aharikundira said.
Samuel Mulenzi, a Christian, explained that he learnt that one can create wealth using others' time because other people’s time is cheap.
Mulenzi also noted that the world is growing at a fast-paced rate and Christians must be dynamic to grab the opportunities.
Pastor Murunga, the host, highlighted that their slogan is in three parts, innovation, invention, and initiation.
“Tapping the wisdom on how to invent, the wisdom to innovate, the wisdom to initiate is very important.”
