Church on course to assume the leading role 

At the peak of the Covid-19 induced lockdown in Uganda,  local artiste Mun G released his hit single Bintwala, a song that wholesomely captured the general mood of the day. Through his customary humorous punchy lines and dancehall beats, he lamented the hopelessness at the time that could hardly be masked by his cheeky delivery.    

Fast forward, another local artiste EeZzy released the club banger Tumbiza Sound an energetic hit backed by typical Ugandan ragga rhythm. He told of the defiance of the Covid-19 containment measures, a reflection of the sentiments of the society at the time. 

People had had enough. No matter what was said of the pandemic at the time, public obedience was to be enforced militarily not voluntarily. 

Art and music in particular, usually mirrors the society vibrations at a particular time. It is a good litmus test of the people’s emotions and moods of the day.  During the Apartheid much of the music from South Africa was about liberation, equality and the like. In times of peace you will get the love and party hits and at the height of the HIV/Aids in Uganda Philly Lutaaya released Alone and Frightened. 

This trend has also extended to the church. Through music, you can feel the pulse of the church at varying time periods. 

In the early to mid-1990s there was a famous Pentecostal praise song that went along these lines; “Birigwawo ne bigwawo ebintu byensi eno bigwa” loosely translated as; the things of this world will all pass away.  

The song appealed to believers not to care at all about earthly things since they would soon pass away. The focus was single; one’s eternal destination. Whatever transpired on earth was of little to no concern at all. 

Given the steely focus on getting as many people born again, it was hard for the Pentecostal movement to have impact outside of the church walls. 

Generally, politics was too dirty a game to indulge in, and too much wealth was a snare of the devil. They only desired enough to see them through their earthly pilgrimage to heaven where they would begin to enjoy life.  

Decades later, came Sinach’s global anthem I know who I am. The song quickly made it to radio stations and night clubs. It spoke of walking in power, showing forth the excellence of God, all of which were traits of a chosen generation.  The song painted a picture of the church exuding confidence and wealth alien to the previous Pentecostal generations.  

Like Mun G’s Bintwala and EeZzy’s Tumbiza Sound, Sinach’s I know who I am as well was a reflection of the new dispensation of the church; a period of the increasing influence of the church in society.

This dispensation is foretold in the Bible in Isaiah 2:2 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” 

Changing times

Today the church is leveraging its prophetic foresight to regain this spot most prominently through the ministry of Prophet Elvis Mbonye. It is becoming relevant in a range of fields on a national and global scale. 

“People have run to the world, including Christians. In the past decades, it would appear like the world was at the forefront of things. The world would set up something and the church would follow along. They sang songs and we had them in church, almost similar but different wordings. The precedent is changing in today,” says Prophet Mbonye during one of his weekly fellowship messages. 

He adds; “In this day, the precepts of the Lord, the revelations of the Lord shall prevail. And they shall be seen to prevail not only in the household of God but out there also. We shall not be confined to the household of God. We are to demonstrate the government of the God to the whole earth. ”

For example,  prior to the Uganda choppers that crashed in the Mount Kenya ranges in August 2012  en route to a military operation in Somalia, there was warning by Prophet Mbonye to stay the mission for he had foreseen a disastrous ending. Efforts were made to reach the respective authorities  in vain.   

In 2010, the nation had also been warned about an impending terrorist attack. This is what the annals of history refer to as the 2010 Fifa World Cup Kampala twin bombings. 

Closet Christians?

Hinting on the major difference between the previous and current church movements, Prophet Mbonye reveals that; “One of the things we have lacked in the body of Christ and we are learning during this time is that the enemy has managed to make us closet Christians. We are not confrontational while the enemy is taking charge over things.  We do not know how to arise. We do not know how to ‘Go ye into the world’.” 

Through his prophetic revelations, he is determined to change this narrative and image of the church until it is accorded its  relevance. 

The construction of the East Africa crude oil pipeline is perhaps one of the most polarising episodes this year pitting the government on one side against the European Union and environmentalists on another. In this matter too, the prophet has offered his two cents pointing the authorities to a January 2017 prophecy. 

Therein he reveals the growing profitability of oil signaling the government and its partners to go ahead with developments in the sector if the nation is to be ushered into prosperity as never seen before. In the same vein, he warns against the increasing calls for the new forms of energy stating that though a lot of good is spoken of them, they will fall short of expectations. 

Given such foresights in a wide range of sectors; security, economics, politics among others, it can only be at one’s peril if they continue to ignore the church today. It is no longer merely a block of voters to be courted by politicians during campaigns and later relegated to ceremonial duties such as national prayer breakfasts and presiding over state funerals.

Nothing on silver platter

But Prophet Mbonye warns that for the church to take up its place on top of all the mountains, it will have to go bare knuckles against the forces of this world.  

“The mountain of the Lord being exalted above all other mountains is going to be by force. In this day and age God is looking for fighters; soldiers of the cross who are going to take everything that is in contradiction to the revelation of God. They take it on battle-head. The fire of God is going to be on the battle ground,” he reveals.

He reasons that all nations shall flood into the church because it shall be a manifest solution to the world. Though it may seem that the precepts upon which almost everything in life and in the world is established upon come from the other mountains, Prophet Mbonye says the revelation of God shall supersede everything in this day.