Issue #41 - September 2015

LOOKING BACK
Kampala Baptist Church started in 1962
by Baptist Missionaries who were
fleeing from the wars in Congo in the
early 60s. 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.

Why was Kampala Baptist Church started?

THE FIRST DECADE 1962-1971

Kampala Baptist Church was started rather

accidentally. The missionaries or the people who started Kampala
Baptist Church didnt 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.

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

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 KampalaKampala
Baptist Church. So in that way Kampala Baptist Church was
Over the years we have witnessed started like the bible points out in Acts 8:4 that when
great changes in people who have gone persecutions came, all those who were scattered preached the
Pastor John Ekudu
through discipleship programs of the word as they went on.
church. We are contributing to At this time, the Anglican Church and Pentecostal church were not deeply rooted in
leadership development in the East the word yet Kampala Baptist Church majored in teaching the word, and so
African region and beyond through this people
who
ministry. Men and women who have wanted to learn and know the word were
The first service the first Sunday after Amin had
gone through the ministry are found all attracted to Kampala Baptist Church. They were chased the missionaries was an interesting one. The
over the world playing significant roles. attracted by the ministry of the word.
pastor of the church at the time had gone to Kenya
from where he sent the order of service for that
Granted, the Baptists emphasized the baptism by immersion which was different from Sunday by Airmail. We were 7 people so 1 was the
what the Anglican and the Catholic Church emphasized. Adoption of this point of view was pastor of the day, 3 led worship, another collected
not so hard as the people prior to the coming of the Baptists were already frustrated by the
offerings and the rest was the congregation.
existing churches for their lack of study of Gods 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.
Kampala Baptist Church
Van
Ekudu (2nd right)
attending Bible study

Kampala City Hall where

Kampala Baptist Church used to
meet.

Extreme right photo: Baptist in

an improvised baptism pool
made out of tarps and poles
1

In 1978, President Idi Amin banned nearly all

THE SECOND DECADE 1972-1981
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 believer. I ran to Pr. John Ekudu who was staying in North court Hall, now Nsibirwa Hall, in Makerere University
as a tutor. He hadnt 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 members would fellowship there as the hope of ever standing as a Baptist Church again was steadily fading.

Dr. Joseph Kigula

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
peoples 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 Gods word brought the Kampala Baptist Church members back; who also came with other new members.

Kampala Baptist Church Pastors

Pastor Mayinja Francis

Kironde

Pastor Dick Otto

Pastor Porgue
Pastor John Ekudu

Pastor Kibirige Samuel

Elijah

Pastor Sempiira Daudi

Pastor Julius Twongyeirwe

Johnson Magaya

Andrew Mwenge

(Current Associate Pastor)

(Current Senior Pastor)

THE THIRD DECADE 1982-1991

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 dont
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 Rices 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.

Harriet Sekabira

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.

Churches planted by Kampala Baptist Church

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
2

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
Edward Luo Frobisher 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

What drew you to Kampala Baptist Church?

THE FOURTH DECADE 1992-2001

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.

Nassali Christine

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.
Kampala Baptist Church Children. (Ivy dedicated
most of her time in Uganda to the childrens
ministry)

Anna Tusiime

Kampala Baptist Church at St. Johns Ambulance

Dick, Ivy Otto and their

children
3

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

2002 AND BEYOND

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 Young Adults (back in the days)
to know the Lord and grow
together. -Dennis Kironde
I would like to see Kampala
Baptist Church sharing and
helping the needy.
-Rebecca Nyamigisa
Ekudu and Jacques Masiko (middle)

Dick Otto with some of the KBC young men

KBC men at a recent camp

Deo and Beatrice Mawano

Young Adults attending a baking class

Darrie and Debbie Turner

Mike and Monica Chibita

Love Feast sack race

Youth having fun at a retreat

A poster from the old days

Pastor Larry Pumpelly carrying out baptism

The church construction team

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

A busy Students Centre in Wandegeya

4