Ministry of Apollos

I love Uganda and I love visiting the Source of the Nile River every time I visit. There is something special about a simple, yet obscure, water source that has given life to millions of people down stream for thousands of years. Every time I visit the Source of the Nile River, I’m reminded of the simple and obscure source of life found under the cover of the Bible, that has given spiritual life to millions for thousands of years as well. So I find it so very interesting that the ministry that the Lord has called me to here in Uganda would represent and link both the “water” with the “Word”!

On Tuesday, May 6th, after the team had departed back home, I had the privilege of teaching at a pastor’s conference at which over 600 pastors and church leaders attended. I shared the vision and path of the role of Pastor Teacher found in Ephesians 4:11-15. The following day, Wednesday, May 7th I taught at a marriage conference for over 500 people where I shared the vision and path of marriage and the roles of husbands and wives found in Ephesians 5:22-33. That evening, while resting in preparation for traveling to east Uganda to teach at similar conferences, the Lord brought clarity to my calling. Out of nowhere the Spirit led me to 1 Corinthians 3:5-7:

“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”

Those three simple verses set the direction and confirmed the work that the Lord had for me, to bring the living water of the Word of God to the pastors of the churches in Uganda. The churches associated with True Vine Ministries and the National Association of Evangelical Born-again Churches are planting the seeds of the Gospel throughout Uganda, but they need water. The church pastors, many of whom are faithful labors have no bible training or education. Their faith in Christ is contagious and the seeds of the Gospel are being planted with great success, but they cannot raise up enough qualified church leaders to equip, build up and mature the new Christians. They are doing the work of Paul and planting, and I felt called to begin the work of Apollos through watering with the Word. Together, with God’s power and grace, the new Ugandan Christians will be equipped for ministry, built up in unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God and fully mature in the image of Christ Jesus! Could you imagine what a spiritually mature church in Uganda could do for the Great Commission in Africa?

So how can you help? Right now we are currently working with True Vine to finish the construction of their church in Mukono. The vision of this church is to be a place of training to equipping pastors for their work of ministry and a hub for discipleship training for the body of Christ. The church plans include a pastoral library and resource center with a training room for Bible study and instruction. Please continue to pray for the church for the purpose of being an equipping and sending church for the region and ultimately the nation of Uganda and beyond. In addition to prayer, we will need funds to complete the pastoral library and resource center. Stay tuned for more updates on the funds needed to complete this project and together, with your prayers and support, we can be united with Apollos in watering the church in Uganda!

Blessings in Christ Jesus!
John