The Founder of Lift Up Jesus Global Ministries Bishop Aloysius Kiiza has launched the 23rd Annual World Revival Conference as his Church celebrates 25 years in Ministry.
The World Revival conference held at Kabale Municipal stadium in South Western Uganda every year, attracts thousands of Christians from all corners of the world.
Chiefly organized by Lift Up Jesus Church, the conference also attracts evangelists from all parts of Uganda and at least 10 international preachers who participate in the 8-day mega worship featuring preaching, gospel music, and miracle performances.
This year’s edition came at a time when the Lift Up Jesus Church is celebrating 25 years in existence, and the Founders have labored to explain the origin, achievements and challenges faced.
According to Bishop Kiiza, the church began at his home as a fellowship of believers in July 1997 with only eight members, majority being his family members. They later rented a small building in Bugongi, Northern Division Kabale Municipality until 2008 when the church expanded and gathered enough funds to buy land in Kirigime ward, Central Division, Kabale Municipality.
Today, lift up Jesus boosts a membership of over 5000 Christians scattered in 90 Branch Churches across Uganda. Notable among them are the seven churches that were established in Kisoro and Rubanda districts targeting people from the mountain areas of Kigezi sub-region, especially the Marginalized Batwa Community.
Bishop Kiiza says it was very hard preaching the gospel to the Batwa because they were hostile and still bitter with Government that had forcibly evicted them from forests to establish Bwindi National Park, Mugahinga and Echuya Forest Reserves in 1992.
“The Batwa had just spent 11 years out of their original homeland in the forests, and they looked at us as obstacles to their plans of going back. But we changed their mindset and built for them about 80 houses for accommodation,” he said.
Bishop Kiiza says they fearlessly preached the gospel of hope and transformation to the Batwa and managed to start up a church which acted as the base for exclusive evangelism.
“We also managed to Baptize and preside over the first Christian wedding of a married couple from the Batwa Community. The couple acted as an example to others and consequently we wedded many more in the subsequent years.” he said.
In Kabale District, the Lift Up Jesus Church is known for establishing one of the first homes for street children, named Hope Africa Children Ministries. Pastor Margret Kiiza, wife of Bishop Aloysius Kiiza explained that the church has partnered with Compassion International to run the Lift Up Jesus CDC 540, a project that cares for orphaned children.
She also said that the church runs an anti-abortion project known as Pro-life that advocates for the rights of unborn babies.
“We look for desperate mothers, especially young ladies who conceive unwanted pregnancies and convince them not to hurt the unborn babies, through counselling and material provision. Some of those babies end up in Hope Africa Children ministries and we raise them as orphans,” Ms. Margrets said.
The lift Up Jesus has also established income generating projects to support evangelism and charity ministries, including Riverside Hotel and Gardens, a tourist hotel located in Kabale town, Abundant Hope Media services that owns Hope Radio FM, Canaan primary and secondary schools, among others.
The Church is famous for running the annual charity program titled “Love your Neighbor,” in which dozens of cows are slaughtered to feed the needy every festive season from Christmas day to the 1st of January every year. One of the cows is always shared by the Prisoners at Ndorwa Government prison in Kabale District.
According to the organizers, this year’s revival conference will also feature workshops for the business community, leadership trainings and mentorship, among others.
Delegates from Canada, U.S, China, Romania, Rwanda and other countries amounting to 13 have all graced the event whose Chief Guest is the Ugandan State Minister of industry, David Bahati. He is expected to attend the last session of the conference on Sunday next week.
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