At a young age, many of us thought God was a distant entity, ready to punish us when we do wrong. We did not understand His nature, love and how He gave us is His Son. Gideon Kyabakama had a frightful idea of God, until he understood His love deeply. He narrated his experience to Pauline Akello.
Beginning of chapter
While in primary seven vacation, Kyabakama was shuddered when his childhood friends gave their lives to Christ.
“There was a tangible change. My friends got born again in a radical way. You could perceive the change of tide, they were praying in tongues,” he says.
However, because of all these changes, he distanced himself from them, when they joined the Upper Room fellowship at Church of Resurrection in Bugolobi, Kampala.
However, his friend (who passed on in 2006) kept pestering him into getting born again, but Kyabakama was still reluctant because he always saw his friends fall during intense prayer.
“It did not resonate with me,” he says.
When he finally gave in to his friend’s persistence and made a deal with him to attend one fellowship, Kyabakama was intrigued by the preacher, who he later found out was his namesake.
“I recall the way he spoke so passionately and so boldly about Christ.
“It captivated me and I wanted to have what he had. When we were called up to receive Christ, I went straight,” he says.
He says his life changed and he put aside watching too much television, which was his hobby and listening to secular music, as they had been advised at Church.
This gradual change saw him desiring to learn more about Christ, and he became bold enough to share his faith. He jokingly adds: “I was now confident that I was not going to hell.”
Service in Church
“At first, it was like a re-union with my friends since I had separated myself from them when they received Christ. So, there was a lot of catching up,” Kyabakama says.
He gradually started understanding evangelism as he served God with his friends.
They were mostly in the worship department and later joined deep evangelism.
He attributes his spiritual growth to his family and friends, which gave him an opportunity to serve God, without hindrances after he became born again.
He says: “Indeed the secret to my growth in the Lord was that I stayed at my parent’s home.
“This environment offered many opportunities to serve and to grow. I am truly a fruit of God’s grace.”
He always ministered to his family members and in return, they taught him more about God.
His walk with God has been a series of assignments, through secondary school and university.
Joining the world of work, he served in various areas, with a noticeable trend of giving a word in the season.
Among the positions he has served in is Mission’s Coordinator in the disciple youth fellowship at the Church of the Resurrection.
Staying strong
“The only way I have been able to wade through the process is through having a personal, intentional interaction with my Bible,” Kyabakama says.
He adds that reading the Bible has added him value to overcome trials, while ministering and accomplishing his spiritual assignments.
Currently, he is a mentor and teacher of the word at Bugolobi Church of Uganda and also spreads the Gospel as the Lord leads.
He travels when he is invited for fellowships or conferences in different parts of the nation and outside Uganda.
His goal is to clearly disseminate the true Gospel of God’s love and ensuring people approach Him with boldness, not fright.
He is grateful to God for putting him in a serving position, where he met his wife Kippa Kybakama, and the two have two children.
Concerns
“Since I am a believer in upholding the true Gospel, I have also observed the laxity people attached to it by making it a hobby. Just like a mere Sunday activity,” he says.
This attitude, according to Kyabakama is a serious pitfall, and is due to the busyness and absence of time with the Holy Spirit, who helps and guides our decisions.
He advises that there is nothing wrong with working, but work should be an extension of one’s ministry.
People should be consistently connected to the source, which is the Holy Spirit, in order to be effective.
