Number Our Days Aright
Kampala Faith and Work Conference
What started off as a prayerful conversation between friends at Endiro Coffee Nakasero 4 years ago eventually grew into a tall tree whose branches hosted over 100 workers on Friday, May 1st, at Lugogo Baptist Church for our inaugural Kampala Faith and Work conference.
The question in the room was (and has always been), “How should disciples of Jesus in Kampala practically live out their faith in the workplaces they spend the most time, especially in a city and country riddled by corruption, job idolatry, survival, hassle, and unemployment, among others?”
Weeks later, after that 2023 meet, Ivan and Mary Agaba, Ayebare Kagina, Eddie and Rhionah Ssemakula, and Rhoda Mukasa were still meeting to pray and learn about reaching fellow marketplace Christians in Kampala.
But the question lingered still until it was no longer theirs but everyone’s. Until everyone they knew in the Kampala corporate world resonated with and, as they discovered, was asking the same question.
One city-to-city urban mission training somewhere in between, the movement was born; one cohort grew out of their Nakasero venue, exploring thematic Bible studies originally developed by Tim Keller’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
It’s now been 7 cohorts and over 82 meetings featuring over 90 regular, different workers in Kampala, Lugogo, Wakiso, Entebbe, and Nakasero. Culminating into our first faith and work conference.
The day-long event, “Number Our Days Aright” was themed after Moses’s song in Psalm 90, where he affirms God as his eternality and protection (v1) and yet bemoans the fleeting nature of life. At the end of his song (v. 17), Moses asks God to “establish the works of his hands,” yet not without recognizing how temporary life ‘under the sun’ is.
Pastor Derrick Sekamalira of Cross Fellowship Church did an impeccable job bringing this text to light.
A panel discussion featuring engineers Terry Bwanika and Valerie Rubombora; Pastor Derrick Sekamalira; marketing specialist Patricia Taremwa; and tech instructor Ayebare Kagina dissected the meaning of work under numbered days and the threats of artificial intelligence as the audience geared up for a stirring afternoon of more sessions before Pastor Patrick Byekwaso of Lugogo Baptist charged participants in closing.
Some partner organizations present were represented, spoke, and showcased, including City to City Africa (on pastor residency), Living Word Uganda, and Karis Medical.
Others included Engineering Ministries International, CofiUganda, Stanbic Bank Christian Fellowships, Agandy Studios, 236 events, and CentDoor.
Punctuated by networking, snacks, and worship led by Lagen, participants also got treated to dance artist Byron’s surreal and visual dance rendition of CityAlight’s “Christ is mine forevermore”; his act also featured John Piper sermon lines.
Breakout Sessions
Scintillating breakout tracks got the entire afternoon sealed in conversations to include, Redeeming Time as a Homemaker (Rhionah Ssemakula), Stewardship for Creatives (Victoria Acom and Tikia Grace from Design without Borders and Agandy, respectively), plus Business as Mission (Terry Bwanika)
Other sessions featured The Local Church and the Marketplace Christian (Pr. Patrick Byekwaso); Your job as a mission field (Grace Noowe), and renewing Ugandan education (Godfrey Kyazze).
Included too were,
Redeeming Time during Unemployment (Eddie Ssemakula), Numbering My Days as a Legal Professional (Solomon Arinaitwe), and Gospel Impact for NGOs (Jeremiah Nyagah)
Images by Shots by Mukiibi
The conference marks the beginning of an annual cycle of launching and continuing our February and August cohorts (sign up here), along with another May 2027 national conference, as Kampala Faith and Work seeks to mobilize and encourage more marketplace Christians around a sound and missional theology of work.
Sign up to join or host a Faith and Work Cohort. You can also join our WhatsApp community here.
Partners
