How We Started — Pr James Victor Lubwama
In July 1996, the Lord led me into a season of seeking His face to understand His will for my life. I committed myself to a time of fasting and prayer, earnestly asking God for His direction. By His grace, the answer came on the very first day. The Lord instructed me to visit an elderly woman whom I had pastored a few years earlier, Jajja Milly Bunjjo. He specifically told me to go and tell her, "I have instructed you to start a church."
I didn't know why the Lord was sending me to this lady but the bible says: "Isaiah 46:10–11 — I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do."
Without hesitation, I set out in search of the elderly woman, determined not to disobey the voice of God. By His grace, I located her home in Bulaga, off Mityana Road. When I delivered the Lord's message, she was in awe. She asked, "I am not a pastor to support you in this mission. Why has the Lord sent you to me?" As she reflected on the message, she suddenly remembered a vow she had made to God — a piece of land she had dedicated to His service. "All I have is a piece of land that I pledged to give to God. Perhaps this is the time to surrender it to Him," she said. My obedience in going to her became the fulfillment of her long-held desire to dedicate that land to God's work. She immediately wrote a letter to her close relatives, Mr. & Mrs. Katumba, who were the custodians of the land, informing them that she had offered her land in Nangabo to God and that I was free to start a church on it. Mrs. Katumba exclaimed, "I have always dreamt a church in that bush/forest, now it is coming to pass." Her statement was another confirmation of God's word to me and the fact that He had sent me to that place. It is on this land that Miracle Christian Fellowship Church is seated today!
It was during this time that I met a group of five people who told me they had been praying to God for a church to be established in Nangabo because they had to travel long distances to attend fellowships. They had sought help from many pastors concerning the need to establish a church in Nangabo. Among them was Pastor Robert Kayanja, who prophetically told them, "The one who will start a church in this place is yet to come. He will come from that direction," pointing towards the direction of my home area. This was yet another confirmation that God had sent me to Nangabo for this work.
The land required a great deal of work and time to clear the bushes. During this period, our neighbours, Mr. & Mrs. Katumba graciously offered their home for us to hold fellowship meetings, but we had to move to our own shelter because of the ministry of deliverance.
In my early days in salvation, in a vision, I saw a hand giving me a Bible with a few pages open. The word that stood out clearly was EXODUS, meaning "coming out." I sought guidance from one of the pastors then at Miracle Center, Pr. Kaloli — commonly referred to as "Komando" — to understand the meaning of the vision. He simply told me, "That will happen in its season."
As we continued holding fellowship meetings, the Lord began to move powerfully, and many people experienced deliverance during our services. Concerned that the manifestations might damage the Katumbas' household items, we moved from their home to a simple shelter on the church land, even as we continued clearing and preparing it for worship.
On 4th August 1996, with a congregation of about 15 people, the church was officially launched. Miracle Christian Fellowship Ministries (MCFM) is currently situated in Nangabo Village, Kasangati Town Council, Wakiso District. In 2008, the church was registered by the National NGO Board as a ministry to serve the entire Body of Christ. Our mandate is to spread the Gospel through evangelism, counselling and guidance, prayer, Bible teaching, extending a helping hand, acts of charity, and fellowship as the Lord leads. As the vision grew, the church expanded into a ministry to effectively fulfil these God-given responsibilities.
Today, we celebrate 30 years of ministry. God has been faithful in fulfilling His Word. He has taken us step by step, and every step is a miracle. He has brought us from far, and He is still taking us even farther.
MY EXPERIENCE
Starting a church in Nangabo was not easy; all I had to hold onto were the promises of God — especially the word He gave me: that I would be the one to build a city in the village. Over the past 30 years of ministry, I have witnessed the faithfulness of God. He has taken us from nothing to what we are today. What began with no structure has now grown into a thriving ministry, with visible church developments as a testimony of His grace.
When we started, we were only 15 members — most of them women, and only three men, including myself. None of the members had formal employment; they were peasant farmers who faithfully gave from the produce of their gardens and farms. In an effort to support the church financially, I initially planned to start income-generating projects, including a fish farming project, and had already dug fish ponds in preparation. However, one day God sent His servant with a clear message: I was not to start any projects — God Himself would provide for His work.
God told me that He has given me the anointing to make people rich — that those who come poor He will raise from my feet, and that whoever sows in the ministry and in my life will have tapped into the anointing to be lifted. He likened my calling to that of Elijah and the widow in 1 Kings 17:7–17, impressing upon my heart: "I have sent you to my people like Elijah to the widow — go and challenge my people, so that I may lift them." The principle was clear: through obedience in giving, God would bring people out of poverty. The people you see today are a testimony to that anointing. By the power of the Holy Spirit and the covenant upon my life, many have been transformed and lifted.
Over time, God Himself has expanded the borders of the ministry, bringing in valuable people and increasing our reach beyond Uganda to the diaspora, with established members in the UK, USA, and UAE. Our services now extend beyond physical gatherings through live streaming, allowing us to minister to people across the world, as it is written in Acts 2:47: "Praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved." As the church grew, God brought members from various professional backgrounds who now use their skills to serve Him and the community.
THE MIRACLE CLINIC
We have a dedicated team of medical professionals who operate the Miracle Clinic every second Sunday of the month, providing free medical consultations to church members and the surrounding community. Through this outreach, we also partner with the Nakasero Blood Bank to conduct blood donation drives, contributing to lifesaving efforts and fulfilling our corporate social responsibility. This initiative enables us to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of those we serve while making a positive impact in the wider community.
THE LEGAL CLINIC
Additionally, we have magistrates and lawyers who operate a Legal Clinic every fourth Sunday of the month, providing free legal advice to church members and the wider community.
THE LOVE AND CARE MINISTRY
The Love and Care Ministry was birthed from a direct instruction from God and has become a core expression of our mission: to minister love in a hurting world. God gave me a word that a time would come when this ministry would support other ministries — helping to build churches, improve the livelihoods of servants of God, and even construct homes for them. Today, I have seen this vision begin to take shape. As a ministry, we organize two major Love and Care outreaches each year, going into communities to distribute clothes, food, and other essential items gathered from members and well-wishers. In response to God's call, the ministry has already built two houses for members of the church — clear evidence of God's love in action.
CONCLUSION
What began as a simple act of obedience has become a testimony of God's faithfulness. From a cathedral boy to a servant of God, from a small gathering of 15 people to a growing international ministry — this is the work of God. And the journey continues.
Proverbs 16:9 — A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.
