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June 17, 2025 - A Child Discipleship story by Jacob
My name is Jacob, and I serve as a Sunday school teacher at St. Phillip Church of Uganda. I began serving in 2017, driven by a passion to care for children, who are often overlooked in many Ugandan churches. Even parents tend to exclude children when sharing the Word of God. As a primary school teacher, I'm inspired by the positive correlation between knowing Jesus and academic performance. Children who know Jesus tend to be more disciplined and perform well in class. The Bible verse, "Teach a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it," resonates deeply with me.
I thank God for the opportunity to serve, and I attribute my growth and effectiveness to Emmanuel International Uganda. They provided us with necessary skills and encouragement, connecting us to professional organizations for training and mentoring us through follow-up visits. Emmanuel International also supplied materials for teaching children and Bibles. I personally participated in seven trainings organized by Emmanuel International for child discipleship ministry, which enabled our church to arrange five trainings that have been beneficial to our community.
Jacob started as the only Sunday school teacher in 2017
The impact is evident. What started with me as the sole teacher for children's ministry has grown to nine full-time teachers, with three currently pursuing further studies. The biggest change is in how parents perceive their children; they no longer undermine them but instead recognize their potential. Children are now able to preach in the main church, participate in charitable work, and even help with cleaning the church and compound. Some have grown to become teachers themselves, and our Sunday school has become a resource for neighboring churches, which come to benchmark and learn from our best practices.
The church mission has started incorporating children in their regular outreach programs, recognizing their value. The number of children has increased significantly to 419, and we have the capacity to handle them due to our sufficient number of teachers. The main church now supports and appreciates our efforts, which is a great encouragement to our team.
Another notable impact is children's participation in radio ministries, leading to many giving their lives to Christ. We've had extensive training with children using programs like Hope for Kids, Explorer 1 and 2, and materials from Samaritan Purse. I've observed a significant improvement in emotional stability among the children, who are now more disciplined and emotionally balanced.
While our ministry is thriving, we face challenges in areas that Emmanuel International hasn't yet reached and in places our children haven't visited. We have a reliable child protection committee responsible for policy and overseeing child discipleship programs within and outside the church.
Please pray with us for access to more materials for teaching children, as our current resources are exhausted. As well, with the growing number of children we also lack a suitable space for worship. We are fundraising locally to build a shelter for the children, and we would also like to support children who are unable to continue their education due to financial constraints. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated.
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