The way Ben Church and the MTW Uganda team started their church plant was pretty conventional. They started a couple Bible studies and invited their neighbors. In Uganda, that’s a pretty effective strategy, according to Ben, because people are very open to talking about God.

People came from a variety of backgrounds—Roman Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal—but few had heard the proclamation of the gospel clearly. They had not experienced clear biblical teaching explaining what Scripture means in a systematic way.

A number of people came to true faith in these studies. One of them, Justine, a widow struggling to provide for her kids, had explored other churches, but the focus was on how to do the right things to get what she needed from God. At the MTW-led study, Justine learned about who Jesus is and what it means to trust in Him. She later would say, “Now I’m free in Christ. … I still have needs, but I know He loves me. … He’s gonna provide for me.” Since that time, Justine has been a core member and a pillar of the church.