Testimonies of the 2024 participants in Gospel Roots can be found on Allan Tayebwa’s Facebook page, July 16, 2024.

Discipleship: the heart of followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Without discipleship, people may have a moving experience, and some friendship, but they lack a solid anchor in the truth of the Scriptures. Beginning in 2023, Hope For Uganda began to address this problem. Pastor Allan organized a group of about 12 students who were between Secondary School (High. School) and University. This group of students met each weekday, for 10 months. They memorized portions of the Book of Romans; they studied critical themes of doctrine and Christian life. In particular, they studied the meaning and the life-application of the Gospel. What is the Gospel? What difference is it meant to make in my life? The 2023 and 2024 groups met at Mbarara. The 2025 group is meeting at Nansana. The Primary and Secondary Academic year is from February to December (students begin a new level in February). The University schedule begins in late August or September. This leaves students with up to ten months time between, which is an ideal time for Discipleship training in this program, now known as Gospel Roots. One of the purposes of this training time is to help young people seek the Lord’s leading: for career, further schooling, and godly relationships.

Support Gospel Roots Discipleship Program

The 2023 and 2024 classes cost about $100 per student, per month, or, $1000 per student for the entire course. This covered room and board, and study materials, so that the students could focus on learning to be disciples of Jesus. The 2025 course is costing more than previous years, partly because the group includes 3 married couples. Hopefully they can be part of the leadership and staff in future years. Also, since the program is located in Nansana this year, costs are greater than they were in the more rural setting. The 2025 class is costing about $2500 per month. Donations can be designated for the Hope For Uganda Sub-Fund “Gospel Roots Discipleship Program,” #23350.

ABOUT MY LIFE (BACKGROUND)

My name is Johnson Agaba, born in Kabale, Southwestern Uganda, the nearest town to Rwanda-Uganda boarder with a distance of about 22 km.

We were born seven children in my family where I happen to be the only male child, I lost both my parents at a very young age so life was pretty much a gamble.

ABOUT MY SALVATION

Four years after my Secondary schooling, I met a friend at my work place and he invited me to a church, it was an independent Baptist Church started by missionaries from Alabama U.S.A in Kabale town, my intention of going to that church was to keep company with my friend but also to watch a video at church and it was about John Huss one of the Founders of Reformation.

I was not so much interested in the spiritual things but my salvation journey started when my friend introduced me to that church and ultimately to the missionary Pastor who became more intentional in sharing the gospel of Christ through what was classified as the “Romans Road to Heaven” I was able to see clearly from the letter of Paul to the Romans that I was a sinner in need of salvation. I knew at the moment that my only hope was in Christ. The knowledge of who God is and the promise of forgiveness through Christ prompted me to repent of my sins and placed my faith in Christ. This was the year of 1999 and later on I was scripturally baptized.

I was a member of that local assembly until 2002 When 1 married Ruth, and we have had four daughters.

ABOUT GOSPEL ROOTS

I have been walking with Pastor Allan Tayebwa for the last three years, but I have known him for more than thirteen years. While in Mbarara, he reached out to me and shared with me about the Gospel Roots discipleship program. Although I knew much about the Bible, I was not established in the gospel, and I felt that I needed to commit to this training. My wife and I made a commitment to join Nansana Bible Church where we are growing in the Lord. The two of us plus Gracious our eldest daughter have benefited from the training.

How Gospel Roots has changed and transformed my life 

God has tremendously used this program to transform our lives for eternity. Christ has been preached, we have a high view of God, a high view of scripture and the way of salvation has fully been explained and expanded in such a way that not only do I see Christ in the four gospel accounts, I also see him in the Old Testament. Gospel Roots is intentionally raising leaders of which I am a part.

This program has provided resourceful gospel centered books, literature and a good learning environment, my family has good accommodation and meals, we have enjoyed a good relational environment during class time and in gospel outreaches, together as  Gospel Roots students, we continue to experience the presence of God and to see him at work in each one of us individually and the word of God energized by the Spirit of God continues to do a work of transformation in our lives as we look towards to the end of our time later this year.

My heartfelt appreciation goes to Pastor Allan and Maggie, not only have they opened their hearts to receive us but they have opened their home where we constantly gather for fellowship in a deeper profound way, may I also take this opportunity to appreciate and thank everyone who has been behind this work through financial support, prayer, not forgetting volunteers who have made trips to Uganda and spent time with us and brought God’s word to us.

We give God the glory for all that he has done AMEN

About the future

Gospel Roots has given me and Ruth a new aspiration to serve the Lord faithfully with the resources the Lord has provided and the investment of the spiritual truth we have been learning, we are motivated to give more of our time to study God’s word and to allow the things we have learnt to transform our lives and ministry. We seek to be used of God to encourage his Church and also to reach out the Lost world for the glory of God and for the sake of his Kingdom.

Ruth: I am thankful to God for being a beneficiary of this training, my life has been Impacted and changed to live a purposeful life, a life that serves and not to be served, a life that glorifies and worships my master and redeemer Jesus Christ. And through this training, I have been equipped to pursue godliness and to share with others this wonderful gift of God's love with joy.

I whole heartedly know that my relationship with God, my Identity Christ, the truth of God’s word and the glory of eternity are mine forever. I am secure and rooted like the tree planted by water's side. I have been equipped to persevere even when going through trials and temptations. I have no excuse to quit, for Christ will always be with me and his grace is abounding.