TAKEAWAYS

• Wilson Bugembe praised the Catholic Church’s community development model.
• He wants Worship House to establish facilities that benefit the wider Nansana community.
• He urged young pastors and born-again churches to make community transformation part of their ministry.

Gospel musician and pastor Wilson Bugembe has praised the Catholic Church for its approach to community development, urging born-again churches to adopt a similar model of serving communities beyond preaching.

Speaking to members of his congregation at The Worship House in Nansana, Bugembe said he admired the way Catholic institutions establish facilities such as schools, hospitals and playgrounds in communities where they operate.

Bugembe said his admiration for the Catholic Church was strengthened after attending a recent function where Buganda Kingdom Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga also acknowledged the contribution of the Catholic Church to communities. Mayiga has previously attended and praised Bugembe’s ministry.

“I am so proud of the way the Catholic Church operates. I hope that we can copy from them and add more value to our communities.”

He argued that churches should not limit their contribution to spiritual matters, saying investments in education, healthcare and recreation can have a wider impact, particularly on young people.

“When you build a school, a hospital and a playground, you are doing more than preaching. You are contributing to education, healthcare and keeping young people busy and away from bad things.”

Bugembe said he hopes to pursue a similar model once the construction of the Worship House is completed, with plans to secure a larger piece of land in Nansana where the church could establish community-oriented facilities.

He also pointed to ministries such as Worship Harvest and initiatives associated with Apostle Alex Mitala as examples of born-again leaders who have embraced community transformation. Mitala is known for his work in church planting, education and community transformation.

Bugembe called on young pastors and other born-again churches to learn from such models and ensure their ministries leave a lasting positive impact on the communities they serve.