UNLEASHING THE ‘LION’ : A Synopsis of Bishop Sunday Adelaja's CHURCH SHIFT

UNLEASHING THE ‘LION’ :  A Synopsis of Bishop Sunday Adelaja's CHURCH SHIFT 

 By Daniel R Ruhweza

Introduction

The lion is the unmistakable King of the animal Kingdom. Many know that when it has been unleashed, all the other animals scatter for safety. So it is with the church –when the true potential of the church is finally unleashed, everyone’s physical and spiritual being will feel its impact. All the proverbial hyenas of evil will scamper away and yet there will be no hiding place for them.[1] Adelaja argues that one day the church and its people will no longer be humiliated but will lead nations with the social answers instead of playing catch up. Just like Bill Hybels,[2] Adelaja postulates that Church fulfils its mandate when it changes society and not when it is confined to its sanctuary and school room Classrooms.  I have summarised twelve (12) key lessons from his book as follows:

Lesson 1:        Stop being timid:  Adelaja challenges us to beware of the impact of past histories on the ability of the church to arise to the occasion. He warns that we need to overcome fear especially in light of possible persecution. However, like the heroes of old e.g. the Uganda Martyrs have shown, when we overcome fear we are able to do exceedingly, abundantly, over what we can ever think or imagine.[3] 

Lesson 2:        Get on the Ground:  Adelaja advises that the church ought to leave the comfort of its sanctuary and get to where it is needed most.[4]  The church should become a solution provider otherwise, it will remain irrelevantly ‘at the bottom step of the social ladder.’[5] This is true, because the non-influential in society are never given any due consideration.  Society and the world will only stop to listen to those who are relevant to them.[6] Therefore, ministry should not only be about preaching, but reaching out to the alcoholics, the derelicts, and all the invalids in our midst..[7] God will only trust us with the greatest of His people when we are faithful with the least in society.[8] A middle aged roughly dressed man recently took up the microphone at Worship Harvest KatiKati and rebuked us for the way we treated him. That called for introspection for those who were in the church.

Lesson 3:        Take bold steps: Adelaja helps one see that the Kingdom of God has suffered violence and the violent take it by force.  Just like Acts 5 shows, the church should not always be timid and avoid direct confrontation with the government. This is because, like the school bully, the enemy will use all means to strain and stress the church. Like Frank Perretti[9] writes, there is a time when we have to “stand up to the city government” and refuse them to shove us around anymore”[10]  In Uganda, churches have rightfully arisen to resist the Government’s proposed Religious Organisations Policy[11] which seeks to limit the freedom to practice one’s preferred religion and attendant rights. [12]

Lesson 4:        Promote the Kingdom, not the Church:  One of the critical lessons from Adelaja’s book is that there ought to be a difference between building the Kingdom and building the church.[13] Adelaja opines that the Kingdom is in us.[14] The core concept here is that nations should be ruled by Kingdom principles and this is where the church comes in since it knows –or is supposed to know- what those principles are.[15]  The Church therefore needs to focus on ‘taking a proactive position in society, to go outside (the church) building and enforce His authority over an ungodly nation and government.’[16] (emphasis mine).  

Lesson 5:        The practical picture Adelaja presents is that, we ought to (i) teach – and show- the Kingdom principles by addressing societal needs even if one doesn’t necessarily say the name of Jesus[17], (ii) create models for programs that address societal needs so that even the government cannot do without you and therefore cannot harass you– as seen in the case of Rotary International[18] and even Watoto Child Care,  (iii) Be excellent organisers, paying attention to detail like Worship Harvest Ministries does because  success can only be sustained with an effective system of administration, management and organisation.

Lesson 6:        In this regard, the author challenges us that while prayer is very critical, and indeed taking action without it is foolish, the Kingdom of God belongs to the doers and not merely hearers of the Word.[19] This means that a time comes when a Christian and the Church, jointly and severally, have to stop praying but instead take up a stand and actively participate bringing about the change they want. I have a group of young University students, assembled under the grouping called Be The Change, who I encourage to step up and do that which they know God has passionately called them to do. [20]This means that the church must ensure that Christian principles are at the core of building a nation. Indeed, Adelaja opines that Godly people move into ‘positions of influence and power when the church takes a strong visible stance in society.’

Lesson 7:        For the church or the Christian to make an effective intervention in the society and the nation, Adelaja challenges us to find (our) Promised Land or what Johnny Enlow calls Mountain of Influence.[21] If we do not do so, then anything we do shall be like a fish trying to swim on the side-walk. The author argues that God gave us life and talents for a reason – that is, our purpose. In order to find our purpose therefore, we need to look out for that place where we; (i) feel love and pain/ angry and frustration for a particular place or people; and (ii) passionately set on fire and consumed by zeal.  It is there that our time and talents will be called upon. Adelaja reminds us that we need to be careful not to rush, but hear from GOD. It is only He who will show us our Mountain Of Influence.[22]  This reminds me of a time in secondary school when I tried ‘my hand’ at singing. Clearly, my calling was not there and I left.

 Lesson 8:       Adelaja cautions that our talents were made for others and we should be faithful stewards. This means we need to be intentional about growth as well as having knowledge of kingdom principles[23] like integrity, holiness, love, and compassion.[24] It is these virtues that helped nations of old to become great. Adelaja is right because without dealing with the value system/ moral fabric, it is difficult to make any difference.[25] This was the crux of Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s speech at the recently concluded  Anti-Corruption walk.[26]

Lesson 10:      Adelaja further encourages us to be Kingdom focused when we find our mountain of influence.[27]  This means adopting the characteristics of Jesus Christ. He warns us to avoiding infighting, teaching fragments of truth, egocentrism, focusing on size of the church (building a fiefdom for ourselves) instead of having a purpose. He calls us to be humble and full of love. This is very critical. I have often been pained by the division in the body of Christ over proposed Religious and Faith Based Organisations Policy.[28]

Lesson 11:      Adelaja also challenges us to work hard with great effort and diligence in order to put the Kingdom principles into practice. Hard work helps subdue the mountain of influence, keeps us mentally healthy, reveals our gifts and helps us to discover our potential and abilities. With hard work, we become co- creators with God, and are able to dominate over God’s creation as we were called to do. I agree with this view. Pursuing doctoral studies, reviving YOLO Missional Community, organising fundraising events at UCLF, Transform 2017 & 2018, as well as looking after a family have showed me that there is no short cut to hard work.

Lesson 12:      Adelaja postulates that we are deliverers and must arise to fix the nation’s politics, ungodliness, poverty and restlessness. It is our responsibility to promote Kingdom principles wherever we are.[29] Even when persecuted, Adelaja encourages us to thrive in persecution[30] because reveals our true character.[31] However, we should also learn to fight back because Justice and righteousness are the footstool of the Lord’s throne. We should not be timid or afraid, but through prayer, fasting and diligently seeking God, we can overcome.[32] Adelaja’s personal story about acquiring land for his church as well as participating in the Orange revolution are good examples here. Nonetheless, like General McChrystal warned in Team of Teams, battles do not cease and there will always be other attack from the enemy.

 Conclusion

It is clear that the world awaits the church to arise and take over all the influential positions of power.  The church should not only remain at solving internal church disputes and personal growth of the individual, but also claim the Seven Mountains of Influence.  Bishop Adelaja has shown us how the Church can ROAR!

  DANIEL R RUHWEZA

12/04/2019

 

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[1] The Church fulfils its mandate when it changes society and not when it is confined to its sanctuary and school room Classrooms-Sunday Adelaja-

[2] Author of Courageous leadership

3] Kevin Ward, 'A History of Christianity in Uganda available at http://www.dacb.org/history/a%20history%20of%20christianity%20in%20uganda.html Kevin Ward, 'A History of Christianity in Uganda available at http://www.dacb.org/history/a%20history%20of%20christianity%20in%20uganda.html last accessed June 10, 2026

[4] Through services like a soup kitchen, raising up business men in church, marriage preparation courses, counselling for unwed mothers and men’s conferences to help create strong families and men’s conferences, AIDS prevention and drug rehabilitation

[5] Adelaja refers to this as breaking out of the ‘prison of the pew’

[6] Ministry is what we ought to do to bring our lives and our sphere of influence (read ‘Mountain of Influence) under the Kingdom rule. It is not about huddling inside the church sanctuary but being trained to impact the society around us because we are responsible, as watchmen for this. Adelaja refers to these as spiritual/ social., Government / politics, business/ economy., education, media, culture/ entertainment and sports.

[7] people, or a group of people, regarded as disreputable or worthless: see https://www.dictionary.com/browse/riffraff last accessed December 5, 2019. We should not turn our noses to the riffraffs but show go to them and love them

[8] Adelaja testifies that when the drunkard and the addict is transformed, then their mothers, relatives and the wealthier in society will join the church.

[9] See for example, Piercing The Darkness available at https://www.cumbooks.co.za/media/chapters/9780842363723.pdf last accessed December 5, 2019

[10] Church Shift, People Power p.38

[11] See generally, Bryant Kairugaba ‘ Faith-based organisations policy is against the constitution,’ available at https://observer.ug/viewpoint/61944-faith-based-organisations-policy-is-against-the-constitution last accessed December 5, 2019

[12] Uganda Christian Lawyers’ Fraternity has been at the forefront of this engagement, both by providing training as well as engaging with the government. In one instance, the UCLF lawyers were eve refused to speak at the Ministerial discussions.

[13] The Great Commission is about ‘discipline the nations and not the church buildings. Matthew 28:19

[14] It is mean to ‘inhabit the entire earth and not just the church sanctuary.’ See Luke 17: 21. In any case, as the stories from the Rwanda Genocide showed, when the Christians decided to hide in the sanctuary instead of run for their lives or stand up and fight, many were easily found and hacked to death

[15] This is because ‘we are meant to inherit the nations’. This is the crux of the book ‘Commotion at the Gates’ by Moses Mukisa.

[16] Psalm 2: 8 Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance

[17] See for example, Pastor John Maxwell

[18] I recall one particular instance when Dr Stella Nyanzi was arrested by police after she had addressed the Rotary Club of Kampala Metropolitan. When blame was being shifted to the Club, the Police Spokesperson immediately stated that nothing should be said or done to the Rotary Club. This is because of the great work the Rotary International does in the country and worldwide

[19] Following closely to this is what Adelaja says is the time when we need to stop praying. Action without prayer is foolish, we need to wait upon the Lord, receive revelation on how God wants us to act and then stop praying because the solution is in our hands and we have the been given the opportunity to intervene.  However, we must not be timid or undedicated to the cause.

[20] Imagine if David had never killed the giant, he would never have inspired other worthy giant killers from doing their part.

[21] See Johhn Enlow ‘ 7 Mountain Prophesy’

[22] Just like the teaching series ‘Unlicking Heaven’ we need to see it has all been provided by the Lord, we get it from His word. So Jesus says ‘ I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me; He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him. John 8: 28-29

[23] These are the secrets of Jesus’ dominion. So by seeking knowledge and understanding and wisdom, we can effectively reign.

[24] This means getting ourselves educated because ‘people who have cultivated professionalism, service, and excellence have taken over, even if they do not belong to the Kingdom of God.’ . Proverbs 13: 16 says ‘ Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly’

[25] Like the protestant reformers were responsible for interventions that brought stability, health and wealth in the past, thus leading them to worldwide influence, so should we prioritise values over wealth per se. 

[26] URN ‘Without attitude change, fight against corruption is just a show- Oulanyah’ available at https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Without-attitude-change-fight-against-corruption-show-Oulanyah/688334-5373682-hi24d4/index.html last accessed December 5, 2019. There is therefore no quick fix to the corruption monster unless societal values are placed over and above any other intervention.

[27] Romans 12:2

[28] For example, The National Fellowship of Born Again Churches (NAFBAC), on the one hand, and the Born Again Faith Federation(BAFFE). See, Walakira Joshua ‘I Have No Office To Hand Over, Dr Serwadda Tells Off Rival City Pastors’ Mulengera News  available at

 https://mulengeranews.com/i-have-no-office-to-hand-over-dr-serwadda-tells-off-rival-city-pastors/ last accessed December 5, 2019. See also  ‘Pentecostalism becomes an official religion in Uganda through the ‘’efforts’’ of ecumenist Pastor Joseph Sserwadda’s Born Again Faith Federation’ Watchman Africa, available at https://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2014/12/pentecostalism-becomes-and-official.html last accessed December 5, 2019

[29] Stand for Integrity, Justice, Patience, Honesty, Respect and Compassion

[30] In his view, we strive in persecution by remaining keen to keep listening to God, learn new skills, work hard, and refuse to be distracted by the worldly desires

[31] The result would be Joy and thanks giving, love for the persecutors, freedom from fear to do God’s work, remaining faithful and letting God be the judge.

[32] The end result will be that our enemies become our friends, we have flat out victory, and reap positive results from the fight.