Watoto Church founder Gary Skinner has said that God wants us to be faithful with the little things and the opportunities that are before us. Speaking during the Church’s Vision weekend, he revealed that as Watoto Church, their dream is to have a total of 36 celebration points in the next number of years. This will require finances, however, he emphasizes that God owns everything and Christians must continually rely on Him and live in faithful service.
Pr Gary also emphasizing that as a body of believers, they are family, it is thus necessary for everyone to play their role, use their skills and resources in celebrating Christ and caring for the community.
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Marylin Skinner: I don’t know about you but I’m so proud to be part of the family, the family called Watoto – who has literally rescued over 5000 children, raising them to become future leaders and in so doing we are going to rebuild the nation. It is not just the children – women who yesterday thought they were nothing – today, aren’t you glad for today. They too are glad, proud and happy to be part of the family called Watoto.
Gary Skinner: Watoto, we are a family. These are our sisters, their children are our children. Right outside these walls, there are some beautiful palm trees – I hope you enjoy them – I enjoy them because I planted them. When I planted them people said; Why are you planting those palm trees? I said; One day they are going to become big, tall and magnificent, and make this place better.
You know that is the same about these women and their children. They may look small and insignificant now, but one day they are going to be big, significant and influential.
I want in a few minutes to talk about the future – talk about being a family. We are 12 celebration points right now, but our dream is to plant another 24 over the next 12 years. So that we have 36 celebration points.
Our dream is that each one of those celebration points will have about 3000-5000 people. Our dream is to see over a hundred thousand people coming to Church on Sunday, celebrating Christ so that more of us can be apart of caring for community.
Wherever we have celebration points because of those things we talked about; education, jobs, housing, medical care – we as a church want to begin to get more involved in building schools, getting businesses started that will create jobs, work on poor housing or low income housing and medical centers throughout the community – That is our dream for the next 10-15 years.
As I get a little older – Marylin doesn’t look it, I know I do – I know that is going to be a big focus for me to seek partners from around the world, come along side us – not just give money, that is not what we want – we want people to come along side us and be partners with us.
We are already working with One Hope, a great organisation that wants to get the bible in the hands of every school child on the planet. And we as a church have been a part of giving out millions – not just sending the books in an iconic form – to school children throughout Uganda.
We are planing an education system; A Watoto education system that will have some of the best education system in Uganda. We plan on starting 10 or 12 of those schools in the next 10-15 years. Were our children can go to school, but also these children of the vulnerable women will have a great place.
Why? Because we are about leadership. Rescuing a hurting vulnerable person, raising them to be a leader. Why? That we can rebuild our nation. I may never leave long enough to see the end of this vision or this dream, but I know that my children will. The pastors who are following me are going to be part of that.
And so we want you to get ready, to be apart of that, as you are in this church, be apart of that. Pray with us. Its going to take a lot of money but you know what? God owns everything. And if we are faithful with what little we have, He will give us more. And if we are faithful with more, we will give us even more. There is no limit to what God can do if we won’t steal the money, and will keep our selves pure, and we give him all the glory. I know that is what’s going happen.
So am really excited about seeing that happen over the next number of years. We are a family. How can we be involved? I want to close with a thought; How can we be involved?
Recognize this: I don’t want you to be just a church goer, I want you to do your part of the Watoto Church family. That means, coming to Church. It also means being part of a cell. It also means saying; how can I bring what I have, my skills, abilities, talents and resources.
How can I bring them and pull them together with everybody else so that we can make a significant impact on the future of our nation. What are some of the things we need to do?
Marylin Skinner: You know Garry I have been thinking about a healthy family, as you said that Watoto we are a family. In order to have a healthy family, You have to have royalty to the family name.
Gary Skinner: One of the things that have been lost to our world today is a sense of covenant commitment, covenant royalty. People are no longer faithful to their marriage vows, people are not faithful to their jobs, everybody is looking out for me, my self and I.
Continuation of this message available on Watoto Church’s sermon Podcast Here
