A Nation Can Be Changed Through Discipleship April 21, 2021 | Truth & Liberty Staff The 2020 elections showed that America is headed in the wrong direction, and that it’s up to Christians to turn it around. The challenge lies in how to get involved and what to do. Bishop Joshua Lwere recently joined the Truth & Liberty livecast to discuss a number of issues, including how Christians can work to disciple nations. In the African country of Uganda, church leaders are already seeing results as their nation returns to biblical morals and godly principles through discipleship. According to the bishop, American church leaders are struggling to reach their communities because of a narrow perspective. “The typical pastor is all about ‘me,’ about ‘my congregation,’ about building a big stadium,” says Bishop Lwere. “Whether these people are discipled or not is a big issue, as long as they congregate.” Turning Around a Nation After years of totalitarian rule, war, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, people in Uganda were hungry for God. ”It’s not a problem to get people converted – it’s much harder to disciple them,” says the bishop. “But [it is] much more harder for the pastors to see their need.” According to the bishop, that need was to work together outside churches to minister to communities, reach leaders, and disciple the nation. Bishop Lwere has been setting the example. “I rarely visit my church,” says the bishop. “I’m always out, all over the country, teaching and explaining this, and as pastors listened they started to see the change.” At one time, it was estimated that 35 percent of Ugandans were suffering with HIV and AIDS. But through discipleship of leaders, the government promoted godly principles – including abstinence and marital faithfulness – which has reduced that rate to 5 percent in just one generation, says the bishop. The Church Needs to Fulfill Its Role According to the bishop, Christians abdicated their responsibility to their communities and focused on church issues. Governments stepped in to handle many concerns that should have belonged to churches, but because the state does not have a biblical mandate those issues are poorly handled at great expense to taxpayers. A typical pastor prays about the need of his own church while government leaders handle the concerns of communities, says the bishop. If a pastor addressed issues that government handles – like education and law – then the community would prosper and the needs of the church would be met. “It’s our responsibility, from the Scripture,” says Bishop Lwere. “It’s when we fail as the church that these other spheres take on these responsibilities. Education is a responsibility of the church. Taking people out of poverty is a responsibility of the church.” Learn More Learn more about Bishop Lwere at his website and watch his videos on YouTube. Watch the full episode and visit our Research Center for great practical resources. Also learn how you can become a Truth & Liberty Coalition member and join us in standing for truth in the public square.