Baraka noted that much as everyone has an inalienable right to subscribe to a political party of his choice, church ministers should desist from openly expressing this right, more so at the pulpit, because as pastors, they have a duty to fairly and with justice shepherd all believers regardless of their various beliefs.
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Renowned Anglican evangelist, youth ministry activist and advocate for the destitute, Rev. Can. Capt. Titus Baraka has castigated church ministers who turn the pulpit into a platform for attacking individuals basing on their political, ethnic, religious and other inclinations, saying that their operational methods will undermine the basic principle of building society’s morals for all without fear or favour.
Can. Baraka advised such ministers to strive to observe the requirement of being a source of messages that condemn evil and not the person, adding that before God all people are potentially good and acceptable.
Baraka who has been in Church ministry for 43 years, is slated to retire from mainstream church ministry in March next year after clocking the mandatory 65 years of the Anglican Church, and told New Vision in an interview that he will however remain serving in youth ministry, prison inmates and other needy communities.
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The former head of the Brotherhood of St. Andrews, a department for men’s evangelism to orphans and the needy, Can. Baraka is the Executive Director for the Uganda Chapter of the US-based Words of Hope Ministries International, and the founder Director for ‘Manya Eddembe Lyo Mu Kristo’, a youth training, empowerment and counselling ministry.
Quoting former Mukono Diocesan Bishop Emeritus James William Ssebaggala, Baraka said, “As ministers we need to be careful with our words because words from one’s mouth are like a bullet from a gun; once you pull the trigger, you cannot retract it but simply wait for the chaos it is going to cause where you have directed it”.
Baraka noted that much as everyone has an inalienable right to subscribe to a political party of his choice, church ministers should desist from openly expressing this right, more so at the pulpit, because as pastors, they have a duty to fairly and with justice shepherd all believers regardless of their various beliefs.
In words of advice to political leaders, Can. Baraka suggested that the tendency by such leaders base on their political might to trample upon the weak should stop, adding, “Much as it is your right to subscribe to the FDC, DP, NRM or NUP, you are obliged to conduct yourselves in a manner that reflect God’s glory by giving fairness to all without discrimination”.
The towering man of God did not spare his own Anglican Church which he said is home to ‘Balokole’ (born again) sects which he blamed for coining their own schools of thoughts against each other, and quoted bible writing which in essence, implores believers to be accommodative of each other despite their differences.
Without mentioning names, Rev. Baraka cautioned church ministers who may be gagged by politicians who may realize that they (ministers) have certain favours they wish to derive from the politicians, emphasizing that no matter what their beliefs are, they are under obligation to be open and fair to all in an equal measure.