KAMPALA, Uganda — A renewed debate over miracles, faith healing and international evangelists has emerged within Uganda’s Born-Again Christian community after a video surfaced online showing Apostle Joseph Sserwadda expressing scepticism about high-profile miracle crusades led by visiting preachers.
The video, which has been widely shared on social media, captures the senior Pentecostal leader urging Christians to focus on spiritual growth and biblical teaching rather than becoming overly excited by claims of miraculous healings and supernatural manifestations often associated with large evangelical gatherings.
Although Sserwadda does not directly mention any individual pastor or ministry, his remarks have attracted attention because they come just weeks before Pastor Robert Kayanja’s planned crusade featuring internationally known evangelist Benny Hinn, a preacher whose ministry has long been associated with faith healing and miracle services.
Sserwadda questions emphasis on miracles
In the circulating footage, Sserwadda appears to distance himself from a style of ministry that places heavy emphasis on dramatic miracles and supernatural demonstrations.
The veteran preacher suggests that attending crusades primarily in search of miracles has never been his preferred approach to Christianity.
He also questions claims that some worshippers are overwhelmed by spiritual power to the point of collapsing or losing consciousness during prayer sessions.
While he does not directly accuse any ministry of deception, his comments have been interpreted by some observers as a broader critique of miracle-centred evangelism.
Religious scholars note that debates about faith healing, miracles and prophetic ministries have existed within global Christianity for decades, often reflecting differences between Pentecostal, charismatic and more traditional evangelical approaches to worship.
Timing draws attention
The remarks have generated significant discussion because of their timing.
Pastor Robert Kayanja’s Rubaga Miracle Centre (RMC) is preparing to host another major crusade featuring Benny Hinn, the American televangelist who has visited Uganda on several occasions and attracted tens of thousands of worshippers.
Hinn remains one of the most recognised figures in global charismatic Christianity, known for large healing crusades that draw audiences across Africa, Asia and the Americas.
His ministry has also faced scrutiny over the years from critics who question some healing claims made during his events.
Despite the controversy, Benny Hinn continues to attract large crowds and maintains a substantial international following.
Kayanja appears to respond
In a separate video circulating online, Pastor Robert Kayanja appears to respond indirectly to criticism surrounding miracle crusades.
Without naming Sserwadda, Kayanja encourages Christians to attend the upcoming event and avoid what he describes as negative messaging intended to discourage participation.
He argues that many church leaders who now criticise miracle ministries once travelled internationally to attend similar gatherings and seek spiritual inspiration from globally recognised evangelists.
Kayanja also urges believers to remain focused on their faith rather than becoming distracted by disagreements among religious leaders.
The pastor has not publicly accused Sserwadda of targeting his ministry, and neither preacher has directly addressed the other by name regarding the controversy.
A longstanding theological debate
The exchange has reignited a longstanding discussion within Uganda’s Pentecostal movement about the role of miracles in Christian ministry.
Some church leaders emphasise healing, prophecy and supernatural manifestations as evidence of God’s power at work among believers.
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Others stress discipleship, biblical teaching and personal transformation, arguing that faith should not be built primarily around expectations of miracles.
Religious analysts say such debates are common across charismatic Christian communities worldwide and do not necessarily signal a division within the broader Born-Again movement.
Instead, they often reflect differing theological perspectives on how spiritual gifts should be understood and expressed in modern church life.
Benny Hinn’s influence in Uganda
Benny Hinn has been a familiar figure in Uganda’s evangelical landscape for more than two decades.
His previous visits have attracted large crowds to Kampala, with worshippers travelling from across Uganda and neighbouring countries to attend healing services.
The upcoming crusade is expected to draw thousands of participants, making it one of the largest Christian gatherings on Uganda’s religious calendar this year.
Whether the recent discussion influences attendance remains unclear, but it has already sparked widespread conversation among believers about the place of miracles, healing and spiritual authority within contemporary Christianity.
