By Nicolas Akasula
Pastor Robert Ogweng, the lead pastor at Luwero Miracle Centre Church, has journeyed from a modest upbringing in northern Uganda to leading a thriving ministry in Luwero district, one shaped by conviction, calling, and countless unseen sacrifices.
Early life, spiritual awakening
Born in Apac district (now part of Oyam), Ogweng was one of ten children in a religiously mixed household: his father a devout Catholic, his mother an Anglican. His spiritual turning point came at the age of 15 while in Senior Three at Adugu Secondary School.
“A friend invited me to a Scripture Union fellowship. I went expecting music and fun, but I ended up getting saved, and I’ve never looked back,” he recalls.
Salvation, family resistance
His faith deepened during A-Level studies at Katikamu SDA in Luwero, where he earned a partial bursary. However, his conversion sparked tension at home.
“I was the first in my family to get born again. My parents thought it would derail my education. I had to prove them wrong,” he says.
Ogweng worked hard to earn a government scholarship, scoring 21 points in HEG/D and joining Makerere University for a degree in Social Sciences.
Ministry
While excelling academically, graduating with a second-class upper degree, he also served as a prayer secretary in student fellowships.
“The Lord had started speaking to me back in O-Level, but at university, it became louder,” he says.
Amidst a revival sweeping Makerere, he immersed himself in prayer meetings and Bible studies. “I dreamt of preaching to multitudes, healing, and deliverance, it was constant,” he recounts.
Reluctant mission to Luwero
After graduation, Ogweng settled in Kawempe and joined Miracle Centre Church under Pastors Robert and Rose Nabulere. When the church sought to plant a new ministry in Luwero, his name was prayerfully chosen.
“I didn’t know Luganda well, and everything I knew, family, friends, my comfort zone, was in Kampala. But after serious prayer and fasting, I knew I had to obey,” he says.
Planting the Church
He began in Luwero with door-to-door evangelism. A chance meeting with an army officer led to their first fellowship—seven people in a living room.
“He wasn’t even born again but offered his home. It was God’s favour,” Ogweng reflects.
Language remained a challenge. “I’d ask strangers if they spoke English, and if they did, I’d preach. When in groups, I’d find someone to interpret,” he says.
As fellowships grew, homes opened up, and in June 2011, Luwero Miracle Centre Church launched officially.
Marriage trials
In 2019, after eight years of single ministry, Ogweng married a fellow believer he met in Kawempe. “Our wedding took place in Luwero, where my new family had grown stronger than the one I left in Kampala,” he says.
Their journey to parenthood has had setbacks. “We lost our first baby. Then, after four years, we had our first child, but the third pregnancy was another miscarriage,” he shares. But by God’s grace, today, they have two biological children and one adopted daughter.
Vision for education
A vivid dream inspired Ogweng to start St Philip’s Christian Nursery and Primary School. After struggling to raise support locally, a misdirected email reached a Ugandan woman living in the UK, who funded the school’s launch.
The school began with 65 pupils and now has over 350. “A year later, someone donated land for the school. That was another miracle,” he adds.
Challenges, hope
“Ministry is fulfilling, but not without challenges,” he says. “You’re shaping lives. Our church is mostly young people, and mentoring is constant.”
He likens starting a church to raising a child. “At the beginning, with so many demands, the pastor must be the biggest giver,” he adds.
Ogweng’s ministry now extends to prisons and hospitals, with regular visits to Butuntumula and Nakasongola prisons, and Luwero Hospital.
For many in the congregation, his leadership has left a deep imprint. “He’s very approachable and genuinely cares,” says Flavia Namawejje, a worshipper at the church. “He even recommended me for the Luwero crusade with evangelist Dana Morey.”
Despite the obstacles, Pastor Ogweng sees a bright future. “Seeing lives transformed, people getting saved, stabilising in the faith, growing, that’s what keeps me going,” he says.
From a calling he first sensed in childhood to a ministry touching hundreds today, Ogweng’s journey is a demonstration to faith, obedience, and resilience. He encourages everyone to obey and serve God when they are called.
