President Museveni has challenged religious leaders to encourage their followers to pursue improved standards of living, saying spiritual development should go hand in hand with economic empowerment.
Museveni said religious teachings should inspire believers not only to seek spiritual fulfilment but also to take responsibility for improving their economic circumstances.
"A relevant Christian Ministry must encourage the believers to work towards achieving decent standards of living. In the process of working for heaven, some of the faithful become negligent about their earthly responsibilities and thereby end up perpetuating poverty in their homes," Museveni said.
"If we have spiritually seen the light, then we must do the same economically. We cannot see the spiritual light yet stay in economic darkness," he added.
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The President's message was delivered by Vice President Jessica Alupo during prayers organised by the Generation Pastors Network (GPN) at Kololo Independence Grounds to dedicate Uganda, East Africa and Africa to God.
The event attracted Christians from 64 districts across Uganda, as well as believers from Kenya, Rwanda and other parts of East Africa.
Museveni said Jesus Christ should serve as an example of balancing spiritual responsibility with productive work.
"He earned his living by working alongside his father, Joseph, as a carpenter. He worked for both the spiritual and socio-economic uplift of his family and society. This is what all Christians must emulate," he said.
The President commended religious leaders for supporting social and development programmes aimed at improving the welfare of communities.
He noted that while the Church addresses people's spiritual needs, believers also require access to basic necessities and economic opportunities.
"Man has both spiritual and physical needs. The Church caters for people's spiritual needs. There are also physical needs for food, water, shelter, medicine, hospitals, schools, clothes, transport, jobs," Museveni said.
"In a modern economy, you cannot obtain the goods and services, which are necessary to sustain life without money," he added.
Museveni said poverty can be addressed through participation in productive sectors of the economy, including commercial agriculture, industries, services and ICT.
He said these sectors provide opportunities for wealth creation and job generation.
The President also highlighted what he described as two key ideas within Christianity that can contribute to national development.
He cited Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of the importance of unity beyond tribe, religion, race, gender and social status.
"In that parable, Jesus taught that neighbourliness transcends the narrow confines of tribe, religion, race, gender, class. It is all embracing; it does not discriminate against anyone," Museveni said.
He linked this message to the government's emphasis on patriotism, regional cooperation and African integration.
Museveni also referred to the biblical instruction in Genesis 1:28, where humanity is commanded to be fruitful, multiply and exercise dominion over the earth.
He said while Africans had succeeded in increasing their populations, they had made less progress in harnessing science, technology and innovation to overcome poverty and underdevelopment.
"In Africa, people have tried to obey the commandment on multiplying and filling the earth; however, they are lagging behind on the second commandment on taming and establishing dominion over nature," he said.
"This is why we still have the problems of poverty, hunger, disease."
Hellen Seku, Commissioner of the National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps at State House Uganda, praised the government for supporting religious freedom and national unity.
"I want to appreciate the government under the able leadership of President Museveni for consistently guaranteeing and championing constitutional freedom of worship," Seku said.
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She urged church leaders to focus on empowerment and mentorship by creating support systems, sharing ministry experiences and promoting cooperative leadership.
In his sermon, Apostle Gift Mugisha, leader of the Generation Pastors Network, said the prayers were aimed at helping Christians overcome poverty and position Uganda as a centre for spiritual revival in Africa.
"Our mission right now is to break the spirit of poverty which has perturbed the Pentecostal church in Uganda for a while. It's time for the born-again Christians to come out of poverty," Mugisha said.
Mugisha also announced plans to establish a commercial bank for born-again Christians, starting with savings and credit cooperative organisations (SACCOs) before expanding into a larger financial institution.
He appealed to President Museveni to support their new SACCO initiative with funding.
The Generation Pastors Network is a faith-based organisation that brings together church leaders from different generations with a focus on spiritual growth, economic empowerment and national development.
