What Does Isaiah White Tumwine Say?
DISCLAIMER
I promised that I will provide a response to the statement produced by the Seventh-day Adventist Central Uganda Conference leadership about me which statement also implicated the name of my elder brother Samson Kasumba. I have to emphasize however that:
(a) This is not a VERDICT aiming at demonstrating who is right and who is wrong between me and the SDA institution.
(b) This is not a REBUTTAL aimed at counter arguing whatever has been stated, said, and argued against me, in the media, documents, radio, internet, and congregations.
(c) This is not a FIGHT am taking to the SDA institution, as a ‘Jesus Gospel’ machinery the above institution is out of the league of the opponents I face.
This, however, is a piece of INFORMATION to whoever wishes to know. I have intentionally chosen my words and the chronology of my content carefully. The words you are about to read are mine and not representative of any other person, body or institution.
RECOGNITION
I would like to thank the SDA institution for contributing positively to my life. Through its organized Academic institute Bugema University, I made an encounter with Jesus Christ. IF IT WASN’T FOR MY RADICAL JUDAISM, I COULDN’T APPRECIATE MY CHRISTIANITY, so SDA and Bugema University are my road to Damascus experience. The Baganda say: “The upright are born out of the crooked” (munkyamu mwemuva engolokofu), and they also add: “Never curse your former cooking pans”. So from the bottom of my heart, I thank the SDA members for the contribution they have made to my life, and I am willing to maintain the fellowship as long as they are comfortable.
INFORMATION
On the 30th October 2015, the Central Uganda Conference Ministerial Council (CUCMC) through its Friday program on Prime Radio 91.9 FM, issued an official statement which implicated me: Isaiah White Tumwine and my elder brother Samson Kasumba. The statement indicated that:
1. THE ABOVE INDIVIDUALS TEACH CONTRARY TO WHAT THE SDA TEACH AND BELIEVE.
NOTE: We (Samson and I) do not teach contrary to the Bible but to what the SDA teach and believe. And if in any way what the SDA teach and believe is contrary to what is in the Bible, then my elder brother and i are guilty as charged, but if the SDA claims to be Biblical then we deserve a hearing.
2. THE ABOVE TEACH AGAINST THE SABBATH, MARRIAGE, SANCTUARY AND THEY DESPISE THE SDA FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES & BELIEFS AND MANY MORE.
NOTE: About the Sabbath, I Isaiah White Tumwine, have encouraged SDA students in non-SDA universities to write their exams on Saturday and I began this campaign at the headquarters of CUC, where, in a Camp Meeting, I was summoned before the entire district with majority pastors and we agreed biblically on the following:
(a) SDA does not teach that the Seventh-day Sabbath saves, therefore not writing exams in the name of a relationship with the creator and savior is wrong.
(b) We agreed that God is not obeyed at secondary level but he ought to be obeyed at the primary level too (if students and parents ignore God in their choice of universities and leave Bugema University for non-Sabbatarian universities, why pretend now to love and die for him at a level of the consequence of your previous disobedience!?
(c) Who of us who has ever gone to school that sits in church and worships while the final exam is in progress? honestly? Mark 7:6
(d) Who of us has ever observed the Sabbath law as it should be? SDA pastors are paid 30 days of the month, SDA landlords charge 30 days of the month, and SDA members fail in other commandments. James 2:10.
About marriage and the Sanctuary, there is absolutely no evidence that I teach against what the Bible teaches, unless if the SDA teaching is itself contrary to the Bible, and if that is so, then am guilty of teaching contrary to the SDA but not contrary to the Bible. Majority leaders at iTiS Well of Worship are married people and parents as well. It is an offense to them if you accused them of not believing in marriage. WHOEVER SAYS iTiS Well of Worship Ministries has wrong teachings should refer to two sources: Our Facebook pages (iTiS Well of Worship Ministries and Ask the Biblical Theologians) and our YouTube channel for videos, for everything we do and say is on record.
3. The above (Samson and White) mobilize people from the SDA.
NOTE: This allegation is not true, Samson and I have never used SDA corporately owned structures to mobilize any members of SDA.
4. WE SUMMONED 15 MEMBERS BUT ONLY FOUR PEOPLE TURNED UP
NOTE: It is on record that these letters were given to specifically four people:
And let no one lie to the world that there was any other person involved in iTiS Well of Worship Ministries given a letter. It also must be underscored that due to internet illiteracy by one senior pastor of the SDA, Nekusa Amos was given a letter because his name was tagged in one of the posts that agitated the foundational doctrines of the institution. It dawned on one pastor who did not know what a “TAG” is. It is on record that after that meeting, Nekusa Amos was given a letter of apology. To say that they called 15 people and only four turned up is a lie and very embarrassing for our senior leaders and at the same time punishable in laws that govern the media council of Uganda.
5. Isaiah Tumwine WHO AT TIMES CALLS HIMSELF WHITE, WROTE TO CUC A LETTER AND INFORMED US THAT HE IS NO LONGER AN ADVENTIST AND THAT HE CEASED TO BE SINCE 3RD FEBRUARY 2015.
NOTE: I, Isaiah White Tumwine, do not call myself White but ‘White’ is one of my official names. Secondly, it must be emphasized that it is true I wrote a letter to the CUC. And what isn’t true is to say to say that I ceased to be an Adventist if an Adventist is he who waits and anticipates the second coming of Jesus Christ. If that is the meaning of the word, then I am an Adventist, if it has other meanings by SDA, then am not that. It is also not true to say I left the church. According to the program recordings I have; I quote Pastor. Jeremiah Alisengawa defining the church as you and I (individuals), and this is Biblical. This being so then it is contradicting to assume I left church, unless church means anything else. The letter is specific on asking my name to be removed from the books of the SDA institution and the word institution in the letter is in bold and underlined. I, therefore, challenge the leadership to come out and read the letter on air for public consumption and interpretation.
6. THE ABOVE NAMES (Isaiah White Tumwine and Samson Kasumba) ONE WROTE TO US AND THE OTHER DECLARED IN KOLOLO THAT HE IS NOT SDA BUT “EVANGELICAL” AND ORDAINED BY EVANGELICALS THEREFORE THESE NAMES SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE CHURCH BOOKS.
NOTE: As for the case of Isaiah White Tumwine, if SDA church is synonymous with the institution then I was the first to ask for this, (whether this is the SDA procedure in the church manual and policy of disfellowshipping, that is subject to scrutiny. As for Samson, I have not heard or seen any evidence supporting this allegation, but let us assume that the leaders have the evidence if asked.
EVENTS THAT SHAPE THE STATEMENT
I was never preached to, to join the SDA, I joined to appease my uncle in 1996 and since 1996 July, I attended many SDA efforts (crusades) in which I preached and read scriptures. And all these years of preaching the SDA gospel and converting many into SDA, I was not baptized myself until 8th April 2000. Eight years later.
In August 2008, I lost my mother and run into a depression for two years. I was advised by my father Mr. Kyazze Seruwu Moses to stop whatever I was doing and go back to school and do another degree, and given the love I had for God, he insisted I do Theology and do it in Bugema University.
In 2010 August, I registered for Theology (BTH) in Bugema University and did not have any official letter from my church to the institution as a reference and a vote into the University. I registered for Theology (BTH) like anyone registers for any professional course in a University. I went to Bugema University for two reasons/missions:
- To heal from the pain of the loss of my mother and overcome her loss
- To gain more knowledge and be equipped with the right to tools to uphold and defend the SDA and its fundamental doctrines since, to my then understanding, God was an SDA (Gen.2:1-3) and the SDA was his Remnant church (Rev. 12:17) and the rest of the churches were Babylon and destined for destruction.
When I entered Bugema, my first mission was achieved, and yes I healed. But when it came to my second problem, I met two classes of lecturers in Bugema University.
The first class from the department of Religious Studies (majority with Doctorates in Ministerial studies and others with their dissertations in Ellen G. White) told me and encouraged me that what had brought me was right and that they were going to help me equip me with the tools I wanted. And to that effect, they provided me with courses like: Ellen G. White, SDA History, Stewardship, SDA Doctrines, Pastoral Ministry, Youth Ministry, Comparative Religions etc.
The second class of lecturers in the same university told me that before they begin helping me solve the problem, it was important we define the problem. They told me THEOLOGY is not a study of SDA, it is a professional course and it was the study of God creator and redeemer of everyone who believes and who doesn’t in the entire world. They advised that if I wanted to do SDA theology, then I must drop THEOLOGY (BTH) and do other religious studies like: Chaplaincy, and other SDA oriented disciplines in the Department of Religious Studies.
It was in Bugema University where I was given Theological assignment and when I used my artillery of Ellen G. White quotations, my assignment was cancelled by ordained pastors and SDA lecturers. I always cried over this in my hostel room, seeing haters of the Spirit of Prophecy in a church institution. So I decided to report these lecturers to the DVC Academics, and this gentlemen sat me down in his office and asked me what I had registered for. I answered “THEOLOGY”. He then asked me what the problem was, I told him of the Jesuits in the holy ground, he then told me to relax.
“My son”, he said, “in the SDA there is God’s church just like there is God’s church in other religions”. I insisted it was God’s Remnant Church and whoever wasn’t part of it was on the enemy’s side. Then he pointed me to John 10:16 and he emphasized there is one flock under one shepherd. When I quoted Rev 12:17, he reminded me of the thief at the cross. When I pointed him at the narrow gate for heaven and wide gate for hell in Mathew 7:13-14, he pointed me to Rev 7:9-17 where a great multitude that cannot be numbered is saved. I was puzzled, he looked at me and I looked like I had seen a ghost. So he held my hands and said: “Son, let us pray”. We prayed and after prayer he told me: “If you ever meet Christ, you will be free and you will stop the fight to fit him in any box”.
Two weeks later, I met another lecturer who sat me down and read me from John 4:22-26, and emphasized that WHERE you worship from (place and religion) is not as important as WHAT you worship (God). When I was in Bugema University, I realized that this divide between lecturers was international and it was termed as: Conservative wing versus Liberal wing. I never joined any of the two I chose to be the center.
In Uganda while we have Bugema University, the CUC in its phobia of its own made theologians manufactured in their own institution, it began its own institute, PIATM, (mu kayembe) with courses like Sefuliya Y’abuugi and Community Based Mobilization, and all sorts of grassroots church cadre trainings. It was until the General Conference passed a law that for one to be a district leader, they needed a bachelor’s of Theology (BTH) degree that majority joined Bugema University “in-service” special program. And the CUC begun seeking to affiliate with Bugema University for PIATM authentication and recognition by the National education laws. So the problem is not Theology, the problem is us the students, pastors inclusive. If a student on a regular program fails to understand the course, then with due respect the degree of an “in-service” in Theology is an apology of their ignorance.
Now you know why the public is asking why all people with theology letters do not speak the same things. Majority know theology is biblically right but they can’t say it at the expense of the institution (their employer) position. Others default us of the forum we use. They think the internet is not the right forum and they have invited us to kitchens. Can you imagine!? Others argue there is material for class and not for public consumption. Why that material is taught to preachers, I don’t know! Anyways, all this shows how African elites are abused by Feudalism.
Because of such, I began a Facebook account known as “Christianity Proper” then later renamed it “Ask the Biblical Theologians”, where we emphasized theological views, and discussions to improve ourselves as African Theologians and poor SDAs thought it was one that ought to have defended their doctrines which they assumed to be the standard truth. I did not do it on pulpits, I did it on the internet.
Eventually, one of the theologians suggested we meet as theologians to discuss these matters. We started at Emerald hotel and other internet people started joining us every Saturday evening. Like the divide in the lecturers, some SDA Jihadists were not comfortable with Biblical truth as opposed to institutional positions on biblical questions and it where the ruckus began. Members with a history of extremism religious disorders (mountain climbing and hiding), started reporting and mudslinging us to the SDA institutional leaders and followers.
We (Kiggundu Moses and I) decided, let us affiliate this ministry with the SDA institution. Our fellow theologians rejected this, but we insisted and actually these theologians left the fellowship. We continued and we met Mr Sembusi Joseph, who said his church board could not register the ministry now that it had other people under other church boards. He referred us to Mr. Ssonko Frederick at CUC who also intentionally refused to see us. Kiggundu went further and sought audience with Mr Kajja James who said he was comfortable meeting him (Kiggundu) alone.
Eventually, we were frustrated and our hopes were shattered. And we continued business as usual. Teaching, preaching and worshipping. The fellowship comprised of all people from all backgrounds (religions and beliefs) and we shared what the Bible says as opposed to any specific religion’s belief system. This wasn’t popular with all religions who prefer calling people from other religions to themselves as opposed to calling people from darkness to Christ. Briefly, this is the background.
THE EVENTS
On the 3rd-October 2015, Kiggundu Moses and I were summoned to our local church (Makerere SDA) Elders’ Council meeting under the chairmanship of the district leader (Mr. Sembusi Joseph) over issues concerning Biblical interpretation and teachings at iTiS Well of Worship Ministries. My local church leaders’ council represented by their chairman said that it was not in position to discuss the Bible. At this point I said I was not going to discuss nor answer any question if it wasn’t about the Bible. Mr. Sembusi asked me whether I was in position to answer some questions, I said yes to some which biblically oriented.
He asked: “Do you teach at iTiS?”
I answered: “YES”
“What do you teach?”
I answered: “I teach JESUS CHRIST”
“On whose behalf?”
I answered: “on JESUS CHRIST’S BEHALF.”
After this interrogation, silence hit the meeting and what followed was for chairman to give an ULTIMATUM: ARE YOU WITH THE SDA OR WITH iTiS? I asked why we couldn’t discuss the Bible to find out how wrong the iTiS Well of Worship Ministries was, and I was told that it wasn’t the right forum. Note: (Church not right forum for Bible even though the meeting was about Biblical issues). Kiggundu Moses said he was back to SDA and pledged not to go back to iTiS Well of Worship Ministries, and the entire council shouted a big “Amen”.
My answer to the ultimatum was: “I HAVE NO ANSWER”. Since I attend the SDA meetings every Saturday from morning to 4:00pm and it was always from 4:00pm in the evening when I would go to do ministry at iTiS Well of Worship Ministries. So I was wondering why my church leaders were asking me (who holds no institutional office but just a member), where I belong. I am Biblically directed and I assume churches by default also ought to be.
On the 1st-October-2015, I had received a letter dated 28th-September-2015 from the SDA Central Uganda Conference Ministerial Council (CUCMC). An organ in charge of Biblical matters (Doctrines, Beliefs, Interpretation and Practice). The letter summoned me to attend and I quote:
“The CUCMC has noted with concern evidences of occasions that you have a different version of interpreting the Bible from that of the Seventh-day Adventist Church hence this has caused also concern among church members. You are therefore called to attend in person the above ministerial council meeting on 05/10/2015 at the conference Office Headquarters’ Board room to clarify your position at 10:00am.”
I entered the meeting packed with eleven pastors who claimed to be Theologians. We never opened the Bible and no evidence was produced biblically to prove that I teach contrary to the Bible. The chairman of this meeting who is the head of the CUC also emphasized that the meeting was not to discuss theology or the Bible even though I was summoned over Biblical interpretation!!!
Instead, I was asked to answer to another ultimatum: “ARE YOU STILL A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST MEMBER AND DO YOU STILL BELIEVE IN THE 28 FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES OF THIS CHURCH?”
My answer to this was: “I AM A CHRISTIAN” and I ceased to be merely an SDA. I am now a Christian who fellowships with the SDAs every Saturday.
The chairman instructed me to get out of the meeting for they had nothing to do with me now that I am not a member of the institution. He warned me not to use any institutional owned organ and structure like church pulpits, schools and people. I asked whether I can continue attending on Saturdays. He said, “It’s okay, even Muslims are welcome”. He warned all leaders never to discuss me in their churchboards since am no longer a member.
NOTE: I HAVE AUDIO RECORDINGS OF THIS MEETING.
At that point, I handed in my long-held SDA De-Membership letter, asking my name to be removed from this institution books, and my reasons were of POLITY and not THEOLOGICAL, for the institution with its theological capacity totally failed to engage me Biblically and it chose to handle me institutionally.
For the love I have for the people in this institution, I decided to resign my membership from the institution so that my Biblical interpretations are not representative of any denomination but exclusively be on behalf of JESUS CHRIST. I am no longer subject to any other authority nor brokers in faith matters, I now directly report to God and not through any other bureaucracy.
I therefore want to inform all those who have been associating with me because of my membership in the institution of SDA that am no longer a member to the institution. I am now a visitor and non SDA who fellowships with them whenever I want to.
Therefore we all must learn to live together. I am glad I am not Biblically or even Theologically wrong and the SDA does not accuse me Biblically or Theologically but institutionally (Polity matters). I choose to respect that and I resign from that: Institutional-ism.
Adventist Church co-founder Ellen G. White underscored this in The Acts of the Apostles, writing:
“The banner of truth and religious liberty held aloft by the founders of the gospel church and by God’s witnesses during the centuries that have passed since then, has, in this last conflict, been committed to our hands. The responsibility for this great gift rests with those whom God has blessed with a knowledge of His Word. We are to receive this Word as a supreme authority. We are to recognize human government as an ordinance of divine appointment, and teach obedience to it as a sacred duty, within its legitimate sphere. But when its claims conflict with the claims of God, we must obey God rather than men.” (Pages 68, 69).
If the SDA leaders cannot prove that iTiS is biblically wrong, then civil disobedience to such is recommended. That is what we call typical Protestantism. This is not to say that at iTiS Well of Worship Ministries we hold the absolute interpretation of the Bible and therefore the canon of all interpretations, but it is to emphasize the importance of dialogue whenever there is doubt in any teaching. iTiS WoW Ministries is still open for a dialogue with anyone who wishes to.
Let me quote the SDA statement on associating with other faiths:
“Adventists recognize other Christians as genuine members of the body of Christ. But Adventists do not hold formal structural membership in ecumenical organizations primarily for freedom of religion purposes. Membership in an ecumenical body would limit the freedom to share one’s convictions with everyone else and thereby jeopardize a universal end-time mission, as Adventists understand it”.
This is very vein in which I, Isaiah White Tumwine, decided that my name be removed from the SDA institutional books so that my freedom to share my own biblically based and discovered convictions with everyone else do not jeopardize the institutional fundamentalism. To maintain peace, I chose not to be representative of any institution but of Christ.
The statement goes ahead to say:
“Adventists are not part of the ecumenical organizations that require membership, but they do enjoy guest or observer status at meetings”.
Like SDAs have done to ecumenical organization, so I have done to them (SDA) and I now enjoy guest or observer status at their meetings every Saturday.
THE GIST OF THE MATTER: IN CONCLUSION
When the elder brother who had betrayed their young brother Joseph out of personal issues drawn from generational choices of parents met him in Egypt as their source of help, they were in shock and started accusing each other. But Joseph advised them: “DO NOT QUARREL ON THE WAY…” Gen. 45:24
Let me draw some lessons for both iTiS WoW Ministries and the CUC decision makers:
1. The wrong choices of our fathers (Jacob a polygamous father who played children favoritism), should not affect our decisions as we choose today what to respond, do and believe about the culprits and their judges. Gen 44:1
NOTE: Our parents might have hurt some of you our leaders today. I am praying that decisions about our righteousness will not base on the unrighteousness of our fathers. I am asking whoever reads this that his decision of what to believe and what to do, should not base on what the CUC leaders have chosen to say and do. I think their statement is more dividing than uniting. It doesn’t matter whether you come to iTiS or not, whether you go SDA meetings or not. What matters is the ATTITUDE OF UNITY IN DIVERSITIES, AND BELIEF IN GOD.
2. The elder brothers smeared, stained and dipped the robe of Joseph in goat’s blood and took it to his father and his father was hurt to depth…Gen 37:31-35.
NOTE: The continuous broadcast of Isaiah and Samson dis-fellowshipping on radio has hurt our friends, and family to depth. Family members who are between a rock and a hard place (who can’t believe senior church leaders are lying live on air, and at the same time who can’t believe their children are fallen from the “truth”). This kind of public incitement against us might cause religious mob justice against any of us (me, Samson or any other person) and personally I attribute the pain of the Jacobs (parents, relatives and friends) to the elder brothers’ choices and behavior.
3. The Josephs that you have stripped naked, hurt, thrown in the pit, dragged and sold to the slave traders today might be the one in charge of your help tomorrow. So while you are in power treat the young Josephs with care.
NOTE: Our elder brothers have a lot of Josephs victimized by their leadership choices and decisions. Many have fallen and have been injured by their hasty jurisdictions. And the souls of Josephs like: Isaiah, Samson, Kakembo, Kasumba Richard, Luzira SDA, and many more lay under the altar and ask the Lord, “When will you judge the righteous?” Meanwhile, we all ought to remember that those in whom we are in charge of today, might be in charge of us tomorrow.
4. Both iTiS WoW Ministries and the SDA institution are ecclesiastical bodies who claim reverence to God, and who preach against evil, at least by confession. We, therefore, ought to address the right enemy = SATAN, rather than stereotyping our fellow prey as predators. Gen 45:1-8, Rom 3:10-18.
NOTE: Finally, all that I have said should not be understood as a verdict, rebuttal or fight against anyone or any institution. I was just informing the public, friends, foes, and relatives who wish to know. I want you to always remember that LEADERSHIP IS DIVINE AND WE SHOULDN’T TAKE FOR GRANTED ANY VICE THAT THREATENS ITS AUTHENTICITY. Obey it when it is right, and disobey it when it wrong. That is how it can be helped.
For all have fallen short of the Glory of God and none does righteousness.
Glory to God.
I T WHITE
0775-822-833
iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24) 