“Almost everything you’ve been told about salvation and serving God is a lie.”
That’s not exactly the easiest way to start a conversation with a group of Christian youth, but that’s how I began my talk on April 5, 2022, at Watoto’s Creative Clay Dance gathering.
As someone who grew up heavily involved in church—dancing, acting, participating in Sunday school, and working with Christian organizations—I had a lot to share. Here are a few key points:
Much of what we’ve been taught about salvation and serving God is misleading. Many of us were introduced to God as a strict enforcer of rules and a punisher of wrongdoing. It wasn’t until later that I realized I wasn’t truly serving God—I was serving the expectations of people. Jesus called His disciples to bear fruit and spread His message. But instead of doing that, many of us formed cliques, which eventually turned into exclusive groups, building walls between us and anyone who didn’t fit in. We became self-righteous, making it hard to form meaningful friendships with non-Christians, even when they were kind, hardworking, and honest. I was taught that it was better to tolerate an incompetent, cruel-hearted Christian than befriend a good non-Christian. It took years of unlearning to understand how wrong this was.
Serving God isn’t about endlessly performing. If you’re just participating in church events, moving from one production to another without real growth or change, you’re not bearing fruit—you’re just repositioning yourself as a seed in barren soil. The problem isn’t the seed—it’s the soil. I spent years believing that if I performed more, I’d grow spiritually and receive blessings. But all I got was frustration, exhaustion, and a sense of stagnation.
The church system, in many cases, is designed for only a few to grow, while the rest are expected to follow without question. That’s not fellowship—that’s oppression. You’re told to wait humbly for God’s blessings, but in reality, the system keeps you in place, forcing you to attend services and activities at the expense of more meaningful opportunities—whether it’s nursing a sick relative, attending a job interview, or simply resting.
God gives wisdom to everyone, without finding fault. Instead of spending time “binding the demon of poverty,” why not read Proverbs and apply the wisdom found there? God’s wisdom isn’t reserved for just a few; it’s available to all. Yet, when non-Christians succeed, we’re often taught to assume they did something unethical. Why not set up a business, work hard, and succeed as a Christian? Learn the trade, use honest practices, invest wisely—these are all biblical principles.
Many successful people I know live by these principles, applying wisdom and hard work rather than waiting for demons to be cast out. They look forward to making a positive impact on their communities. If the highlight of your week is “binding demon day,” there’s a deeper issue. Your mind is being controlled by falsehoods.
I admire church leaders who emphasize growth, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Live in truth and seek genuine wisdom.
The reality is, much of what you’ve been taught about salvation and serving God might have been a lie. It’s time to unlearn the falsehoods and live with clarity.