Watoto Church, formerly Kampala Pentecostal Church is an English-speaking cell-based East African community church headquartered in Kampala, Uganda. Its leaders describe Watoto as a church "celebrating Christ, growing and multiplying as each one reaches one, touching those around us with the love of Jesus, bringing healing to the cities and the nations." Watoto means "the children" in Swahili.
History
The church was founded in 1994 in Kampala by Canadian missionaries Pastor Gary Skinner and his wife, Marylin. Initially, it operated out of Kampala's Imperial Hotel before the leadership took over a disused cinema which was renamed The Centre. Today, Watoto occupies its own purpose-built campus in Kampala and earns £13.3 million a year
Structure
Watoto's main church is dubbed Watoto Church Downtown and has expanded over the years across the city with Watoto Church Kisaasi, Bweyogerere, Lubowa, Kyengera, Kansanga, Bugolobi and Entebbe. The church has also expanded across Uganda with Watoto Church Bbira in Wakiso District, Watoto Church Suubi in Mpigi District, Watoto Church Gulu and Watoto Church Laminadera in Gulu District. The vision of the Church is to continue expanding until it encompasses all of Uganda and possibly East Africa. It already has a campus in war-torn South Sudan, Watoto Church Juba. The church has an average congregation of 27,000 people who also meet in smaller cell groups. Each cell comprises about 7 to 10 members who meet at least once a week in members' homes to share fellowship.
Leadership
The Skinners remain the current pastoral team leaders, assisted by various campus pastors and other ministry leaders. Stephen Langa, an outspoken anti-gay activist is an elder of Watoto Church.
Watoto Church produces an annual Christmas cantata. And a gospel drama play every four years known as Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames. The shows are a mixture of live performance music, dance, scripted drama, sounds and lighting effects. Historically, the cantata has run through the week before Christmas.
ISO Investigation
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the church was criticised for going ahead with a tour by its internationally renowned children's choir. According to Uganda's child affairs minister, the Internal Security Organisation is investigating Watoto church for alleged breaches of child labour laws. These include taking the children out of the country without permission and putting them at risk by not cancelling the tour as coronavirus spread and countries closed their borders. Seven members of the choir and seven adults on the tour with the children contracted COVID-19, but recovered. However, 80 members of the choir remain stranded overseas.
Homophobia
Watoto Church has received criticism for its stance on homosexuality. Gary Skinner and Stephen Langa have been accused of creating "violent homophobia" within Uganda In 2009, Langa invited American pastor and anti-gay activist Scott Lively to the three-day Family Life Conference in Kampala to discuss the "hidden and dark" gay agenda and the 2014 Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act allegedly arose as a result of the conference.
