By Ebenezer Adurokiya Reporting From Kampala, Uganda
IT was a vibrant tapestry of white, rhythm, and unwavering faith at the RCCG Victory Centre on Kisugu Road in Namuwongo on Sunday March 8, as the congregation celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 with songs, dance and a powerful message of resilience and divine purpose.
Some of the RCCG Victory Centre women
The atmosphere was electric as women, clad in radiant white apparel, filled the sanctuary. They led the charge in a service that was as much a spiritual reawakening as it was a celebration of womanhood.
RCCG Victory Centre women
From leading worship with special musical renditions to anchoring various parts of the service, the women set a tone of praise and gratitude. In a beautiful display of cultural heritage, the group of women added a touch of local costumes of dried grass strapped around their waists, leading a spirited Thanksgiving dance; their local vibes echoing through the church and drawing smiles and cheers from the congregation. The men were not mere spectators; they were highly supportive, cheering on their mothers, wives, and sisters and participating fully in the historic observance.
The highlight of the event was the main message, delivered by a special guest minister, Pastor Ebenezer Adurokiya, who is also the publisher of Stonix News. Taking the podium, Pastor Adurokiya, with the express permission of the pastorate led by the National Coordinator, RCCG Uganda, Pastor Mrs Olubunmi Olushola Monye-Akinshipe and the Parish Pastor, Pastor Emmanuel Orimogunje, anchored the global IWD theme—“Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”—in a biblical context, challenging both men and women to become agents of change.
RCCG Victory Centre women with EBENEZER
He introduced a topic that resonated deeply with the congregation: “A Man/Woman With A Different Spirit,” drawing his text from the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.
“Some of the greatest feats in the world were accomplished by people who dared to be different,” Pastor Adurokiya began. “They are men and women with a different spirit—people who veer away from the fashionable path of defeat and choose to pursue God’s dream to the end.”
Pastors, ministers and members of the church after the service
Though time constraints would not allow him to exhaust his message of seven key characteristics of such a person with a different spirit, he deployed biblical and historical examples to drive his points home.
Defying the Status Quo
Pastor Adurokiya declared that God Himself is “anti-status quo,” citing the creation mandate in Genesis 1:28 to “be fruitful and multiply” as a divine order for progress.
Pastor Adurokiya (middle) with some of the women
He contrasted the faith of Joshua and Caleb, who saw possibility in the Promised Land, with the other spies who were paralyzed by fear.
“Status quo is a plague,” he warned. “It keeps you bowed, cowed, and vulnerable.” He challenged the congregation to follow the example of rudy David and the three Hebrew boys in I Samuel 17 and Daniel 3, who downed Goliath and defied a king’s decree, and urged them to ask themselves: “We cry about the deplorable state of leadership in Africa, but what steps have we taken to change the trend?”
International students from Nigeria in Uganda
Quoting Ronald Reagan, he added, “Status quo is the mess we are in.”
The minister emphasised that a person with a different spirit is a dreamer, like Joseph and Martin Luther King Jr. “You can kill a man with a dream, but you can’t kill the dream,” he asserted. This vision, he explained, fuels an unshakeable belief that defies impossibility.
Drawing a parallel to the IWD theme of “Action,” he highlighted how David ignored distractions and focused on his goal of defeating Goliath. “Challenges and obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal,” he said, quoting Henry Ford. “What do you see? Possibilities or impossibilities?”
He called on the women to be determined overcomers like Zacchaeus, who did the unusual to see Jesus, and to possess the perseverance of Thomas Edison, who famously reframed his 5,000 failed attempts at inventing the lightbulb as 5,000 ways that didn’t work, bringing him closer to success.
A Call to Change the Narrative
Pastor Adurokiya concluded his sermon by linking these biblical principles directly to the global call for women’s rights and justice. He pointed to biblical heroines like Esther, who risked her life for a “bigger picture” than her own comfort, and Deborah, who led a nation to victory. He celebrated the legacy of Dorcas, who changed the narrative for orphans in her community.
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“Be the Ruth that’ll give a mother-in-law a reason to live and hope again,” he urged.
In his final charge, he implored the congregation to dismantle every personal and societal status quo that hinders progress. “Don’t be quiet in the face of oppression. Know your Rights, fight for Justice, take Action, for ALL Women and Girls, just as the theme of today’s IWD encourages,” he said, tying the timeless message of the scripture to the contemporary struggle for equality. “Don’t forget that JESUS also came to destroy the status quo of the enslaving law.”
As the service drew to a close, the message was clear: true change, whether in the church or in the world, begins with individuals—both male and female—who dare to embrace a different spirit.
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