Another possible US connection to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill: Disciple Nations Alliance and Stephen Langa

Stephen Langa has been one of the public faces of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda. He organized the ex-gay conference in Kampala which brought Scott Lively and Caleb Brundidge to the Ugandan Parliament. He organized the post-conference citizens’ meetings which led to calls for new legislation. He was present in the gallery when the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 was introduced. And he was one of the debaters present to defend the bill in a public forum held at Makerere University. Along with Martin Ssempa, he is probably the most visible non-governmental defender of the bill to outside observers.

Throughout the saga of this bill, observers outside Uganda have been looking for US connections to those heavily involved in introducing or defending the bill. Among many influences and connections, I have looked at New Apostolic Reformation teachers, the College of Prayer and the Fellowship Foundation. The post introduces another possible player. I say possible only because I have not been able to confirm the extent to which the Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA) is aware of Stephen Langa’s anti-homosexual activities in Kampala. One thing is certain, Langa is an affiliate and vital aspect of the DNA mission in Africa.

I have looking into since a commenter here provided a link to the DNA website. In response to an email, Scott Allen director of the DNA office in Phoenix wrote to say that would not have a comment until he studied the matter. However, while waiting, I can post some links and articles as background

Here is a description of that relationship from the DNA website:

Affiliate Spotlight: Transforming Nations Alliance

11/18/2009

The Disciple Nations Alliance is a worldwide movement of individuals, organizations and networks united by a common conviction: The necessity of Biblical Truth, expressed through church-based wholistic ministry for social and cultural transformation.  DNA “Global Affiliates” are self-governing organizations that share a common purpose, and adhere to the same core beliefs and operational principles.  There are currently ten affiliates in Asia, Africa and the Americas.  The DNA affiliate in Uganda is called Transformation Nations Alliance.

The first DNA Vision Conference in Uganda occurred in 2000. It was facilitated by Bob Moffitt and Scott Allen, and several of the key leaders of the influential Kampala Pentecostal Church (now called Watoto Church) attended. The second conference held the following year (facilitated by Darrow Miller and Bob Moffitt) was hosted by a committee led by Watoto Church elder Stephen Langa. Today, Stephen is Director of Transformation Nations Alliance and Moses Mengwau is Head of Operations.  

Stephen Langa is a member of the Africa Working Group of Samaritan Strategy Africa, the network whose objective is to spread DNA training across the continent of Africa. In addition to serving as an Elder at Watoto Church, he also provides leadership to the Family Life Network, a pro-family advocacy organization. He also serves as Director of the Uganda Youth Forum, a youth ministry organization founded by the First Lady of Uganda in 2001.

The mission of Transformation Nations Alliance is to engage and disciple all sectors of society, through a biblical worldview centred, holistic approach to ministry, leading to the restoration of God’s original plan for creation. Towards this end, TNA has trained and mentored a team of certified Ugandan trainers who regularly facilitate Vision Conferences throughout the nation. Hundreds of Ugandan church leaders have been impacted. In addition, these trainers have been called upon to train the local staff of several large mission and development organizations, including World Vision and Compassion International.

Churches that have been impacted by TNA have gained a new vision for their role in society, and as a result, have begun to reach out and bring healing to their communities. 

In an article about Stephen Langa’s church Watolo Community Church, Langa is noted as one of the leaders.

Today, Watoto church leaders such as Stephen Langa and Pastor Franco Onaga are extending the influence of the church into the various spheres of Ugandan society, including government, family, and even training programs for the Kampala police force. Watoto is truly a model church that is bringing the light of Christ and the healing of His Kingdom to Uganda, Africa and the whole world.

And then in 2006, Darrow Miller, co-founder of DNA recounts Stephen Langa’s efforts to overturn the inclusion of homosexuality in the Equal Opportunity Bill. Miller describes Langa as a “co-laborer and good friend.” Langa notes that those trained by DNA helped to mobilize Parliament to defeat the inclusion of homosexuality as those eligible for equal opportunity.

As I was finishing up this post, I noticed that Gay City News broke this story here. There is more on this there with additional reporting about Langa’s work with Food for the Hungry.

I hope to have comment from DNA in a follow up post.

13 thoughts on “Another possible US connection to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill: Disciple Nations Alliance and Stephen Langa”

  1. Thanks Chase. You are being overly kind. As some here would agree, I do not always conduct myself with diginty or patience. 🙂

  2. Michael, as always, I admire your dignity and patience in regards to many comments on this issue. However, for people like Dave who will internally justify his own beliefs my over-simplifying history and warping moral justice, it is best to just let them be. Their change will only happen with their own desire for it.

    Much love,

    Chase Hutchison

  3. So if everyone at the conference says they oppose criminilization, how did supporters of this BIll in Uganda get the impression that they favored it?

  4. Dave G: I still don’t get how homosexuality is so appealing to straight people that they would become addicted to it to the point that it would destroy both the family and society. I have never understood such reasoning. Can you explain what makes homosexuality so appealing to straight people?

    Those ancient civilizations crumbled with the loss of family integrity resulting from sexual promiscuity –including homosexuality.

    Where are you getting this information? Who has concluded that this is why these ancient civilizations crumbled? People have been making this claim for as long as I can remember, but where’s the proof?

  5. One might wonder if the Hate Crimes Bill in the United States is in some way partly responsible for so many Christian pastors and groups fleeing from the approval of such a bill as that in Uganda. Were it so, it would give Uganda just another reason to pass the bill.

  6. The Disciple Nations Alliance has appeared in the news recently in relationship to our friend Stephen Langa and his involvement with Uganda’s Anti Homosexuality Bill, 2009. We, as co-founders and leaders of the Disciple Nations Alliance, first heard of this bill when a reporter contacted us to gain our opinion on the bill last Friday (December 11). We have since obtained a copy of the bill and are now examining it.

    We have been friends with Stephen for nearly ten years. We have tremendous respect for him, and for what we know of his work to strengthen families in Uganda. Stephen is an elder at Watoto Church in Kampala, which we consider to be a model for other churches in its care for thousands of Ugandan children orphaned by HIV AIDS. Watoto Church ministers to hundreds, if not thousands of people who are dying of AIDS and their surviving family members. It has been actively involved in AIDs education, encouraging young men and women to act in morally responsibly ways in order to avoid the ravages of sexually transmitted diseases. Seeing the profound devastation of families in Uganda, they are actively working to strengthen families.

    The Disciple Nations Alliance is a network of individuals and organizations in over 60 countries who share a common vision to see the global Church rise to her full potential as God’s agent for the healing, blessing and transformation of the nations. We share a common set of core beliefs and operating principles (see http://www.disciplenations.org/about). While we have affiliates around the world, there are no legal or organizational ties between them; including Family Life Ministries and Transforming Nations Alliance that Stephen helps lead. Stephen’s opinions are his own. The governance and decision making of the Ugandan organizations he leads are independent of the Disciple Nations Alliance.

    We believe that people who engage in same gender sexual activities are image bearers of God possessing profound, inherent and equal dignity. They have a God-given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As human beings, they are to be treated with love and respect. Like all people, they are sinners and can be saved by the death of Christ on the cross.

    Churches have a responsibility to love and engage with those who have chosen to live a homosexual life in the same way they would reach out and engage with any other person. The church is to call its members to personal and public purity, and to govern their lives in ways that comport with biblical standards of ethical behavior. Such internal self-government creates the framework for free nations. The church is also called to serve as the conscience of the nation by humbly, lovingly and prophetically addressing the wounds and moral failings of their society.

    The state has a different, yet compatible role. It exists to defend and protect the life, liberty, and property of its citizens. Its principle role is to suppress external evil such as murder, theft, and rape. It does this largely by creating and administering just laws and maintaining an active military.

    With this in mind, we do not believe that engaging in consensual homosexual acts in the privacy of one’s own home, or failure to report such acts should be criminalized. However we are opposed to efforts to re-define marriage laws which are based on the historic and traditional understanding of marriage as the covenantal relationship of one man and one woman for life. We are likewise opposed to efforts to normalize homosexual activity through the use of books and curricula in public schools. We oppose these and other public advocacy efforts whose intent is to lead to a state sanction for something that is immoral, which will seriously undermine the family, and will eventually lead to the collapse of a society. We endorse and support the recently released Manhattan Declaration (www.manhattandeclaration.org), and specifically its statement on marriage.

    We believe that sexual crimes such as rape, incest, child prostitution or pedophilia should be appropriately prohibited and punished under the law regardless of whether victim or perpetrator practices same gender sexual activity or is heterosexual.

    As the Uganda bill currently exists, we have some concerns: specifically the criminalizing of private, consensual homosexual practice, the severity some of the penalties, and the tone of the language. We recognize that this bill is in process and will reserve further comment until a final version is submitted to the Ugandan parliament.

    We recognize that sovereign nations have the right to establish their own laws; at the same time, other nations, international bodies and individual citizens have the right and responsibility to challenge laws that are unjust. We would encourage Christians, as citizens of nations, to seek to engage as free citizens in the market place and Public Square. They should contribute to the challenging of unjust laws and the creating of just laws. Christians, like any citizen are to contribute to the building of their nations.

  7. Michael –

    Those ancient civilizations crumbled with the loss of family integrity resulting from sexual promiscuity –including homosexuality. It’s well-known that sex can be addicting, and homosexual conduct is not exempt. “Fear, hatred and violence” are not to be condoned, but self-preservation of our civilization must be achieved.

    Yes, life is important; especially in terms of successive generations, for which homosexuality does not qualify.

    In a generation of shattered family relationships and/or challenges to youth to “try something new and funky” homosexuality is being promoted and condoned as “normal, natural and healthy,” –which it is not.

    Also, human sexuality is fluid enough that with our God-given free will, it can be seen as a viable option. But the consequences for future generations are dismal. That’s why cultures globally have rejected it.

  8. Besides which, what would make homosexual behavior so appealing to straight people that you would have to threaten them with death to keep them from doing it? It just doesn’t make sense.

  9. David, I think you grossly over-simplify history to suggest that these civilizations crumbled because they didn’t kill gays. I find the implication of what you are saying disgusting, to say the least.

    Why do individuals or nations need to “discourage the spread of this behavior”? Maybe it’s anti-gay fear, hatred and violence that need to be discouraged. I think that’s a “more Christian solution”. Isn’t life the most important thing?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tom5yPHo-s8

  10. From the Ugandan’s perspective, what better incentive to leave homosexuality? Should religion be imposed upon them to elicit a change? Perhaps we are looking at this from our own viewpoint; even the ancient Hebrew nation had to impose death penalties to discourage the spread of this behavior. The Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans did not: what happened to their empires?

    Seriously, I would like a more Christian solution, without erasing religious freedom. Any suggestions?

  11. Ok… same link above, probably it was the following, which reads in part:

    Clause 16

    MS BINTU: Mr Chairman, clause 16 is on Special Powers of Commission. I beg to move that the clause is replaced to read as follows:

    Powers of Commission

    . . .

    6. The commission shall not investigate-

    a) any matter which is pending before a court or judicial tribunal or is under investigation by another constitutional commission.

    b) a matter involving the relations or dealings between the Government of Uganda and the government of any foreign state or international organisation; or

    c) a matter relating to the exercise of the prerogative of mercy.

    Mr Chairman, in our amendment the following new sub-clause 6 ( d ), is inserted immediately after sub-clause 6 ( c ) to read as follows: any matter involving behaviour which is considered to be-

    i) immoral and socially harmful; or

    ii) unacceptable by the majority of the cultural and social communities in Uganda.

    . . .

    MRS BBUMBA: Sir, with that guidance, I withdraw my proposal. On the amendment on immoral behaviour or generally unacceptable conduct by the majority of our people, it is very important that we include that clause. This is because the homosexuals and the like have managed to forge their way through in other countries by identifying with minorities. If it is not properly put in the clause, they can easily find their way through fighting discrimination. They can claim that since they are part of the minority, they can fight against marginalisation.

    .

    MR GAGAWALA WAMBUZI: Thank you, Mr Chairman. I stood up to ask for clarification from the honourable minister and the chairperson of the committee on the issue of morality being incorporated. I want to know whether our ladies may not suffer some inconvenience at some stage particularly on the issues of dress code, which might come up and become a very controversial society issue.

    For our ladies in the whole of Uganda, big and small, young and old, this issue of dress code can become serious. Some ladies may want very short skirts, others in Karamoja may want to actually move without anything and others may want to put on -(Interjections)- As I said, I am just wondering whether she is comfortable with it. I wonder whether she has thought through it so that later when it comes, as you know we are following affirmative action and it is really for the ladies, I feel that I need to be made comfortable. Thank you, Mr Chairman.

    MS BBUMBA: Mr Chairman, I want to thank my honourable colleague for his concern for their ladies. We have already taken into account those kinds of concerns. What we are trying to do is to ensure that their ladies are not discriminated. If the code of dress is going to be the cause of their discrimination, then that is a matter which is going to be dealt with by the commission.

    At least someone had the sense to question just what morals they were going to follow. An Islamic code could just as easily be instituted on Ugandan women from that basis.

    But it is sad to see that when a Ugandan says that ‘homosexuals have no rights’ he really means it. There is no recourse for the gay or lesbian in Uganda. Not even to their Human Rights Commision.

  12. This appears to be what Stephen Langa was talking about in that letter to Darrow Miller. It is taken from the minutes of the Ugandan Parliament for 12 Dec 2006:

    MS BINTU: Mr Chairman, I propose that a new definition of “sex” be inserted immediately after the definition of “person” as follows: “Sex means the natural state of being male or female.” The justification is that, it might be deliberately misinterpreted to suit some peoples’ interests in case we do not define it here.

    DR BUTURO: Mr Chairman, I support the chairperson of the committee on account that these days we have interest groups which are seeking to argue that it is permissible for a man to marry a man or a woman to marry a woman. This is unacceptable to the majority of Ugandans and so, it is essential that any amendment we make provides for that situation.

    MRS BBUMBA: Mr Chairman, in view of what is happening globally and what has happened recently in South Africa, I support the amendment.

    THE CHAIRMAN: I put the question.

    (Question put and agreed to.)

    Really scintillating isn’t it? Too bad they don’t know of the fullness of what is natural sex for men and women. I wonder what the old definition of sex was. I haven’t been able to find an old copy of the bill (can’t find a new on either for that matter).

  13. I wondered why I had the article on the Watoto Church as a ‘model’ in my history.

    Language like the following bothers me. It is from a PDF file of a letter written by Brian Fikkert, President of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development, from 2005 which is on the disciplenations.org website [http://www.disciplenations.org/uploads/H5/Hb/H5HbOXmgqKk9fduDIKTQXg/Report-from-a-Uganda-Vision-Conference.pdf], but it seems I cannot access it directly. Instead a Google Quick View link yielded it up. It read in part:

    All of the training was done by Ugandans to an audience of approximately 125 pastors, bishops, relief and development workers, and ministry leaders. The conference was targeted at Ugandans, but there were a few attendees from several surrounding nations including Sudan, Burundi, and Kenya. The socioeconomic and educational backgrounds of the attendees varied widely, ranging from well-educated pastors of mega-churches, to leading bishops in the Anglican Church, to poorly-educated pastors living on a pittance and working in very remote areas. There were only 6 non-Africans in attendance.

    .

    As you probably already know, the main themes of the conference were as follows: 1) The African worldview is the main impediment to the continent’s development and must be replaced with a biblical worldview that embraces the lordship of Christ over every inch of creation; 2) The church is God’s central agent for the transformation of society and must communicate Christ’s comprehensive healing through holistic ministry to people’s felt needs; 3) African resources—both financial and human—are sufficient to bring development to Africa.

    But that said, from what I have read, I think this organization is more about helping people than anything else. Face it. Ugandan homophobia is home-grown and doesn’t need anything to bolster it up. The March conference was set up by Langa and he got out of it just what he wanted, public scorn and a way to jack up the hate among his people. We blamed three men back in February and March for doing that. Those same three men – or their organizations – are still to blame today.

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