A Voice in the Wilderness

Fred Wantaate on John 1: 19-23

What does it mean to be "a voice" for the Lord--especially one crying in the cultural wilderness of a post-Christian culture? Visiting Ugandan Pastor Fred Wantaate explores what the person of John the Baptist can tell us about our call to bear witness to the Kingdom of God and the person of Jesus Christ, centering on the truth that we should always be pointing away from ourselves and towards our risen Savior.

John 1: 19-23 KJV

19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

Rev. Wantaate pastors Makarere Full Gospel Church, a large university church in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, which has has planted hundreds of churches in Uganda and beyond. In 2009, Rev. Steve Hartman went to Uganda to do ministry with Fred, preachings at Makere Full Gospel Church and participating in a large week-long pastors' conference in western Uganda.

Fred was Pastor in Residence at Third in 2006, and is back in the States as part of his PhD work at Regent University, spending just over a week in Richmond.