Bishop Ahimbisibwe launches three books on his 60th birthday
Ahimbisibwe described the books as the product of a long journey of faith, reflection and personal testimony spanning more than a decade.
Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu launches the books on June 16, 2026. (Photos by Miriam Namutebi)
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The Bishop of South Ankole Diocese, Rt Rev. Nathan Ahimbisibwe, marked his 60th birthday by launching three books that chronicle his life experiences, faith journey, leadership lessons and vision for personal and community transformation.
The books, The Ladder of Testimonies, See Far, and The Power of I Am, were launched at All Saints' Cathedral, Nakasero, in Kampala during a ceremony attended by church leaders, academics, government officials and Christians from South Ankole Diocese, Kampala Diocese and other parts of the country.
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Dr Stephen Kaziimba, presided over the launch on June 16, 2026.
The bishop revealed that the inspiration to write the books dates back to 2013, when a family friend, Christine, prophetically told him that he would become an author.
Recalling the encounter, he said: "She said, 'There is something I'm going to tell you. You are going to write books, and we are giving these books a title, the Ladder of Testimonies."
According to Ahimbisibwe, the books are rooted in real-life experiences and lessons drawn from his ministry, teaching career and farming ventures.
The Ladder of Testimonies reflects on his life as a farmer, teacher and church leader. He recounted how his passion for agriculture began while he was still in school.
"I took agriculture. I wrote about agriculture. My father was a farmer, even still a farmer at 92," he said.
Rt Rev. Nathan Ahimbisibwe, the Bishop of South Ankole Diocese talks about one of the three books that were launched.
"I would put every statement that would come and feed it into my computer. Then at night I would remember something, switch on, and write. So, I kept adding, adding," he said.
The second book, See Far, draws inspiration from his 21 years as a teacher and from a phrase that became his personal philosophy.
"I used to tell them these two words, 'See Far'," he said, explaining that the message encouraged students to think beyond their current circumstances and embrace a vision for the future.
Ahimbisibwe said the books are intended to inspire readers through lessons on perseverance, faith, leadership, vision and God's faithfulness.
He also revealed that the three books form a series, with The Ladder of Testimonies as Volume One, See Far as Volume Two and The Power of I Am as Volume Three. He added that more books are already in the pipeline.
"There are two coming not far from today," he announced.
Kaziimba hailed the achievement, describing the books as a lasting legacy for the church and future generations.
"I want to praise God from whom all blessings flow," Kaziimba said, before thanking Bishop Ahimbisibwe, his wife Lilian and the many supporters who have walked with them throughout their ministry.
The Archbishop said the launch demonstrated that spirituality and productivity can go hand in hand.
"Productivity and spirituality are partners. You must ensure spirituality and also work; they are interwoven," he said. He added, "Faith and work are interwoven."
Kaziimba praised the bishop for preserving his experiences in writing, noting that books allow ideas to outlive their authors.
"Writing is simply an act of having all your thoughts and your passion and putting it in a book so that even after many years people can still read these ideas," he said.
He also challenged Ugandans to support writers and cultivate a stronger reading culture.
"Leaders are readers. If you are a leader and you stop reading, then you stop leading," he remarked.
The Archbishop further praised South Ankole Diocese for becoming a model of church-led economic transformation, revealing that other dioceses and religious leaders have been sent there to learn from its development initiatives.
"You are leaving a legacy behind," he told Bishop Ahimbisibwe.
The keynote address was delivered by Prof John Mugisha, the Vice-Chancellor of Bishop Stuart University, who spoke on the theme, “The Nexus Between Faith and Productivity: Lessons from a Farming Bishop.”
Mugisha challenged traditional views that separate spiritual life from economic productivity, arguing that the two should complement each other.
"I will propose that spirituality and productivity are partners, not antagonists," he said.
He noted that many Christians have historically focused on heavenly rewards while paying less attention to productive engagement on earth.
"I offer a thesis that may challenge traditional thinking where old revivalists and gospel preachers used to say our property, our wealth is in heaven, and we are not so bothered about productivity and production," he observed.
Using Bishop Ahimbisibwe's ministry and agricultural projects as a case study, Mugisha argued that faith should inspire practical action capable of transforming communities.
"Where some people have drawn a line between the sanctuary and the field, Bishop Nathan's life and ministry in South Ankole make a strong case for erasing that line," he said.
He described the bishop's approach as a form of "agri-evangelism" that combines faith, stewardship and modern agricultural practices to promote personal dignity, congregational growth and community transformation.
The books were reviewed by city lawyer Prof. Alex Bashasha, who described the publication of three books at once as an extraordinary achievement.
"I have never seen somebody writing three books at a go because even one book is difficult to write," Bashasha said.
He praised the titles, particularly The Ladder of Testimonies, saying they immediately capture a reader's attention.
"When you're moving around the street, and you see 'Ladder of Testimonies,' you ask yourself, 'What is this?' You get inquisitive because it inspires you to read what is there," he said.
The lawyer also credited Bishop Ahimbisibwe with inspiring him to venture into coffee farming after visiting the bishop's farm in Ntungamo.
"I was challenged from that time. I also started planting coffee. Now I have like two acres of coffee," he revealed.
Quoting from The Ladder of Testimonies, Bashasha highlighted one of the bishop's central messages:
"Life is like a farm. Every day, you sow seeds of thought, action and faith. Some days bring rain, some days bring drought. Some seeds sprout quickly; others take years to bear fruit. But God, in His infinite wisdom, multiplies what is faithful."
Some of the guests who attended the event.