In this Muleefu & Friends chat with Bible teacher Derrick Rugamba, we talk about milking the most out of God’s word, interpreting the Old Testament better, and what to do when you realize your pastor gets the Bible wrong.
Image: Derrick Rugamba
1. A little about yourself and how you came to lead an organization that advocates for proper Bible handling?
Rugamba Derrick. I am married to Vivian Rugamba, and together we have two sons, Ezekiel and Eleazar.
I serve as team lead at Living Word Uganda, a ministry that equips university students and local churches with the tools and skills to read, understand, and teach the Bible faithfully.
In 2017, I took part in Living Word Uganda’s six-month training program. It opened my eyes both to the life-giving power of Scripture and, consequently, the damage that follows when the Bible is mishandled, which I had seen happening in many places. I came to see that people need more Bible than motivational talks if they are to live for God. They need to faithfully hear what God is actually saying through the whole Bible.
After serving with Living Word Uganda for six years in different capacities, encouraging the same conviction, I became team lead.
2. What was your Bible reading like before, what mistakes did you make, and what did you learn?
Earlier in my Christian life, I often read the Bible mainly for quick encouragement or for a verse that seemed to speak to my immediate situation. I did not see the need to read the Bible as one unfolding story. Instead, I often approached it as a collection of independent verses and stories.
I would jump to application without first asking what a passage meant in its original setting. I would often wait in prayer for the “Holy Spirit to give me a word for the day.” This might be a literal word, which I would then try to work out, or a verse that I assumed had been given directly for that day.
I learned that faithful Bible reading requires patience and hard work (2 Tim 2:14-15). We need to observe the text, follow its argument, understand its literary and historical-cultural context, see its place in the Bible’s larger story, and then allow it to correct and shape us.
3. What common fatal Bible study methods have you identified among us Ugandans?
One common mistake is treating the Bible as a collection of isolated promises, warnings, or secret codes for personal success. We go to the Bible trying to discover how to become a better version of ourselves, without first allowing it to confront us with what it says about God, the world, and us.
As a result, people make every passage directly about themselves rather than first asking what it reveals about God, his purposes, and Christ. These approaches can sound spiritual, but they can make the Bible say things God has not said.
Another common mistake is beginning with our experiences, needs, or preferred ideas and then looking for verses to support them.
We see this clearly in the way African Traditional Religion has crept into the church, often dressed in theological language and Bible verses. The fact that we are often unsuspecting is the real danger.
4. How then should we perceive the Bible, and which Scriptures teach us this?
Christians should receive the Bible as God’s authoritative word. It is true, sufficient, clear, and necessary for life with God. It gives us all that we need to know for salvation and godly living.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 teaches that all Scripture is breathed out by God and equips God’s people for every good work. 2 Peter 1:20–21 reminds us that Scripture did not originate in human imagination, but that men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, we should come to Scripture humbly, carefully, and ready to obey.
5. And in the Old Testament, what mistakes do we often make?
Christians should read the Old Testament as Christian Scripture. It is not merely background material or a source of moral lessons. It tells the unfolding story of God’s purposes, exposes human sin, reveals God’s character, and prepares us for Christ.
It is worth remembering that Jesus, the apostles, and the first Christians had the Old Testament as their primary Scriptures. What they taught was built on the foundation of what God had already revealed there. Yet some Christians claim to be “New Testament believers” only, as though the Old Testament has simply passed away and has nothing meaningful to say to us. That’s spiritually fatal.
Another danger is to imagine that the God of the Old Testament is angry and harsh, while the God of the New Testament is forgiving and gracious.
This leads people to think that the Old Testament is about law and judgment, while the New Testament is about grace. But the Bible reveals one God, whose character does not change. The Old Testament is full of God’s mercy, patience, forgiveness, and steadfast love. The New Testament also speaks plainly of God’s holy judgment against sin. The grace we see so clearly in Christ is not a new idea. It is the fulfilment of God’s gracious purposes, which were already being revealed throughout the Old Testament.
Jesus taught that the Scriptures point to him (Luke 24:25–27, 44–47). The Old Testament lays the foundation for what we know about Christ in the New Testament, and it still has much to teach us about him.
However, we must avoid forcing Jesus into every small detail or rushing too quickly to Christ without first understanding what a passage meant in its original setting.
We need to ask what God was saying through that passage to its first hearers, how it fits into the unfolding story of Scripture, and then how it leads us to Christ. If we skip the first steps, we can flatten the Old Testament and even weaken our understanding of what Christ has accomplished. Its promises, patterns, sacrifices, kings, and covenant history find their fulfilment in him.
6. In your own words, what is the link between Bible knowledge, obedience, and Jesus?
We come to faith in Christ through the word of God. Romans 10:17 teaches that faith comes through hearing the word of Christ. Bible knowledge is therefore meant to lead us to know and trust Jesus.
But faith that does not result in a transformed life is, as James says, dead. Knowledge must bear the fruit of obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
This pattern is very important because many assume that we obey in order to know God or to be accepted by him. We can think that the amount we do brings us into a relationship with Christ. That is far from what the Bible teaches.
When the word is proclaimed, heard, and understood, men and women come to faith in Christ by the grace of God. That faith then leads to obedience. We are saved for good works, not saved by good works.
Mere information can make us proud. True knowledge of God humbles us, leads us to Christ, and reshapes our lives. We do not obey to earn God’s acceptance. We obey because, through Christ, we have received grace and now belong to him.
7. How then should I respond if my pastor often misinterprets Scripture?
Begin by praying for him, asking the Lord to open his eyes to his word. Pray for yourself too, especially for humility. Make sure you have understood the passage carefully. We must never assume that we know everything. Test your own understanding against the revealed word of God.
If appropriate, speak to your pastor privately and respectfully. Ask questions and explain your concerns from the Scriptures rather than beginning with accusations. He may be unaware of the error, and a humble conversation may be used by God to bring correction.
If the problem is serious and persistent, and especially if it distorts the gospel, seek wise counsel from mature and biblically faithful church leaders. Christians should honour their pastors, but every teacher remains accountable to God’s word. The Bereans provide a helpful example: they received teaching eagerly while examining the Scriptures to see whether it was true (Acts 17:11).
If, after patient and respectful efforts, the pastor remains unwilling to receive correction and continues to teach falsehood, you should not simply make peace with it.
A church’s teaching shapes its people. Where the gospel is persistently distorted, and there is no meaningful accountability or correction, it may be necessary to find a church where Christ is faithfully preached and the Scriptures are handled responsibly.
Throughout the process, continue to pray that the Lord would protect his people, bring repentance where it is needed, and lead you to act with both conviction and love.
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