“God was preparing me long before I knew Him. What I once used for entertainment, He later transformed into a ministry of worship.”- Seer Abraham Richard

Introduction

Every testimony tells a story of God’s faithfulness, and Seer Abraham Richard’s journey is no exception. Long before he became a worship leader and minister of the Gospel, he was a young man with a passion for music, drama and performance.

His story is one that proves God’s faithfulness, filled with valuable lessons that can inspire both this generation and the next to understand what true worship means.

In the first part of this interview, Seer Abraham Richard reflects on his early years, the experiences that shaped his musical talent, and the life-changing encounter that led him into the Ministry of praise and worship.

Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me.  Psalm 66:16

Interview:

QN: Tell us about your journey into the ministry of Praise and Worship. How did it all begin?

Seer Abraham Richard:

First of all, I thank the Spirit of God. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “I thank God who considered me worthy of this calling.”I was not worthy of this Ministry, yet God chose me according to His Will and purpose and counted me among those who serve Him through praise and worship.

My journey into worship did not begin when I founded TVC Ministries. In fact, God had been preparing me from my childhood.

How the Seer discovered a passion for music:

My love for music began while I was at Liberty Education Centre in Bwaise, where I studied from Primary three to Primary seven.

I became heavily involved in Music, Dance and Drama (MDD). Without campaigning for any leadership position, the teachers appointed me Music, Dance and Drama Prefect. They said, “Bisaso, you will be the Music, Dance, and Drama Prefect.”

I was very active and enjoyed every aspect of performance. That is where my passion for music started to grow. I sang in the school choir, played traditional drums, acted in plays, recited poetry and took part in cultural dances. Looking back, I can now see that God was already nurturing the gifts He intended to use for His Kingdom. Over time, I also realized something about myself; I discovered I had a talent for making people laugh.

Whenever the school held speech days or special events, I was often selected to serve as the master of ceremonies because I could confidently engage the audience and keep people entertained. At the time, I thought I was simply having fun, but God was quietly developing skills that would later become valuable in ministry.

How Abraham Richard moves from school performances to the theatre stage:

After Primary school, I attended King Stone High School in Kawempe before transferring to Central College Kawempe. I will say this: My passion for drama and music only continued to grow.

I joined the Kings Drama Club, which used to perform both within the school and across different parts of Kampala. Before long, I became one of the group’s leading actors. If I missed a performance, people would ask where I was because they expected to see me on stage.

At that time, I performed under the stage name Mike, a name that became well known among audiences. We regularly performed at Nvuujo Hall, where I sang karaoke, performed local songs by artists such as Geoffrey Lutaaya.

We also sang Western music and even performed break dance routines. Many of these performances required me to imitate the original artists. Some people noticed me and singled me out. They took me to YMCA in Wandegeya. From there, I joined one of Uganda’s oldest drama groups, Negro Angels, also known as Bamalayika.

Although I was still young and lacked experience, I continued learning and growing. Later, I joined Bakayimbira Juniors and performed at Pride Theatre. During rehearsals, I often watched the famous Ebonies preparing for their own productions nearby. However much opportunities were available to me, God Almighty had already prepared a different path for my life.

I was also privileged to appear in Sam Gombya’s first album as one of the dancers and members of the choreography team. In hindsight, I realise that even though I did not yet know Christ, God was already using every experience to prepare me for ministry.

So, if we are talking about the music side of my journey, it started a long time ago when I was still in the world. I did not know Jesus at that time, but I was passionate about music and performance. Deep within me, I felt that this was where I belonged.

 How everything changed!

I will not forget this moment; one evening, while walking from Kawempe to Bwaise, I passed a Balokole crusade. As I listened to the worship team, I found myself quietly criticising the musicians. I felt what they were doing was not worthy to be offered to God.

Ironically, I had never played an electric instrument. All I knew was performance, miming and stage management. I remember saying to myself, “If only I had the opportunity to stand on that platform, I would show them how it should be done.” I had no idea that God was listening to those words.

A simple invitation that changed my life:

Before that week ended, one of my friends invited me to church called Holy Church of Christ currently known as Temple Mount. I agreed to accompany him. When I arrived, I came early and sat where the choir usually sat. The ushers assumed I was one of the worship team, so they left me there.

As people began arriving, they gathered around me. When worship started, everyone stood up and began singing. I did not know a single song. I simply copied everything they did. What seemed like an ordinary church service became the turning point of my life.

I finally had the opportunity to learn how to sing properly and play musical instruments. I began to channel my talent and use it for God; meaning I had started dedicating the gifts God had given me to His work. That is how I joined Christ’s family through music.

One important lesson I learned during that season was that I did not yet understand the difference between Christian music and worship. At first, I simply wanted to sing Christian songs. God would later teach me that worship is far deeper than music.

My first gospel recording:

Around that time, I contacted one of my closest friends who owned a recording studio. We had spent many years together during my secular music days. I asked him: “Are you still producing music?” He replied, “Yes. I even have my own studio now. Come and see it.”

When I visited him, I told him, “It is time to change from secular music to Christian music.” He agreed to record my first gospel song, titled Paka Ddi. Recording that song marked another significant step in my journey. My passion for praise and worship grew stronger than ever before.

Answering God’s call:

At the time, I was studying at Highway College Makerere. However, the call of God became impossible to ignore. Although education was important, I sensed the Holy Spirit continually reminding me that my purpose lay elsewhere. The great calling upon my life kept telling me, “Time is running. You need to come to this side.”

That was the moment I became fully committed to ministry of worship and praise. From there, I became more serious about the music ministry. My story is very long, and I cannot go into every detail in one interview.

 Today, I am still here, serving God through worship. I have never stopped because I truly believe this is where I belong.

When I reflect on everything God has done, I see how every stage of my life even before I knew Him, He was preparing me for this ministry. Today, I continue to serve Him with joy because I know this is exactly where He called me to be.

Coming Next

In the next episode, Seer Abraham Richard shares the challenges he has faced as a worshipper and worship leader, the lessons God has taught him through those experiences, and what true worship means to him today.