Zamdela-based Pastor and the Regional Leader of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa (AFM of SA) has congratulated this widespread and well-acclaimed Pentecostal church on the occasion of its 115th birthday.
Bangani Mema, who is the Presiding Pastor of the church’s Zamdela Assembly and its Chairperson of the Northern Free State Region said the 115th birthday of the AFM of SA is a huge milestone.
“Today we are celebrating the achievements of this church. When we look back we see that we are moving from one victory to another.
“We take this moment to reflect about all the things that God has done for us. We acknowledge that it was not through our own wisdom and knowledge but it was the grace of God.
“We also acknowledge that we have been through difficult time in the history of the church but we know that through it all we have learned to depend upon the Lord,” said Mema.
He heaped praised on the stalwarts of the church, in particular the founder John G. Lake.
Mema mentioned that the most notable factor about the AFM of SA is that it is church that is accessible to all people no matter their social status and class. “We embrace everybody.”
“I want to encourage our members to keep on trusting in the Lord because He is faithful. He will not leave nor forsake us. Let us not allow anything to make us lose hope in our God. Happy birthday to the AFM,” said Mema as he wished the church a happy birthday.
According to the media statement released by the church’s head office to mark the 115th birthday, the church started as spiritual gatherings in a small hall in Doornfontein, Johannesburg on 25 May 1908.
Today, 115 years later the AFM OF SA has 1,733 registered assemblies and 2,532 ordained Pastors in South Africa. Growing from the southern tip of Africa, the church is also present in 29 countries across the world.
Although the AFM started out as a united, multicultural and non-racial church, the decades between 1948 and the 1980’s were marked by a racially defined church, as the AFM succumbed to the political system and the prevailing culture of the time.
After a long and difficult journey, the AFM held a unity ceremony on Good Friday on the 5 th of April 1996 at Centurion Park Stadium. The then newly elected President of the reunited church, Isak Burger, on behalf of the previous “white” church, asked for forgiveness from the former “coloured, indian and african” churches. The newly elected Deputy President of the AFM, Frank Chikane, accepted Isak Burger’s plea on behalf of the former “black” churches. Since 1996 the AFM of SA functions as a fully integrated organization and continues to strengthen and deepen our treasured unity.
The statement further stated that “the AFM is a “Pentecostal” church, which means that it is a church who believes that the Spirit of God and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, is given to believers to live dynamic and overcoming lives. As Pentecostals, we believe that faith must not be something abstract, academic or ritualistic, but authentically experiential in the life of every follower of Jesus.
“Although many local assemblies have their own vision statements and focus areas, they all relate to the united AFM’s national vision: “We see a church accessible to all people, celebrating our unity and God given diversity, empowering our members for caring and changing communities to the glory of God.””
The President of THE AFM, Dr Henri Weideman said: “At this, our 115th birthday, we honour and thank God, our Heavenly Father for His guidance and provision and we pray that we will continue to grow in fulfilling our mission, to be one and to make disciples of Jesus from all nations. It is part of the AFM’s DNA to share our faith in Jesus with friends, colleagues and family. During our 115th birthday we are encouraging our members to do that anew.
“As we celebrate our birthday, we cannot help but be concerned about the state of our beloved country South Africa. It seems that our government is so consumed with internal issues that it is not currently governing the country effectively. The result is a continuing deterioration on many levels. We are continuing to pray for our government, whilst we urge our leaders to respond decisively and with integrity for the good of all South Africans, to the issues facing our country.”
