The AFM of SA Happenings

17/08/2017

If you are in Randburg and the surrounding areas and looking for a church or new start, here is a new church in Strydom Park. Wherever there are people there is AFM. For questions all contact details are on the flyer.

20/01/2017

Continuation on the process of unification of the AFM of SA

South African context
The drive towards unification in the AFM cannot be seen apart from the political and economic developments in
South Africa. In the period between 1948 when DF Malan and his National Party won the elections and 1953,
most of the apartheid legislation that regulated blacks’ lives was passed (Van der Walt, Wiid & Geyer 1955:484-
5; De Klerk 1975:241-3, 307-8; Van der Watt 1987:84-86 for discussion of laws; Giliomee 2004:451). In 1951
coloured voters were removed from the common roll (De Klerk 1975:307-8; Giliomee 2004:449-50). In 1959
HF Verwoerd removed all black representation in Parliament with the idea that blacks would be represented in
their independent “homelands” (Von Paczensky 2000:82; Giliomee 2004:451). The country experienced a period
of strong economic growth from 1961 to 1973 and this strengthened the hand of the Nationalist government to
continue with its process of separate development (Latourette 1975:1305). In 1963 Nelson Mandela and nine
others stood trial and most received life sentences for planning acts of terrorism (Mandela 1994:189). That same
year the government introduced self-government for the Transkei and in this way started denying blacks living
within the borders of South Africa from having any say in the government (De Klerk 1975:248-250, 319-322,
337; Davenport 1977:290). In 1966 Verwoerd was assassinated after a failed attempt in 1960 and was succeeded
by BJ Vorster (De Klerk 1975:274; Davenport 1977:287, 293). The next year Steve Biko and his allies broke
with the National Union of South African Students and started the Black Consciousness Movement (Giliomee &
Mbenga 2007:331). In 1974 a coup in Portugal led to independence for Angola and Mozambique and the transfer
of power the following year (Von Paczensky 2000:241-2) and it created expectations amongst South African
blacks. A contingent of South African forces invaded Angola before the transfer of power (Von Paczensky
2000:83; Giliomee 2004:522-525). In 1977 the government banned all organisations associated with the Black
Consciousness Movement and Biko died of injuries inflicted while in police custody (Davenport 1977:267).
In 1978 P.W. Botha became Prime Minister and a few months later abolished curbs on black labour,
permitted black trade unions and accepted the inclusion of trade unions with black members in the formal labour
bargaining system (Giliomee 2004:537). In 1981 South Africa embarked on a campaign of destabilisation of the
region to achieve its security objectives and the next year it introduced a new system of black local government
that was widely rejected because blacks had not been consulted (Giliomee 2004:550; Seegers 2007:390). A new
Constitution with a Tricameral Parliament and separate houses for whites, coloureds and Indians was introduced
in 1984 (Von Paczensky 2000:468). The system triggered widespread resistance and led to an urban uprising
beginning in Sebokeng on the East Rand (Krog 1998:77). The unrest spread to most parts of the country and in
1985 the government imposed a partial state of emergency (Seegers 2007:382-383). Foreign banks refused to
roll over loans, many governments imposed sanctions against South Africa and the security situation worsened,
prompting the government to impose a general state of emergency the next year (Seegers 2007:392).
In 1988 an informal group of government officials started talking to Mandela in prison (Pillay & Hofmeyr
1991:299; Mandela 1994:507, 513-518). In 1989 F.W. de Klerk became State President and released several
ANC leaders from jail. The next year he lifted the ban on the ANC and several other organisations and released
Mandela from Robben Island. Early the following year all-party negotiations began and the government
abolished all apartheid laws (Welsch 2007:406-407). The first democratic elections were held in April 1994 and
the ANC won the election by nearly two-thirds of the votes and formed a Government of National Unity with
Mandela as the first President of a democratic South Africa (Giliomee & Mbenga 2007:306).

13/01/2017

Long road to unity
The AFM of SA originated in 1908 when John G. Lake and Thomas Hezmalhalch started their missionary
ministry to an African church in suburban Doornfontein. The Zionist church was established by the
Goodenoughs and they invited Lake and Hezmalhalch to preach at their church. Several members of the church
were healed and baptised in the Spirit, especially through Lake’s ministry. Before long the white employers of
the black members visited the services to ask for healing, and the two missionaries accepted the invitation to
pastor the Zionist churches in Bree Street, Johannesburg (Du Plessis 1977:105-6; Nel 1996:245-6; Burger
1997:177-8), after their missionary, Daniel Bryant, had left for America (Du Plessis 1984:40; Burger 1987:111;
Blumhofer 1988:20). The Bree Street assembly was multiracial and English-speaking as part of the Pentecostal
movement's aim to be an indigenous movement (Du Plessis 1986:42; Lake 1994:xxiv).
The multiracialism of the new church, when the Zionist assemblies in Doornfontein, Ermelo and
Krugersdorp formed the AFM of SA, was lost within a short period when the joining of Afrikaans-speaking
Christians gave rise to the establishment of Afrikaans assemblies (Burger 1987:207). The segregation of races
that characterised the South African community was soon reflected in the AFM.

13/04/2016

The origins of the 20th century Pentecostal Movement can be traced back mainly to two important places and events very early in the 20th century in the United States of America. These were Charles Parham's Bible College at Topeka, Kansas, 1901; and William J. Seymour's Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles, 1906.

Charles Parham is considered to be one of the pioneers of the modern Pentecostal Movement. He was born on 4 Jan 1873 in Muscatine, Iowa. At the age of 13 he was converted in a Congregational Church and felt a definite calling to the ministry.

He acted as a lay preacher from the age of 15. In 1898, inspired by John Alexander Dowie, he started a healing centre in Topeka, calling it Bethel Healing Home. He also started publishing a newsletter on a regular basis and called it "The Apostolic Faith." Through fasting and prayer, he kept on searching for a greater revelation of the power of God.

In 1900 he founded Bethel Bible College, using the Bible as the only textbook and putting great emphasis on prayer and spiritual growth.

In one of the Christmas holidays, he gave the students the theme of "baptism in the Holy Spirit or being filled with the Holy Spirit" to study while he was away. Through the Bible study, they discovered that in apostolic times, the speaking of tongues was considered to be the initial, physical, evidence that a person had received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

On 1 Jan 1901, Miss Agnes Ozman asked Parham to lay his hands on her head and pray for her. She was the first of the students who was then filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues.

Many newspapers wrote about what happened. Some were very critical; some made fun of them. Others were curious and came to see for themselves what was going on.

People were converted and many were healed during Parham's sermons. He wanted many people to hear the gospel and started preaching in various cities. They encountered some fierce opposition from the churches and the Press. It was in Galena, Kansas in 1904 where he had huge success. 800 people accepted the Lord, more than 1000 were healed and at least 250 were baptised in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. The news of sick people being healed drew many to the services. Houston became Parham's base for the time being.

The rented property he was using for a Bible College in Topeka was sold and was forced to close the school. People in Houston urged him to open a College there for them to study the Bible.

This move was regarded as the 'Holiness Movement' as is the same today with pentecostal Churched referred to as 'Salvation Churches - iCawe Zosindiso'.

Although Parham was the first person to formulate the basic Pentecostal dogma and played an important part in spreading the message, his students were the ones who had studied the Bible and prayed for the fulfilment of the promise of Pentecost.

Parham did not believe in any formal church structures. He said what happened during his ministry was a "return to the Apostolic faith" and called his revival movement the "Apostolic Faith Mission."

It was in these Holiness Revivals where William J. Seymour was converted. At first, he was a member of the Baptist Church. As an elder in a small Holiness assembly led by sister Farrar, he sometimes got the opportunity to preach.

In 1906, a woman from Los Angeles, Neeley Terry, attended the church in Houston where Seymour was preaching. Back home she told the leader of a small Holiness congregation about him. They sent him an invitation to come and address them, together with money for his journey. So he travelled to Los Angeles where his first sermon was from Acts 2:4.

Let's leave it here for today....read and think about it...

11/04/2016

I have a challenge for you this morning or say today.... give me a video clip of what your perception of a real man is & is not and this standard question at the end....it shouldn't be over a minute.
Take it using your phone or whatever means....depending on the quality, they will be published on our Real Men of Direction website....

e.g. I am Sim Remedi from Randburg, a real man is characterised by life of integrity...are you a real man?

I am Sim Remedi from Gugulethu, Real man don't kidnap....Are you a real man?
Be creative!!! Send your clip to [email protected] / [email protected] .....Thank you in advance

04/11/2015

People in Gauteng !!!
On the 7th November 2015 there is a provincial meeting taking place in Boksburg from 10 am. This is where the provincial structure will be established, come if you can and invite others as well.

04/11/2015

From tomorrow we will be posting bits of history on how the church grew and trails of false prophecy and how other churches were formed out of this giant church...stay tuned!

24/08/2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P9tvAz7SKQ&feature=em-upload_owner =share

Snippets of the happenings at AFM of SA Ebenezer Community Worship Centre, xa icebo lithe lawela ngakuthi

12/08/2015

A bit about AFM

AFM stands for "Apostolic Faith Mission" (in Afrikaans: "AGS - Apostoliese Geloofsending"). The AFM exists since 1908 and is the first and largest Pentecostal church in the country - with 1.4 million members in SA and currently established in 29 countries of the world. "Pentecostal" means that it is a church who believes that the Spirit of God is given to believers to live dynamic and overcoming lives. It also implies that believers can demonstrate the character, love and power of their Lord, Jesus Christ, in their daily lives.
The AFM can be distinguished by two inseparable characteristics: The baptism in the Holy Spirit and the Great Commission. We received the Holy Spirit and His power to be missional. (Acts1:8) That's why we refer to our assemblies as apostolic communities and our members as apostolic agents. Towards the year 2020, we endeavor to inspire and mobilise our whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.
The desire of the AFM is to saturate our societies with the presence of God and the principles of His Kingdom. Our uniqueness also lies in our diversity and accommodative ability. Not only are we a microcosm of our diverse society, somewhere in our 1800-plus local churches you'll find a spiritual home where you'll feel part of the family.

28/07/2015

If you know of the happenings that took place last week-end in AFM Ebenezer CWC, you will for sure know what we talking about when we speak of the dessert.....and this is that!

16/07/2015

Kuyaqhutywa .....Yilenkonzo ke le

14/07/2015

To findout if there's is an AFM church around where you are please visit http://www.afm-ags.org/churches ....Where there are people, there is AFM.

Church Finder Looking for an AFM church? Search for an AFM church or assembly nearest to where you live! With more than 1800 assemblies spread across South Africa we are sure that you will find an assembly that you can call your spiritual home. Use the options below to browse our country-wide networ…