Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa
Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa | |
---|---|
Pentecostal World Conference, South African Council of Churches | |
Region | South Africa |
Founder | John G. Lake and Thomas Hezmalhalch[1] |
Origin | 1908 |
Separations | 1919 Black Zionists, 1928 Latter Rain Assemblies, 1958 Pentecostal Protestant Church |
Members | 1.2 million[2] |
Official website | www.afm-ags.org |
The Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa (AFM) is a classical
The AFM is one of the oldest Pentecostal movement is South Africa with roots in the
The constitution of the AFM blends at the national level the elements of a
History
Early history: 1908–1912
While the Apostolic Faith Mission was founded in 1908 and Pentecostalism brought to South Africa by American missionaries, several factors helped create a favorable climate for the Pentecostal movement to spread in the country. First, revivals in the
In May 1908, five American missionaries—
By 1909, it had spread to the
The AFM was a self-propagating movement early on due to the successful evangelism of Boer and African converts. In 1909, Lake wrote to The Upper Room, an American Pentecostal journal, that missionaries were not needed as the AFM had men "far superior to any that can come from America . . . who can speak English, Dutch, Zulu, and Basuto".[15] Towns and mining compounds were prime areas for missionary activity, reflected by the fact that 69 percent of AFM members lived in urban areas in 1928.[11] From urban centers, the AFM spread to rural areas through returning labor migrants or native preachers.
The interracial character of the AFM was, like American Pentecostalism, short-lived. One explanation for this shift was tensions over economic competition between poorer whites and blacks.
According to Barry Morton, "An analysis of the missionary career of John G. Lake shows that the initial spread of Pentecostalism and Zionism in southern Africa was facilitated by the systematic use of fraud and deception". Morton cites examples of misappropriation of AFM funds and the staging of miraculous healings.[20]
1913–1969: Divisions, institutionalization, accommodation
The return of Lake and Hezmalhalch to America was an important turning point for the AFM. Le Roux was elected its president in 1913, a role he filled until 1943. During his leadership, the AFM distanced itself from the black Zionist movement with its distinctive taboos and dress and began looking to the Dutch Reformed heritage and respectability.[18] During his leadership a large portion of the AFM's African constituency withdrew in 1919. Another schism occurred in 1928 when Maria Fraser led a number of AFM members to withdraw and form the Latter Rain Mission in South Africa.[3] She and her followers, known as Blourokkies (Blue Dresses) for the dresses worn by female adherents, emphasized Holy Spirit-inspired prophecy to a degree seen as unbiblical, excessive and dangerous by AFM officials. The movement did, however, contribute to a re-emphasis on the work and presence of the Holy Spirit in the church and ministry.
Upon becoming general secretary in 1935, David du Plessis oversaw a process of institutionalization from which a strong bureaucracy developed, directed by an increasingly educated leadership. It also had the effect of decreasing the role of the laity in the governance of the denomination. He is seen as the father of the "New Order" of AFM liturgy which called for more "respectable" and less extroverted Pentecostal church services.[3] By the 1940s, the simple halls that once housed AFM congregations had been replaced by buildings modeled on Dutch Reformed architecture. Elders and deacons were introduced in 1945, and by the 1960s relations between the AFM and Dutch Reformed churches had improved.[18]
While du Plessis advocated closer ties with the other Afrikaans churches in the 1950s and 60s, the AFM accommodated itself to South Africa's apartheid system. This move toward Afrikaner Nationalist support was led by AFM vice-president Gerrie Wessels, who became a National Party senator in 1955. During this time, the AFM (despite its large black, coloured, English and Indian membership) began to be spoken of as the "Fourth Afrikaans church" after South Africa's three Reformed churches.[3]
However, not everyone was satisfied with the new liturgical and political directions of the AFM. Wessel's political ties led to the radicalization of younger black pastors, the loss of the majority of the English membership, and a major division of Afrikaner members who did not share his political views. These Afrikaners not only disagreed with Wessel politically but also with du Plessis liturgically. In 1958, they broke from the AFM and formed the Pentecostal Protestant Church.[3]
At the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the AFM confessed to preaching that opposition to apartheid was "communist-inspired and aimed at the downfall of Christianity."[21]
Recent history
Since 1919, the black, coloured, and Indian sections of the AFM had developed as separate "daughter churches" or "mission churches". These were, however, dependent on the white church; the AFM's missions superintendent was the
The AFM is a growing church that prioritize church planting and growth. It has spread to all towns and villages in South Africa. More than 2000 assemblies and branch assemblies have been established.[17]
Beliefs
Local churches within the Apostolic Faith Mission display a variety of identities and ministry philosophies, including
- God is the eternal and triune.
- God the Father is the author of creation and salvation.
- Jesus Christ is the only Son of Godthe Father. For the sake of humanity and its salvation, he became flesh, lived on earth and was crucified, died and was buried; rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father.
- The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgement and leads in all truth.
- The Bible is the word of God, written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit. It authoritatively proclaims the will of God and teaches all that is necessary for salvation.
- All human beings are created in the image of God, but because of sin, this image is marred. It is the will of God that all people should receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
- The fruit of the Spiritwill be manifested in the life of a Christian, and a Christian should be a disciple of Jesus Christ living a consecrated and holy life.
- Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church which is constituted by the Holy Spirit and consists of born againbelievers. The Church is responsible for the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel and God's will to all people. As a charismatic community they fellowship with and edify one another.
- Believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper are instituted by Jesus Christ to be observed by the Church.
- At the time appointed by God, Jesus Christ will come to take away his Church.
- Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead. There will be a resurrection of the body and eternal life for the righteous and eternal punishment for the wicked. There will be the new heaven and the new earth where God will reign in glory.
Worship
The AFM is a Pentecostal church and its liturgy reflects the ecstatic and experiential practices found in similar churches world-wide.
The order of service is similar to other Pentecostal churches, for example the
Regular services are generally held on Sunday mornings and evenings. During the week, there are sometimes prayer or small group meetings and other types of gatherings.[25]
Organization
In 2000, the Apostolic Faith Mission adopted a new constitution which at the national level blends elements of its preexisting
Local and regional
Qualifications for membership are that one be
Local assemblies are organized into geographical regions. Regional leadership forums are representative bodies consisting of pastors and delegates from each local assembly.[27] Every three years, each forum elects a regional committee from among its members and a regional leader from among its pastors. The committee acts as an executive and advisory body to the regional leadership forum. Each region is represented by its leader on the National Leadership Forum. Non-geographical regions, in the form of networks of local churches that share a peculiar ministry philosophy, also exist.[3] These are normally led by the senior pastors of urban mega-churches, who network with a number of local assemblies nationwide that look to them for leadership and mentorship.
National
The AFM's national representative body is the triennial General Business Meeting.[28] Its main function is the election of the national officers: president, deputy president, general secretary and general treasurer. The four national officers always represent the significant ethnic groups within the church. Each local assembly is entitled to send a pastor and a delegate as voting members. Additional voting members are members of the National Leadership Forum, members of standing committees, one additional member representing each church department and one additional representative of the church's theological training institutions. Before 2000, the General Business Meeting was known as the Workers Council, met annually, and possessed greater power. After the adoption of the new constitution, most of the body's power was transferred to the National Leadership Forum.[3]
The National Leadership Forum, formerly known as the Executive Council, is the AFM's policy making body and the "guardian of doctrinal, ethical and liturgical matters in the church".[29] It licenses pastors, sets standards for ministerial training and settles disputes. It also convenes the annual National Leadership Conference and the General Business Meeting. While it has power to create and implement regulations, over 50 percent of the regional leadership forums can veto a regulation within 90 days of its passage by the National Leadership Forum. The National Leadership Forum's members are the national officers, the regional leaders, leaders of church departments and a representative of the AFM's theological training institutions. It may appoint additional members at its discretion. The administrative affairs of the national church are under the oversight of the national officers.
Theological Training
Theological training in the AFM was done at four campuses. Pastor M.A. Vilakazi was the rector of the Theological Institute of Soshanguve north of Pretoria. Pastor. A. Govender was the rector of the AFMTS Covenant Campus in Durban. Pastor J.R. de Beer was the principal of the Sarepta Theological College in Kuils Rivier, Cape Town. Prof. Jan Hattingh was the rector of the Auckland Park Theological Seminary in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. These training institutions are in the process of being united, as decided by the General Business meeting of the AFM in 2007.[10] The unification process brought division between the ATS Auckland Park Theological Seminary and the AFM. The ATS registration status was withdrawn by the DHE and students who entered since 2015 was considered by the AFM as "pipeline" students which means that they are given a grace period to complete their theological qualifications. The AFM's new approach to the training of their pastors is to enroll them at North-West University due to its partnership with them.
References
- ^ "History of the Church". Lake and Hezmalhalch in South Africa. Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ^ a b Office Bearers of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa Archived 18 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 2 September 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Clark, Matthew (2007). "Contemporary Pentecostal Leadership: The Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa as Case Study". Cyberjournal for Pentecostal-Charismatic Research (16). Archived from the original on 13 June 2011.
- ISBN 0-7969-1994-1.
- ^ a b Horn, Nico (2006). "Power and empowerment in the political context of some Afrikaans-speaking Pentecostals in South Africa" (PDF). Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae. XXXI (3): 225–253.
- ^ S2CID 144863971.
- ^ a b Matthew S. Clark, "Two Contrasting Models of Missions in South Africa: The Apostolic Faith Mission and the Assemblies of God," Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies vol. 8, no. 1 (2005): 144.
- ^ a b Clark, "Two Contrasting Models of Missions in South Africa," 146.
- ISBN 978-1-4185-0624-7.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-620-40753-3.
- ^ a b Maxwell, "Historicizing Christian Independency", 249.
- ^ Maxwell, "Historicizing Christian Independency", 246–248.
- ISBN 978-1-4185-0624-7.
- ^ Maxwell, "Historicizing Christian Independency", 250.
- ^ Maxwell, "Historicizing Christian Independency", 248.
- ^ Maxwell, "Historicizing Christian Independency", 259.
- ^ a b Anderson, Allan (2001). "Pentecostals and Apartheid in South Africa during Ninety Years 1908–1998". Cyberjournal for Pentecostal-Charismatic Research (9).
- ^ a b c Maxwell, "Historicizing Christian Independency", 252.
- ^ Clark, "Two Contrasting Models of Missions in South Africa," 144–145.
- S2CID 162869997.
- ^ "Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa Report, Volume 4" (PDF). Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ Confession of Faith of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 2 September 2010.
- ISBN 0-520-20939-7.
- ^ Menzies, William W. (2005). Roozen David R. and Niemand James R. (ed.). Church, identity, and change: theology and denominational structures in unsettled times. p. 100.
- ^ "Services". AFM Krugersdorp. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ a b Constitution of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa Archived 24 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine, a church incorporated in terms of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa (Private) Act 24 of 1961, as amended, p. 3. Accessed 2 September 2010.
- ^ Constitution of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, p. 4.
- ^ Constitution of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, p. 6.
- ^ Constitution of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, p. 5.
External links