AFM INTERNATIONAL
The Apostolic Faith Mission International is a body of family and fellowship of all National AFM churches worldwide. The organization promotes fellowship, networking and partnerships between member-churches enabling them to reach out to the unreached. The body also aims at fostering unity between and amongst all the national AFM churches internationally based on the common Confession of Faith by organizing spiritual conferences, workshops, seminars and meetings between the member churches.
Today, AFM has grown in many African countries, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. These international churches of the AFM are linked up through the AFM International to which member countries affiliate. Apostolic Faith Church Kenya is one of key members of AFM International.
Theological training colleges are also established in Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda and Zimbabwe – with some of these countries are also involved with social development projects.
To continue with its mission, the AFM International needs your prayers, support, commitment and direct involvement.
Triennially the Apostolic Faith Mission International Council meets to elect Leadership for The AFM International, Sisters Fellowship, Youth and Children’s Ministries etc. During the last AFM International Conference in Harare, Zimbabwe in April 2016 the following AFM International leaders were duly elected.
OFFICE BEARERS
Dr Frank Chikane
(Immediate Former President)
Early background:
Pastor Frank Chikane was born on the 3rd of January 1951 in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga. He attended both primary and high school in Soweto.
Pastor Frank Chikane grew up in the AFM and became a Sunday School Teacher, a youth leader and a member of the Board of the Assembly. He completed a Diploma in Theology and was ordained as a pastor in 1980.
He served as Pastor at the Kagiso Assembly and the Naledi Assemblies. In 1992, he became the president of the Black Section of the AFM of South Africa and in 1993 the president of the Composite Section of the AFM of South Africa. In 1996 he became the first vice-president of the united AFM of South Africa and was a major role player in uniting the black and white sections of the church. He is currently the president of AFM International and also the presiding Pastor of the Naledi Assembly in Soweto.
Professional experience:
Pastor Frank Chikane completed his MA in Religious Studies at the University of Natal in 1992 and his MA degree in Public Administration (MPA) with the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1995.
He serves as Director of the Institute for Contextual Theology (ICT), General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), a member of the Independent Electoral Commission (which was responsible for the first non-racial democratic elections in 1994), a Research Officer at the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Cape Town, Special Advisor to Thabo Mbeki, Director General in the office of the Deputy President and Deputy Secretary of Cabinet, Director-General in the Presidency and Secretary of the Cabinet. At a political level he was Deputy President of the Soweto Civic Association, Deputy President of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC).
He is also an author.
Personal background:
Pastor Frank Chikane has been married to Kagiso since February 1980 and they have 3 children, Obakeng, Otlile and Rekgotsofetse. He lived in Soweto for most of his life and now resides in Midrand.
Rev George Mahlobo
(President)
Early background:
Pastor George Mahlobo was born on the 22nd of April 1954 in Vukuzakhe (Volksrust) in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. He attended primary school in Vukuzakhe and high school in Daggakraal in Vryheid. He obtained his diploma in theology from the Central Bible College in 1978 and obtained his Bachelor of Theology degree from University of Pretoria in 1984. On the 31st of March 1979 Pastor Mahlobo was ordained as an AFM Pastor and has since served as presiding pastor at the following AFM congregations: Machadodorp (1978-1980), Mabopane (1980-1985), Phuthaditjhaba (1985-1999). He was also part of the ministry team at Doxa Deo Inner City Campus (1999-2004) and since 2004 he is serving as presiding Pastor of the AFM Soshanguve Hilltop Restoration Centre.
Pastor Mahlobo served on various structures within the AFM and was the General Secretary since 1996 to 2016. He has been elected as the Secretary of AFM International in 2013 to date. Reverend Mahlobo became the President of the AFM Church of South Africa in August 2016.
Professional experience:
Other structures outside the AFM in which he served included: Radio Pulpit Board of Directors (2003-2012), Impact Community Radio Board of Directors (2001 to date), Chairperson of the Security Services Christian Advisory Board (a body that deals with policy relating to Chaplaincies in the Department of Correctional Services), South African National Defence Force and the South African Police Services (2003 to date).
Personal background:
He is married to Jacobeth since July 1978 and resides in Orchards, Akasia (Pretoria).
Rev Jobe Repent Koosimile
(Deputy President)
Early background:
Rev Koosimile was born on the 20th April 1972 in Molepolole, Botswana. Rev Jobe has outstanding leadership qualities and experience in pastoral work and this made the church to entrust him with the responsibility of being a treasurer for AFMI, in Zimbabwe in April 2016. Reverend Jobe did his Cambridge Overseas Secondary Certificate (COSC) in 1991 in his home village Molepolole, where he grew up. He also did his lower academic levels in Molepolole. He answered his pastoral call immediately after completion of COSC in 1992. Rev Koosimile served as a National Youth leader in AFM Botswana from 1997-2002. He has also worked with different Youth Groups like Youth for Christ Botswana. Previously, he pastored the following assemblies: Bobonong, (from 1995-1998) Mochudi, (1999-2006) Serowe (2008-2012) and Thamaga (2012 to date). He served as a missionary in Republic of Ireland from Jan 2007- April 2008.
He holds a bachelor of Theology from Tripp Bible Institute (USA) and Bachelor of Theological Studies from Vision International University (USA). He has also done a three year Ministerial Diploma at Central Bible College in South Africa.
He is the President of The Apostolic Faith Mission in Botswana. He has been the Vice President since March 2001 until June 2013 when he became the Chairperson.
Professional experience:
Rev Koosimile has also served as the Chairperson of the Mochudi Prison Visiting Committee and Kgatleng District Council Child Welfare Committee. In September 2015, he was elected to be the National Chairperson of Botswana Christian Aids Intervention Program (BOCAIP) which its aim is to help fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and teaching Christian morals in the society. In the same year in November, he was elected the Vice President of Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana which oversees the Evangelical Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches in Botswana.
Personal background:
Rev J Koosimile got married to Monei Rachel Koosimile on 6th of November 1997 and they are blessed with two children: a boy, Victor, and a girl, Joy.
Dr. H.J. Weideman
(Secretary General)
Henri Weideman was born in Kimberley on the 15th of August 1962. He matriculated at Diamantveld High School after which he began his studies in Theology at the University of Johannesburg (then RAU) in 1981.
Whilst studying at the AFM Theological College in Aucklandpark, he also completed a Bth degree at UNISA in 1986. During this time he worked at the Helen Joseph (then J.G.Strijdom) Academic Hospital to pay for his studies. He completed a Bth-Hon degree in Practical Theology in 1988. During the time of compulsory military service, he served in the Chaplaincy for two years. He did his practical training at Rondebosch East assembly and was elected as regional Sunday School treasurer of the then Southern Cape Region.
Henri was ordained in 1986 after which he served in the Bellville assembly in Cape Town as youth pastor. In 1989 he was called to Goodwood assembly as pastor of their Children and Youth department. He was elected on the Western Cape Regional Youth committee as a member and later as leader and also served on the National Youth council. In 1997 Bellville assembly called him back as presiding pastor. During this time he was elected as a committee member of the Western Cape Regional Leaders Forum.
He completed a M.A. degree at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on the role of pastors in the development of leaders for ministries in local assemblies in 2004. During this time Bellville assembly reconstructed a furniture warehouse store into a 1300 seater auditorium.
In 2010 he completed a doctorate (D Litt et Phil) at UJ on strategies to support assembly leaders to address the demands of the current times in ministry. During that time he was elected as leader of the Missio Dei AFM Network. Henri has a passion for the continuous development of pastors and leaders. In 2008-2009 he participated in coaching training.
He was appointed as national coordinator of the Pastoral Continuous Development (PCD) initiative of the AFM in 2013. During 2015 he completed training in Mediation. Whilst being in the Bellville assembly he was involved in community based organizations and served on the ward committee of sub council 6 in Cape Town, as well as vice chair of the governing board of RAMOT (a centre for the treatment of substance dependency).
Henri believes in exercise and a healthy lifestyle and has an interest in gardening, growing miniature trees and doing stained-glass work. He is married to Margaret since 1986 and they have a daughter Inge.
Henri and Margaret lives in Pretoria, Irene.