THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION OF SA DIE APOSTOLIESE GELOOFSENDING VAN SA
Newsflash | 18 August 2017 Dear Colleagues, CELEBRATING OUR WOMEN IN THE CHURCH Although I am not in possession of statistics I think it is fair to say that a huge component of the AFM membership is women. In most of our congregations, women ministry is adding value to the general ministry of the local church. According to our data we have a total of 276 ordained women pastors. This translates into 18% of the total number of our ordained pastors. This is a huge growth if we compare this figure with the one of women pastors twenty years ago. The figure then, was less than a hundred. The number of women pastors who are presiding pastors in local assemblies is also growing, although at a slow pace. The number of women in other leadership positions at local and Regional structures has increased. This is, however, not so at the national level. I think patriarchal tendencies contribute to few women that are presiding pastors and members of the church’s structures at the national level. We need to pray and work hard for the change of these tendencies. The Sisters (women’s) is one of the departments that is doing well in some of its programs. Its annual conferences are attended by over ten thousand women and men. The National Sisters Conference makes donations to hospices in the various Provinces. In the past three years, it has donated three houses to some of our retired pastors who were without proper houses. We are aware of the violence and other forms of abuse that are experienced by women in South Africa. I am calling upon all church’s members to be part of the fight against women abuse both in the church and in the society in general. I salute our women for their contribution to the growth of the church and extension of God’s Kingdom. I pray that the Lord will continue to add anointing on their ministry. PHAMBILI NGEMBOKODO PHAMBILI. 1. AFM National Conference 2017 The NOB hereby invite you to the 2017 AFM National Conference! The theme of the conference is: COHESION Living as people of the Spirit in a secularizing society. Joh.17:20-21