Abstract

The AFM started as an interracial mission with a strong emphasis on the “anointing of the Holy Spirit” and the ministry of each member of the assembly. Leadership was developed through the local church as the body of Christ and there were no distinctions between clergy and laity. All who were saved were expected (and trained) to witness; no theological training was required for the different levels of ministry, not even for preachers. There was a hierarchy starting with church members being witnesses, but with the opportunity to develop into a deacon, elder, local preacher, and finally an overseer. In this article the development of training for the ministry along separate lines for different racial groups in accordance with the ruling Apartheid policy of the Nationalist government is discussed. After a hundred years the AFM has one training structure with a new centralized seminary and one curriculum for all.

Highlights

  • Theological training in the AFM can be divided into several periods, reflecting the changing attitudes towards training of pastors, from a period of no formal training to training arranged as a Bible School, and later as theological colleges, until training acquired a theological depth with the connection with theological faculties at universities

  • The strong Pentecostal conviction, with its all-inclusive attitude towards those who accepted the teachings of salvation, healing, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the second coming of Christ (Chappell 1986:72; Dayton 1987:19-20), was not strong enough to keep the body of faith in unity

  • In 1946 the AFM had purchased a farm in Brakpan to house a Bible school for Black students, but because it was in an area that was zoned for “Whites only”, the farm had to be sold again (MBWC 1947:14; 1948:19; 1949:23)

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Summary

INTRODUCTION

Theological training in the AFM can be divided into several periods, reflecting the changing attitudes towards training of pastors, from a period of no formal training to training arranged as a Bible School, and later as theological colleges, until training acquired a theological depth with the connection with theological faculties at universities

PRE-BIBLE SCHOOL YEARS
EARLIEST BIBLE SCHOOL YEARS
NEW INTEREST IN BIBLE SCHOOL
Last years of Apartheid: “Black training”
On the way to unification of the AFM and its training institutes
UNIFIED AT LAST
Full Text
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