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AFM Newsflash Friday_10 FEB_2023
FEBRUARY
RESOURCES
Pastoral Letter: 4th Quarter 2022
https://afm-ags.org/pastoral-letter-4th-quarter-2022/
AFM of SA National Calendar 2023 – Including the Latest Updates (8 Feb)!
https://afm-ags.org/afm-of-sa-national-calendar-2023/
NOB Empowerment Visits 2023: Dates & Venues – You are Invited!
https://afm-ags.org/nob-empowerment-visits-2023-dates-venues/
Dear Colleague,
1. ARE WE HEARING OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS?
Recently I became aware of a hip-hop song reflecting a search for significant relationships and examples worth emulating. Many of the songs in this category currently reflect a general feeling and outcry of despair, loss, bitterness and a lack of positive future expectations.
Part of the paradigm created by an absence of male role models for boys and young men, which is probably being fed by the images created by social media and pornography – is that of a world in which girls and women are viewed (in differing degrees) as functional objects. Either as trophies to boast about and to build your image, or as outlets to satisfy your emotional and physical needs. The frustration of which might lead to abuse and violence. Exactly what we see happening in society at large and also in our schools.
Is this how our sons view the world? As a place of despair, loss, bitterness and a bleak future. Our matric results have just been published and again we have been reminded that they are better than the previous year. A less-known fact is that boys are more likely to leave school before Grade 12 and that only 46% of the matrics who passed the 2022 exams, were boys.
Teenage pregnancies and the number of girls who struggle to complete secondary schooling because of that is a huge problem. However, is there a potential connection between the unacceptably high teenage pregnancy levels and the fact that many boys leave school before completing Grade 12?
Our sons and daughters are not the problems as some would want us to believe. Maybe they are trying to tell us something that we are not hearing. Is that not perhaps part of why our boys are attracted to lyrics that portray a dystopian world where women exist to be used and humiliated (because they humiliated you) and where heroes are people with shiny cars, golden jewellery and doubtful business models?
We must pray for our sons and daughters. We must pray for our fathers and mothers. Most of all, we must ensure that we as Pastors and Members of the AFM do not just talk, but really do what we can to provide positive Holy Spirit-filled role models for our sons and our daughters.
(With Acknowledgement to Pieter Malan)
2. NOB EMPOWERMENT VISITS
Keep The Fire Burning
We are looking forward to visiting and spending time in ministry and impartation with Regional Pastors, Assembly Leaders, Governing Body Members, Departments and Members during the Regional Empowerment Visits. The Theme for 2023 is: KEEP THE FIRE BURNING.
The National Office Bearers (NOB) felt led to focus on the Spiritual Foundation of Missionality and to spend time on who we are and how we live as Holy Spirit-filled people and church. We will focus on (i) Our Calling as Believers and Pastors; (ii) Daily time with the Word and in Prayer; (iii) The Character, Values and Norms of Holy Spirit filled People; and (iv) Keeping the Fire Burning in your Finances.
Below we share the remaining dates and venues for the NOB Empowerment Visits of 2023:
The Programme for Friday and Saturday is available from our website:
https://afm-ags.org/category/events/
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
3. AFM WELFARE: NEWSLETTER
The True Purpose of Welfare: A Mandate to Help those in Need
Our church’s Welfare Department (known as AFM Welfare), released its first Newsletter for 2023. You are welcome to download the Newsletter from the link below and distribute it within your Assembly, Region, Network or Department:
AFM Welfare A Family That Cares JAN_2023
Warm Regards!
Henri Weideman
