Download the PDF version here (e-mail & printer-friendly):
RESOURCES
1. Women’s Month Message: Jacobeth Mahlobo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSUNlpFarfg&t=5s
2. Pastoral Letter: 2nd Quarter
https://afm-ags.org/pastoral-letter-2nd-quarter-2021/
3. The Possible Adoption of a Single Marriage Statute: AFM Submission
https://afm-ags.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Letter-to-the-SLRC-4-May-2021.pdf
4. PEPUDA Amendment Bill: AFM Submission
https://afm-ags.org/pepuda-amendment-bill-afm-response-june-2021/
1. THE BIBLE SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA
The Bible Society of SA will be celebrating 201 years of Bible work in South Africa on the 22nd of August 2021. The AFM pastors who are seconded to the Bible Society of SA are Pastors George Thompson, Bennie Francke, Nimrod Kekana and Theuns Louw. The Bible Society’s vision for 2020/2021 is to distribute 2 million Bibles free of charge.
They have made huge strides in achieving this target despite various National Disaster restrictions. They have distributed, 799 216 complete Bibles, 5 Braille, 557 Audio Bibles and 84 498 sets of literacy Books for Grade 7 learners. Many of these recipients were AFM Assemblies/Members. This was made possible by contributions from the National Leadership Forum (NLF) and some of our local Assemblies.
I am asking that you will pray for the achievement of this noble vision. I am also requesting that, where possible, let us continue to give financial support to the Bible Society. Financial contributions can be made into the Bible Society’s account:
Name: Bible Society SA
Bank: Absa
Account No.: 260 220 748
Ref. AFM/AGS and Name of Assembly
2. THE myAFM APP: COMING SOON!
As a church, we have access to technology that enables us to reach more lives and promote daily missional living. The myAFM APP is a platform for everything that is AFM in one place. The APP will allow its subscribers to stream sermons, access different Bible translations, read weekly devotions, receive information about AFM events and other live notifications or messages. Subscribers will be spiritually nurtured and empowered to be agents of change within their local communities.
We have already received many messages of interest as well as questions regarding the APP. We want to use the opportunity to provide some more information:
- The myAFM APP is a mobile application that puts information directly in the hands of the user. Although it is a platform that centralises existing AFM content, it will also contain content that will not be available elsewhere except on the APP.
- The myAFM APP will launch by using existing AFM content. However, the vision is to grow and develop the APP from hereon to include more unique content. The App will develop from what we currently have to include a number of practical and exciting value-adding applications.
- Technically, there isn’t something like a “free” mobile application. There is always a cost involved that is carried by someone. In most cases, the cost is covered through advertisements. The disadvantage of this model is that interested advertisers do not always share the values of the church. To mitigate this risk, we have decided on a model where the AFM will carry the cost. The implication hereof is that every voluntary subscriber contributes R12 per month from their airtime account. As a church we are open about our decision and model – in many instances, subscribers to APPS think it is “free” without knowing that airtime is being deducted regularly.
- The R12 per month will be used to cover costs related to: (i) Service providers such as MTN/ Vodacom, Apple and Android, (ii) The service provider for “hosting” the content contained in the APP, (iii) The technical development of the APP including maintenance and new features (especially because it is the church’s own APP and not owned by another organisation), (iv) A communication professional for creating and managing a content strategy for the APP and (v) A percentage of the potential income will be used by the church to subsidise deserving projects and programmes.
For additional questions, please do not hesitate to send us an e-mail enquiry:
henri@afm-ags.org (General Secretary of the AFM of SA)
chantalle@afm-ags.org (AFM Communication)
3. MIL (MINISTRY INTEGRATED LEARNING): UPDATE
This is a reminder of the re-scheduled dates for MIL Workshops in Pretoria, Amanzimtoti and Bellville. New dates had to be identified to adapt to lockdown restrictions on gatherings. Kindly diarise the new dates as follow:
3rd Workshop 2021
Pretoria: 30 August – 1 September
Amanzimtoti: 13 September – 15 September
Bellville: 20 September – 22 September
4th Workshop 2021
Pretoria: 1 November – 3 November
Amanzimtoti: 8 November – 10 November
Bellville: 15 November – 17 November
Also, note that MIL Application Forms for 2022 are now available from the MIL website. The closing date for applications has been extended to 15 September 2021:
For further support please do not hesitate to contact our National MIL Coordinator:
Dr. Christo van den Berg
Blessings!
MG Mahlobo
