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Geoff Holder

Around Africa

By Liberia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia

News from Liberia, South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia, Uganda and Tanzania.

Liberia

Revd Aberdeen Gargli (on left in photo above), Principal of the Evangelical Theological College of Liberia and Revd Clinton Gbawah, Legal Representative of the Evangelical Church Network of Liberia, met to talk about eVitabu at the college in Monrovia. The two men have been connected through their shared links with APF and eVitabu.

South Sudan

APF partner in South Sudan, Saints Revival Committee, distributed Bibles to pastors from over twenty denominations in rural Aweil South County with support from an APF local language Bible grant.

Tanzania

10Giving contacted APF recently wondering if we could help them distribute spare copies of the brilliant children’s book The True King by Nancy Guthrie and Jenny Brake. APF partners Love and Care for the Child Ministries, Faith Babies Home and Walubu Jude were able to distribute hundreds of copies to children in central Uganda. The book, written for children aged 3 to 7, is beautifully illustrated and introduces children to the big story of the Bible — the story of the True King who rules over his people in perfect goodness and a kingdom that will last forever.

Zambia

Bike grants were received by eight pastors in Zambia. Also, Lawson Limao from Word of God ministries received a grant to install solar lighting in the homes of pastors without access to electricity.

Uganda

Revd Esomu Francis (in pink shirt)is pictured here with local pastors from Karamoja Region in northern Uganda. Francis is the founder and principal of Atirir Bible School in Teso Region. APF supports ABS trains pastors and church leaders in theology to certificate level, and also helps Francis travel to remote regions to run workshops with untrained rural leaders. Francis told us:

“These native pastors are an active and vibrant part of the ministry in Abim and Otuke Districts of Karamoja. They are pastoring rural churches, doing extensive evangelism outreach into unreached areas and planting churches to expand the Kingdom of God. Since these church leaders make their living through farming, many struggle to meet the financial needs of their families, theological education for themselves and fees for their children. Ministry travel expenses and food are also challenging factors.”

Kenya

While Dave was in Kenya in April, he was invited to talk about eVitabu and Digital Theology at the Baptist Convention of Kenya’s general assembly. This is the denomination’s largest annual gathering where around 2,000 Baptist Christians come together.

July 1, 2024
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July 2024 newsletter

By Impetus

July 2024 Impetus.

Welcome to Impetus.

At the time of writing I am taking a break from checking through the footnotes of my final dissertation for the Masters in Digital Theology I commenced a little over two years ago. The title of my research project is ‘The Smart Pastor’ and it is an in-depth exploration of the training needs and opportunities for church leaders in Africa in our digital age.

I want to take this moment to publicly thank the trustees of APF for allowing me the chance to study. I realise this debt of gratitude places me in a similar category to the thousands of African pastors who benefit from access to training, resources and encouragement through the ministry of APF.

To celebrate the completion of my course I am inviting APF supporters to participate in an online digital theology taster session later in the year. This will be similar in content to the sessions I have presented in Africa over the past two years. Details of when these will take place will be published in the next edition of Impetus, but it would be helpful to get an indication of interest, so please drop me an email if you think this might be something you would like to join.

In the meantime, I hope you find the articles and updates in this edition of Impetus inspiring and informative. Thank you, as ever, for your prayers and financial support as APF works to enable effective ministry in Africa through our dedicated training partners.

In Christ,


Revd Dave Stedman
CEO

Download 'Impetus'
July 1, 2024
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Let this Work Continue

By Farming, Training, Zambia

Lawson Limao from Word of God Ministries in Zambia has been supported by APF and Operation Agri to train rural communities to make compost. In the midst of Zambia’s cost-of-living crisis, he explains why something as simple as compost is so essential.

You are what you eat

Today, Zambia is in real crisis. The cost-of-living crisis is affecting so many people and dragging the majority down. Perhaps its biggest impact is on our diets. Low salaries and insecure incomes mean most just eat what they can, regardless of whether the food is good, healthy and wholesome. Afterall, you are what you eat.

Commercial farms run by big businesses try and keep the markets supplied but their use of commercial, genetically modified and infertile seed varieties relies on huge amounts of chemical fertiliser. These crops might be fast growing but large-scale industrial farming is leading to deforestation, soil erosion, and land and water pollution. It is pushing small-scale farmers off their land. It is also expensive. To maintain yields, more and more chemical fertiliser is needed but the cost of fertiliser is going up all the time.

Smallholders and fertilisers

You might think that the high food price is good news for poor small-holder farmers in Zambia who would benefit from a better price for their crops, but that is not really the case. Poor farmers still sell most of their crops at harvest when prices are lower to payback debts built up from buying farm inputs like fertiliser and seed, or to pay their children’s school fees. While they sell their crops at harvest when the price is lower, they buy food to feed their family throughout the year, even when the price is high.

While large commercial farms can access government support to buy chemical fertiliser at subsidised prices through schemes like the Farmers Input Support Program, most farmers live on small family farms of just a few hectares and simply cannot access the schemes. The majority of these farmers are also women, and they are hugely disadvantaged. It is a big political issue.

For many years now, people have been taught that the only way to get a successful crop is through using chemical fertiliser, so they spend more and more on it each year. As the soil structure breaks down, they need more fertiliser to produce a crop, so the problem simply gets worse. This pushes prices up and means the percentage of their income a family uses to buy food becomes an even greater part of the overall.

Organic fertiliser project

This is why the project we have been running with support from APF and Operation Agri is so important. We are running the project in Petauke District, in the area overseen by the Nyampende chief. This is in Zambia’s Eastern Province, not far from the Mozambique border, and it is an area heavily dependent on agriculture. Like much of Zambia, maize in the main crop here.

We started by working with local leaders and together we identified 400 farmers to be part of the project. Village headmen and headwomen, the local churches and agronomists were all consulted, and the farmers gathered for training.

We began by taking about the needs of the soil and the crops. We shared stories and people were all in agreement about how worried they were about the future.
How could they continue when the cost of inputs was making their lives so hard? How could they afford school fees, animals or food? Many were cutting down trees and selling charcoal so they could afford to buy chemical fertiliser.

We then taught about how to make different types of organic fertilisers such as thermal compost and organic liquid feeds. Thermal compost only takes a number of months before it is ready and replaces the chemical fertiliser normally used at planting. To make liquid feeds we demonstrated how to mix cow, chicken, pig or goat manure in an old sack and suspend it like a teabag in a drum of water. The organic infusion is so rich it can be diluted and used to feed the crops as they grow.

The project has been a great success as the training was so well received. Afterwards, everyone was saying how using what they thought of as waste to support their soil and their crops was going to be a big transformation. Knowing that another way was possible was going to save them so much.

They asked me to extend the training to other areas in Petauke District where friends and relatives lived so they could also learn these skills. They told us, ‘Uyu utumiki upitilize!’ meaning, ‘Let this work continue!’

Drought affecting Southern Africa

The good news story of the organic fertiliser project’s success has been seriously impacted by the ongoing drought that has affecting Southern Africa this year. We would normally expect rain in December through to February or March, however, this year many farmers are still waiting. The drought is partly due to the ongoing El Niño climate cycle, which has changed rainfall patterns during our growing season, but localised deforestation has made this bad situation worse. As part of the training, we shared how trees can support soil structure, fix nitrogen, and even cool the land which encourages clouds and rain. Please pray for the farmers in the organic fertiliser training project and others across Zambia as they struggle through the current drought.

July 1, 2024
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Remembering Revd Canon Apuuli Kinobe

By Training, Uganda

As you might imagine, APF receive a lot of speculative emails from wannabe partners from all over Africa (and elsewhere, as it happens). These correspondents often request school fees or iron roofing sheets for a church roof and once a 4×4 vehicle. We try to reply to the majority of these, usually explaining that we don’t have capacity for new partnerships and signposting them to eVitabu.

Occasionally an email catches my attention. One such came from Muringi Solomon during my recent stay in Uganda. He explained that he was the son of Rev Canon Apuuli Kinobe, a former regional worker for APF responsible for Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Who knew? It was certainly news to me! In our email exchange, Solomon outlined Canon Kinobe’s work for APF: coordinating trips for our founder Derek Blundell, visiting dioceses to identify the most worthy requests for training partnerships and delivering much of that training too. Solomon also sent photos that confirmed any lingering doubt I may have had about his story. He explained that his mother had often asked if APF still existed. His Google search showed that it did, hence his introductory message.

One of the benefits of visiting Africa and staying for several weeks is that it provides time to follow up on unexpected opportunities. So, while in Uganda, I was able to meet Solomon, his mother, Grace, and sister, Brenda, at their shop in Kampala. It was great to hear their reminiscences of sharing in ministry with Derek and Jill Blundell. We looked through an entire album of photographs of African ministry tours, regional events and sightseeing visits in the UK with APF.

Solomon continues to run a clerical tailoring business which APF helped to establish decades ago. I believe APF shipped ten sewing machines and paid for Grace and others to learn tailoring skills to help support Canon Kinobe’s ministry. Solomon claims the business is now the leading outfitters of vestments in the whole of Uganda.

eived a call from Bishop Data from Morobi Diocese in South Sudan enquiring about purchasing new vestments. We know Bishop Data and have supported priests in the diocese in recent years with grants for bikes and Bibles!

After bidding Solomon, Grace and Brenda farewell, I reflected that there is nothing new under the sun and that the vision APF has to empower African Training Partners, identify coordinators and even appoint an African Director is not without precedent. It also made me reflect and give thanks for Canon Kinobe’s life and legacy, and the seed that APF was able to plant many years ago which continues to provide for his family and clothe African clergy not just with beautifully handcrafted vestments but, we pray, even power from on high!

Canon Kinobe died in 2012 and his obituary was published in New Vision, one of Uganda’s leading newspapers. It makes good reading, so in memory of a former colleague, someone that a handful of supporters may remember or might have even met, you can find it in full here.

July 1, 2024
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Ministry in the Digital Age

By eVitabu, Training

By Revd Dave Stedman.

During my recent visit to Kenya I was privileged to be the one of the speakers at the Baptist Convention of Kenya general assembly. More than 2,000 delegates gathered at Kanduyi in Bungoma County not far from the border with Uganda for the event. In addition to sharing information about eVitabu, I was invited to speak about Christian ministry in the digital age. The talk was well received and several exciting new contacts were made, not least with the Kenya Baptist Theological College and the Aberdare Baptist Convention that covers eight counties in central Kenya, around 300 churches, and borders the Central Rift Baptist Convention with which we have partnered over the past decade.

Here is an edited version of what I shared at the convention:

The world has changed. We are more connected than ever. Twenty years ago, before my first ever visit to sub-Saharan Africa, a simple email exchange took several weeks. My contact in Uganda lived deep in the village and had to walk several kilometres to find a boda-boda (motorcycle) to carry him to a matatu (taxi bus) stage where he could get a ride into Soroti Town. On reaching town there may or may not be power and regardless, there was never a guarantee of an internet connection at the cybercafe. The round trip was both costly and time consuming.

Today, that same man still lives deep in the village but with his smartphone he can send instant messages, make video calls, take selfies, engage with social media and bank online. The world has changed, and this new digital age has implications for both ministry and mission in Africa.

As followers of Jesus, and especially as Christian leaders, how do we share the everlasting gospel in this ever-changing media landscape? Luke 4:14-30 provides some transferrable lessons that can help us navigate our response and engagement to the increasingly embedded, embodied and everyday reality of mobile media technology. You can like it or loathe it, but you cannot ignore it. For most it is impossible to avoid.

Jesus engaged with the technology of his day.

“Jesus took the scroll, read from it, then rolled it up.” Jesus often used the technology of the day to enhance his ministry: boarding a boat for a pulpit, fashioning a whip in the temple, even being executed on a piece of hideous technology. Human beings are technological creatures, participants in God’s creative process. We should not fear digital technology any more than any other form of technology but it should be handled with care; deliberately, intentionally and strategically for the Kingdom.

Meredith Gould wrote this prayer back in 2010. It is a contemporary take on Saint Teresa of Avila’s prayer ‘Christ Has No Body’ and is helpful as we consider our online engagement:

Christ has no online presence but yours,
No blog, no Facebook page but yours,
Yours are the tweets through which love touches this world,
Yours are the posts through which the Gospel is shared,
Yours are the updates through which hope is revealed.
Christ has no online presence but yours,
No blog, no Facebook page but yours.

— Meredith Gould

Jesus was in his hometown but announced a mission to the nations.

Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 with its Jewish notion of ‘jubilee’ – a day when debts would be cancelled, slaves set free, land laid fallow and the sick restored. This message met with everyone’s approval. You can almost sense sage heads nodding and the amens being raised. But he then suggests that jubilee is not confined to the ethnic nation of Israel but is for widows from Sidon and lepers from Syria. Jubilee is for foreigners, for Gentiles as well as Jews: a mission to the nations.

The Church has a long tradition of missionary endeavour, faithful servants travelling to the ends of the earth to share Christ. But I want to suggest in the digital age we carry the nations in our pocket, the ends of the earth are a swipe away. There are a myriad of new communities, cultures and people groups online not limited by borders. This is a mission-field as much, perhaps more, than the geographic nations. The church needs to be there, not just present, but active. We need a mission to the Metaverse!

Jesus faced opposition but was resolute and determined.

The suggestion that the gospel was for gentiles as well as Jews was not well received. The religious elite take Jesus to a precipice and want to throw him off the cliff. Somehow he escapes but the episode highlights the reality that the announcement of the gospel will not always be welcome, and may even make us unpopular. As much care needs to be taken online as with in-person interactions to share the truth in love. We must not to use anonymity to be unnecessarily provocative, unloving or unkind but promote peace and pastoral concern in every engagement.

The key phrase in the entire text comes in verse 21 when Jesus says, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”. The time has come, the Kingdom is near. This means today, not just one day in the distant future, but now and every day, present and continuous. Today, this technology is our technology! Today, this freedom is our freedom! Today, this mission is our mission and today, the Spirit who anointed Jesus, is our Spiritual power-bank too! Most of us are called to mission at home, others to the nations, but who is being called to the Metaverse?

July 1, 2024
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APF Charity Golf Competition

By UK

Thank you for your interest in the APF Charity Golf Competition.

Due to the geographical spread of our golf playing supporters this year we’re doing a charity golf event with a difference.

Instead of having one day and one venue, you can play any course, any day of your choice, during July and August.

Here’s how it works:

  • Team up with your friends and dedicate the round to APF.
  • Donate £5 entry per player, plus the value of your stableford points score…
  • For example, if you play to your handicap and score 36 points, you’ll donate (£5 plus £36) = £41. Easy!

There will be prizes for best individual and fourball scores, with winners being announced in early September.

The added advantage is that you could choose to play more than once!

We hope the flexibility of date and venue will enable you to take part, have fun, drive straight, sink putts, score points – and raise funds for APF training and humanitarian projects in Africa.

And, for the early birds you can enter today by donating your £5 entry per player here or drop me an email to confirm your participation and pay in full once you’ve played.

Once you have played just send in a copy of your card and make your donation. If you are happy to take a team photo for APF to possibly share in our social media and other publications that too, would be great!

June 3, 2024
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News from Uganda

By Uganda

The latest news from APF partners in Uganda including Pastors’ Discipleship Network, Bishop Lee Rayfield Leadership College and Bibles in Bushenyi.

Growing partnership with PDN

The Pastors Discipleship Network (PDN) in Uganda received an APF grant to help them host a youth leaders training conference later this year. This exciting development coincides with PDN’s construction of a new university campus, Cornerstone University, in partnership with American funders. Cornerstone University will offer a comprehensive curriculum ranging from certificate programs to master’s degrees, with a unique focus on integrating Digital Theology into all courses. Dave is actively supporting the PDN/Cornerstone team by contributing to curriculum development and will participate in some teaching.

Bishop Lee Rayfeild Leadership College

Reverend Charles Okidi leads Bishop Lee Rayfield Leadership College (BLRLC), a Church of Uganda institution in rural northern Uganda. Despite the college’s basic infrastructure, Charles has a visionary plan to use technology to enhanced training of clergy and lay leaders. Recognising this potential, APF recently awarded BLRLC a digital tools grant to kickstart the design and development of a college website.

Bibles to Bushenyi

Pastor Rukundo Abel, who leads the YWAM training center in Jinja, spearheads the “End Bible Poverty Now” initiative. Recognising the need for access to scripture, APF approved a grant in January to distribute 100 local language Bibles to churches in Bushenyi district.

Connecting with Somalia

During Dave’s visit to Uganda in December, he met with Philip Onen and Lt Paul Koyoa in Kampala. Philip runs the Community First Project which reaches some of the 40,000 Somalis living in the city with the gospel, vocational and IT training courses. Paul is an officer in the Ugandan army medical corp. as well as being an army chaplain and Regional Director for the International Evangelical Association of Chaplains. Together with APF and others within Somalia, we are working together to reach Somalis for Christ. One important aspect of this ministry comes through Christian leadership training for Ugandan civilian and military personnel serving in UNSOM (the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Somalia).

Tree planting in Bulogo

Walubo Jude Tadeo is a force of nature in Bulogo. Since 2018, he has been tirelessly planting trees for a greener future, exceeding a remarkable 50,000 trees planted. From eucalyptus and mahogany to mango and avocado, he’s diversifying the landscape for a flourishing ecosystem. Jude’s dedication extends beyond environmental efforts. He’s also planning pastor training conferences, providing management and support to the Bulogo Women’s Cooperative, and launching vocational training courses – all thanks to an APF annual African Training Partner grant.

Bible commentaries

APF supporters have donated both new and used Bible commentaries to APF. These have been sent to Uganda using our preferred shipping agent, Salabed. Our good friend Peter Mugabi will sift though the books, making use of some for personal study and donate others to rural bible schools and the networks of pastors he serves through Cephas Leadership Foundation.

April 4, 2024
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Around Africa

By Malawi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia

News from Malawi, South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia and Tanzania.

Malawi

Central Bible School in Malawi was spotlighted here. The college’s library facilities are in need of improvement so a digital tools and training grant has been approved. This grant will equip each of the eight faculty members with a suitable smartphone, allowing them to install and utilise eVitabu as a valuable addition to the college’s physical library. To help the effective use of the platform, Dave or Geoff will be conducting online training for the faculty later this year.

Zambia

Pastor Lawson Limau is spearheading the development of an introductory course in theology and pastoral care, drawing from resources adapted from the eVitabu library. Recognising the potential impact of this initiative, APF has awarded Lawson an Africa Training Partner annual grant. This grant will enable him to deliver the pilot course to rural pastors throughout eastern Zambia during 2024.

Tanzania

Due to the ongoing demand for their teaching ministry, Heavenlight and Kesiah Luoga (pictured above with Victor Imanaturikumwe) have been awarded an African Partner Training grant for 2024. This grant will help them to conduct training workshops throughout the year, both locally and regionally. Recognising Heavenlight’s desire to expand his reach, APF has also approved funding for video recording equipment so Heavenlight can record training videos for social media and eVitabu. This includes a high-quality camera phone, basic lighting equipment, and a tripod.

Rwanda

The Let There Be Light solar project continues to shine brightly in Kigeme Diocese, Rwanda. By providing reliable light to clergy families and parishes, the project offers numerous benefits: brighter living spaces, opportunities for studying after dark, enhanced security, and even income generation opportunities. We recently sent additional funding to ensure the project’s sustainability by replacing batteries for some of the beneficiaries.

Our prayers continue for Rev. Victor Imanaturikumwe, the Legal Representative of Église Évangélique de la Bonne Volonté au Rwanda and a passionate advocate for eVitabu. Victor has a plan for competency-based training that complies with Rwandan government regulations for faith-based leaders. He is seeking funding to deliver this training programme and he is also assisting APF in finding a venue for a conference in September.

We also pray for Victor’s predecessor, Pastor Japhet Matugoma, who faces an urgent need to relocate his family home due to recent flooding and landslides (pictured above).

South Sudan

In recent weeks, APF approved a grant for the Saints Revival Committee in Aweil district to procure and distribute 600 local language Bibles. Also, Alex Sokiri of New Nation Church in Juba writes seeking support for the church school (pictured above). Founded for orphaned and underprivileged children living near the church, the school currently serves children in three classrooms. However, the classroom block front façade remains incomplete. With rainy season approaching, Alex is urgently seeking assistance to complete the front part of the school building to ensure the safety and well-being of the students.

April 4, 2024
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Untrained pastors find hope through Africans Teaching Africans

By Training, Uganda

In Uganda, Ssemanda Joshua Robert, a pastor with a heart for the poorest, has dedicated himself to equipping untrained pastors from across the country. Despite his own impressive qualifications, including 15 years of ministry and a master’s degree in theology, Joshua prioritises empowering those with limited access to theological training.

“I have trained pastors throughout Uganda,” Joshua explains, “and I’ve witnessed God using our team to open the eyes of countless church leaders.” This dedication became tangible in 2014 when Joshua assumed the National Coordinator role for Africans Teaching Africans (ATA).

ATA addresses a critical need in Africa, where Joshua says only 15% of pastors have any formal theological training. Their solution is a simple curriculum designed especially for pastors in rural villages and urban slums. The programme’s impact is evident in the stories of young pastors like Nsubuga John and Jude Ssekyanzi.

John, a pastor from an informal settlement outside Kampala, shares, “Before ATA’s training, I didn’t know how to interpret the Bible. I blindly followed everything the preacher said.” Thanks to ATA, John says he can now “read and study the Bible carefully.”

Jude, unable to afford Bible college fees, found hope with ATA. “The program opened my eyes to God’s Word and ministry,” he says. “It also made me aware of the dangers of false teachings used for personal gain.”

Joshua emphasises the consequences of inadequate ministerial training and oversight. He shares the story of Vincent, a young man misled by a church that taught that God does not forgive and that Christians must avenge everyone that hurts them so they feel the same pain they have caused. Through Joshua’s guidance, Vincent now seeks proper theological education.

“We need to save such young men,” pleads Joshua, highlighting the urgency of equipping future leaders.

A key barrier to effective training is the lack of affordable Bibles in local languages. Many pastors arrive at ATA sessions empty-handed. “We’ve been helping leaders own a Bible, but the need remains immense,” Joshua explains.

“In Uganda, a Bible in your own language is a powerful gift. We greatly appreciate the support we’ve received from APF donors to buy Bibles for rural pastors in remote Ibanda District, and we keep praying for your continued support.”

April 4, 2024
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How African is African Pastors Fellowship?

By Training, UK

APF has worked hard in recent years to amplify African voices. Through eVitabu and by empowering “African Training Partners” to lead and develop resources within their own communities, the charity is deeply commitment to representing the African church. But is there more to do? Dave reflects on opportunities to further contextualise our work and plans for an increasingly African-led future for the charity.

Since joining APF, I’ve encountered raised eyebrows, especially when introducing myself as CEO. “But you’re not African!” is a common response.

This sparked an important question: How African is African Pastors Fellowship? How far is our mission and strategy contextualised and reflecting the priorities and perspectives of African pastors?

Sitting in my home office in Kent, scrolling through photos of past African visits and praying over a map of the continent, I have questioned the long-term viability and ethics of a UK-based charity claiming to serve the modern African church. While we have real depth of relationship, trust and fellowship with our African partners, is there room for APF’s ministry to be further contextualised and African-led?

Hearing African Voices:

For several years now, APF has aimed to amplify African voices. We create opportunities for African church leaders to share their resources and news through the eVitabu app and Impetus newsletter. We also invite African pastors to visit the UK, attend international conferences, and participate in cross-cultural exchanges like Walter Rutto’s current teaching experience in Papua New Guinea. These initiatives exemplify the enriching exchange of knowledge and experience that defines African Pastors Fellowship.

Providing Contextualised Resources:

Our commitment to resourcing the African Church extends beyond simply making literature available in local languages. We strive for enculturation, encouraging resources prepared and delivered by those deeply embedded in the African cultural experience.

I vividly recall the profound learning experiences at the feet of Ugandan and Kenyan pastors, receiving unique interpretations of biblical stories. This is why we seek more African contributors to eVitabu and are exploring the creation of an African app development team to enhance the platform, even discussing potential partnerships with African mobile network providers to generate sustainable funding at no cost to users.

Releasing African Training Partners:

A key strategic priority is empowering “African Training Partners” (ATPs): individuals or organisations called to serve their peers, deliver training, and pioneer community projects that embody the coming of God’s kingdom on earth. These partners are diverse, ranging from denominations and colleges to individuals uniquely positioned to reach marginalised communities.

Previously, APF’s activity in Africa depended heavily on the presence of the Director. Today, thanks to our ATPs, there’s ongoing activity throughout the year. We’re also transitioning from making multiple small grants to annual grants, enabling our ATPs to plan training programmes with confidence. A major conference in Africa is planned for September to further explore this vision and formalise the partnerships with our ATPs.

Towards a More Representative Board:

While our board has always provided excellent governance and support, it has lacked diversity. We are actively seeking African trustees, both from within Africa and the UK African diaspora. We welcome recent additions like Kingston and Rose and hope this shift towards a more truly African APF continues.

Ultimately, my aspiration is to appoint an African Director for African Pastors Fellowship. Now, that’s a thought!

April 4, 2024
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