African Leadership
Since 1996, African Leadership has been committed to the development of South Africa as led by the teachings of the Bible, specifically focused on educating individuals on the truth of Christ. Established in Khayelitsha, South Africa, (an informal township outside of Cape Town), African Leadership has focused on building programs for children and youth in education, sports and Bible training as well as Bible college, local church development resources and job creations for adults. Local leadership partnership and training is in place to raise up community members for ministry buildings and job opportunities. African Leadership also has ministry partnerships and developments in Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique and Namibia. African Leadership is dedicated to giving to and sharing with global communities by providing opportunities for home and international missions from locations all around the world.
Children’s Ministries
Children are often considered last and this is also true within the majority of local churches. The children’s churches aim to bring the Gospel to the many children and youth in fun and practical ways so that they can learn to experience an abundant life daily with their Creator. At the same time, the ministry seeks to support local churches in developing their own ministries to children and youth. The children’s church ministries also seeks to empower youth to serve the children by training them as leaders. The children’s ministries focus on 2 major areas, the Khayelitsha area and the Kraaifontein area. Coordinators in this ministry also reach out to students in primary schools starting with the Character First program
Preschools (Lily of the Valley Educare Association, LOVE)
Over 1,000 children are currently in the LOVE preschool program in over 15 different preschools located around Khayelitsha. Today, child care and education are some of the most pressing needs in the Khayelitsha community. Local teachers are thoroughly trained to provide for the needs of the children by interacting with children and community members.
Africa Theological College (ATC) and Bible Training for Church Leaders
A one of a kind Bible College located in the heart of Khayelitsha, the Africa Theological College (ATC) has graduated over 50 students through a qualified faculty. Students participate for a year or two year program, designed to allow community members to get a diploma while having to work or fulfill other responsibilities. The comprehensive program is focused on providing each individual understanding of the Bible and resources for continual personal and community growth. The ATC has a developing library, computer, internet access, resource centre and a breadth of community leaders and intellectuals devoted to the Bible and its teachings. African Leadership has many satellite Bible training classes throughout South Africa and surrounding countries to train lay leaders and pastors. Currently, there are 22 classes of South African pastors and 18 classes with Ethiopian pastors.
Rainbow Sports Ministry
For boys, soccer has provided great fellowship and bonding time for teenage boys, where they can learn and explore with one another their identity through sport, music, dance, Bible studies, skills camps, community service and retreats. These boys can look to their coaches and teammates for mentorship and comraderie within the community outside of their everyday lives. Soccer has provided these youth a forum for self-discovery and exploration of their full potential as well as strengthening their integrity.
Rainbow Netball Ministry
Through the netball ministry, teenage girls have a forum to fellowship through athleticism and discovery of God’s vision for their lives. In this ministry the girls have regular Bible studies, created a cappella groups, put on special events, taken guitar lessons, held camps, retreats and HIV/AIDS prevention and education courses.
High School Ministry
Being the newest addition to African Leadership’s ministries, the high school ministry allows local missionaries to teach classes in the Khayelitsha school system about life skills via the Bible’s teachings. In these classes students can ask any questions, including those regarding faith, Biblical teachings and anything that they may like to discuss about life.
On top of their own in-class experiences, every Saturday, these students can meet together with students from different schools. They can come together and explore Christ further by going more deeply into the Bible and finding students their age to fellowship with in their discovery of truth.
Women of African Leadership in Khayelitsha (WALK) Ministry
This ministry focuses on reaching out to women from their teens to older women in their childbearing years. Their aim is to meet the specific needs of women in the community by sharing God’s love and providing a support network.
Job Creation Ministries
African Leadership is deeply devoted to meeting the needs of the community. One of the many needs is a steady form of income to provide for families. The opportunities available include business training, loan programs, and mat factories. An auto mechanic training centre and shop is being developed as a skills providing ministry for young unemployed men. In each of these areas, African Leadership is dedicated to teaching the practical skills necessary to help them meet daily needs and build faith and dependence upon God.
Rural Ministries
In the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, local and permanent leaders serve in different villages through church planting, children’s ministry development, farming projects, clinic development and evangelism. Short term missionaries partake in the continuation of these ministries by participating in whatever needs need to be met.
Campground & Retreat Centre
Retreats and camps are one of the most effective ways to share the Gospel and minister, teach and train, disciple and counsel, build relationships with God and each other. Many children and youth commit their lives to Christ at these get-aways. However, it is difficult to find appropriate facilities. We have a 10 hectare plot of land where we have built a campground that has the potential to reach more than 3000 people per year. We pray that we may soon be able to use the facilities to full capacity.
Local Leadership/ Discipleship Training
Local people have the opportunity to take their faith to a new level by serving their people through the Bible’s teachings. These leaders can develop their own ministries to help others grow in their knowledge of God through daily life and benefit their local communities as well as beyond. Through ongoing ministries, servant leaders are constantly being developed (ex. children’s church teachers).
Short & Long Term Missions
Teams come from around the world to serve the people of Khayelitsha by whatever means possible. Missionaries of all ages serve anywhere from weeks to months to years in previously established as well as new community development projects and ministries.
Longer term missionaries find a niche in an area that needs further development in or outside of South Africa by dedicating their time, effort and lives to serving God’s people in Africa. Long term missionaries create a life for themselves where they become a part of African life to build the Kingdom of God in Africa by whatever means necessary.
Kraaifontein Ministries
Other Areas
Mozambique
God has given us a vision to build a Jesus’ village, standing as a kind of community centre within the community, over a period of about 10 years. It shall include a preschool, hospital, clinic, orphanage, church, primary school, high school, disabled people’s home and elderly home. The preschool has already been built. We pray that Jesus may be seen, felt and known in the community through this ministry. We are also developing partnerships with the local Presbyterian denomination, to provide training for their many lay preachers who need training.
Namibia
Relationships have been formed with the two main independent churches, the main indigenous church denominations in Namibia. They believe in Christ but they also continue to worship their ancestors. The majority of the many volunteer pastors are completely untrained. NAMActs (Namibia African Church Theological School) is the continuation of Bible training that has already started with the purpose of developing a Christ-centered and Biblical seminary that is relevant to the local context.
Madagascar
For the past 3 years, we have been providing training for pastors in Madagascar. Within this challenging environment, the pastors and leaders respond passionately to the Gospel. Currently, we are seeking God’s guidance in starting a Kingdom-oriented youth bank which aims to develop the local economy in Christ-centred ways. Also, we are hoping to start some mobile medical clinics which are greatly needed soon.
Lesotho
Lesotho is a country that urgently needs transformation through Christ. The population is decreasing due to AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. In partnership with World Vision, Bible training was provided to 10 lay pastors in Lesotho this past year. This will continue along with the development of new classes and support to graduates of previous classes which is desperately needed. In addition, we will support the Lesotho pastors to develop wholistic ministry reaching many areas of their communities.