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The AFM Church Council decided that studies at the Bible College were now compulsory for all applicants for full-time ministry in the AFM Church.

Dr Möller (senior, standing in the centre) hand drew the first logo of the Bible College.

The first album of the AFMTC student choir was released.

The album “Hosanna” was released, with choirmaster Johan Haystack.

The current buildings of the Auckland Park campus were inaugurated.

The album “Kom o Skepper Gees” (Veni Creator Spiritus/“Come Creator Spirit”) was released, with choirmaster Jannie Dekas.

ATS became directly involved with the Kasupe Bible College in Zambia. It supported this college financially and presented 25 workshops in Zambia over a period of 10 years. Currently, the Zambian lecturers are academically at a level where they can independently administer the training of future pastors in Zambia, while still using the curriculum of the ATS.

Pastor Mark Mosonda, President of the Zambian Church, stated that these interventions of ATS have changed the whole profile of the church in Zambia. Where, in the past, the church and the pastors were perceived as insignificant and poor, they are now playing a leading role in Zambia.

Prior to 1993, all property in the AFM Church (including congregations’ church property), was registered in the name of AFM Head Office. The AFM Head Office used this property portfolio as security to obtain a foreign loan, with the aim of developing retirement accommodation for pastors in the Johannesburg area. This project did not materialize and with the rapid depreciation of the Rand, the AFM Head Office’s debt overnight increased to R15 million. To mitigate this financial predicament, they distributed and transferred the debt to the individual AFM congregations as well as to Auckland Park Theological Seminary (AFMTC at that time). AFMTC’s contribution to the debt was the loss of 2% of congregations’ contributions to Head Office that have been earmarked for AFMTC over the years. AFMTC had relied on this subsidy and students’ tuition fees for its budget.

In 1993, as recompense, the AFM Head Office transferred all property owners to individual congregations without conditions or servitude. In the same manner, the ownership of 55 Richmond Avenue, Auckland Park was transferred to AFMTC. (As a side note, this property was paid for and erected by AFMTC itself.) From that day, AFMTC became its own legal entity and the property is still registered as such at the deeds office. This was an acceptable arrangement for the congregations, as it would in the future deprive the AFM Head Office of the opportunity to enter into similar debt arrangements.

AFMTC signed an agreement with the University of Johannesburg (“UJ”, the then Rand Afrikaans University), resulting in ATS’ acting as the theological school of the University. In an academic article by Andries Putter entitled Auckland Park Teologiese Seminarium: die hartseer verlede en uitdagings in die nuwe millennium, the author noted that WJ Hattingh’s negotiations with universities constituted a breakthrough for theological training in the Pentecostal domain.

The Sunday school program entitled “Victor Kids”, developed by ATS was released, rethinking the scope of a theological seminary.Auckland Park Theological Seminar History

The first candidates for a master’s and a doctor’s degree supervised by ATS received their degrees. It was the first time in South Africa that postgraduate dissertations or theses were prepared under the supervision of a Pentecostal academic institution. It had truly been a “long walk to freedom” since the days when the Pentecostal Church in South Africa was viewed as a sect, ministering only to disadvantaged and marginalized communities.

ATS reached a new agreement with the Theological Department of Northwest University (NWU). Some of ATS’ lecturers are appointed as extraordinary lecturers at NWU.

The first students received BA (Hons) degrees in Theology at a graduation ceremony of northwest University, thanks to the contract concluded in 2010.

Three new courses were accredited by the Department of Education, namely:

• Diploma in Theology
• Higher Certificate in Pastoral Counselling
• Higher Certificate in Youth Work

The Njoro Bible College opened its doors in Kenya in January 2014 and has adopted ATS as its mother institution. The first 20 students registered for the BTh and the Diploma in Theology. The photo shows eleven students who form part of this historical moment.

The past decade has been a time of great anguish and hardship for ATS. We might be right should we call it our ‘decennium horribles (horrible decade). But one thing is certain ‘Through the Lord’s mercies we were not consumed…’ In time to come, we will update our history to tell our story. Because we are conscious that there is a synergy between our sufferings and the sufferings of all God’s people throughout the Bible, and par excellence the sufferings of Jesus Christ. In these sufferings, God is at work in His history of redemption. Therefore we will make the sufferings and the salvation we have experienced common property so that the church of our Lord Jesus Christ shall hear the good news of our rescue which may also comfort them.

And that our deliverance has come during the year that ATS turns 75 is extraordinary – Solio Deo Gloria.

All international students’ applications need to be accompanied by an Assessment Certificate of the South African Qualifications Authority (“SAQA”, for short). The original SAQA Certificate must be submitted to ATS upon registration.

SAQA Assessment Certificate
ATS can assist international students with the SAQA assessment process. Applicants must provide ATS with certified copies of their highest secondary school certificate or degree (a full Student Transcript) and identity document.

The SAQA fee needs to be deposited into ATS’s bank account and proof of payment must be forwarded to Administration. The said fee is used to fund the processing of applications and is non-refundable. ATS will start processing an application upon receipt of this fee. ATS Admission Requirements for International Student

Please note that the application fee does not form part of the tuition and seminary fees payable, should an applicant be accepted to further his/her studies at ATS.

List of Courses Offered:

• Bachelor of Theology (BTh)
• Diploma in Theology
• Higher Certificate in Pastoral Counselling
• Higher Certificate in Youth Work
• Christian Worker’s Certificate
• Small-Group Leader Certificate
• Entrepreneurship Certificate
• Christian Counselling Certificate