About AFCM
Jim Kaseman entered full-time ministry in 1975 as pastor of a small church in Minnesota. A year later he was called to the traveling/teaching ministry; as a result, Jim Kaseman Ministries was founded. During the next several years, Jim was instrumental in establishing 27 churches in Minnesota and the surrounding area.
Jim graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He also served in the United States Army and completed his career as an Engineer Officer. He is a charter class graduate of RHEMA Bible Training Center in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He holds credentials with RHEMA Ministerial Association International and the Association of Faith Churches and Ministers International and is a member of the Fellowship of Inner-City Word of Faith Ministries. Jim holds a Doctor of Divinity degree from the School of Bible Theology in San Jacinto, California.
In 1978, Jim and his wife, Kathleen, founded the Association of Faith Churches and Ministers International (AFCM) to promote fellowship among the ministers who shared their vision of taking the “Word of Faith” message to the world.
AFCM has developed over the years into a worldwide movement of churches, pastors, itinerant ministers, and missionaries, dedicated to bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations in the power of the Holy Spirit. Literally, hundreds of churches have been established, millions of books printed and distributed, and tons of humanitarian aid distributed by AFCM members to countries in need.
With the aim of impacting the world with the gospel, AFCM International Training Center was founded in the fall of 1998. Since that time, more than 600 Bible schools have been established around the world.
In addition to his responsibilities for both AFCM and Jim Kaseman Ministries, Jim ministers throughout the year in churches, conventions, and Bible schools. He has traveled to more than 30 countries obeying God’s call to go to the nations. Having seen in his own life the transforming power of the Word of God, he is committed to the presentation of the Gospel in simplicity, with power, love, and joy.
Jim and his wife, Kathleen, were married almost 58 years before she went home to heaven. Jim’s desire is to fulfill the call of God on his life and hear Him say, “Well done – you’ve done everything I’ve asked you to do.”
Jim Kaseman entered full time ministry in 1975 when he accepted the invitation to pastor a church in Minnesota. A year later, Jim Kaseman Ministries was founded and became instrumental in establishing 27 churches in Minnesota and the surrounding area.
The Association of Faith Churches and Ministers (AFCM) was founded by Jim and Kathleen Kaseman in 1978 for the purpose of equipping and empowering ministers to fulfill their destiny, while promoting fellowship and unity in the body of Christ.
AFCM is a diverse group of ministers committed to fulfilling the Great Commission to “…go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
WHO WE ARE
AFCM is an international family of churches and ministers dedicated to cultivating a heart for the world, nurturing relationships, and championing the local church.
WHAT WE DO
We equip ministers to reach their most effective potential in ministry through licensing, ordination, and affiliation and supplying a means of Godly encouragement and counsel in accuracy of doctrine and integrity of character.
- The Scriptures
- The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of the holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine. (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 Thess. 2:13)
- The Godhead
- The triune Godhead is comprised of 3 separate and distinct persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—who are eternally self-existent, self revealed, and function as one entity. Jesus Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh, is the second member of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. (John 1:1; John 1:14; John 16:28; John 1:18; John 15:26)
- Man, His Fall and Redemption
- Man was created good and upright, for God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.” But man, by voluntary transgression, fell and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ the Son of God. (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7: Romans 5:12-21)
- The Salvation of Man
- We can have a personal relationship with God through salvation, God’s free gift to man. On the cross Jesus Christ became sin and sickness providing both salvation and divine healing for all mankind (Psalm 103:3), being justified freely by His grace through faith. By admitting we have sinned and believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and accepting Him as Lord, we can spend eternity with God. (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:8-10)
God’s will for our lives as believers is to become whole and successful in every area of life (Mark 16:17, Acts 2:4). The actual meaning of salvation is to be complete and lacking nothing; spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Philippians 4:7-8, 1 Peter 2:24, 2 Corinthians 9:6-10)
The inward evidence to the believer of his salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness (I John 3:23).
Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and not by human works; however, our works will determine our rewards in eternity (Acts 16:3; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 14:10-12; and 2 Cor. 5:10)
Jew and Gentile alike must receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and be born again before experiencing physical death. The Jew does not get a second chance to get saved after physical death with Jesus appearing and preaching to them. Abraham’s bosom was closed and no longer exists since Jesus Christ paid for mankind’s redemption in full. Today, when a Jew or Gentile is born again and experiences physical death, they are immediately in the presence of the Lord in heaven. (John 3:1-18; Ephesians 1:7-10,2:14-22; Romans 9:6-8; Galatians 3:5-16).
- The Church
- The Church is: One Body, One Holy Temple of the Living God made up of both Jew and Gentile. The church is the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and church of the first born, whose names are written in Heaven. (Ephesians 1:22; 2:11-22; Hebrews 12:23).
- Baptism in the Holy Spirit
- All believers are entitled to, and should ardently expect and earnestly seek, the promise of the Father, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost and Fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. With it comes the endowment of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-31).
This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth and is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking with other tongues as the Holy Spirit gives utterance. (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4, 38; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9; 19:2-6).
- Sanctification
- The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until Christ’s return (Heb. 12:14; I Thess. 5:23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:12-14; I Cor. 1:30).
- Ordinances
- We believe the two scriptural ordinances of a New Testament church are water baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
The ordinance of baptism by immersion should be observed as commanded in the Scriptures by all who have repented and believed on Christ as Saviour and Lord. It is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. In so doing, they declare to the world that they have died with Jesus and that they have also been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4).
We follow our Lord’s command to faithfully remember Christ’s cleansing blood and broken body with the elements of Holy Communion (1 Cor. 11:24, 25, 28).
- Human Sexuality
- We believe that God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family, the basic structure of human society (Genesis 2:24). God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of the context of marriage between a man and a woman. (Genesis 19:5, 26:8-11; 5:1; 6:9; I Thess. 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4). Hence, sexual activities such as, but not limited to, adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, pedophilia, and bestiality are inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible, the Church, and a Christian life. (Lev. 18:22; Lev. 20:13).
We stand fast on the scriptures in Romans 1:25-27, I Corinthians 6:9-11, and I Timothy 1:9-10 and believe that homosexuality is a sin. We determine to show compassion to all, with however, no compromise.
Accordingly, this organization, its churches, nor its members shall conduct any marriages between persons of the same sex and shall not condone, support, or facilitate any activities which conflict with this tenet of faith.
- Blessed Hope, Resurrection of the Just, and the Return of our Lord
- Jesus is coming again to gather all His Saints to Heaven. The angels said to Jesus’ disciples, “…this same Jesus…shall come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” His coming is imminent. When He comes, “…the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” (Acts 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; and 2 Thess. 2:1).
Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth with His saints from Heaven to rule and reign for one thousand years. (Romans 11:25, 27; 11 Thess. 1:7; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-7). After this, there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. (Rev. 21)
- Hell and Eternal Retribution
- Those who have died physically not having accepted the redemptive work of Jesus Christ is eternally lost and will suffer eternal separation from the Godhead, having no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. This is the second death, the lake of fire. (Rev. 19:20; 20:10-15).
The following list of core values reflects what is truly important to us as an organization. These are not values that change from time to time, but rather they are the foundation of this ministry. By maintaining these core values, we can preserve what has always been unique about AFCM.
Core – Central or most essential part
Value – Assigned worth or importance
Reverential Fear of God
Proverbs 1:7
Eph. 1:17
Proverbs 8:13
The “Word” Jesus (John 1:14)
II Timothy 2:15
Eph. 5:1
Romans 8:29
Acts 17:11
John 17:3
Phil. 3:10
The Holy Spirit
Matthew 3:11
Acts 1:8
Acts 10:38
Mark 16:18-20
Acts 2:43
Praise and Worship
Acts 2:47
John 9:31
Prayer
Phil. 3:10-11 (AMP)
Eph. 6:18
Love
Matthew 22:37-40
John 14:23-24
Eph. 3:15
Walking in Righteousness and Perfecting Holiness
II Corinthians 5:21
Romans 6:15
II Timothy 4:8 (AMP)
Hebrews 12:14
Although AFCM serves as a spiritual covering for its members, it does not govern any of its members-ministries. Each ministry operates independently of AFCM. However, as members of the Body of Christ, all should live lives representative of Christ and above reproach. Therefore, AFCM and its leadership strongly believe, teach, and exemplify a high standard of integrity, Godly character, and moral excellence, and encourage that standard to be duplicated throughout its membership.