The Africa Missions Association will be holding its inaugural conference from 23rd to 26th September 2025 in Machakos, Kenya. It is the first time that ministry leaders on the African continent are coming together under the AfMA umbrella to unite in collaboration towards shaping the role of Africa in the Great Commission!

But did you know the history of AfMA? Did you know how this unifying body came into existence? Here is the story behind AfMA’s movement!

In 2010, amid the quiet hum of a meeting room in Pasadena, two African leaders—Gabriel Barau from Nigeria and Dr. Seth Anyomi from Ghana—shared a burden that had been growing heavier with each passing mission conference. Surrounded by global voices and inspired by Asia’s rising momentum in missional movements, they felt a stirring: what would it take to mobilize Africa, not just as a recipient of missions but as a leading force?

That meeting wasn’t a flash in the pan. Instead, it lit a fire.

Determined to avoid duplicating existing efforts, they consulted widely with African mission leaders. The result was a wave of support, energy, and vision that culminated three years later—in September 2013—with the official launch of the Africa Missions Association (AfMA) in Accra, Ghana. At that launch during the Global Mission Consultation, 15 African countries stood together, and global observers watched something historic unfold: a new era of African-led missions had begun.

AfMA’s rallying cry? Africans reaching Africa with the Gospel.

Its founding leadership included voices from across the continent:

  • Gabriel Barau as Chairman (Nigeria)
  • Dr. Stephen Mbogo as Vice Chair (Kenya)
  • Dr. Julius Twongeinere as General Secretary (Uganda)

Together, they shaped the organization’s heartbeat: to promote cooperation in mission, coordinate national mission associations, and facilitate mutual support in sending and mobilization efforts. But AfMA isn’t just about logistics—it’s about unity, humility, and vision. It invites local churches to rise as mission hubs, encourages the birth of national movements, and strengthens relationships between churches and mission bodies.

The urgency behind AfMA was more than organizational. It was personal. Back in 1997, during GCOWE in South Africa, Kenyan ministers were stunned to discover there were over 224 unreached people groups in their own country. The shock led to a resounding vow: “Never again shall we go uninformed.” That conviction rippled through AfMA’s founding DNA.

Since its launch, AfMA has catalyzed the rise of national mission associations—starting with Kenya’s own KEMA (Kenya Missions Association) in 2017. Inspired by West Africa’s established networks like NEMA and GEMA, leaders saw how coordination could unlock strategic sending. From there, regional momentum followed: Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia… each nation stepping into its unique call.

AfMA believes in the power of together: “TEAM — Together Each One Achieving More.” It’s a mantra that echoes across its networks. No single church, no single country can finish the task alone. But when united in shared strategy, learning, and partnership, the mission becomes unstoppable.

Through cross-border collaboration, shared resources, and strategic training, AfMA envisions sustainable sending. Missionaries aren’t just sent—they’re equipped for long-term impact. Academic institutions join hands to provide contextualized training, digital resources are shared across networks, and research identifies real gaps in capacity and understanding.

At the heart of AfMA’s relevance today is its capacity to transform local awareness into global impact. Whether it’s mobilizing 2,000 believers by August, empowering 50 churches to run mission emphasis programs, or finalizing cross-cultural mission frameworks by 2026, the movement is alive with measurable progress and fast momentum.

And perhaps the most striking thing is that AfMA doesn’t lead from a place of superiority. It leads from a place of humility. Its call is simple: Learn from others. Build together. Send together.

The Church in Africa isn’t just awakening—it’s rising, equipped and mobilized.

Register for the conference here. You can also visit the conference website in this link.