OUR VISION

1. We see an army of Africans equipped with the character and competences necessary to lead holistic community development among their own people.

2. We see an army of Africans initiating and implementing holistic community development projects that catalyze the transformation of  individuals from the inside out and the development of  communities from the bottom up.

3. We see an army of Africans in their communities operating businesses whose proceeds are dedicated to the promotion of prayer, evangelism, discipleship, mentorship, job creation, self-sustainability and life in the community.

4. We see the church in Africa becoming a missionary-sending church, a more careful custodian of the Gospel, and a more powerful advocate for Christ-centered reconciliation, peace and justice in Africa

5. We see one Torchbearer Community Development Center in every village, township, and city in Africa

6. We see an army of Africans becoming servant-leaders to their people by developing homes for the poor, liberating oppressed children and their families, founding businesses, hospitals, schools, libraries, universities, institutes, foundations, civic groups, that are laying the foundation for a more united Africa in which the people are guaranteed the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit meaning. 

7. We pursue this vision through the establishment of Torches, Beams, Discipleship work stations, Institutes, leading to Torchbearer Community Development Centers

OUR GOALS

CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW

 The problem: The failure to develop the vast mass of human capital at the grassroots in Africa .

 This failure is the result of the absence of long-term commitment to: 

1)       Educate and mobilize Africans to accept responsibility for solving Africa ’s problems.

2)       Empower Africans to develop the character, competence, and the tools needed to solve Africa ’s problems.

Even in the face of this failure, scholars and other leaders continue to communicate ideas and skills that shape the world in language that is inaccessible to the masses in the villages. The vast masses of Africans are therefore cut-out from the cutting-edge ideas and skills that shape the world.

Consequently, despite the good intentions and efforts of governments, churches, and other nongovernmental organizations (NGO), Africa lags behind the rest of the world in almost every index of development. 

 The solution: Africans (and Friends of Africa) must make a long-term commitment to invest in:

1)  Educating and mobilizing Africans to accept responsibility for solving Africa ’s problems.

2)       Empowering Africans to develop the character, competence, and the tools needed to solve Africa ’s problems.

Torchbearer Foundation for Missions, Reconciliation, and Development facilitates the development of Torchbearers – defined as faithful lovers of the true light, life, and liberty – as part of the solution.

Ours small groups (Torches, Beams, Sparks , and Flames) are educating and mobilizing Africans to accept responsibility for solving Africa ’s problems.

Our Christian Community Development Centers (CCDCs) are empowering Africans to develop the character, competence, and the tools needed to solve Africa ’s problems.

Torchbearer Foundation Small Group Structure 

FNI = Felt-Need Identification

PM = Prayer Mobilization

PC = Project Conception

SMC = Seed-Money Contribution

These are the four-fold purposes of a Torch. Our small groups begin as Torches and grow into Beams (prayer and bible study), Sparks (prayer, bible study, and project execution) and Flames (prayer, bible study, project execution, and training). Facilitators ensure that our small group leaders, (Bulbs, Mirrors, Matches, and Fuels), in a given village or region are running their small groups effectively.

Christian Community Development Center (CCDC) - Departmental Structure

1) Gospel Communication

2) Spiritual Development

3) Leadership Development

4) Intellectual Development

5) Professional Development

6) Hygiene and Public Health Development

7) Agricultural and Environmental Development

8) Health Development

9) Social Development

10) Cultural Development

11) Civic Development

12) Business Development

13) Economic Development

Torchbearer Foundation will develop and run training programs in all of these departments. These programs must communicate ideas and skills that shape the world in language that is accessible to the people, so as to provide life-long learning opportunities to the masses of people in the villages, towns, and cities of Africa .

 Torchbearer Foundation Comprehensive Development Framework

1) Development strategies should be comprehensive and shaped by a long-tern vision (such as our CCDCs).

2) Development goals and strategies should be “owned” by the village or region, based on stakeholder participation in shaping them (such as our small group projects and our Regional Councils of Advisers).

3) Communities striving to develop should lead the management and coordination of development projects through stakeholder participation (such our Bulbs, Mirrors, Matches, and Fuels - who are our indigenous small group leaders - and our Facilitators, and our CCDC leaders)

4) Development performance should be evaluated through measurable results on the ground, in order adjust strategies to outcomes and a changing world (such as the quantity and quality of transformed lives in our small groups and in the larger community).

 Partners in the Torchbearer Foundation System

Generally, individuals involved with Torchbearer Foundation for Missions, Reconciliation, and Development will belong to one or more of the following groups:

1.      Christian social entrepreneurs, who are close to the poor in Africa, organize prayer, lead bible studies, propose projects, and train workers who can help the poor in Africa to meet their own needs.

2.      Individual and institutions with wisdom, knowledge, or technical expertise, and who are willing to share their wisdom, knowledge, or technical expertise with Africans.

3.      Donors who have funds they are willing to invest in Africa .

Each group must have many partners who seek out partners in the other groups. It is the effective interaction between these three groups that will determine the effectiveness of our work in Africa .

OUR LEADERSHIP